Captain Digital

Random musings on politics, society, and pop culture from the Internet's marketing curmudgeon.

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Palin

Just in case you had any delusions about a lack of media bias…

…ladies and gentlemen, I give you the moderator of Thursday night’s Vice Presidential debates: Gwen Ifill. 

You’re not familiar with Ms. Ifill? Neither was I. Evidently, neither was the Commission on Presidential Debates (a supposedly neutral organization), nor was the McCain camp. Ifill is a senior correspondent for the PBS show, The News Hour, with Jim Lehrer. (Any association with PBS woulda done it for me – PBS being far from neutral in it’s news shows. But I digress.) More importantly, on January 20, 2009, Ifill’s new book will be released. The title? The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama. If you harbor any illusions that her book is a critical look at the Democrat’s standard-bearer, take a look at this abstract from Amazon.com: [Read more…] about Just in case you had any delusions about a lack of media bias…

Heard…and overheard.

This conversation was recorded without the knowledge of the participants. This transcript came to us anonymously. We cannot reveal our source – as we have no idea who sent it. But they provided enough bona fides that we can vouch for it’s authenticity. The names have been changed to protect the identities of the speakers (but unless you live under a [30] Rock, you should be able to fill in the blanks without any problem). 

Mr. X: Have you seen the overnights?

Mr. Y: Yes…they’re pretty scary. 

Mr. X: I can’t believe McCain did this…we were all ready to go negative on anybody on his short list…where did SHE come from? Nobody had her on a short list…long list…ANY list. 

Mr. Y: I’m baffled. What do we do now?

Mr. X: You’re the President of the network…you tell me. It’s what I’m paying you for. 

Mr. Y: Uh…well…it will take us a few days…weeks maybe, to dig up enough dirt on her to get our claws in deep. [Read more…] about Heard…and overheard.

It’s up for debate.

I was never on the debate team in High School. Always thought I’d be pretty good at it – I love to challenge people with whom I disagree, and enjoy the give-and-take when someone can argue their positions with facts and logic (as opposed to rhetoric and emotion. 

I watched the debate last night with interest. The candidate on the side I’m pulling for (the conservative side, if there was ever any doubt) is not known for his inspiring speeches or magnetic personality. The guy on the left (Obama) is all about lofty rhetoric, but generally short on specifics, not to mention logic. Then of course, you have to factor in the pundits. “McCain needs to put Obama away to win this.” “Obama is in the lead, he just needs to not screw up…a draw is a win for him.” “Both candidates need to deal with specifics, so we can get past the slogans and see real plans.” Um, yeah. I made that last one up. Nobody in the media has been saying anything like that.

So, how did it go? I dunno. I think Obama started strong, but then got more and more rattled as the night went on. McCain did surprisingly well, but I don’t know if that was enough to move undecideds into his column. I think this election is gonna come down to the wire. I would like to make a few observations on last night’s performances: [Read more…] about It’s up for debate.

The High Standards of the Media.

Full disclosure: I used to be a reporter. In my salad days, I was the news director of my college radio station. Not exactly a stepping stone to the next Pulizter, but I bring this up to illustrate that I am aware of what it takes to work on an explosive story, and the fact that it can be difficult to keep one’s opinions neutral, when writing about topics that can elicit a partisan response.

Having said that, it really isn’t that difficult to tell when a reporter (or an entire network – NBC) is in the tank for a candidate. That’s bad – and a complete repudiation of journalistic ethics. (There’s a reason why newspapers have a “news” section and a “opinion” page. What’s worse is when a journalist decides to carry the water for their candidate’s attack dogs, and turn their bully pulpit into a venue for personal attacks.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I give you Ms. Heather Mallick, of the CBC News. [Read more…] about The High Standards of the Media.

Bias, with a side of mud.

Item #1: A few years ago, Rolling Stone magazine ran a series of brilliant ads in other trade publications, to educate potential advertisers as to who really reads Rolling Stone. They were two-page spreads – on the left showed someone dressed as a classic, 1960’s-era hippie. The headline read “Perception.” On the following page the same guy was dressed in a Brooks Brothers 3-piece suit, with a briefcase. The headline on that page read “Reality.” The body copy stated some demographics for the magazine, pointing out that a majority of their readers were affluent and held real jobs.

Item #2: My daddy used to impart a number of pearls of wisdom to me, two of which were “you can’t throw mud without getting some on you,” and “the guilty dog barks first.”

Keep these items in mind as I share with you some bon mots from the campaign trail… [Read more…] about Bias, with a side of mud.

The Politics of Envy.

As a reader of this blog, you know that I come at things from a conservative point of view. Note that I didn’t claim a Republican point of view, as the GOP has managed to largely divest itself of the Conservative position over the last eight years or so. I long for a leader that will bring back the principled convictions and decisive action of Ronald Reagan. I think I’ve found such a leader. And it has the left positively apoplectic. I’m loathe to quote Al “I invented the Internet, and the Global Warming ScareFest, too!” Gore, but he did say something quite revealing (or at least it’s been attributed to him – you can never really tell with a liberal if it’s a real quote, or just more plagiarism): “When you have the facts on your side, argue the facts. When you have the law on your side, argue the law. When you have neither, holler.” And, boy, the left has been hollering. But why? They claim to have the facts on their side. They claim to have the rule of law. Based on the readouts on the VU Meters in the media, I’d say they realize they don’t. Here’s what I think is really going on…

[Read more…] about The Politics of Envy.

NEWSFLASH: Obama worshiper exposed as loon.

Just when I thought things couldn’t get any weirder around here in Amarillo (Centrally Located Between Two Oceans!™), it did. Mrs. Digital was at a local supermarket a few minutes ago, and some Obama supporter when all Zsa-Zsa Gabor on her. That’s right. My significant other was wearing the tshirt you see pictured to the left (available online, by the way, through my wife’s company, www.vectorright.com), minding her own business, when some raving loon…um, I mean “Obama supporter” walked up to her and said “Bitch!” and proceeded to slap her, open handed, across her face. Keep in mind, this was not at some seedy “Stop ‘n Rob” drive up convenience store. Nope. This happened at what is by all accounts, the nicest, most up-scale grocery store in Amarillo.

Immediately, my wife was surrounded by other customers, and the manager ran over to offer his assistance. He asked if my wife wanted him to call the police. My wife is one tough cookie, and (she told me whilst recounting the event) figured that the police have better things to do, so she declined his offer. The manager then escorted the woman who assaulted my wife out of the store. [Read more…] about NEWSFLASH: Obama worshiper exposed as loon.

WOW.

Obama must be really nervous tonight. Biden, however, must be wishing he’d been screening his calls.

To call Sarah Palin’s speech amazing is to shower it with faint praise. I think this will go down in history in the same vein as the speech Ronald Regan gave to nominate Barry Goldwater (the speech that launched Regan’s political career). If there were any doubts on the Right that Sarah Palin was the wrong pick, they were more than answered with an emphatic “NO” tonight. She was everything the Right wants, and then some. If there was any doubt on the Left that Palin is going to be all but impossible to beat on the stump, those doubts have been suddenly and decisively retired. The Dems are in real trouble here. Palin’s articulate, well-spoken, intelligent, and…experienced – in both public speaking and in dealing with issues. (She even acquitted herself admirably on foreign policy issues.) And as far as the media goes, if they entertained any thoughts that she might be a pushover, or an easy ‘get’ for their poisoned pens, she quashed those. (My favorite line was the one about how she was not going to Washington to please the liberal media, but to serve the people.) Booyah! [Read more…] about WOW.

There’s only two things I don’t like about liberal pundits…

…their face.

(For those of you that are liberals, that’s a reference to being two-faced.) You see, for as long as I can remember, Liberals have owned the franchise on demographic groups like “feminists,” “soccer moms,” “working moms,” and “women who want to break through glass ceilings.” Then came Sarah Palin.

Pwned.

Even though I expected Liberals go go appoplectic over Palin, I figured they’d be smart enough to stop short of hypocrisy when they turned the attack dogs of war her direction. I was wrong. We’re seeing little bon mots like this: [Read more…] about There’s only two things I don’t like about liberal pundits…

Force of Nature.

In the world in which we live, it’s actually pretty easy to forget that nature trumps technology. For all our computers, machines, and other man-made paraphernalia, we still can’t control Mother Nature to any great extent. (Which, of course, is one of the things that makes me a hard-core skeptic over the man-made global warming thing – but that’s a topic for another time.) [Read more…] about Force of Nature.