Tell David Brooks he's full of it.

Crossposted from MyLeftWing

Over on MLW, the focus of the day has been a diary about “changing the equation”. ;A commenter asks “how”

Here’s one way. Work the Refs!

Don’t let them get away with Making. Shit. Up.

Media Matters catches David Brooks doing just that – by claiming that Clinton (and Reagan) were “in the twenties” in approval rating.

That is patently false! That is demonstrably false! And we should let Brooks , the Newshour , and PBS know we know. Constant pressure on media is one of the ways the right wing extremist gained the disproportionate power they have – we have to stop letting them get away with this crap. My letter and some links below.

Mr. Brooks,

Can you source the claim that both Reagan (the great communicator) and Clinton were “in the 20’s” in approval ratings.

that sir, from the numerous sources I’ve checked, is patently false and, I think deliberately misleading.

Clinton, for example – even as the Starr investigation dragged on – was in the 60’s – (here are two (2) sources

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/opinion081698.htm

http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/resources/1998/tracking.poll/

Here’s a chart.

I see no dots in the 20’s, Mr. Brooks. Do you have a source?

Bush on the other hand is in the 30’s and 55% say “if” it’s shown he misled us on WMD’s he should be impeached.

Let me know if you’d like 4 or 5 sources for that data – but I bet you can find it. Further confirmation seems to come out every couple weeks.

Wishing it were otherwise doesn’t make it so any more than wishing we’d be greeted with flowers will bring any of our 2026 plus dead and tens of thousand wounded back to full health.

You, sir, should be deeply ashamed of you role in making this debacle of a presidency possible and you, sir, should apologize to an American public that – after 5 long years, is coming to the realization of just how screw up things are DESPITE you and numerous other members of the oh so “liberal” media making every excuse under the sun for the neo-con power cartel.

In the 20’s you say.

Prove It.

I don’t think you can and I fully expect both verbal and printed retractions of this “misstatement.”

Or do you have no sense of shame? At long last, no decency?

PS

– this rant and refutation has been CC’d to the Newshour – which I’ve watched for years. Sad how you’ve declined over the last 2 or 3. Wonder if Bush’s appointments to the CPB have anything to do with that….

Used to be better than this.

I’ve also submitted this to PBS via the web form.. If they want to know why I’m no longer willing to go to the mat to preserve federal funding, or for that matter send donations – this would be a prime example. How on earth does Brooks get away with this. For that matter – why doesn’t Mr. Shields do more to challenge such a demonstrably false statement. PBS is no longer serving our nation well. Facts matter. Start reporting them and make your opinion folks prove the stuff they spew isn’t just conveniently pulled from their nether regions and I might come back.

Christopher Eshelman

Wichita, KS