In the most recent issue of TIME Magazine, Joe Klein wrote a puff piece titled: “What Hillary Stands For.” This was the most brazen use of damage control by a purportedly objective magazine that I have seen in the last decade. After reading Joe Klein’s journalistic negligence, I finally understand why TIME Magazine is losing subscribers.
Not only should Joe Klein be ashamed for what he wrote, but TIME Magazine should as well. The fact that his article was located in TIME’s “Nation” section on pages 44-49, instead of on the “Viewpoint” section beginning on page 51 is absurd. It demonstrates that the editors and executives at TIME are so far to the Left that they cannot discern the difference between real journalism and a full endorsement of Hillary Clinton.
Below I have taken some of the most ridiculous excerpts from the “article.” After each quote, I provide brief commentary. As you will clearly see, there is nothing objective about anything Joe Klein says. He is unapologetic about his stance. Moreover, his title purports that we should finally understand what Hillary Clinton really believes. In truth, we learned nothing other than the fact that the Clintons have the media on their side.
“She has endorsed higher taxes for the wealthy.” – Joe Klein
Here is where the American people need to hear the follow up question: Who does she consider the wealthy, and how much will they be taxed? Who will benefit from this? From this statement we learned nothing about what she really believes.
“Clinton is a pragmatic moderate, and [Walter] Mondale was an old-fashioned liberal.” – Joe Klein
By pragmatic moderate does Joe Klein mean that she refuses to answer a basic question about anything? By pragmatic moderate does Joe Klein mean that she refuses to even call herself a liberal, or explain what she believes? The use of the term pragmatic moderate is Joe Klein’s personal term to boost Hillary Clinton’s numbers in the polls.
“An accurate summation of what [the Clintons] think about: “Getting stuff done.”” – Joe Klein
Really?! Joe Klein wrote five pages in a magazine purporting to explain what Hillary Clinton will do, and summed it up with, “Getting stuff done.” How about the fact that everything Hillary Clinton has ever tried to get done she has failed. Remember Hillarycare?
“These days, after seven years of Bush extremism, there is a fury in the Democratic base, an impatience with compromise.” – Joe Klein
You will notice as these excerpts get farther to the end of TIME’s puff piece, Joe Klein just lets all the cats out of the bag. Keep in mind that this is supposedly an objective article about what Hillary Clinton believes. Yet, he calls George Bush extreme.
How can anyone looking at the Bush administration objectively call him extreme? The man has enacted No Child Left Behind, Medicare Part D, did not veto one spending bill in his first term in office, gave away billions in foreign aide, and increased the size of government. If anything, George Bush was an extreme liberal.
Lastly, when have the Democrats ever been asked to compromise about anything? Joe Lieberman was thrown out of the Democratic Party because he differs from the Democrats on one issue. He was their Vice Presidential nominee in 2000 for crying out loud. Oh and Joe Klein in this piece called Joe Lieberman the “reviled neo-neoconservative apostate.” I could not make this up.
“Most members of her party would agree that George W. Bush had taken the nation wildly off-kilter to the right, but when had the government been imbalanced to the left?” – Joe Klein
When had the government been imbalanced to the left?! Ever since the New Deal, liberals have enacted just about every social program known to man. I challenge Joe Klein to name ten years since 1934 where total government expenditures went down from the proceeding year. I am not referring to slightly decreasing the increase in spending; I am talking about an actual decrease in total spending. When we have a $2.9 trillion dollar budget, we are objectively imbalanced to the left.
“[T]he questions of who Clinton is, what she really believes and whether the Democratic Party really wants to return to the pragmatic “balance” of Clintonism will be front and center.” – Joe Klein
Newsflash to Joe Klein: Bill Clinton is not running for President. Hillary admits that she did not agree with welfare reform, which was a complete success. Is Joe Klein suggesting that the Democratic Party does not want success, or does not want Hillary Clinton?
“[I]n several dozen interviews over a weekend in Iowa, I couldn’t find anyone who had actually seen the debate – not even among the political junkies who attend her meetings.” – Joe Klein
No, wonder Democrats may vote for Hillary. They do not know she is a crook. They do not know she is a liar. They do not know that she is incompetent. They do not know she cannot answer the question of whether she supports diver’s licenses for illegal aliens. In essence, the Democrats have no principles whatsoever.
“But this sort of fudgery is not unusual among politicians.” – Joe Klein
Here Joe Klein makes excuses for Hillary Clinton not being able to answer simple questions. He steps into Clinton’s shoes and makes the argument for her that “everyone is doing it.” Is this what they teach in journalism school?
“It is hard to imagine why a recent illegal immigrant, unfamiliar with U.S. roads and driving practices, would come forward to get a driver’s license just so that he or she could be held liable in the event of an accident.” – Unnamed Democrats (a.k.a. Joe Klein)
The answer is because they want to vote in our elections Joe. 85% of the American people understand this Joe. On a side note, anytime a journalist states what unnamed people believe, know right away that that journalist is quoting his or her own beliefs. The fact that Joe Klein cannot fathom why the American people do not want Illegal immigrants having driver’s licenses is incredulous.
“There are higher priorities than Social Security in 2008, especially if you wan to enact universal health insurance or a real energy independence plan, both of which will require revenue increases.” – Hillary Clinton
Still, after five pages, we do not know what Hillary Clinton believes because Joe Klein again failed to ask the follow-up question. How does she plan to raise revenues: 1) Raising taxes; 2) Lowering taxes (see Laffer Curve); or 3) cutting spending? What is her energy plan?
“Her plans on the big domestic-policy issues – healthcare and energy – have been courageous and detailed, more sophisticated than her opponents’ – and very, very smart politically.” – Joe Klein
Amazingly, Joe Klein provides no solid details of her plan, but declares it sophisticated by fiat. Again this is just puffery for Hillary Clinton. It is damage control, plain and simple. Could anyone imagine Fred Thompson, who is objectively smarter than Hillary Clinton in terms of his success in life and accomplishments, being called very, very smart politically?
“She is rhapsodic about the possibility of diplomacy, and she has earned the trust of the military because of her hard work on the Senate Armed Services Committee.” – Joe Klein
The Military could care less whether or not Hillary Clinton served on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Joe Klein did not survey anyone in the Military about this. He did absolutely nothing to justify making this claim. Like everything else he wrote, this is his own opinion not based on fact.
Overall, this was one of the worst pieces of journalistic negligence I have seen in the last decade. Joe Klein and TIME magazine should be admonished by all journalists for this. But, I would not hold your breath.
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