Biden: We will use media to "embarass" them

[DarrinS]

From http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29385957/


WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden is warning that if states don't use federal stimulus money as intended, the Obama administration may take the money back or mount a public campaign to embarrass them.

Biden, appearing Wednesday on ABC's "Good Morning America," will be overseeing implementation of President Barack Obama's $787 billion stimulus plan. Biden says the money "cannot be squandered" and warns that states will be held accountable for what they do with the money.

Some Republican governors have criticized the plan as wasteful and several have said they may reject some of the funds.

If states don't use the money as intended, Biden says the government in some cases can withdraw the money. In other cases, he says, the government may "use the television and the radio and the media to embarrass them for them not doing what they're supposed to do."


========================


Has anyone ever heard a politician say something like this?

[BacktoBasics]

Thats a whole lot better than giving them the money with zero accountability.

[Wild Cobra]

But it shows just how much the media is in bed with the democrats.

[DarrinS]

Thats a whole lot better than giving them the money with zero accountability.


I'm for keeping people accountable too, I just thought it was odd that he said they would use the media, almost acknowledging that they own the media.

[TDMVPDPOY]

But it shows just how much the media is in bed with the democrats.

u talkin about fox? ROFLMAO

they love the liberals yo.....

[Wild Cobra]

I'm for keeping people accountable too, I just thought it was odd that he said they would use the media, almost acknowledging that they own the media.

Sounds like a form of Fascism to me.

[DarrinS]

Anyone hear the MSNBC guy say "Oh God" before Jindal's response to Obama's speech?

Watch this video:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/02/msnbc_oh_god.html

[Winehole23]

The government uses its platform to promote it's own policies. If the states lodge political resistance to these policies is the federal government forbidden to press back politically? No. And hell no.

There is a fine line here. Promotion of government policy approaches propaganda as an occupational hazard. WH23 makes a distinction b/w honest propaganda that is artfully folded into official duties and actual corruption and other furtive manipulations of the media. Some people make no such distinction. Chacun a son gout.

[LockBeard]

I find it hilarious that libs bashed Bush for all the overly federal crap he pushed yet now this administration obviously loves their new power and are pushing to Federalize anything and everything.

Montana, Georgia, Texas, and others are already starting to scramble to keep states rights.

[Spurminator]

All he's saying is they will make the public aware of their state officials misusing the funds. The best way to do this is through the media. You don't have to "own" the media to publicize this sort of thing. If the President or Vice President of the United States calls out a governor for misuse of stimulus funds, this is going to be in the news, no matter what party they belong to.

This is a good thing. You guys should be happy about it instead of stretching it into another opportunity for partisan gamesmanship.

[coyotes_geek]

I find it hilarious that libs bashed Bush for all the overly federal crap he pushed yet now this administration obviously loves their new power and are pushing to Federalize anything and everything.

Montana, Georgia, Texas, and others are already starting to scramble to keep states rights.

You can scratch Texas off that list. Perry will huff and puff, but it's all for show. He's going to take the money.

[Winehole23]

It's the coward list. They're all getting in line for the scraps of the national carcass.I suppose there is a point here about the ancient affinity of guile and prudence. Hope for the best prepare for the worst.

[Please_dont_ban_me]

But it shows just how much the media is in bed with the democrats.

The media is a whore.

They're willing to get in bed with anybody willing to give it to them.






("It", in this instance being any sort of news-worthy story. Which this clearly would be)

[Winehole23]

You can scratch Texas off that list. Perry will huff and puff, but it's all for show. He's going to take the money.You gotta take the money. How could you not? Will any of them really do it?

[TDMVPDPOY]

its simple, if the states cant handle their own shit...then the fed govt takes over and do what it has to do....whoever manages it better should get the responsibility of overseeing that industry.......

[coyotes_geek]

You gotta take the money. How could you not? Will any of them really do it?

Politicians never turn down money so they'll all take it. Some of them just want to make it look like they had no choice but to take the money so that they can score points with voters who are anti-stimulus.

[Winehole23]

its simple, if the states cant handle their own shit...then the fed govt takes over and do what it has to do....whoever manages it better should get the responsibility of overseeing that industry.......The states will never be given a chance to do this...

...by the federal government. The taking over part is completely credible IMO.

[LockBeard]

its simple, if the states cant handle their own shit...then the fed govt takes over and do what it has to do....whoever manages it better should get the responsibility of overseeing that industry.......


They can handle it, but the fed comes in and forces them to do shit. Do you realize all state law enforcement is quickly becoming slaves to the fed? That is what is going on.

My mind is blown that so many in this country love the idea of the fed being the all powerful uber controlling hand. I think it is because so many are ignorant of their agendas and cannot connect dots.

America; making things fair by spreading around misery equally. God Bless.

[Winehole23]

America; making things fair by spreading around misery equally. God Bless.This is the dystopia of equalitarianism in a nutshell, accentuated in the trough of the wave.

The complaint on material inequality is misplaced and unduly econometric IMO. It should be placed on alleviating misery for people who actually don't have enough.

Nobody cries about the disparity in income between the upper middle class and the truly wealthy except the upper middle class itself.

[TDMVPDPOY]

They can handle it, but the fed comes in and forces them to do shit. Do you realize all state law enforcement is quickly becoming slaves to the fed? That is what is going on.

My mind is blown that so many in this country love the idea of the fed being the all powerful uber controlling hand. I think it is because so many are ignorant of their agendas and cannot connect dots.

America; making things fair by spreading around misery equally. God Bless.

thats because the fed has bigger issues to take care of like macro-economic policies and shit, when you delegate tasks down to the states and they cant handle the responsibility they dont wanna give up such power cause of the funding they get from the feds. state or fed lvl of management have incompetent fucks running the shit, just as lame like the councils.....it happens every year

[LockBeard]

Nobody cries about the disparity in income between the upper middle class and the truly wealthy except the upper middle class itself.

WTF are you talking about. All upper middle class I know just want to be left the fuck alone and were raised better than to bitch about another man's success from hard work.

I love how people hate CEO's yet love these cocksocker career politicians who are making millions screwing over this country.

[TDMVPDPOY]

Nobody cries about the disparity in income between the upper middle class and the truly wealthy except the upper middle class itself.


i think most ppl are more pissed with the allocation of resources/funds to different states during the federal budget announcements. Like some states contribute alot in tax, but received back so little compared to what the free loading states get, then you have the disparity in services from diff states and comparisons.

[Winehole23]

WTF are you talking about.About concern over material equality being a wrong turn for liberalism. Income is not a very good measure of need.

It was an elaboration of the theme of equality and its discontents you deposited upstream. Don't you recognize it?

[Mr. Peabody]

From http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29385957/


WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden is warning that if states don't use federal stimulus money as intended, the Obama administration may take the money back or mount a public campaign to embarrass them.

Biden, appearing Wednesday on ABC's "Good Morning America," will be overseeing implementation of President Barack Obama's $787 billion stimulus plan. Biden says the money "cannot be squandered" and warns that states will be held accountable for what they do with the money.

Some Republican governors have criticized the plan as wasteful and several have said they may reject some of the funds.

If states don't use the money as intended, Biden says the government in some cases can withdraw the money. In other cases, he says, the government may "use the television and the radio and the media to embarrass them for them not doing what they're supposed to do."


========================


Has anyone ever heard a politician say something like this?

No, I've never heard of an administration using the media to get its message out to the public or to "leak" stories that an administration wants pushed. I'm shocked and appalled.

*cough*Plame Affair*cough*
*cough*Robert Novak*cough*
*cough*Bush White House giving Fox commentators talking points and Fox passing it off as news*cough*

[johnsmith]

No, I've never heard of an administration using the media to get its message out to the public or to "leak" stories that an administration wants pushed. I'm shocked and appalled.

*cough*Plame Affair*cough*
*cough*Robert Novak*cough*
*cough*Bush White House giving Fox commentators talking points and Fox passing it off as news*cough*

I'm shocked at how many Dem's feel that the current administration doing anything the same way the previous administration did seems ok to them since the "worst administration" of all time did it too.

It cracks me up every single time a Dem says, "yeah, well the republicans did it too"...........as if this makes it ok for them.

[Winehole23]

*cough*Plame Affair*cough*
*cough*Robert Novak*cough*
*cough*Bush White House giving Fox commentators talking points and Fox passing it off as news*cough*Novak/Plame is really one item. It's really hard to believe there's not a another crime lurking in there somewhere but I guess that's already been investigated.

As for Fox, let em use the RNC as a newswire. It's not like people can't figure it out.

[Winehole23]

It cracks me up every single time a Dem says, "yeah, well the republicans did it too"...........as if this makes it ok for them.Get used to it. It's a rational response to your complaints. It does not justify.

You descry (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/descry) a splinter. First cast out the beam in your own.

[johnsmith]

The current congress, coupled with the last administration, coupled with the media's love for bipartisan drama has made me lose all faith in government.

I'm taking my toys to a Guatemalan Insane asylum deep in the jungle primieval............Chief Wiggum style.

[balli]

It cracks me up every single time a Dem says, "yeah, well the republicans did it too"...........as if this makes it ok for them.
This is an important post so pay attention:

That's not what we're saying. What we're saying is that it's not okay for Republicans to express outrage when they were complacent or boastful even, of their own party's equally foul transgressions. It's done to point out republican hypocrisy, not to exonerate Democrats of culpability.

[johnsmith]

Get used to it. It's a rational response to your complaints. It does not justify.

You descry a splinter. First cast out the beam in your own.

No, a rational response is.............our government is worthless and only out to get a vote for the upcoming election. Neither side does it well and the fact that there are two sides in it of itself is just plain stupid.

[johnsmith]

This is an important post so pay attention:

That's not what we're saying. What we're saying is that it's not okay for Republicans to express outrage when they were complacent or boastful even, of their own party's equally foul transgressions. It's done to point out republican hypocrisy, not to exonerate Democrats of culpability.

But you don't think it points out democrat hypocrisy as well huh?

[101A]

The government uses its platform to promote it's own policies. If the states lodge political resistance to these policies is the federal government forbidden to press back politically? No. And hell no.

There is a fine line here. Promotion of government policy approaches propaganda as an occupational hazard. WH23 makes a distinction b/w honest propaganda that is artfully folded into official duties and actual corruption and other furtive manipulations of the media. Some people make no such distinction. Chacun a son gout.

Verbalizing what I was thinking (far better than I could).

[balli]

But you don't think it points out democrat hypocrisy as well huh?

I do. I didn't say it was a good line of argumentation; just that it's not meant as a "two wrongs equal a right" type of thing.

[Winehole23]

Neither side does it well and the fact that there are two sides in it of itself is just plain stupid.There are the two sides, and it is plain stupid. We don't live in 2D but our political reality does. So much the worse for our political reality. In principle, there should be infinite sides on any issue.

[Bartleby]

But you don't think it points out democrat hypocrisy as well huh?

Of course, because outing a CIA agent (which is a felony, by the way) by leaking news to sympathetic reporters in an effort to intimidate potential critics in the lead-up to the Iraq war = publicly announcing that your administration will use the media to shame people who waste stimulus money.

[Mr. Peabody]

I'm shocked at how many Dem's feel that the current administration doing anything the same way the previous administration did seems ok to them since the "worst administration" of all time did it too.

It cracks me up every single time a Dem says, "yeah, well the republicans did it too"...........as if this makes it ok for them.

That point of my post wasn't to make any comment on the ethics of using the "independent" media to deliver a message, it was merely to comment on the OPs implication that such a tactic is unprecedented.

[Mr. Peabody]

But you don't think it points out democrat hypocrisy as well huh?

I have no doubts that there is some hypocrisy on this issue. This morning I watched a clip of Morning Joe where Scarborough and Bryzinski (?) got a tour of the White House from Robert Gibbs. During the tour, Mika was hugging some of the members of the Obama press department. Also, Chuck Todd was talking about how Robert Gibbs always pokes fun at him just before the daily briefings begin. I was bothered by this. As much as I support Obama, I still want an independent media that won't be afraid to call him out when he makes mistakes. Are we going to get that for the next four years? I don't know. I don't like the press being too "chummy" with any administration.

[Winehole23]

As much as I support Obama, I still want an independent media that won't be afraid to call him out when he makes mistakes. Are we going to get that for the next four years? I don't know. I don't like the press being too "chummy" with any administration.A noble sentiment.

The temptation to rally round the president is strong when the nation faces adversity. The press should fix itself even more staunchly against the allure of power and the passion of the crowd in tough times. But it does not. It goes with the crowd. And canoodles with power.

Hell, let em love on the President for awhile. Some of them will hate him for it later. Like the rest of us they don't have very much -- only everything -- to hang on to. And it could all go down the shitter.

[Winehole23]

i think most ppl are more pissed with the allocation of resources/funds to different states during the federal budget announcements. Like some states contribute alot in tax, but received back so little compared to what the free loading states get, then you have the disparity in services from diff states and comparisons.The inequality of the states in funding is the subject of intense jealousy. They all fight each other hard for a bigger bite of federal pelf. In the war of all against all survival favors the really big fish. This fight over equality hopefully will never end.

As pertains to the rights of citicizenship such as voting, equality is very correctly stressed because our own history was proof against it not too long ago.

As it pertains to public relief material equality is completely beside the point. The point is some people don't have enough.

[ChumpDumper]

From [URL="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29385957/"]Has anyone ever heard a politician say something like this?I appreciate the candor. It will be interesting to see if it works.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I find it hilarious that libs bashed Bush for all the overly federal crap he pushed yet now this administration obviously loves their new power and are pushing to Federalize anything and everything.

Montana, Georgia, Texas, and others are already starting to scramble to keep states rights.

Since when is a return to constitutional federalism part of the liberal paradigm?

[The Reckoning]

its all whiteys fault

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

All he's saying is they will make the public aware of their state officials misusing the funds. The best way to do this is through the media. You don't have to "own" the media to publicize this sort of thing. If the President or Vice President of the United States calls out a governor for misuse of stimulus funds, this is going to be in the news, no matter what party they belong to.

This is a good thing. You guys should be happy about it instead of stretching it into another opportunity for partisan gamesmanship.

Damn the states for not taking on some bloated bullshit from Obama that would require them to raise taxes on the people of their state.

:rolleyes

Don't they know that the Messiah is all about sticking it to anyone who actually pays taxes in this country, so they need to go along with all of his idiocy?

[Winehole23]

Damn the states for not taking on some bloated bullshit from Obama that would require them to raise taxes on the people of their state.

:rolleyes
Will any states actually refuse the money, AHF?



Don't they know that the Messiah is all about sticking it to anyone who actually pays taxes in this country, so they need to go along with all of his idiocy?I'm sorry, who didn't pay taxes again?

[micca]

I'm for keeping people accountable too, I just thought it was odd that he said they would use the media, almost acknowledging that they own the media.

Yeah it is frightening, but critical thought is vorboten in America.This isn't a leak, this is an outright threat to destroy the states rights under the constitution.
Obama more than any other president is a transparent product of the media's power. He is not a staesman, he is not a scholar, he is not bussiness man,hell he is not even a decent human being, even rank and file democrats preffered Clinton. However the media threw in with this hoodwink and they can't back out now without being exposed even further to the light of inquiry.
You may want to check out bernard goldman's new book it called something like "the media's slobbering love affair with obama" he was a reporter for the television new for like 28 years and worked with dan rather he is a self described libreal, but a real one... the kind that likes thinking.
The Media crucified bush, and rightfully so he should gotten twice the ass kicking, but Obama's presidency like his canadicy will be the best propoganda on the planet.

[Winehole23]

Yeah it is frightening, but critical thought is vorboten in America.This isn't a leak, this is an outright threat to destroy the states rights under the constitution.:lol

Obama more than any other president is a transparent product of the media's power. He is not a staesman, he is not a scholar, he is not bussiness man,hell he is not even a decent human being:wow, even rank and file democrats preffered Clinton. However the media threw in with this hoodwink and they can't back out now without being exposed even further to the light of inquiry.

You may want to check out bernard goldman's new book it called something like "the media's slobbering love affair with obama" he was a reporter for the television new for like 28 years and worked with dan rather he is a self described libreal, but a real one... the kind that likes thinking.

The Media crucified bush, and rightfully so he should gotten twice the ass kicking, but Obama's presidency like his canadicy will be the best propoganda on the planet.:hat Do you like to smoke weed, or was that meth induced?

[micca]

:hat Do you like to smoke weed, or was that meth induced?

I think this is something like what obama,biden, and the media have in store for anyone who dissents.

[micca]

Will any states actually refuse the money, AHF?


I'm sorry, who didn't pay taxes again?

Well we now know half of Obama's cabniet didn't.

[Winehole23]

I think this is something like what obama,biden, and the media have in store for anyone who dissents.Random assholes clowning on bulletin boards? Scary.

[Winehole23]

Well we now know half of Obama's cabniet didn't.Zing! That was a good one. But you, ah, missed the point Sir...

Perhaps you haven't noticed your remarks are a little disjointed today. That is really all I meant to say.

My apologies if you're not a druggie, micca. Suggesting it was a bit excessive, but it was meant in good sport. Mea culpa.

[Winehole23]

Not that there's anything wrong with that, even if it were true.

[florige]

Will any states actually refuse the money, AHF?


I'm sorry, who didn't pay taxes again?



I guess only the wealthy paid high taxes. I'm guessing the middle class got all the great tax cuts.....:rolleyes

[Winehole23]

I guess only the wealthy paid high taxes. I'm guessing the middle class got all the great tax cuts.....:rolleyesWell, that's a delicate way to shade it. Rebalancing equities is a bitch. :lol


I would say the rich will continue to pay like the princes they are. And like princes they'll all be asked to contribute *way* more than their own fair share during this time of financial tribulation.

[cool hand]

But it shows just how much the media is in bed with the democrats.

you are a dumb ass....I am sure what he meant was to buy air time using DNC money to make these guys look foolish..............FYI they already do.