NPR executive Vivian Schiller resigns under pressure from board and CPB

[FooFa]

Schiller announced she is leaving only about 24 hours after a video surfaced on the Internet with comments by NPR's top fundraiser, Ron Schiller (no relation to Vivian Schiller), made during a luncheon meeting with two men who posed as wealthy donors from a Muslim charity. During the meeting, which was recorded by James O'Keefe, a well-known conservative provocateur, Schiller disparaged Republicans as "anti-intellectual" and tea party members as racists and xenophobes

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[Howey]

Schiller disparaged Republicans as "anti-intellectual" and tea party members as racists and xenophobes

Damn her! Why does she have to go around and lie like that!

Only 99% of Republican's are "anti-intellectual" and only 99.5% of tea party members are racists and xenophobes!

[lil mike]

It was an entertaining video, but really, it just confirmed what we already knew.  I mean, who would think that an NPR exec wouldn't rather have lunch with representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood than tea partiers?

[Howey]

It was an entertaining video, but really, it just confirmed what we already knew.  I mean, who would think that an NPR exec wouldn't rather have lunch with representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood than tea partiers?

Yeah! O'Keefe plays punk'd! Aren't you proud of him?

It's a shame he's probably killed Big Bird and countless other educational venues for children. But what do you care as long as dessimating NPR and PBS saves money, right?

It doesn't even matter that NPR has been praised by the Tea Party for their coverage:

http://pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/89865/

Robert Siegel, host of NPR’s “All Things Considered,” was in the Dallas area last week and attended several DTP gatherings. He’d called and stated he’d like to do a story and asked if we would agree to let some of the “happenings” be recorded. “Of course” we said. “As long as you are fair.” WELL…he was! The story was on Mr. Siegel’s “All Things Considered” this past Wednesday (December 9). Here’s the link.

He attended our neighborhood Tea Party, Sarah Palin’s book signing, a Tea Party coordinator meeting, and interviewed the founders and steering personnel. It turns out he understood that we are not only protesting and rallying, we are also educating our community. Considering that NPR has a history of being liberal organization, word is that we are all very pleased with the representation!

Maybe if the right and teabaggers actually cared, they wouldn't be so fast to praise such shenanigans.

[lil mike]

Yeah! O'Keefe plays punk'd! Aren't you proud of him?

It seems you were pretty proud of a similar stunt recently.

THIS is fucking hilarious! And very, very telling...(Transcript: http://host.madison.com/wsj/article_531276b6-3f6a-11e0-b288-001cc4c002e0.html)

It's a shame he's probably killed Big Bird and countless other educational venues for children. But what do you care as long as dessimating NPR and PBS saves money, right?

It doesn't even matter that NPR has been praised by the Tea Party for their coverage:

http://pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/89865/

Maybe if the right and teabaggers actually cared, they wouldn't be so fast to praise such shenanigans.

This may surprise you, but I'm a frequent NPR listener.  But I know what they are, and more to the point, I can't see why an entertainment of mine deserves a federal subsidy.  Obama's budget cut out heating oil subsidies, but kept NPR.  I realize the Michael Moore wing doesn't think there is any such thing as a fiscal crisis, it's just a hoax for Republicans to be meanies, but in the reality based community that I come from, our problems are real and serious.  At some point, even a liberal is going to have to start making hard decisions on the budget, and this is no hard decision;  it's budget fluff pure and simple.  If you can't cut NPR, I doubt you can cut anything... until it's too late of course.

[Howey]

At some point, even a liberal is going to have to start making hard decisions on the budget, and this is no hard decision;  it's budget fluff pure and simple. 

They have, as I've pointed out elsewhere. I'd rather keep the meager funding for NPR and get rid of the farm subsidies, oil subsidies, and like subsidies that do nothing but put more money in the hands of the rich.

I can't see why an entertainment of mine deserves a federal subsidy.  Obama's budget cut out heating oil subsidies, but kept NPR.

[ekg]

They have, as I've pointed out elsewhere. I'd rather keep the meager funding for NPR and get rid of the farm subsidies, oil subsidies, and like subsidies that do nothing but put more money in the hands of the rich.

HA.. see that's the hilarious part. The Right says "You  guys don't want to cut anything".. while they want to cut from the poor,old,sick and middle class..  ya know, from the people who literally depend on that meager stipend or programming or whatever..

the Left on the other hand does want to cut, and cut where it's where it won't kill.. like cutting Exxon's subsidy..or John Kerry's tax loopholes, or the Koch Brothers 'small business' tax credit.. not a single entity listed would miss that 3% or 5%.. not a one of them would NOT make over a billion plus this year even with the cut.. but NOoooooooooooooooooooooo don't cut them, and if  that's all you want to cut, well you just don't want to cut anything then do you

it's like the idea is when you cut, someone has to die.. well no, the libs have found a way to cut, and it won't kill anyone.. in fact it's so superficial that it doesn't even require a band-aid...but while only superficial in it's 'pain',  the benefits from it can save the country.. these $50million cuts here to that liberal program, 10 million there, 100 million over that way.. those kill off people and they don't really add up to much benefit.. they hurt more than they help..

but doing something like Trump said (one-time 14.25%,net worth tax in individuals and trusts with a net worth over $10million. That would raise $5.7 trillion in new revenue which would would use to pay the nat'l debt. we would save $200B in interest payments which would allow us to cut taxes on the middle-class working families by $100M) can benefit all, and hurt no one.. not even the ones making the 'sacrifice' because it's a single years sacrifice that they will make up exponentially the next year and every year after that...

and still, you have people like Ice who would vote for the Right's the cut.. even though it would decimate his life because of all he depends on.. but you never know, he could be a Koch brother one day and need that 11 billion a year in profit just to keep his head above water.

[Howey]

It seems you were pretty proud of a similar stunt recently.

Yes, I was. If only because it wasn't at the hands of O'Keefe's manipulating lies. Like we didn't know this would happen!

Video here:

http://player.vimeo.com/video/20874109?color=ba0b14

Last week, Media Matters documented problems with James O'Keefe's video of NPR fundraising executives and pointed out that the "sting" does nothing to undermine NPR's actual news reporting, which even conservatives acknowledge is fair.

Now, we have uncovered new evidence raising questions about whether quotes O'Keefe attributed to an NPR employee are accurate.

First, some context. Glenn Beck's Blaze website and Dave Weigel are pointing to a glaring problem with the story -- key portions of the video are ripped out of context.

O'Keefe's video (and much of the subsequent news reporting) portrayed former NPR employee Ron Schiller as blasting the Tea Parties as xenophobic. Here's how O'Keefe presents Schiller's statement:

SCHILLER: The current Republican party is not really the Republican party. It's been hijacked by this group -- that is --

"AMIR MALIK": The radical, racist, Islamophobic, tea party people?

SCHILLER: And not just Islamophobic but really xenophobic

And here's how The Daily Caller reported it when they broke the story: "The Republican Party, Schiller says, has been 'hijacked by this group.' The man posing as Malik finishes the sentence by adding, 'the radical, racist, Islamaphobic, Tea Party people.' Schiller agrees and intensifies the criticism, saying that the Tea Party people aren't 'just Islamaphobic, but really xenophobic, I mean basically they are, they believe in sort of white, middle-America gun-toting. I mean, it's scary. They're seriously racist, racist people.' "

In reality, the unedited video shows Schiller was attributing that sentiment to two Republicans who he spoke with (the portion O'Keefe omitted is bolded):

SCHILLER: I won't break a confidence, but a person who was an ambassador -- so a very highly placed Republican -- another person who was one of the top donors to the Republican Party, they both told me they voted for Obama, which they never believed they could ever do in their lives. That they could ever vote for a Democrat, ever. And they did, because they believe that the current Republican Party is not really the Republican Party. It's been hijacked by this group that is

"AMIR MALIK": The radical, racist, Islamophobic, Tea Party people?

SCHILLER: Exactly. And not just Islamophobic but really xenophobic.

[ekg]

Yes, I was. If only because it wasn't at the hands of O'Keefe's manipulating lies. Like we didn't know this would happen!

Video here:

http://player.vimeo.com/video/20874109?color=ba0b14

wow, James O'Keefe cropped sentences together to make something that wasn't really said? I'm stunned! What would his mentor Breitbart think?

on a serious note, doesn't Hannity now have an obligation to sanity and the truth to out this bullshit instead of propagating it?

where are the trust-worthy and stand up republicans? There simply has to be some, where are they and why aren't the on Fox outing this liar for the scum-bag that he is?

this is where I miss Olbermann..  I guess we'll have to hope The daily show outs this one..

[uselesslegs]

What perturbs me most is when the editing is shown, highlighted, pointed out, LOOK AT ME!...and the damage continues.  THAT'S what boggles my mind.

I'd assume a discerning public (if the need to continue the march was still deemed appropriate after the fact) would AT LEAST do so with trepidation...but instead...they seem to shift into an even higher gear.  I DO NOT get that.  I can't wrap my head around edited material being exposed and it not producing any pause for thought.  "Well, he said the same thing anyway, so it doesn't matter."  Hell yes it matters.

Don't edit fucking anything.  If you're worried I won't see the bigger picture, broader context, or point:

1. You assume or rely on my stupidity to justify the edits.

2. You impugn the validity and neutrality, and thus the substance, of that which you're relaying.

Edits SHOULD NOT EVER be required, except in situations of length AND ONLY THEN, if they do not disturb, change, or confuse context.

"-The actor in Arab blackface claims to be working for the Muslim Education Action Center, and mentions that some of its original founders were American Muslim Brotherhood.  
Left out: the actor then reassures Schiller that the American Muslim Brotherhood is different from in the middle east, and much more moderate.  
 
The raw footgage also suggests that the connection is of distant founders, not as a "front group"  
 
-Schiller Badmouth's Republicans  
Left Out: Schiller explains that he grew up republican, suggests that he may even be republican (even though he says he tends to vote democratic recently). He expresses admiration for the fiscal discipline of Republicans.  
 
-Schiller Badmouths the teaparty calling them xenephobic and racist:  
Left Out: Schiller explains that he is actually repeating the opinion of highly placed elected republican officials, who had told him that they can't bear to vote for T-Party Candidates because of their dangerous xenephobic views, and that Schiller is agreeing with this.  
 
It should also be pointed out, that Schiller's xenephobic comments begin as an agreement with the actor in Arab Blackface, calling the T-Party xenephobic and anti-muslim. One may disagree, but in light of Peter King's muslim hearings, this is not an untenable position that is "off the reservation."  
 
-The NPR execs make disparaging comments about Fox viewers  
Left Out: when pushed further by the Arab Blackface actor, the NPR execs do a U-turn and explain that many conservatives and fox viewers are highly educated and intelligent, with a shaggy dog story about smart conservatives from research institutions like Perdue  
 
-Admits NPR doesn't need Funding  
Left Out: the NPR execs say the big stations would be OK, but that they are concerned that rural areas, undeserved by any media would be the real victims, and so such funding is necessary  
 
-Also points out that the "unedited footgage" contains sections where the audio might have been purposely destroyed in a way to appear like a technical malfunction."  

http://www.slate.com/BLOGS/blogs/weigel/archive/2011/03/11/the-npr-stin-s-racist-tea-party-comment-was-taken-out-of-context.aspx

Don't fucking edit, I'm a big boy, I can figure shit out for myself.  God, O'Keefe is such a friggin blight.  This is all fun and games to him and his "Posse."  I hope he's sued into extinction by someone who was fodder for his 15 minutes and agenda.

[Howey]

What perturbs me most is when the editing is shown, highlighted, pointed out, LOOK AT ME!...and the damage continues.  THAT'S what boggles my mind.

I'd assume a discerning public (if the need to continue the march was still deemed appropriate after the fact) would AT LEAST do so with trepidation...but instead...they seem to shift into an even higher gear.

There is no fucking thing as a discerning public. One half is so fucking stupid they'll listen to everything they hear and pronounce it gospel without thinking twice and the other half is so paranoid they're three quarters of the way into mea culpas and the unemployment line before anyone can blink.

Mixed within the first group are the .01% of smart asses who know what's going on and don't care as long as it destroys the credibility of said targeted group.

God, O'Keefe is such a friggin blight

I'd like to trade him for Bradley Manning. But I'm afraid the guards couldn't handle seeing his nekkid ass and let him go.

[ekg]

Don't fucking edit, I'm a big boy, I can figure shit out for myself.  God, O'Keefe is such a friggin blight.  This is all fun and games to him and his "Posse."  I hope he's sued into extinction by someone who was fodder for his 15 minutes and agenda.

Hallelujah

There is no fucking thing as a discerning public. One half is so fucking stupid they'll listen to everything they hear and pronounce it gospel without thinking twice and the other half is so paranoid they're three quarters of the way into mea culpas and the unemployment line before anyone can blink.

Mixed within the first group are the .01% of smart asses who know what's going on and don't care as long as it destroys the credibility of said targeted group.

.

praise Jesus..

If you two were a religion, I'd be the one converting

[ekg]

Breaking news...U.S. House passes legislation that would bar federal funding for NPR; approval considered unlikely in Senate.

no details yet..

big surprise there..

[Howey]

Breaking news...U.S. House passes legislation that would bar federal funding for NPR; approval considered unlikely in Senate.

no details yet..

big surprise there..

I hope those guys in the House enjoy their few fleeting months of stupidity...


and pray we still have an intact country when it's all over.

[44nutman]

Breaking news...U.S. House passes legislation that would bar federal funding for NPR; approval considered unlikely in Senate.

no details yet..

big surprise there..

What idiots. We need  another 3 week extension for a budget but lets call an emergency meeting for defunding NPR. I think they should be calling emergency meetings for the budget but lets go after NPR because they think the Tea Party is racist. We pay billions in interest but concerned with the millions NPR gets. What a bunch of effing hypocrits.
I feel like I am watching a bad comedy.