The piling-on of the media on Paul Ryan has spread further than I expected.
An on-line news site serving the US Military, DoD Buzz has gone all CNN, using biased sources in a 'news' article that reads like an Obama campaign talking point paper:
The lede almost seems relatively innocuous: "The military is so far off the radar for this presidential election that Republican nominee Mitt Romney and his vice presidential pick, Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan, didn’t mention Afghanistan once during their 60 Minutes interview Sunday night."
Of course, the subtle impression the article plants is that Romney and Ryan are hiding their views on the war against Islamist terror organizations. What are they hiding, we are led to wonder. Also, the two aren't thinking about National Security, the readiness of our Armed Forces or the welfare of our veterans.
Although there is nothing in the article - or in anything I've ever heard either of them say - that would support those sorts of inferences.
The most likely reason they didn't address Afghanistan?
"CBS Face the Nation anchor Bob Schieffer never even asked the Republican running mates a direct question about their thoughts on Afghanistan."
Oh. That might be it...
And the Democrat talking points continue, unquestioned and without nuance:
"Pundits have leaped over their desks talking about Ryan’s plans to cut Medicare and what it means to independent elderly voters."
Pundits have lept over their desks, screaming in unison the lyrics handed to them about the Obama's campaign false allegation that Ryan plans to cut Medicare and hurt independent elderly voters (read retired military).
So, what do Veterans groups think of Mr. Ryan? the reporter tells us:
"What veteran groups have noticed is a noticeable lack of the word “veteran” throughout Paul’s lengthy document."
Which Veterans groups?
" Jon Soltz, head of VoteVets.org was not impressed with Romney’s selection, according to a Politico report.
“In his first presidential-level decision, Mitt Romney picks a guy who would slash veterans care by tens of billions and whose budget didn’t even use the word ‘veteran?’ Paul Ryan sees veterans as numbers, not as people,” Soltz told Politico."
Well, DoD Buzz went to a secondary source for their selected Veterans group. That's investigative journalism!
So, you ask, which one is it? VFW, American Legion? VVA? Nah, too obvious. Maybe they're just passing on Politico's biased sources, but the way they wrote the story leads to the conclusion that 'Veterans groups" including those major ones, have problems with Ryan.
And they have the quote to prove it!
So, is VoteVets and Jon Soltz a good representation of Military personnel and Veterans?
No. And it isn't any secret to the readers of DoD Buzz, judging from the comment thread:
"DoDBuzz should commit an act of journalism here instead of serving as a conduit for Jon Solz's White-House issued talking points and rehashing the old Ryan-Dempsey joust (which I'd chalk up to Ryan, incidentally). VFW Exec Director Bob Wallace's quote provides the requisite fig leaf for balance. Veteran voters can see right through this cheap "Chickenhawk" smear job. "
"Equating VoteVets with the VFW is a canard. Vote Vets is a liberal hack job. 90% of their board of advisors are left leaning registered democrats. Rep Gary Peters MI-D called VoteVets, "The largest progressive group of veterans in America, VoteVets.org PAC, with over 220,000 supporters" http://votevets.org/news/releases?id=0501 The VFW is apolitical and has 2.1 MILLION members. Why even mention VoteVets? "
And they said it better than I ever could.
And they are right. Here is a bit from Jon Solz' wiki page: Soltz volunteered for the John Kerry presidential campaign in 2004. ...He has been a frequent contributor to numerous shows, including Countdown with Keith Olbermann[1] and the Dylan Ratigan Show on MSNBC. He has been interviewed by the Associated Press, Washington Post, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Time magazine, Newsweek.[1] He has appeared on NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News Channel, ABC News, Nightline, Air America Radio, The Ed Schultz Show, and The Bill Press Show.[1]
And here are the top recipients of votevets PAC money according to OpenSecrets.org:
•VoteVets.org to Chris Carney (D) in 2010
•VoteVets.org to John A. Boccieri (D) in 2010
•VoteVets.org to Joseph A. Sestak, Jr (D) in 2010
•VoteVets.org to Patrick J. Murphy (D) in 2010
•VoteVets.org to Timothy J. Walz (D) in 2010
Open Secrets' profile of VoteVet is only surprising, apparently, to DoD Buzz:
"VoteVets.org is a liberal-leaning PAC which contains several affiliated VoteVet.org organzations. The group has raised money primarily in support of Democratic candidates and against Republican candidates."
An on-line news site serving the US Military, DoD Buzz has gone all CNN, using biased sources in a 'news' article that reads like an Obama campaign talking point paper:
The lede almost seems relatively innocuous: "The military is so far off the radar for this presidential election that Republican nominee Mitt Romney and his vice presidential pick, Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan, didn’t mention Afghanistan once during their 60 Minutes interview Sunday night."
Of course, the subtle impression the article plants is that Romney and Ryan are hiding their views on the war against Islamist terror organizations. What are they hiding, we are led to wonder. Also, the two aren't thinking about National Security, the readiness of our Armed Forces or the welfare of our veterans.
Although there is nothing in the article - or in anything I've ever heard either of them say - that would support those sorts of inferences.
The most likely reason they didn't address Afghanistan?
"CBS Face the Nation anchor Bob Schieffer never even asked the Republican running mates a direct question about their thoughts on Afghanistan."
Oh. That might be it...
And the Democrat talking points continue, unquestioned and without nuance:
"Pundits have leaped over their desks talking about Ryan’s plans to cut Medicare and what it means to independent elderly voters."
Pundits have lept over their desks, screaming in unison the lyrics handed to them about the Obama's campaign false allegation that Ryan plans to cut Medicare and hurt independent elderly voters (read retired military).
So, what do Veterans groups think of Mr. Ryan? the reporter tells us:
"What veteran groups have noticed is a noticeable lack of the word “veteran” throughout Paul’s lengthy document."
Which Veterans groups?
" Jon Soltz, head of VoteVets.org was not impressed with Romney’s selection, according to a Politico report.
“In his first presidential-level decision, Mitt Romney picks a guy who would slash veterans care by tens of billions and whose budget didn’t even use the word ‘veteran?’ Paul Ryan sees veterans as numbers, not as people,” Soltz told Politico."
Well, DoD Buzz went to a secondary source for their selected Veterans group. That's investigative journalism!
So, you ask, which one is it? VFW, American Legion? VVA? Nah, too obvious. Maybe they're just passing on Politico's biased sources, but the way they wrote the story leads to the conclusion that 'Veterans groups" including those major ones, have problems with Ryan.
And they have the quote to prove it!
So, is VoteVets and Jon Soltz a good representation of Military personnel and Veterans?
No. And it isn't any secret to the readers of DoD Buzz, judging from the comment thread:
"DoDBuzz should commit an act of journalism here instead of serving as a conduit for Jon Solz's White-House issued talking points and rehashing the old Ryan-Dempsey joust (which I'd chalk up to Ryan, incidentally). VFW Exec Director Bob Wallace's quote provides the requisite fig leaf for balance. Veteran voters can see right through this cheap "Chickenhawk" smear job. "
"Equating VoteVets with the VFW is a canard. Vote Vets is a liberal hack job. 90% of their board of advisors are left leaning registered democrats. Rep Gary Peters MI-D called VoteVets, "The largest progressive group of veterans in America, VoteVets.org PAC, with over 220,000 supporters" http://votevets.org/news/releases?id=0501 The VFW is apolitical and has 2.1 MILLION members. Why even mention VoteVets? "
And they said it better than I ever could.
And they are right. Here is a bit from Jon Solz' wiki page: Soltz volunteered for the John Kerry presidential campaign in 2004. ...He has been a frequent contributor to numerous shows, including Countdown with Keith Olbermann[1] and the Dylan Ratigan Show on MSNBC. He has been interviewed by the Associated Press, Washington Post, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Time magazine, Newsweek.[1] He has appeared on NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News Channel, ABC News, Nightline, Air America Radio, The Ed Schultz Show, and The Bill Press Show.[1]
And here are the top recipients of votevets PAC money according to OpenSecrets.org:
•VoteVets.org to Chris Carney (D) in 2010
•VoteVets.org to John A. Boccieri (D) in 2010
•VoteVets.org to Joseph A. Sestak, Jr (D) in 2010
•VoteVets.org to Patrick J. Murphy (D) in 2010
•VoteVets.org to Timothy J. Walz (D) in 2010
Open Secrets' profile of VoteVet is only surprising, apparently, to DoD Buzz:
"VoteVets.org is a liberal-leaning PAC which contains several affiliated VoteVet.org organzations. The group has raised money primarily in support of Democratic candidates and against Republican candidates."
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