Irony overload: MSNBC story on "planted questions"

[Cocoa]

in the RUSSIAN press corps, that is.

Just one of many outrageous ironies in this story...

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7028345/

<snip>

The exchange illustrated more about the state of freedom in Russia than met the eye. While Putin travels around with a contingent of reporters just as Bush does, the Kremlin press pool is a handpicked group of reporters, most of whom work for the state and the rest selected for their fidelity to the Kremlin's rules of the game. Helpful questions are often planted. Unwelcome questions are not allowed. And anyone who gets out of line can get out of the pool.

'The illusion of democracy'

The Kremlin press pool is like so many institutions in Russia that have the trappings of a Western-style pluralistic society but operate under a different set of understandings, part of what analyst Lilia Shevtsova of the Carnegie Moscow Center calls "the illusion of democracy." Television channels air newscasts with fancy graphics but follow scripts approved by the Kremlin. Elections are held, but candidates out of favor with the Kremlin are often knocked off the ballot. Courts conduct trials, but the state almost never loses. Parliament meets but only to rubber-stamp Kremlin legislation.

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[Why Syzygy]

1. The cold war

we lost, didn't we?

Thanks, Ronnie. What a bogus gesture that was.

[LostInAnomie]

2. Irony is lost on these people.

Self review is something they NEVER attempt.

[blm]

3. MSNBC shows concern for Putin's propaganda but NONE for Bush's propaganda

machine? Oh yeah...they're one of the biggest COGS in Bush's disinformation machine.

[Eric J in MN]

4. page 2 includes question about US policies

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7028345/page/2/

Coming to Putin's defense at yesterday's news conference in Slovakia were two reporters who belong to the Kremlin press pool. The first was Andrei Kolesnikov, a correspondent for Kommersant, a business newspaper owned by Putin critic Boris Berezovsky. But Kolesnikov just released two books about his time covering Putin that the Kremlin likes.

Kolesnikov challenged Bush, asserting that "it's impossible to call Russia or the U.S. fully democratic" and questioned Bush about the "enormous powers of the security services" in the United States that had resulted in "the private lives of citizens falling under the control of the government."

[Demit]

5. But our helpful planted questions are different from their helpful planted

questions. How? They just are. It's hard to explain. See, we live in a democracy. They only have the illusion of democracy. Next question. Jeff?

[Why Syzygy]

9. LOL!

And the illusion is .. JEFF! Behind door number three.

[Al-CIAda]

6. Perhaps they need to be 'clued' in- email contacts enclosed-

Contacting Washington Post Writers and Editors

Below is a list of writers and editors who offer their e-mail addresses to the public. This list is offered for readers of The Washington Post and washingtonpost.com who would like to contact a specific reporter or editor about specific stories or with story tips.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/interact/longterm/stfbio/wpemail.htm

========

Peter Baker:
[e-mail]

National Staff Writer/White House

[Stirk]

7. The person who wrote that article is either a brilliant satirist ot

an absolute fool. I'm not sure which.

[pretzel4gore]

8. 'fool' denotes an innocence

i think this conman is just that, a punk 'taking candy from a baby' and thinking 'wow, is i ever brave, smart and dweserving of that stinky baby's candy!'(btw the baby's sleeping)
:argh: