HuffPostNews Twitter Hacked By Crude Rightie Wingnuts

By GottaLaff

(click on image to enlarge)

Some wingnuts hacked the HuffPost Twitter account and gave a few of us some free advertising. I must say, being promo'd as an elite lefty has made my day... not to mention the resulting uptick in followers.

Oh, and then there's the screengrab (above) that made it to Mediaite. Nice publicity, courtesy of a self-proclaimed conservative with a limited vocabulary derived from that of drunk eighth graders who stubbed their toes after having just been grounded following a rejection by the objects of their lust.

I really must remember to send a thank you note to those thoughtful little hackers, whoever they are.

PhotOh! HuffPo posts ad by AFP, astroturf group Rachel Maddow exposed

By GottaLaff

Original post about Tim Phillips getting bitch slapped by Rachel here.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Rachel Maddow took Phillips on, and for good reason. Just watch the videos. I could barely tolerate the exposure to the sleaze oozing from this guy, but Rachel's tenacity, thorough knowledge of all things AFP, preparedness, and obvious intelligence got me through the interview.

I am not exaggerating when I say my blood boiled watching the exchange. In fact, Rachel said something similar about her own feelings. She is the best example of solid, reliable TV reporting that I can think of. She took a risk by confronting Phillips head on, and it paid off. Rachel Maddow did her homework and made mincemeat of a very small man with not even a part of a leg to stand on.

She took on the big guys and made a difference.

That's called patriotism.

After seeing that Tee Vee moment, you'd think that most clear-thinking people would avoid AFP like the plague, especially more liberal types. Why, you'd have to be a fool to support a slimy bunch of phony corporate astroturfers like them. Carrying one of their ads would be akin to a slap in the face, to say the least... especially in light of Rachel's heroic efforts.

Wait. I'm sorry, give me a sec. I'm having a WTF Moment:

I took a screen shot of that HuffPo page just minutes ago. See the "bloody red hand" (as Rachel refers to it) on the right? That's an ad for Americans for Prosperity, the very group Tim Phillips represents.

Now, granted, it may be a rotating ad that they have little control over [we at TPC are well aware of unappealing ads displayed here, too], but this is more than a little bit disconcerting startling nauseating.

Dear HuffPo, Any way to dump that despicable eyesore? Love, Laffy.

H/t: baxterblogs

UPDATE: Please go to BuzzFlash for this commentary.

Dan Froomkin hired by Huffington Post

By GottaLaff

Via a Tweet from Oliver Willis:

Huffpo hired Dan Froomkin. Suck it, MSM.

Yup:

Froomkin will oversee a staff of four five reporters and an Assistant Editor, guide The Huffington Post's Washington reporting, and write at least two posts per week to be featured on its main page and Politics page. [...]

Media Matters' Jamison Foser uses pictures to convey "what The Washington Post is up to these days." With leadership like Fred Hiatt and the nepotism-benefiting Graham family, it's really no wonder that -- with a couple of individual exceptions -- it's become such a sad spectacle. Nora Ephron said this morning: "I used to read Dan Froomkin religiously -- I thought he was one of the best things at the Washington Post. I was bewildered when he was fired." At least it freed up money to produce embarrassing vaudeville videos from Dana Milbank and Chris Cillizza. When they're not selling access to lobbyists and printing John Bolton Op-Eds urging some new war on the latest Enemy, that is what "the Post is up to these days."

Suck it, corporate media.

"When a Progressive Blog for Profit Like HuffPost Starts Peddling Panic, It's Time for Reflection"

By GottaLaff

Your daily dose of BuzzFlash--excerpt:

We have enormous respect for the Huffington Post and particularly for Arianna Huffington's brilliant analysis. But when a progressive Internet site -- and the leader on the web -- takes a turn toward the sensational and panic peddling, it's time to pause for reflection upon the impact of commercial investment on the web.

Huff Post started out as a sort of a celebrity blog version of the Daily Kos -- and with the oversight of a former AOL honcho and the infusion of millions of dollars in capital, it expanded into a progressive online newspaper. It had the money, the celebrity panache, and the brainpower to create the news source of the future, and people -- particularly liberals -- flocked to Huff Po.

But in the past few weeks, its photos and screaming mile-high headlines on the homepage appear more like the New York Post or an attempt to out-Drudge the Drudge Report.

More here. I have to say, I've heard similar thoughts from a number of people.

VIDEO-- Ari Fleischer to Bush on press conferences: "You get a lot of dot coms and other oddballs who come in there."

By GottaLaff


One must never include oddballs in one's pressers. Especially librul ones. Especially Huffington Post. Via Think Progress:

Ana Marie Cox writes that there was "lots of grumbling" after the press conference about Huffington Post getting a question.

Welcome to our world, grumblers. Diversity in the press. What a concept.

President Obama's New (Media) World Order

By GottaLaff

Chris Cillizza, on which reporters President Obama called on at his first presser:

Obama largely stuck to the script when it came to choosing the reporters who got to ask questions. He led off with the wires (Associated Press, Reuters), moved into the networks (CBS, NBC, ABC) and hit the big national newspapers (New York Times and Post). But, then, on the twelfth question of the night, Obama broke with tradition by giving Huffington Post's Sam Stein a chance to play on the big stage. It's a symbolic acknowledgment by the president (and his advisers) of the power of HuffPo and of the Internet-based media more generally.

Good-bye (and good riddance) Bush's Internets. Hello Prez O's cyber savvy. The White House has finally joined the 21st century.

Quick Hit

By Paddy

Go read the Awesome Bob Cesca's post over at the Site That Makes My Computer Weep. I actually learned a new one in the comments-

I'm republican and I'm worried. I think the guy is a few bubbles off plumb. First singing about bombing Iran and now these comments. Totally uncalled for and inappropriate.