{"id":28892,"date":"2017-08-07T13:41:00","date_gmt":"2017-08-07T20:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=28892"},"modified":"2017-08-07T14:07:13","modified_gmt":"2017-08-07T21:07:13","slug":"open-thread-872017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2017\/08\/07\/open-thread-872017\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Thread – 8\/7\/2017"},"content":{"rendered":"

It has been a hectic day.  I had to put off my bank run.  I kept my debit card pin on the back of an unrelated business card in my wallet, and cleaning out my wallet before cataract surgery, I accidentally discarded the card.  I had to call my bank.  They have reset the pin and are mailing it to me.  I’ll have it by the end of the week.  Then I had to call Amazon to straighten out a delivery problem.  I also had to schedule a Tri-Met Lift ride for Monday’s eye appointment with Christine.  Yesterday’s 92\u00b0 set another record.  Today’s forecast is only 91\u00b0, followed by three days in the high 90\u00b0s.  OGIM!! (Oh God It’s Monday!!).<\/font><\/p>\n

Jig Zone Puzzle<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

Today’s took me 3:28 (average 5:48).  To do it click here<\/a>.  How did you do?<\/font><\/p>\n

Short Takes<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

From Media Matters<\/a>: <\/font>Recent rumors indicate<\/a> that Megyn Kelly may take over Sean Hannity’s 9 p.m. time slot on Fox News. But the factors in play are much bigger than one hour a night. The imminent Fox News primetime shakeup is more about Fox News’ own brand of misinformation being set to surpass the blunter approach of Rush Limbaugh and right-wing radio hosts.<\/p>\n

For a brief bit of historical context before we get to the rumor itself, Fox News’ approach in many ways grew out of Rush Limbaugh’s short-lived television show. Roger Ailes famously produced<\/a> the show and would take lessons from there to Fox News where he is still the CEO. (As well as taking lessons from his time as a Republican operative, which are well-documented<\/a>.) And the further back you look at Fox, the more it resembles<\/a> the worst aspects of Limbaugh’s show. But as Fox has grown, it’s adapted, allowing it to more effectively advance a political agenda.<\/p>\n

This adaptation was on full display in Roger Ailes’ 2011 admission<\/a> to Howard Kurtz, who has since moved to Fox, that Fox News needed to make a "course correction." The big picture result of this is Fox still <\/a>pushing <\/a>demonstrable <\/a>misinformation<\/a>, but doing so in a way other news networks will be more likely to pick up rather than mock<\/a>. Their audience might not have had a problem with the old Fox News (at least, Roger Ailes gave no indication<\/a> that they did), but the network’s reputation was in tatters<\/a>. (As an aside, CNN’s recent<\/a> pushing of right-wing Benghazi myths only emphasize the risk of Fox’s revised approach.)<\/p>\n

Beware the new PR of the Republican Reichsministry of Propaganda, Faux Noise<\/em>, but Megyn Kelly is still Bagger bait.<\/font><\/p>\n

\"0807trump-kelly\"<\/a><\/font><\/p>\n

RESIST<\/strong>!!<\/font><\/p>\n

From Daily Kos<\/a>: <\/font><\/p>\n

We now continue our ongoing series exploring just how low Trump’s Republican enablers can sink in their attempts to protect him from our nation’s rule of law. Exhibit the whateverth: Newt Effing Gingrich [Fascist delinked<\/em>].<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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President Trump got 68.63% in West Virginia, 4.8% in Washingtoin DC. Guess where Mueller has a grand jury? Guess how biased it will be?<\/p>\n

\u2014 Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) August 6, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n