1.) If Media Matters thought Monday was fun, they’re going to LOVE Tuesday — In journalism, there’s no such thing as a mercy rule. After being scorched by reports in The Daily Caller Monday, Media Matters is served another pitcher of abuse Tuesday. TheDC’s editor-in-chief Tucker Carlson reports on a 2009 Media Matters internal memo proposing various ways to target Fox News:
“What Frisch proceeded to suggest, however, went well beyond what legitimate presidential campaigns attempt. ‘We should hire private investigators to look into the personal lives of Fox News anchors, hosts, reporters, prominent contributors, senior network and corporate staff,’ he wrote. After that, Frisch argued, should come the legal assault: ‘We should look into contracting with a major law firm to study any available legal actions that can be taken against Fox News, from a class action law suit to defamation claims for those wronged by the network. I imagine this would be difficult but the right law firm is bound to find some legal ground for us to take action against the network.’”
It goes without saying that the wizards over at Media Matters have achieved an unmitigated success in their campaign against Fox News. As of this writing, Fox News is merely far and away the most watched cable news network with only 13 of the top 13 most viewed cable news shows. Nice work fellas.
2.) To dream the impossible electoral dream — Only it may not be impossible, only highly unlikely. You may have heard it is now too late for any new GOP presidential entrants. You heard wrong. TheDC’s Jamie Weinstein (ME!) opines:
“I know, I know. That’s ludicrous. We have been told it is far too late for that. And if the goal is to acquire enough delegates to win the nomination outright, it is too late. But that may no longer be the game. For the first time there is serious discussion about the possibility of a brokered convention … If that’s true, it doesn’t matter whether a new candidate entering the race has the potential to win enough delegates to win the nomination. If they got in the race in time to go on a winning roll at the end of the primary calendar, they would become the obvious choice for the nomination in a brokered convention.”
Of course, any candidate would have to have a big name and be well financed, like Bush — George H.W. that is. He still has another term he can serve.
3.) Mutts against Mitt — TheDC’s Caroline May reports on dog lovers with a lot of time on their hands:
“On Tuesday the group ‘Dogs Against Romney’ will be protesting in front of the Westminster Kennel Club’s dog show to make sure that all the dog loving attendees are aware that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney ‘is mean to dogs.’ ‘This is about bringing more public attention to the fact that Mitt Romney did what many dog-owners and dog-lovers feel was abusive toward his dog, making it ride in a crate on the roof of his car and carrying his luggage inside,’ Scott Crider, one of the human founders of Dogs Against Romney, told The Daily Caller.”
Apparently Crider is unaware of the numerous studies that show that both dogs and grandmothers prefer to be put in a cage and transported by rooftop to the family vacation destination.
4.) An ode to Van Halen and youth lost — TheDC’s Matt Labash is an old, old man. Just very,very,very old. Ancient is probably a more accurate term. Which is why it is no surprise he penned a whole column to his golden youth of yore. He reflects:
“There’s no shame in aging. It happens to everyone. A select few of us will do it gracefully. The rest of us will just do it. But in our lizard brains, we want the rock gods of our youth to transport us back in time forever. And that’s much harder for them to do when they’re lip-syncing uninspired music under an unflattering strobe, reminding us how loudly the clock is ticking.”
Fortunately, Labash was recently touched by Ponce de LeAyers, which means in addition to continuing to age, he is now a leper.
5.) Poll of the Day — Public Policy Polling survey of Michigan GOP presidential primary: Rick Santorum 39%, Mitt Romney 24%, Ron Paul 12%, Newt Gingrich 11%. The primary will take place February 28.
6.) BIRTHDAYS — Economist Thomas Malthus turns 246 (h/t the Earth’s 7 billion people); abolitionist Frederick Douglass turns 194; New York Nanny Michael Bloomberg turns 70 (h/t the Marlboro Man); former NFL quarterback Drew Bledsoe turns 40 (h/t Tom Brady).
