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'Google News' or 'Obama News'? (updated)

hypocritexposer

Well-known member
September 13, 2009
'Google News' or 'Obama News'? (updated)

Paul Shlichta

I hope this was an accident, a fluke that can be rationally explained. If not, then our news is being censored beyond the wildest excesses of the Soviet Union. And Google, which has already stooped to co-operating with China in similar censorship, may be a co-conspirator.

On Saturday, September 12, 2009, President Barack Obama spoke before about 15, 000 people at a healthcare rally in Minneapolis. A few hours earlier, a crowd of between 70,000 and 1,200,000 citizens gathered in Washington, DC to protest excessive federal spending and intervention. I think we can safely conclude that any Tibetan monk or Zulu, blissfully unaware of American politics, would nonetheless conclude that the second event was at least as newsworthy as the first.

They'd be wrong. Between 2:00 and 4:00 PM PDT of that day, I monitored the Google News website, which in recent years has acquired some of the aura of omniscient impartiality that the New York Times once enjoyed. As of 3 PM, here's how the two stories were treated:

"Obama Takes to the Road to Promote Healthcare Reform": 14,488 news articles

"Tea Party Protesters March on Washington": 126 news articles


The first story remained at the top of the main page throughout. The second appeared on the main page from about 2:00 to 2:30 and then disappeared into the recesses of the "More Stories - U.S." page. Then it reappeared in the lower reaches of the main page at 3:45, as if the omission had caused some protest or embarrassment. As of 4 PM, Obama's speech was still on top with 15,891 news articles cited and the DC rally had again disappeared, after having peaked at 130 cited articles.

Am I being fussy or is there something strange about this hundred-to-one ratio of coverage? At the bottom of the Google News page, it says, "The selection and placement of stories on this page were determined automatically by a computer program." I wouldn't dare to disbelieve them but perhaps there's a glitch in their program. Or perhaps it's been hacked. Or perhaps they mixed up their US and Chinese programs.

Or perhaps Google is blameless. Perhaps that really was a fair sampling of news articles and the 100:1 ratio is an index of media bias. Or perhaps someone very influential managed to suppress the story about the DC rally.

In any case, I think an explanation is required. And I hope that some brave congressman will get up, on the Senate or House floor, and demand an explanation.

Update: Reader Robert notes the following:

From the United States:

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&resnum=0&q=tiananmen%20square%20protest&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi


From China:

http://images.google.cn/images?hl=zh-CN&source=hp&q=tiananmen+square+protest&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=


Computer program or not, Google censors their results to an enormous extent. Could it be happening here? Yes.

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/09/google_news_or_obama_news.html
 

Steve

Well-known member
or perhaps the media ignored the news..

I didn't see to many news trucks.... in fact we have more coverage locally of a lost cat... :roll: :roll: :wink:

sure would like to see the from the lone police helicopter..
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Considering they shut down the web cams at the 9/12 march its highly likely. Then lets not overlook the disaperance of other records belonging to the chosen one. :roll:

These people are slicker than houdini.
 

commonsense

Well-known member
I thought it strange when I got online in the evening of the 12th. Obama speaking to 15k worth of people up north was all over the internet Google had it, yahoo had it, all front and center. Google had a link on it's news page off and on all night about the tea party, yahoo never had it once that I could find. It certainly looks like we are being herded by the media, but now it's even carrying over on the internet. I keep telling myself don't worry about it, come 2010 we can get out and vote this away maybe. Then I think, if they can control all the media outlets, cept Fox, and control the internet also, could they possibly control the voting booth results next?
 

Cal

Well-known member
Too many Blueberries will go through you like a blue streak.......or like tax dollars through the fingers of a liberal politician.
 

Steve

Well-known member
reader (the Second) said:
You folks give yourselves too much credit.

I suspect that Google fairly represented the reporting on the Tea Party March from their regular sources.

I browsed the articles on this topic in Google News last night and no, there were not that many articles.

And they were quite divergent in the reporting with WND and one or two others hyping the march wildly. Even so, I posted a number of reports that were surprised at the turnout. So my bet is that the media did not believe there would be a sizable turnout.

I did watch CNN who reported on it and their reporter was not allowed to report due to the shouting of the crowd. She finally got them to quiet down by asking them what they thought of Joe Wilson.

Personally, I would take with a grain of salt reporting from China since they have an obvious agenda to destabilize the US government but then hypo understands that motive well. Where did they get their "facts"? How many reporters did they have on the ground? What is interpretation that suits their agenda and what are facts?

I give more credence to Steve who was there and is an honest man.

Thank you.

but I didn't really get a chance to count

I was to busy shouting at some guy with a toy camera and a CNN hat.. :roll: :roll: :wink:

hopefully someone will cover the event.. other then those who attended...

I am somewhat surprised by the news blackout...
 

backhoeboogie

Well-known member
reader (the Second) said:
More like 1000 articles when I leave out "March" but add in "Armey" to target Sept 12 event specifically.

Which is not a news blackout.

MSM covered this? I must have missed it on ABC, NBC and CBS. More reason to get cable and FOX.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
reader (the Second) said:
For example, the kind of reporting on the march:

Thousands rally against big government
Published: Sept. 12, 2009 at 8:07 PM

Thousands of anti-tax protesters gathered Saturday at the U.S. Capitol in the largest anti-government demonstration since President Obama took office.

The huge rally was the final stop for the Tea Party Express, which started in Sacramento, Calif., and has held demonstrations in 30 cities across the country, CNN reported.

While Washington police had no estimate on how many people attended, the crowd took three hours to march from the White House to the Capitol, The New York Times said. The organizers described the demonstration as non-partisan, but Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress were the target of speeches, placards and chants.

Dick Armey, the former Republican majority leader in the House, now heads Freedomworks, a group that helped organize the rally.

"He pledged a commitment of fidelity to the United States Constitution," Armey said of the president as the crowd responded by chanting, "Liar, liar."

The demonstrators carried signs reading, "Congress: are you stoned or just stupid? Please wake up and save America," "We are under attack by our own government" and "Our Constitution has termites!"

"We're here to let the government know that we do not want government involvement in our healthcare, nor do we want the higher taxation that comes along with such a proposal," one protester told CNN.

As the marchers rallied in Washington, Obama was flying to Minneapolis to stump for his healthcare reform agenda. In his weekly address, he warned that failure to institute reforms would result in nearly half of all Americans under age 65 possibly losing their health coverage at some point in the next decade.


United Press International

R2 do you or any of your pie makers find fault with any of the articles above. Should Americans as a whole demand represntation for their taxation. What say ye r2. I will hold my breath till one of you answers senceabley.

It took till Aug 21st this year for the working American to be able to call any of the money they earned their own.
 

Steve

Well-known member
"Congress: are you stoned or just stupid?

I missed that sign.. but I really like it..

As for your concern that Dick Armey put the event on..

most grass roots organizations such as the tea party do not have the money ($600,000), nor the expertise to put an event on at our capital..
I'm sure the permits took a small army of lawyers to acquire and Freedom works should be applauded for sponsoring the event..

with that said.. I didn't really want to hear from him either,.. but how can the organizers disrespect a sponsor?

the even actually started before 11 and was mostly regular people who spoke.. like the conservative rapper, and it had a large number of black speakers until the official start.. at 1pm.. then it was started off by Armey..

Armey didn't get as warm of welcome as the rapper did.. or as big of a cheer at the end..

other then the small unknown speakers who recived a great welcome, many seemed to not want to hear it from the current republican leaders,.. even a shout of "go home" had to be quieted for one speaker..

other then the roar for Ron Paul, I would say most of those who were and are elected leaders were not to well received..

if Armey and freedom works hadn't stepped up to set a date and help,. the event might not have happened.. or it would have with out the same results..

so he does deserve credit... maybe not a vote... but credit..

afterwords on the bus home... we all knew Obama had fled to another state... but speculated on how he would have been received.. I am sure after the boos and comments quieted down.. most would have at least respected him for showing up.. and that respect would have been earned..

something this crowd doesn't seem to hand out easily... not even to a sponsor who spent 600,000 to put the event on...
 

hypocritexposer

Well-known member
reader (the Second) said:
The fact that Armey is / was a fat cat with deep ties to the insurance and heathcare industry is not coincidental. He spent like a wildman when he was in power but now he's a fiscal conservative??!! :shock: :shock: Only because he is being paid to win votes.

As long as you recognize it, that's fine.

Here's some other "fatcat" organizations, that are using "TAXPAYER" money to win votes

MR. LOUDON: We is the broad ‘progressive movement” which includes the Communist Party, Democratic Socialists of America, Committees of Correspondence, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, ACORN, AFL-CIO, Change to Win, Demos, Institute for Policy Studies, Center for American Progress, Campaign for America’s Future, George Soros’s Open Society institute, United for Peace and Justice, Jobs with Justice, Economic Policy Institute, US Action, Apollo Alliance, the more than 70 strong Congressional Progressive Caucus, Progressive democrats of America, the wider Democratic Party…..etc, etc and their allies in the MSM, academia and government.
 

Steve

Well-known member
reader (the Second) said:
The GOP has a well funded campaign to incite anger, spread misleading information, and win more seats in the upcoming election.

I'm not saying that you are not sincere or that those who attended are not sincere or do not have valid issues, I'm saying that there is a huge amount of money and energy being invested to exploit you and people like you solely to win votes in the upcoming elections.

And some of the posters here have that as their aim, to manipulate your vote. Not to debate.

if you gave me $600,000 I would politely listen to you speak.. clap and thank you.. and I like most conservatives realize everyone has an agenda...

but by your posts is is clear your agenda is to discredit the march... by any means.. so far..

hopefully America was listening... and that our elected leaders on both side of the aisle can find a few minutes to see the truth... that the direction they are leading is not the direction many Americans want to follow...
 

Steve

Well-known member
reader (the Second) said:
And why is it that you won't address the relationship between the GOP, Armey and the tea parties but instead distract? Hmmmm.


it seems like a huge deal to you... I don't care... I am a conservative..

I am a registered republican.. (GOP) I supported the contract with America..

if you don't want to support fiscal responsibility.. and the constitution.. that is your right.. but as long as the GOP and Armey are following US it is still our ball...

the fact that the leader of the GOP and the right is now starting to be the tea party. which is US.. then we may be able to force our elected officials to represent US and not themselves..

this movement is about giving back the people our voice. period..
you can make what ever relationship claims you want but we the people are leading... not following..
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
reader (the Second) said:
Actually Steve I enjoyed your photos and my goal was not to discredit the march. Believe it or not, a friend attended, a black friend.

I don't agree with some of the views of some of the marchers. I don't agree with those who try to stop town halls by shouting either.

What I was pointing out was the continued CALLOUS and EXPLOITATIVE involvement of the GOP and particularly of Dick Armey, a fat cat lobbyist in the pay of the insurance industry.

I am a taxpayer. I am a parent. I have as much interest in lowering the deficit and not increasing taxes exorbitantly as anyone else.

I also believe we need a healthcare plan and that the U.S. lags behind the rest of the developed world in this respect.

What are you doing to change any of Americas problems r2. Whitewashing them wont change them. If you had not had the flu would you have been at the march tossing about ideas as to what the fix is that is needed? Would you. Surely there have been some local tea parties in your area you could have attnded in times past. These meeting are not about one person but one AGENDA stopping the fall of AMERICA.
 

Steve

Well-known member
Actually Steve I enjoyed your photos and my goal was not to discredit the march. Believe it or not, a friend attended, a black friend.

and I bet she was treated with respect.

thank her for me for attending...

the tea party message is blurry right now.. and every one has a different reason for coming.. but it seem that getting heard is a strong bond..
 

hypocritexposer

Well-known member
Steve said:
reader (the Second) said:
And why is it that you won't address the relationship between the GOP, Armey and the tea parties but instead distract? Hmmmm.


it seems like a huge deal to you... I don't care... I am a conservative..

I am a registered republican.. (GOP) I supported the contract with America..

if you don't want to support fiscal responsibility.. and the constitution.. that is your right.. but as long as the GOP and Armey are following US it is still our ball...

the fact that the leader of the GOP and the right is now starting to be the tea party. which is US.. then we may be able to force our elected officials to represent US and not themselves..

this movement is about giving back the people our voice. period..
you can make what ever relationship claims you want but we the people are leading... not following..

great post Steve.

here's a video for you

http://www.thehopeforamerica.com/play.php?id=1930
 
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