We are now into Day Four of Kierangate, the slow-news-fueled controversy surrounding an at-best tone deaf MSNBC segment that used a photo of Mitt Romney grandchild Kieran Romney as a vehicle to attack Republicans’ lack of racial diversity, and CNN has upped the ante by reporting that “some” are “demanding” that host Melissa Harris-Perry be fired. If you stay through the tease and the entire report, though, you might find the evidence of an angry, firing-demanding mob somewhat lacking.
What began as online criticism of a ham-handed cable news segment has now morphed into a full-blown public cable news flogging of Dean Obeidallah, Pia Glenn, and MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry, who participated in said segment on Sunday’s episode of Harris-Perry’s show. MSNBC competitors Fox News and CNN each filled the desolate holiday weekend with multiple segments attacking the segment, while Harris-Perry and her panelists offered a round of apologies on Twitter, and elsewhere.
On Wednesday morning, CNN anchor Zoraida Sambolin teased a report on the uproar by telling viewers “Some people demanding MSNBC fire one host after she mocked Mitt Romney’s black grandson,” (Harris-Perry’s comment on the photo had to do with imagining a Mitt Romney/Kanye West-sponsored wedding in the future) and introduced the report, by Lisa Desjardins, by repeating that claim, and grouping Harris-Perry with recently-ousted MSNBC hosts Alec Baldwin and Martin Bashir.
Desjardin’s report, however, presents little evidence of such a groundswell. giving just one example of a person on Twitter who wants Harris-Perry fired. Even with more examples, a raft of tweets is an awfully low bar for a national news network to claim as a newsworthy movement to have someone fired. To this point, Harris-Perry’s critics from competing cable news outlets have not suggested she be fired, nor has anyone else in Desjardin’s report.
Let me just say that if MSNBC caves and allows this non-scandal to cost them yet ANOTHER host due to Right Wing outrage they will have finally lost me as a loyal viewer.
And for those who did not see the segment, MHP herself said NOTHING objectionable at all, and in fact referred to the child as gorgeous.
Here see for yourself.
Please MSNBC, do NOT let the Right Wing professional outrage machine steal away another talented member of your cable news family.
If you give in they will not stop until there is nobody left to compete against Fox News and CNN. And you know, perhaps THAT is the goal!
This whole thing is so stupid. Even the entire premise that this is racist on the part of the Romney's is stupid.
ReplyDeleteI am not at all a Romney fan (the man or the family), but Kiernan is a great name I think. Pick 100 people and I bet you 99% of them would not have a clue what Kiernan means in Gaelic. I'm willing to cut the Romney's some slack on this one. They may have had no clue either.
It's absurd. It is all the rightwing spin machine has.
DeleteKiernan means in Gaelic. I'm willing to cut the Romney's some slack on this one. They may have had no clue either.
Delete*****
Yeah! Just like no body knows what Trisomy-G means ...TriG.
Nah, coininkydink?
"There's no such thing as a coincidence" ~Sarah Palin
Of course they know what the name means. It's too unusual for them NOT to know. It's an inside joke to them. I feel sorry for that child being raised with that group of racists. I'll never forget the look in Romney's eyes during the debate when he was made to look a fool by a black man. It was a look of pure hate. I don't believe the Romney's are any different from the Palin's - they're just dressed better. Can you imagine Sarah with a black grandchild?
DeleteI remember that look too, 5:48 PM. Gee, Romneys, it could not be more evident what you think when you dressed him in pink.
DeleteI'm with 5:38, 5:48 and 7:59.
DeleteI doubt there is a parent out there that doesn't look up the meaning of their child's name. They knew.
DeleteAnon @5:48
DeleteCould we all please keep in mind that this child was adopted by Romney's son, Ben and his wife, not the governor? This whole brouhaha is way too much ado about nothing, on both sides.
Excuse me, 4:41 p.m. - what parent doesn't research the meaning of their infant's name? especially one NOT in your native tongue? Baby name books and lists abound.
DeleteThe name Kiren in Irish means “the dark little one.“ Great start for Kiren on a nightmare life in Mormonhood.
DeleteWhat is the real reason the Romney's adopted black child?
DeleteWait until this kid is old enough to understand that their religion preaches that he is cursed, that because of his skin color he cannot be a priest like his adopted white brothers.
Wait until he realizes that the member of his temple ignores him and not acknowledge him because of his skin color.
Wait until he realizes that the member of his temple ignores him and not acknowledge him because of his skin color. This does happen, by the way.
P.S. Melissa Harris-Perry knows a thing about being black in Mormonhood. Her father was/is black and her mother was/is WHITE AND MORMON.
One more disturbing thing: Why are all of the Romney boys dressed in blue but Kiren is dressed in pink?
The name Kiren in Irish means “the dark little one.“ Great start for Kiren on a nightmare life in Mormonhood.
DeleteSo they actually adopted a baby....big deal. The rest of the family, including all 5 boys, and Mittens himself are the product of IVF.
DeleteEver watch Big Love? The Romneys are living proof that the same DNA can multiply for generations with IVF. Georgie Porgie Romney is the big man and the father of all things Romney.
Melissa Harris-Perry Jokes About Mormons ‘Changing Their Minds About Black Folks Having Souls’
ReplyDeleteOne of the peripheral aspects of the already-tangential Kierangate media kerfuffle over a Melissa Harris-Perry show segment is the host’s Twitter apology, specifically Harris-Perry’s invocation of her own Mormon background. A review of Melissa Harris-Perry‘s past commentary about Mormonism reveals an apparently genuine affection and admiration for her ancestors’ religion, as well as something of a blind spot for the Mormon Church’s history of racially discriminatory policies.
As part of her apology, Harris-Perry tweeted “As black child born into large white Mormon family I feel familiarity w/ Romney family pic & never meant to suggest otherwise,” apparently as a way to crystallize her positive intent for the segment. On MSNBC’s website, she explained “The intent of featuring the photo was to celebrate it— I often speak to the issue of the increasingly diverse American family. Whatever the intent, the segment proceeded in an unexpected way that was offensive.”
Those howling for Melissa Harris-Perry’s head might be inclined to see this as a convenient fig leaf, especially since she, herself, was not raised as a Mormon. However, Harris-Perry has spoken frequently of her Mormon roots, starting with her cable news Mormon “coming out” as fill-in host of The Rachel Maddow Show in November of 2011. She eschewed any “theological debate” about Mormonism, but spoke with pride about the church’s struggle against exclusion, and detailed her own family’s history with the LDS Church, including “a great-great-grandfather who was imprisoned for polygamy.”
“My American story is both the story of enslaved ancestors, sold on the street corner of Richmond, Virginia, on my father’s side, and of a persecuted religious minority in the American West on my mother’s side,” she concluded.
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/melissa-harris-perry-jokes-about-mormons-changing-their-minds-about-black-folks-having-souls/
I watch MSNBC and Melissa Harris-Perry is one of their best shows. I also liked Bashir and Baldwin and thought it asinine they let them go!
ReplyDeleteYou don't see FOX letting people go and they've said much, much worse stuff and w/no facts or research backing their words.
MSNBC is the best as to be researched and trustworthy. Love Rachel, Ed, Chris and Lawrence!!!
I stopped watching after Mr. Bashir resigned. Also, too, I won't click on any msnbc links although I love Lawerence O' Donnel, Rachel and Ed. If you can't support a good journalist, then, I can't support your network. That nit wit from the northwoods and all the rest of the idiotic right wing nut jobs get a pass when they spew hateful crap and they get a pass. They can all fuck right off. I'll stick to the blogs and research my own news, Happy New Years Gryphen and all you other IM'ers. Cheers!!!
ReplyDeletePrimogen1
"CNN anchor Zoraida Sambolin teased a report on the uproar by telling viewers “Some people demanding MSNBC fire one host after she mocked Mitt Romney’s black grandson,”
ReplyDeleteMaybe CNN should fire Sambolin since this is one piss-poor job of reporting.
I can't imagine that MSNBC would let MHP go because of this faux scandal. If that happens, it would definitely be a last straw for me. I also hope MHP won't allow this brouhaha to change anything about the way she runs her program. She does the best in-depth coverage of issues of anyone out there.
ReplyDeleteI went to her facebook page and the trolls are there spewing the usual poison, so I posted a message of support.
ReplyDeleteM from MD
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Melissa-Harris-Perry/162372047157336?rf=105689472830065
Palin defended the Duck Brothers saying they have a right to free speach, Melissa said nothing wrong but if she did she has as much right to free speach as the Ducks. All the trouble thats started is at the hands of that demented evil palin.How can one person so evil get away with so much? Gabby Giffords knows to well palins free speach. I loathe palin.
ReplyDeleteWHY can't democrats admit that their media is slanted TOWARD them. It is COMPLETELY true that if ANY of nationally known democrats were repub, they'd be nowhere near their offices.
ReplyDeleteshame.
Why can't you admit that you are a paid troll? What a shameful way to make a buck.
Delete5:36 PM WTF does that mean? You are too mentally challenged to string together a coherent sentence. You exude stupidity and ignorance. Have you completed Middle School yet?
DeleteThat's right, troll, Democrats do their jobs. Republicans ARE never in their offices. Ask the per diem half-term governor.
DeleteHere Gryphen is, drumming up faux stories and exaggerating things.
ReplyDelete5:37 PM Your crazy ass is always here, are you a Stalker?
DeleteOnly when he hits a nerve, 6:04 PM! Right on time....here it comes.
DeleteThe only ones who have standing to demand an apology are the Romney family
ReplyDeleteand so far, they are remaining silent.
The MSNBC segment was actually kind of cute and harmless.
There's nothing for anyone to apologize for.
Which is probably the sentiment from the Romney family.
The revolting hypocrisy here is from the far right , especially Palin .
They all hated Romney , like they hated McCain and GW Bush.
The Romney family must be disgusted that Palin ,
who refused to endorse Romney ,
has latched on to their grandchild for her own sick publicity purposes.
Palin has given more attention to Kiernan Romney than she has to Trig Palin.
The Romney family should adopt Trig , then Palin might actually pay attention to him.
Slander much? Considering Trig sleeps in his parents room, your theory is implausible.
DeleteReally? Who are his parents?
DeleteIn his parent's room? GMAB. I had a DS cousin and YOUR theory is knee-slapping worthy.
DeleteTrig sleeps in his parents room huh? But then where does Sarah sleep?
DeleteConsidering they are never there, that's pretty sad.
DeleteA 5 year old sleeping in his "parents" room??
Delete6:30 PM You must get an orgasm from this site, you can't stay away.
DeleteTri-G sleeps in his parents room? Are you serious? At his age? Sarah pretends that she and Todd are still married so if I take her at her word, then you're saying there is a 5 - soon to be 6 year old child, sleeping in the same room with a woman who has obvious sexual problems evidenced by her obsession with wearing fake breasts, and a man who is known to be a pimp and who frequents prostitutes. Does Alaska or Arizona have Child Protective Services? Someone needs to check on Tri-G.
DeleteHuh? Trig's parents don't even sleep in the same room. Bristle and Levi broke up years ago.
Delete@ 6:30 PM
DeleteYou state that Trig sleeps in his parents room which sounds as if you have actually witnessed it. Are you a family member or close friend of the Palins?
I think they confused Trig for Track. That sounds more like it!
DeleteCan you imagine if liberals called for a firing every time a fox news host made a racist or disparaging remark? Or a falsehood in their reporting? It would be a ghost town over there.
ReplyDeleteComplete hypocrites.
I don't hear racist or crass comments from Fox. I hear disagreements with the President's admin. And I hear people NAMECALL people there as being racist just because of the president's race.
DeleteIn all honesty, Barack Obama has zero life achievements outside fatherhood, barring the rumors he has no biological kids.
If very powerful people weren't behind him, he'd be nowhere near the Oval office.
'scuse me, but he's the freekin president of the US- elected twice by a large majority. That alone is a pretty impressive "life achievement".
DeleteI can't agree with you more!! Why do people like Todd Akin spew LIES about legitimate rape or Ted Cruz spout CRAP about Neville Chamberlain and no one calls them out on the BS? So it's okay to call our wonderful POTUS a Kenyan-Muslim-Communist-Socialist-Tral-La-La??
DeleteI'm sure there is a more relevant apples to apples example to this particular controversy but my point is the right says WAY WORSE things and get away with it all of the time.
Actually, the DD "free speech" whine is a good push back.
"In all honesty, Barack Obama has zero life achievements"
DeleteYeah he was just elected President of the United States of America, TWICE ;)
Yeah, 6:29 PM, that Kenyan Marxist Socialist Commie! His kids are illegitimate because $arah doesn't have a legitimate grandkid to her name, amirite? Even her own kids have different fathers. Keep projecting your woes onto others. It's the Palin "Christian Heart" way and the FACT that such a classy BLACK family occupies your WHITE House must just irk you to the bone. DEAL with it.
Delete6:29 PM Very powerful people support very smart people. That is why Very powerful people DON'T support Illiterate Assclowns like Sarah Palin, her Pimp Daddy Husband, and her Dysfunctional offspring . Oxycontin addiction-Track Menard, 4 Bastard Babies-Bristol, 1 Bastard Baby-Willow, and the LIAR IN CHIEF-Sarah Palin. You are a Stalking Fool with no Life to live Vibrantly.
Deletereally, 6:29? You seem to have overlooked Harvard Grad, Nobel Prize winner.
DeleteIt's going to be ok, 6:29. You just have to suffer three long years under President Barack Hussein Obama, then you'll get an eight year break suffering under some other Democratic President, most probably a Female, then another eight years under a Democratic President. See a pattern occurring? Yeah, me too! Life is good!
DeleteIt's telling that you, Gryphen, support crass bullies on tv just because they belong to you party.
ReplyDeleteExplains why you feel justified bullying with lies on your blog.
WOO HOO! The troll is back! They aren't lies, baby, that's why you're here. MUAH! Happy New Year!
Delete6:27 PM You support being Stupid. Looking at your posting is like reading what a 2nd grader writes, only worse. You must have dropped out of School, no one is that stupid.
Deletejesus gawd you sound like an inbred uneducated dipshit
Deletego pick yer toenails
11:37 That is funny! "Go pick yer toenails!" Cracked me up....we truly need more humor in our world today. It felt good to laugh!
DeleteYea, President Obama! He's doing one hell of a job!!! And, it's driving the Republican bug fucking crazy!
Is Rush Limbaugh a Crass Bully?
DeletePretty hard to pick your toenails after chomping on the clippings, but funniest visual ever! "you party" is a dead giveaway to either a palin or a paid troll.
DeleteI hope we all live long enough to read Kiernan Romney's tell-all bestseller about Mitten's entire family.
ReplyDeleteSo let me get this straight.
ReplyDeleteThe Duck Dynasty patriarch makes hateful comments about gays and black people, and advocates marrying girls of 15 or 16 so they can be properly trained as submissive wives before they become educated enough to know better. According to the right, that's free speech and any actions by a private company to suspend or punish him in any way is wrong and unconstitutional.
MHP, who was raised in a Mormon family and has personal experience with the subject, points out the black child photographed in a sea of white faces. What is important about this particular child (although she never mentions it) is that he was adopted into a family whose religion formally discriminated against black people until 1978. Not once in that segment did she say anything negative about the baby and yet the right is demonizing her and screaming for her to be fired.
Once again, free speech apparently ONLY applies to those on the right.
since the government has nothing to do with any of these events, neither does "free speech." That's a concept that has to do with government suppression of an individual's right to speak against the government. Complain to the companies involved about unfair firing, but give up on the free speech part.
DeleteIt's parellelism, 8:13 - what the right was saying about Idiot Phil.
DeleteSeriously, see a shrink!
ReplyDelete"Anonymous 6:30 PM
ReplyDeleteSlander much? Considering Trig sleeps in his parents room, your theory is implausible."
Trig sleeps in his parent's room? Really? How old is he? How do you know where Trig sleeps?
Ok people, listen up! Faux noos is beating MSNBC in the ratings, but faux is SCARED to death of MSNBC, especially bill o'reilly, he wants them off the air BAD! could it be because they constantly lie to their viewers, and MSNBC just puts out FACTS, look at the pattern, first Martin Bashir, they tried going after Joy Reid, now Mellisa Harris-Perry, I mean goddamn who's next? notice how $arah is trying to hitch her wagon to rich people? cause the bitch is going broke! When the last time she was nice to romney? The only threat to MSNBC is their advertisers, THIS CABLE NEWS CHANNEL MUST BE PROTECTED AT ALL COST, WE CANNOT LET THIS CONTINUE, WE MUST DO SOMETHING AND FAST!
ReplyDeleteAnd Keith Olbermann some time ago, same scenario.
DeleteI miss Keith Olberman more than anyone! He gave Rachel Maddow her start - hope she thanks him every day!
DeleteI find it interesting that people of color are the MSNBC people who are being singled out for criticizing Sarah Palin or another political figure. (Bashir is a Pakistani Christian. Melissa is a professor of African studies. I believe that she is mixed race).
ReplyDeleteI am offended at the name Kiernan is Welsh for "black" or "dark." Why don't they just call him, "The little dark one." Didn't the Bushes refer to one of their Hispanic grandchildren as the little brown one? It sounds offensive. It is even more offense from people in public life. It is equally offensive since the Mormon church considered African Americans inferior until just recently.
Poppy Bush referred to all three of Jeb Bush's children as "the little brown ones." Jeb's wife Columba is Mexican, and years ago she made a heartrending comment about "learning not to be ashamed of being brown."
DeleteAll of their kids also have been in trouble with the law; it's easy to imagine that they may have been made to feel "not as good as" their lily-white cousins.
Marvin and Margaret Bush adopted two kids from the Gladney agency in Fort Worth, a place notorious for offering big names with deep pockets one of those so-elusive Healthy White Newborns to couples whose $250K "donation" allowed them to step to the head of the line...
... and later, the same parents can use the same technique to get their kids into Washington, D.C.'s most exclusive school for kids with learning disabilities. But I'm not going to get started on THAT: one of the then-little Biscuitbarrels was turned down because we declined to make an eye-popping "donation, as the X School called it.
I agree with you Gryph. I am disgusted with MSNBC caving to the right wing uber criticisms. Msnbc is becoming Faux light. Hardly watch them anymore, as AJAM is more interesting. At least they cover the news.
ReplyDeleteI am shocked that the Romney family named the baby Kiernan. Both Mitt and Ann Romney exhibited time and again that they were out of touch. This is perhaps the worst example. Is it ignorance? If so, they should change the child's name immediately. Or is it cruelty or arrogance? Either way if they have any they should compassion, they should change the name immediately for the sake of the child.
ReplyDeleteWhy is everyone suddenly calling the baby "Kiernan"? Earlier articles have used the name "Kieran." My brother's name is Kieran so the difference in spelling jumps out at me.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason for Palin's incredibly vicious hatebook rant about MHP is because she is on a power trip. She thinks she got Bashir fired. She thinks she got Robertson back on the air. She thinks she can get MHP fired.
ReplyDeleteI think her narcissistic ego is getting off on what she perceives to be her power to destroy the lives of those who have the audacity to be liberal, or educated, or who just don't worship her.
I think we will see more and more of these rants as she screams louder and louder for attention in a manner that she believes actually gets results, as measured by people hired and fired.
It counteracts the overwhelming evidence that she is less and less relevant and her opinion means less and less even to conservatives, who didn't want the old has-been at the RNC last summer. I'm sure her failed "book" and the contempt dished out by critics still rankles and can only be assuaged by destroying someone else.
If she were just obnoxious, she wouldn't be such a problem. But her colossal obsession with harming people is what makes her dangerous.
Nefer, you are right about Sarah. She is raging. She is like the dog that charges the door snarling and barking when the letter carrier hits the porch and and leaves to carry on his or her route. Needless to say, the carrier has some pepper spray and the hope that nasty dog will never be released on the general public. The dog thinks he scared the carrier away time and time again.
DeleteMartin Bashir has an inoperable brain tumor and may have resigned to avoid the stress of the confrontation. He probably took his teaching lesson a bit too far but when one is trying to school someone that thinks she learned everything she needed to learn on the high school basket ball court and probably didn't do her homework then as well as now he needed to push his point hard to the goal. And, he fouled.
The segment of Melissa Harris-Perry's show was several minutes longer than the clip on the Romney photo. The whole bit was rather awkward and captioned the Obamas, Putin, and more. But like using the bible as a justification, the right wing and their righteous wingnut just picked out the little bit to make their point. She wasn't demanding that Putin give back that Super Bowl Ring or there would be an international incident. No one insulted the Romneys' grandson.
RJ in Brownbackistan
maybe she should start bitching about Billo and Lizzie dissing her. See if her pal, Rog, fires them. lol
DeleteMartin Bashir, an inoperable brain tumor, really? (Not that I doubt you, of course.). I'll have to look up what kind.
DeleteI think the only two ways we'll be rid of the 'retard' are: 1) less and less donations are made to Sarah PAC where she has no financial abilities whatsoever. Her donations have dropped considerably! No one in her family works except for her appearing periodically on FOX. Her book has been noted as a failure, but it would be interesting to see how much money she has made on it since publication. 2) major illness and/or death.
DeleteYes, he has a small tumor on the pituitary gland. When assessing delicate surgery to the brain, most surgeons compare the risks vs the benefits of doing surgery in the first place. At any rate, he's had the tumor since at least 2011, and has held a full schedule, never QUIT, and came across as intelligent and cogent. Operable or Inoperable wasn't definitively revealed, and his doctors are taking a "wait and see" approach, which tends to make me think it's either benign and or slow growing. Does he not have the same right to privacy as any other citizen except one that commits fraud by faking a pregnancy and birth while running for the second most powerful position in Government?
Deletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/09/martin-bashir-has-brain-t_n_105998.html
There are about 25 people in that Romney picture, and just the whole reason they used it on MSNBC is to point out the black baby and giggle about it. What were they thinking? How can they be that insensitive?
ReplyDeleteThere are two reasons that a white family would adopt a black baby: 1. so people will look at them and realize what "Good People" they are to adopt the poor child or 2. They don't care about color, but just want to love the baby.
If they adopted Kieran because of the first reason, then ignore them. If they adopted Kieran because of the second reason then please ignore the race of the child--it is just plain rude to bring it up.
We will just need to guess what the "missionary position" was on this adoption. We will have to guess if the baby was adopted because he was born in poverty or the result of some other "mission" in life. Do we even know if he is African/American or just assuming? And, it is difficult to ignore the skin tone of the child when he was named Kieran, the little dark one.
DeleteOne thing we know for sure is the Romneys are white and we were giggling about them before they added a bit of diversity for whatever reason.
Well, there's two ways to look at this kerfuffle. This child will be raised in luxury and will never want for a single material thing. He will never be cold, he will never be hungry, he'll never have to wear his olders brother's clothes. After graduating from a first class university he will never be troubled about student loans or a job. On the other hand, he will never hear Muddy Waters or John Lee Hooker, he will think Jeff Foxworthy is a good comic,he will dance like William Hung and he'll probably march in the great army of the unlaid longer than any of his pals. Oh yeah,and all of his relatives will be douchenozzles. But, I guess all of life is a trade-off. One way or the other.
ReplyDeleteOur Lad @ 8:36: That about says it all! Bravo!
ReplyDeleteI guess the irony of the picture escaped most..............
ReplyDelete