Wolf Blitzer, Sad Sack

RBS · May-28th-2003, 03:04 PM

Everytime I see ol' Wolf reporting on CNN, I feel like his glory days are behind him. He sounds like he's trying to make something dramatic out of the most banal news around.

"Today, on CNN, a pie-eating festival in Luxembourg! I'm Wolf
Blitzer! Catch up on this exciting news after these messages!"

Poor guy. He looks like he's living in the glory days of Gulf War 1.

Ron Thorne · May-28th-2003, 04:03 PM

Yeah, Wolf has almost become a caricature of himself, especially with his patented, offbeat (read wrong) phrasing, pauses and odd points of emphasis.

"Thank you very ... very much."

During the daylight hours, CNN has seemed like the Wolf Blitzer Network at times. Talk about overexposure!

May-28th-2003, 04:10 PM

Can anyone name a single CNN anchor person who isn't either dim-witted, superficial, or just plain boring?

Sergio Zamora · May-28th-2003, 04:11 PM

Wait...is there really a pie-eating festival in Luxembourg? Do you know when? Is it on CNN? Oh man, I gotsta watch.

Ron Thorne · May-28th-2003, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chris A
Can anyone name a single CNN anchor person who isn't either dim-witted, superficial, or just plain boring?

Judy Woodruff and Aaron Brown, perhaps.

Your point is well-taken, however, Chris. They've lost some of their best, including Frank Cesno and Bernard Shaw.

Brian Olewnick · May-28th-2003, 04:26 PM

The only one worth listening to for anything other than pure reportage, imho, is Christiane Amanpour. I often disagree with her slant, but she obviously possesses a critical brain, a rare enough commodity there.

RBS · May-28th-2003, 04:39 PM

Darren Kagan is nice to look at, for what it's worth.
And James Carville is pretty damn funny.

But regarding serious news, they just don't cut it.

Chris makes a very good point.

May-28th-2003, 04:40 PM

I should have mentioned Amanpour--she is the only one in whom I have some confidence--she been on the spot, all over the place, she knows things first-hand, and she thinks. Not really an anchor person, though I saw her taking that part (from London) yesterday.

RBS · May-28th-2003, 04:59 PM

Totally off the subject, but....

I took your advice on Z-Tel, Chris. They are excellent
and well-priced. Thanks!

Monte Smith · May-28th-2003, 05:01 PM

I also have to give kudos to Amanpour for being a real journalist. Even if she is married to Jamie Rubin of the Clinton State Department.

Ron Thorne · May-28th-2003, 05:11 PM

I completely agree that Christiane Amanpour is, hands down, the finest reporter/thinker on CNN at this time. I also enjoy Jeanne Moos' off-beat, quirky reports and stories.

What's with this dufus, Miles O'Brien? He was such a joke during the recent war in Iraq when he couldn't wait to get over to the 3-D map of Iraq with a military analyst and use the telestrater, etc. What a goober!

Yeah, Daryn Kagan and Kyra Phillips are easy on the eyes, but ...

patricia · May-28th-2003, 05:22 PM

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Ron Thorne

What's with this dufus, Miles O'Brien? He was such a joke during the recent war in Iraq when he couldn't wait to get over to the 3-D map of Iraq with a military analyst and use the telestrater, etc. What a goober!

Well, Ron, as far as I know, Miles O'Brian's sole expert status is based on his possession of a valid pilot's license. If that's the only thing needed to gain "expert" status, my eighty-three-year-old mentor would fit the same qualifications. I would believe my mentor, considering that he was a bomber pilot, in WW11, before I would consider O'Brian an authority on anything to do with war. What a twit!

The first post summed up my feelings about Blitzer. His fifteen minutes have come and gone. What an egotistical fool. Has anyone here gotten into the habit of checking his website, which he plugs every time he gives one of his loaded-with-drama reports?? Me either.

Yes, let's let Bernard Shaw go and hire Paula Zahn. Are the CNN human resources people all drunk??

May-28th-2003, 09:34 PM

While I haven't seen Judy Woodruff lately, she was a pretty sharp no bullshit lady when she was on PBS. Does CNN burn people out?

Re many other TV "news" types, hey, its "entertainment" now. What would an Edward Murow do today, anyway?
"Uh, say Ed, could you maybe lighten it up a bit? How about, say, a lost dog finds its way home, and a little girl is happy again, and uh, maybe use some brighter illumination? Oh, and, uh, get rid of that friggin' cigarette. Not hip any more, you dig?"

"Give it a little Geraldo pizzazz, OK?"

Monte Smith · May-28th-2003, 09:43 PM

Yeah, and what ever happened to Bernard's mate from the first Gulf War, Peter Arnette?

Oh wait.

But hey wait a second. Why are we even bothering to complain about CNN heads when they really don't have much of an impact on the content of CNN, as opposed to the loathsome ego anchors from the Big 3 who totally run the news services at their respective networks and have all held their jobs since Reagan was President? When are those boneheads going to be forced into retirement for all of our sakes? Surely we are long overdue on new blood.

RBS · May-30th-2003, 09:42 AM

I've been watching Lou Dobbs lately. He seems to have some integrity.

patricia · May-30th-2003, 10:18 AM

Oddly, I hadn't thought of Dobbs as a news person as much as a money guy and only started watching him recently. I agree that he seems to have an actual brain.
I also agree that Christianne Amampour is certainly more credible than most, if not all the other reporters. At least she's out there, in the situation, telling us what the people are saying.
She is getting more face time lately, which I am happy to see.

Monte Smith · May-30th-2003, 10:42 AM

Plus Amanour is Iranian, which is interesting for a female journalist covering the events of our time. I believe Amanpour left with her family before or around 1979.

RBS · May-30th-2003, 10:50 AM

Yes, Patricia. I had always thought of Dobbs as a money guy, too.
The moniker "Lou Dobbs Moneyline" seems to have something to do with it!

I saw him interview someone in the FCC and he was asking a lot of thought-provoking, hard-hitting questions, which I appreciated.

One of the biggest problems I've had with what's going on in the US today is whether you agree with what Bush does or not, the media has just been laying low the entire time.

Now, I'm starting to see newscasters ask more in-depth questions, instead of just flag-waving.

Is his name Jim Lehrer? I saw him talking to Bill Frist, the head of the Senate about the latest tax cut. It was good to see him ask Frist some hard questions. Of course, Frist tried to put some spin on it and say that "we are not for the rich, we are for the hard-working small businesses who are the backbone of our country." I didn't believe a word he said.