If you have been watching any news over the last month or two there is probably a word that you have been hearing every 10 minutes. It’s also a word that you probably did not hear all that often in the past. The word that I refer to is “dithering.”

I used Google Trends to visualize the effect that this sparsely-used word’s inclusion in the GOP talking points had on its popularity.

“Dithering” was hardly used until late in 2009. Let’s look at the last few months.

At the end of October “dithering” spikes when former Vice President Cheney kicked off the talking point buzz-word bonanza, only to be followed by nearly every GOP spokesperson, elected official, candidate, and all the media outlets.

The GOP noise machine is as strong as ever. If they were half as good at stimulating the economy as they are at stimulating the usage of dormant verbs, we wouldn’t be in a recession right now.

Now I should probably stop dithering and get ready for the YDA National Conference in Orlando this weekend.

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A post today from the CNN Political Ticker Blog had the headline “DNC falls short of RNC in September cash haul.”

The Democratic National Committee raised just over $8 million last month, according to a party source – a total that would put the DNC behind the Republican National Committee for the month, which reported earlier Tuesday that they brought in $8.74 million in September.

At this point the headline is accurate, though with $740 thousand being the difference falls short sounds a little worse than if it was “RNC edges out DNC in September.”

But the for the entire third quarter of the year, the DNC edged out the RNC by around $1.3 million, the first time the Democratic Party has topped the GOP in fundraising for a quarter since the spring of 2004.

Wait a second, the headline is about the RNC raising more money in September, but the DNC outraised the RNC for the quarter, and it’s the first time in 5 years? Their headline isn’t incorrect, but it’s not the actual story. Plus, notice how they use the lighter “edged” when talking about the DNC outraising the RNC by $1.3 million.

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It was bound to happen sooner or later. Some CNBC apologist would try to defend the network against Jon Stewart and get it all wrong. It turns out that person is Mike Hegedus on Huffington Post today. Hegedus is a former CNBC correspondent, known for features about such topics as pink Jeeps and Gluten-free cookies.

Let’s start from the beginning.

Jon Stewart began calling out CNBC after Rick Santelli called average people being hurt by the financial crisis “losers.”

Jim Cramer was one of the CNBC personalities that Stewart called out on the show. It started to become a Cramer/Stewart rivalry when Cramer went on a whirlwind media tour defending himself, with the help of Joe “Doucheborough.”

The conflict culminated with Cramer’s appearance last night on The Daily Show, where Stewart by most accounts devastated him as Cramer whimpered at the desk.

Which now brings us to Mike Hegedus’ column today in the Huffington Post, entitled “Jon, You’re Wrong. It is a Game, and You’re a Player!”

Now, Hegedus’ article isn’t entirely off-base, but his characterization of Jon Stewart, the impact on CNBC, and his defense of CNBC are.

Where they go wrong is when they both actually believe their own publicity. Verbal helium is a dangerous thing. Stewart is a comic turned the ‘white knight’ of journalism, holding the feet of hemming and hawing politicos to The Daily Show fire. Pointing out their foibles, keeping an eye on the world for the rest us. A voice of eternal reason, the Diogenes of his generation.

Cramer on the other hand is a stock picking “guru.” In his veins beats the pulse of the Street. He’s been there, done that, become a rich man by using his wits to stay ahead of the curve, and he, just like Stewart, is there to make sure that we, the unwashed, don’t get taken,

Too late. We’ve been taken by the both of them, and of course it’s our own fault.

Do you want to know why people see Jon Stewart as the “white knight of journalism?” Because the journalists for the most part aren’t doing journalism. Jon Stewart is a guy who started a comedy news show who began calling out a lot of people in the mainstream media because he was frustrated that they weren’t doing their jobs. He doesn’t want to be a journalist, and he highlights how sad it is that he has to be seen as one. He flat out admits he runs a comedy show, that it isn’t going to be fair, and that’s what it is. He is on Comedy Central, not CNN, CNBC, or any other “news” organization. Stewart did not want to become Edward R. Murrow, despite the fact that he has done so brilliantly.

[Cramer] did not make his millions by watching or appearing on TV. He made it by working way too hard and long in the pits of the financial world — learning, studying, losing and winning. It cost him a lot (his hair and at times his health). What he is now is an entertainer, someone who can make an otherwise marginally interesting subject at least watchable. As luck would have it he’s also become popular, or as popular as someone on CNBC can be. And there in lies the problem. “Popular” is not something ordinarily associated with a business channel, and once CNBC, which had wandered in the desert of marginal cable stations for way too long, got a long drink of popularity thanks to Cramer, well, before you know it Jim is being rolled out as a ‘”expert” on Today, Nightly and anything else NBC owns.

Wait a second. Hegedus starts the paragraph essentially laying out why Jim Cramer would be an expert on the financial system, but says that the problem is that Cramer became popular and so was rolled out as an “expert.” Despite the contradiction, this is making Jon Stewart’s point, illustrated by the promo for Cramer’s show, Mad Money, with the tagline “In Cramer We Trust.”

[Stewart]‘s right, the economic issues we all face are not a game, but his show is. And they both played it. Cramer and CNBC have never had this much publicity. And while they both come out of it with a slight odor, little is likely to change. There’s nothing like the stink of notoriety. And the same goes for Stewart — how many more folks watched his show because he had Cramer on? How much more polished is his white knight “armour” now that he’s “slain” the evil Booyah? You think that was part of the plan?

Hegedus has apparently forgotten what happened with CNN’s Crossfire after a similar situation with Stewart. All publicity is good publicity doesn’t apply to a lot of people, especially politicians, experts, and journalists. The CNBC brand has taken a pretty big hit, and trust is at a low. It’s true that this probably boosted Stewart, especially since the American public has been hungry for someone, anyone, to do what Stewart did. The sad thing, and Stewart admits this, is that it had to happen on a comedy show.

The unfortunate piece of this is that Jim Cramer isn’t all of CNBC. Whatever aroma is attached to him will seep now onto the other hard working folks at the network who get up early and stay late to report on the actual financial happenings of the day. The fact that they don’t have the resources available to them to uncover the shenanigans that Stewart keeps harping about is not their fault. It’s a problem faced by all of journalism and something to be discussed at length at some other time.

Has Mike Hegedus even been paying attention to this whole thing? Jon Stewart attacked CNBC as a whole, Cramer just happened to be the one that engaged back. This wasn’t a Stewart/Cramer feud, this was an excoriation of a network that advertises itself as something that it is not and seems to be more in line with the CEOs and day traders than with the average Americans who are looking for advice on their financial security.

And stop with this “we don’t have enough resources” crap. This is an existential question about what CNBC is and what it is supposed to be. Here is Stewart on the subject:

It’s very easy to get on this after the fact. The measure of the network, and the measure of mess. CNBC could act as—No one is asking them to be a regulatory agency, but can’t—but whose side are they on? It feels like they have to reconcile as their audience the Wall Street traders that are doing this for constant profit on a day-to-day for short term. These guys companies were on a Sherman’s March through their companies financed by our 401ks and all the incentives of their companies were for short term profit. And they burned the f—ing house down with our money and walked away rich as hell and you guys knew that that was going on.

This is a question about CNBC actually doing financial reporting and the resources argument is just an excuse. When a CEO makes a statement to a CNBC reporter they should check to see if they are telling the truth, not just trusting them at the word and sounding hurt and astounded when it turns out they lied. When you have a network of ‘experts’ on finance that were aware of the practices that led to our current economic situation, didn’t they have the responsibility to report that? They argue that they thought the market was going to grow forever. First, it never has and never will. Second, how about the network just reports on what is happening and let the viewer make their own decision about it. That is the problem with the financial networks. There is a level of information asymmetry between correspondent and viewer, yet instead of giving the viewers the source information, they just analyze and make predictions based on their interpretations of that information and ask us to trust them.

And Jon Stewart is not a journalist. He’s a civically engaged entertainer, who apparently as frustrated as the rest of us with the economy went looking for someone to hammer. My suggestion Jon is next time find a bigger nail.

There are two things wrong with this closing statement. First, Stewart took on the entire business news industry. That is a pretty damn big nail that nobody has even attempted to take their hammer to. Second, it isn’t Jon Stewart’s responsibility to find bigger nails, it is the reporters’. People came after Stewart for this in 2004 over the Crossfire situation and are doing it again now. Like Stewart says, he runs a comedy show. If ‘real’ journalists would start doing their damn jobs and hammer some nails of their own without whining about there not being enough Home Depots nearby, Stewart wouldn’t have to do it all by himself. He shouldn’t have to do it at all.

I want to end with a few paragraphs from Andrew Sullivan’s take, which has been my favorite so far:

I watched the Daily Show with growing shock last night. Did you expect that? I expected a jolly and ultimately congenial discussion, after some banter. What Cramer walked into was an ambush of anger. He crumbled from the beginning. From then on, with the almost cruel broadcasting of his earlier glorifying of financial high-jinks, you almost had to look away. This was, in my view, a real cultural moment. It was a storming of the Bastille. It was, as Fallows notes, journalism.

Now, I know Jim Cramer a little. The reason he crumbled last night, I think, is because deep down, he knows Stewart’s right. He isn’t that television clown all the way down. And deeper down, he knows it’s not all a game – not now they’ve run off with grandpa’s retirement money.

It’s not enough any more, guys, to make fantastic errors and then to carry on authoritatively as if nothing just happened. You will be called on it. In some ways, the blogosphere is to MSM punditry what Stewart is to Cramer: an insistent and vulgar demand for some responsibility, some moral and ethical accountabilty for previous decisions and pronouncements.

It’s not a game.

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Matthew Kaminski of the Wall Street Journal wrote a column comparing the difficulties faced in governing by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick to potential difficulties for Sen. Obama if elected President.

His argument is that “The Axelrod Method,” a campaign based on hope, change, and a candidate’s inspiring personal story, makes it difficult to “turn an autobiographical, pseudo-postideological campaign into a mandate for governing.”

Gov. Patrick’s campaign was orchestrated by David Axelrod and David Plouffe, the same team currently running Obama’s operation. Patrick won his election despite overwhelming odds based on the success of “The Axelrod Method.” However, as Kaminski likes to point out, Patrick was largely unable to deliver that change once in office due to entrenched interests and personalities that did not appreciate his reform message.

That crusading optimism, so critical to his election victory, fast bumped up against established Democratic interests such as the police unions and powerbrokers on Beacon Hill. They didn’t know Mr. Patrick, didn’t appreciate him jumping the queue to the governor’s chair, didn’t buy his reformist outsider message, and frankly liked things as they were. Great speeches or popular support were insufficient for Mr. Patrick to get his way.

Using Patrick as a case study for the entire country, Kaminski claims that “the ‘change’ president could be in for a rough ride with the Democratic warhorses on Capitol Hill.”

Here is the problem with Kaminski’s argument: Beacon Hill is not Capitol Hill.

Using a state such as Massachusetts, a Democratic stronghold where the fiercest political battles are in primaries instead of generals, is a fallacious comparison. We are talking about two completely different ball games. Very partisan states tend to have a very entrenched pecking order and electoral queue within their dominant parties. Since most candidates don’t have very stark policy or ideology differences, the system is about waiting your turn. When someone upsets the established order there is going to be a lot of resistance.

Now look at Sen. Obama and Capitol Hill. Sure, there are people in the Democratic Party that believe that Obama jumped ahead in line when it should have been Hillary Clinton’s, but the need to defeat John McCain and finally elect a Democrat to the White House after eight devastating years brought most of them home. In a state like Massachusetts, the real election tends to be the primary. In a campaign to become President of the United States, the general always matters.

Democratic Congressional leadership is supportive of Barack Obama. Many Democratic leaders credit him with restoring the Democratic brand that has been lacking for the last decade or more. It is hard to imagine a Democratic House and Senate shutting down everything Obama attempts to do in office the way Massachusetts Democratic leaders did to Governor Patrick.

Kaminski’s argument just doesn’t hold any water.

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MTV Choose or Lose and Kanye West have teamed up to present Homecoming, a one hour special where Kanye surprises returning veterans at their homes and talks to them about the challenges they face.

“There are hundreds of veterans out there who are falling through the cracks. They make the ultimate sacrifices for us by laying down their lives, but it seems like a lot of them just get forgotten about” said Kanye West. “I know my music inspires and helps a lot of people but you can always do more. I teamed up with MTV and took the opportunity to share the spotlight with these veterans and hear their stories. I went to their homes to listen and get their first hand experiences. I wanted to hear their stories.”

The “Choose or Lose & Kanye West Present: Homecoming” special will shine the spotlight on three Iraq war veterans, representing the diverse cross-section of America’s returning armed forces. The issues faced by these three young veterans are emblematic of the issues that will be faced by the more than 1.7 million young people who have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. The documentary will also highlight how viewers can help through extensive resources available through Chooseorlose.com and the Dr. Donda West Foundation.

Recent MTV research revealed that nearly 70 percent of young people 18-29 personally know someone who has fought in Iraq. Through this special news presentation, Choose or Lose hopes to elevate the issues of young, new veterans; ensure Presidential candidates address these issues; and mobilize millions of young people to understand and take action in ways to help their peers who have served, who with the greatest honor, ensure that they register and vote.

The program is set to air on Monday, July 28 at 10pm ET/PT.

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They start actually talking about it 2 minutes in. Focuses on how angry we are and how anonymity has led to wild and crazy netroots action.

“Modern technology has empowered whack jobs.”

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In commemoration of July 4^th and our young veterans, MTV’s “Choose or Lose” will takeover MTV2 tomorrow with special programming, including a bloc of “True Life” episodes.  Exclusive messages from John McCain and Barack Obama that pay tribute to the young men and women who have served in the nation’s armed forces will air exclusively on MTV2 and www.ChooseorLose.com throughout the day.  You can take a sneak peak at the messages in their entirety at the following links:

John McCain – Choose or Lose July 4^th Message: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAyR2qJtCqE
Barack Obama – Choose or Lose July 4^th Message: http://youtube.com/watch?v=nC-pvn_tMfM

Here is the press release:

Coming off of a record breaking turnout of 6.5 million 18-29 year-olds who voted in the 2008 primaries, MTV continues its commitment to engage and inspire young Americans to vote in the 2008 Presidential Election. As part of its Emmy-winning “Choose or Lose” campaign, on Independence Day, MTV2 will present a special Choose or Lose day-long “takeover” in which short and long-form programming will engage millions of young adult voters to honor – and elevate the issues – of the more than one million young men and women who have served on the frontlines of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The MTV2 Choose or Lose takeover will include exclusive 60-second video messages from presumptive Presidential candidates, Republican Senator John McCain and Democratic Senator Barack Obama. The messages will air exclusively on MTV2 and www.ChooseorLose.com on July 4^th. The dual 60-second video messages will pay tribute to the young men and women who have served in the nation’s armed forces. The 60-second messages form Obama and McCain, as well as the MTV News reports will also be made available on MTV Mobile through all of its wireless carrier distribution partners.

Recent MTV research reveals that nearly 70 percent of young people 18-29 personally know someone who has fought in Iraq. Through this special MTV2 takeover, Choose or Lose hopes to elevate the issues of young, new veterans; ensure Presidential candidates address these issues; and mobilize millions of young people to understand and take action in ways to help their peers who have served, who with the greatest honor, ensure that they register and vote.

To illuminate young veterans issues, throughout the day special reports will be aired from some of the 51 MTV / Knight Foundation Street Team ’08 citizen journalists across the country. These reports will highlight stories of young veterans in their communities, focusing on the challenges of post traumatic stress disorder, lack of educational benefits, and the myriad of challenges facing young veterans struggling to acclimate back into civilian life. All Street team reports can be accessed at www.ChooseorLose.com. In addition, you can receive weekly Street Team election updates on your mobile phone by texting ST to 84465. (Standard rates apply). MTV News will also feature two new reports, one on Ashwin Madia, an Iraq war veteran running for Congress from Minnesota’s 3rd district, and the recent passage of the 21^st century GI Bill.

In addition to the Street Team and MTV News reports, MTV2 will present a special July 4^th programming bloc centered around young veterans and issues they face as they live and return from life in the military including:

· 6:00pm – Iraq Uploaded

· 6:30pm – True Life: I Live in Iraq

· 8:30pm – True Life: I’m Shipping Out

· 9:30pm – True Life: I’m Coming to America

· 10:30pm – True Life: I’m a Civilian Again

“Choose or Lose ’08” (www.ChooseorLose.com) is MTV’s Emmy-Award winning campaign to engage, inform and empower young voters on the political issues that matter to them most.  First launched in 1992, the campaign has helped fuel several of the largest youth voter turnouts in US history, including in 2004, when it helped inspire nearly 22 million 18-30 year olds to register and vote.

Other elements of “Choose or Lose ‘08” include the pioneering MTV / MySpace Presidential Dialogue Series, which has featured Senators McCain, Clinton, Obama, Edwards, Governor Huckabee and Representative Paul taking unfiltered questions – in person and online, in real time – from youth nationwide; “Choose or Lose Presents Clinton & Obama Answer Young Veterans”; and MTV “Street Team ’08,” 51 specially-recruited citizen journalists, one in each state and Washington, D.C., covering the 2008 elections from a youth perspective.  “Street Team” members file weekly multi-media reports, tailor their coverage for mobile devices and focus on the political issues that most impact young people in their respective states.  All “Choose or Lose” content, plus more information on the candidates, issues, registering to vote and a spirited debate, can be found on www.ChooseorLose.com.

For more information on youth-based activism, the upcoming election and young veterans log on to think.mtv.com. The Think Community is dynamic, multimedia driven and enables youth to easily learn more about the issues that matter to them most, share their opinions – via uploaded online videos, podcasts and blogs – and connect with others to make a difference.  The site is one of the only to reward members for positive actions taken online or off, serving up chances to hang out with socially conscious celebs, access to exclusive MTV events, exposure on MTV and other national media outlets, as well as grants, scholarships and more.  Think.MTV.com was founded in partnership with the Case Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Goldhirsh Foundation and MCJ Amelior Foundation.  For more information or to build a profile and become involved, visit Think.MTV.com.

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YDA President David Hardt and Christina Aguilera will be on Larry King Live tonight discussing the youth vote.

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It is a nice change to see a mainstream media organization actually begin to understand the concept of the internet. MSNBC.com now includes embed codes for all of its videos. Where at one time we had to wait for someone to rip that Keith Olbermann Special Comment we just had to share and put it on YouTube, only to have it taken down a week later, we now have it when we want it.

Hopefully other news outlets will follow suit and begin to allow embedded videos. To highlight the feature, I included a video from Countdown about John McCain and his allies supporting policies that led to the drastic increases in gas prices.

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