Donahue death recalls infamous 2003 firing for opposing Iraq War

 

Donahue death recalls infamous 2003 firing for opposing Iraq War

 

 

Talk show pioneer and legend Phil Donahue died Sunday at 88. 

 

 

Some of his obits omitted his ignominious firing by MSNBC 3 weeks ahead of President George W. Bush’s illegal, immoral, criminal war against Iraq. Donahue began a short gig with the highly touted progressive network the previous year. But his progressive antiwar views got him in trouble with the suits who had jumped on board W’s criminal war gravy train. 

 

 

Feisty Phil featured a parade of anti-establishment folks like Nader, Sanders, Steinem, Ivins; even Palestinian spokespersons. This led the the Donahue Rule…he had to present 2 establishment righties for every progressive good guy. The suits upped the ante when Phil’s producer suggested booking Michael Moore. Flinty Michael required three conservatives to counter Moore’s astute progressive political observations. 

 

 

But as corporate media, including MSNBC, coalesced around W’s despicable Iraq invasion, Donahue’s 36 years of terrific, fearless journalism that uplifted society became a media liability. A now infamous quote from a suit summed up everything that’s wrong with US mainstream media. “Donahue represented a difficult public face for NBC at a time of war.”

 

 

Twenty-one years later, nothing has changed to allow any sensible discussion of US warfare in Europe, the Middle East and possibly even the Far East. No dissent is allowed regarding the US proxy war against Russia destroying Ukraine. US enabled Israeli genocide on Gaza’s 2,300,000 people is the topic that dare not speak its name on mainstream outlets right and left. Discussion of America’s obsession with ‘defeating China with an endless military buildup is verboten. 

 

 

Now up in journalistic heaven, Phil Donahue is shaking his head that his efforts to foster a sane foreign policy have come to naught. But unlike virtually all of his mainstream colleagues still pretending to be responsible journalists, Donahue can at least say…’I tried.’