# Nah, CBS news division is not in Obama's pocket **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 8, 2012, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nah-cbs-news-division-is-not-in-obamas-pocket/624465 "2012-06-08T03:22:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nah-cbs-news-division-is-not-in-obamas-pocket/624465/41 "2012-06-08T21:12:57Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > What I was hoping for is some indication as to why I should believe you, and not him. [Leslie Moonves is the president and CEO of CBS Corp.](http://www.cbscorporation.com/ourcompany-executives.php?id=67&exec=150) [Jeffrey Fager is the chairman of CBS News.](http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500495_162-26911.html) [David Rhodes is the president of CBS News.](http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18564_162-7329695/david-rhodes) I already explained that and none of it requires a cite, so I don’t think the problem is that I haven’t posted a reason; it’s that it’s more fun to shout about the liberal MSM bogeyman and use the fact that Moonves said “ran.” If you want to argue that the CEO of a company also runs each and every individual division of the company rather than that responsibility falling to, say, the people who were hired with the express purpose of running those divisions because the CEO is responsible for the overall direction of the company and doesn’t have time to run each and every individual business, you can do that. I’m not sure why anybody should take that seriously because it’s ridiculous on its face. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nah-cbs-news-division-is-not-in-obamas-pocket/624465/42 "2012-06-08T21:46:24Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > What I was hoping for is some indication as to why I should believe you, and not him. It seems to me that what you really mean is: why should I believe you and not the quote being attributed to him by the L.A. Times? Or do you personally have a recording of Mr. Moonves making this remark? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nah-cbs-news-division-is-not-in-obamas-pocket/624465/43 "2012-06-08T21:58:36Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > [Leslie Moonves is the president and CEO of CBS Corp.](http://www.cbscorporation.com/ourcompany-executives.php?id=67&exec=150) [Jeffrey Fager is the chairman of CBS News.](http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500495_162-26911.html) [David Rhodes is the president of CBS News.](http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18564_162-7329695/david-rhodes) I already explained that and none of it requires a cite, so I don’t think the problem is that I haven’t posted a reason; it’s that it’s more fun to shout about the liberal MSM bogeyman and use the fact that Moonves said “ran.” > > If you want to argue that the CEO of a company also runs each and every individual division of the company rather than that responsibility falling to, say, the people who were hired with the express purpose of running those divisions because the CEO is responsible for the overall direction of the company and doesn’t have time to run each and every individual business, you can do that. I’m not sure why anybody should take that seriously because it’s ridiculous on its face. So, no evidence, then? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nah-cbs-news-division-is-not-in-obamas-pocket/624465/44 "2012-06-08T22:06:17Z")
If you get to ignore the cites and the obvious, I get to ignore this question. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nah-cbs-news-division-is-not-in-obamas-pocket/624465/45 "2012-06-08T22:34:51Z")
Keep flinging **Shodan**. None of the poo has stuck so far. The bad news is that you’re now covered with it yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nah-cbs-news-division-is-not-in-obamas-pocket/624465/46 "2012-06-09T03:10:24Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > So, no evidence, then? Your position is really confusing here, given the airtight cites offered to you. Is it your position that those links to cbs’s own websites are false? Is it your position that the LA Times is a more reliable source of this dude’s job title at CBS than CBS is? What exactly are you getting at, here? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nah-cbs-news-division-is-not-in-obamas-pocket/624465/47 "2012-06-09T03:44:11Z")
Why wouldn’t CBS lie about his job title? He’s already proven that they are liars when they lied about the guys position at CBS. Would have gotten away with it, had it not been for the sharp-eyed LA Times. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nah-cbs-news-division-is-not-in-obamas-pocket/624465/48 "2012-06-09T03:59:04Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > What exactly are you getting at, here? I guess he’s saying that Moonves’ five-word off-the-cuff comment “I run a news division” is a literally accurate description of the corporate workings of CBS. This also indicates that the chairman and the president of CBS News don’t really do anything and that Moonves’ liberal views reflect the way CBS News will cover this election because, like the man said, he’s in charge of the news division. Here’s some stuff that presumably take a backseat while Moonves shapes CBS’s news coverage: “oversees all operations of the company, including the CBS Television Network, The CW (a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment), CBS Television Stations, CBS Television Studios, CBS Studios International, CBS Television Distribution, Showtime Networks, CBS Sports Network, CBS Radio, CBS Outdoor, Simon & Schuster, CBS Interactive, CBS Consumer Products, CBS Home Entertainment, CBS Films and EcoMedia.” Rhodes, who you’d think would be a corporate stenographer at best, “oversees all network newsgathering and breaking news coverage.” That’s weird because it sounds like the job description of someone who runs a news operation and Moonves’ job description sounds like the responsibilities of a corporate CEO, but hey - he said “run.” ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nah-cbs-news-division-is-not-in-obamas-pocket/624465/49 "2012-06-09T04:34:24Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I guess he’s saying that Moonves’ five-word off-the-cuff comment “I run a news division” is a literally accurate description of the corporate workings of CBS. This also indicates that the chairman and the president of CBS News don’t really do anything and that Moonves’ liberal views reflect the way CBS News will cover this election because, like the man said, he’s in charge of the news division. Here’s some stuff that presumably take a backseat while Moonves shapes CBS’s news coverage: “oversees all operations of the company, including the CBS Television Network, The CW (a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment), CBS Television Stations, CBS Television Studios, CBS Studios International, CBS Television Distribution, Showtime Networks, CBS Sports Network, CBS Radio, CBS Outdoor, Simon & Schuster, CBS Interactive, CBS Consumer Products, CBS Home Entertainment, CBS Films and EcoMedia.” Rhodes, who you’d think would be a corporate stenographer at best, “oversees all network newsgathering and breaking news coverage.” That’s weird because it sounds like the job description of someone who runs a news operation and Moonves’ job description sounds like the responsibilities of a corporate CEO, but hey - he said “run.” You know that thing you do, where you pretend to be way more responsible than thou, and act like you can’t understand the justified frustration of reasonable people? Yeah… ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nah-cbs-news-division-is-not-in-obamas-pocket/624465/50 "2012-06-09T04:44:31Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > You know that thing you do, where you pretend to be way more responsible than thou, and act like you can’t understand the justified frustration of reasonable people? Yeah… Except the frustration isn’t justified and the people aren’t reasonable. But other than that you’re spot on. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nah-cbs-news-division-is-not-in-obamas-pocket/624465/51 "2012-06-09T04:50:31Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > You know that thing you do, where you pretend to be way more responsible than thou, and act like you can’t understand the justified frustration of reasonable people? Yeah… What? You know that thing where people post stuff that’s wrong, and other people respond by posting facts and information? That’s the thing I’m doing. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nah-cbs-news-division-is-not-in-obamas-pocket/624465/52 "2012-06-09T05:14:10Z")
Yeah! It’s like they’re totally posting shit in good faith and you just need to maturely correct them. They’re definitely listening! Good job!!! ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nah-cbs-news-division-is-not-in-obamas-pocket/624465/53 "2012-06-09T10:51:21Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > The OP probably meant CBS News is _in the bag_ for Obama, but that’s not really important. I think the [OP’s usage is correct](http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pocket): > [@](#): > > in (one’s) pocket > In one’s power, influence, or possession: _The defendant had the jury in his pocket_. I remember that usage in _The Godfather_, the reference to all the politicians and judges the Don had in his pocket like so much loose change. I also agree this isn’t an important point. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nah-cbs-news-division-is-not-in-obamas-pocket/624465/54 "2012-06-09T14:24:26Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > Good job!!! Thanks. > [@Stratocaster](#): > > I think the [OP’s usage is correct](http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pocket):I remember that usage in _The Godfather_, the reference to all the politicians and judges the Don had in his pocket like so much loose change. I also agree this isn’t an important point. 😉 I’m not sure that is exactly what he’s saying, but it’s close enough. Withdrawn. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nah-cbs-news-division-is-not-in-obamas-pocket/624465.md?page=2)