Huffington Encourages Obama Support and Balanced News Reporting

 

Journalist Arianna Huffington shared her political beliefs and urged students to vote for Barack Obama during her speech as Givens Performing Arts Center’s (GPAC) first Distinguished Speaker of the season Sept. 23.

“If people still think Obama is a Muslim, just leave them alone,” Huffington said while making a point that fear is currently America’s worst enemy.

She gave examples of Obama’s plans that make him the best candidate, such as his tax cut plan that will apply to all citizens making less than $150,000 per year.

Huffington called the Republican Party a party of deregulation.  She said if Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin were elected this Nov., “we would be fighting the battles we have already passed while [Palin] was shooting caribou.”

Huffington also took aim at President Bush and his current administration.

“The problem starts when people claim to know what God’s will is,” she said.  

In addition to politics, Huffington gave insight into her view on the role of reporters.  She said she disagrees with mainstream media who think their job is to report all the sides of a story.

“Fair news is a deception,” Huffington said, “sometimes truth is not in the middle, but on one side or another.”

Using the old debate that Earth is flat as an example, Huffington pointed out that the truth was not in the middle, but whether on the side of one extremity.

“Unless a scientist is paid by Exxon, they believe in global warming,” Huffington said.

Huffington took approximately one hour after her speech answering questions from the audience, and signing autographs and taking pictures with fans.

Huffington is the co-founder of the online liberal news website and blog The Huffington Post.