State of the Union

Networks Ignore Obama’s Decision to Back Down from Plan to Tax 529 College Savings Accounts
By Curtis Houck | January 27, 2015 | 9:19 PM EST

In a reversal of a key proposal from his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama moved on Tuesday to drop the plan to tax 529 college-savings accounts after outcry from members of both parties and a direct appeal on Air Force One from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

When it came to the networks covering this backtracking by the President on this deeply unpopular idea that even ultra liberals like Pelosi and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) opposed, the “big three” of ABC, CBS, and NBC made no mention of it during their Tuesday evening newscasts.

MRC's Notable Quotables: Championing Obama’s Big Government 'Generosity'
By Rich Noyes | January 26, 2015 | 8:40 AM EST

This week, as President Obama gives his State of the Union address, NBC's Brian Williams touts the "generosity" of his plan for "free college for millions," even as NBC morning host Matt Lauer slaps Republicans for their "pettiness" and "disrespect" for applauding Obama's statement that he cannot run for President again. Also, Bryant Gumbel growls about the "pigs" in the National Rifle Association, and the left-wing erupts in anger against American Sniper, a movie about a hero of the Iraq war.

Limbaugh Demolishes Obama's Crowing Over Lower Gas Prices, Surge in Energy Production
By Jack Coleman | January 22, 2015 | 2:00 PM EST

One of conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh's most important assets -- a great memory.

While telling his listeners yesterday that he didn't waste time watching the laundry list of alleged accomplishments and proposals that seldom get enacted, aka the State of the Union speech, he did catch an excerpt afterward that conveyed a sense of deja vu.

NBC Barely Notices Obama Plan to Hike Taxes on College Savings, ABC & CBS Ignore
By Kyle Drennen | January 22, 2015 | 12:56 PM EST

Introducing a segment on Thursday's NBC Today about parents saving for college, co-host Matt Lauer and the show's financial editor Jean Chatzky spent a scant twenty-four seconds on President Obama's recently announced proposal to hike taxes on college savings accounts. Lauer noted: "Talk to me a little bit about what President Obama was referring to when he gave the State of the Union address and he talked about proposing changes to 529 accounts."

NPR 'Fact Check' on Joni Ernst's GOP Response Plays Games with Keystone Jobs Estimates
By Tim Graham | January 22, 2015 | 11:34 AM EST

There wasn’t a lot of fact-checking of Obama’s State of the Union address, but NPR promised they would be eyeing the factual claims. In a ten-minute segment on Wednesday's Morning Edition, they investigated claims they insisted what Obama said was “true,” if a matter of political dispute.

But in "fact-checking" Sen. Joni Ernst's GOP response, NPR's Scott Horsley played a slippery game with the estimates of jobs created by the Keystone pipeline proposal.

NBC’s Chris Jansing Gushes Over ‘an Energized, Combative President’; Scolds Boehner for Inviting Netanyahu
By Curtis Houck | January 22, 2015 | 7:28 AM EST

NBC News senior White House correspondent Chris Jansing did her best to provide some White House spin during Wednesday’s NBC Nightly News, hailing President Obama as “an energized, combative President” whose policies made for a “carefully choreographed, populist message with the details generally panned by Republicans.”

Also within her report, Jansing found time to chide House Speaker John Boehner for “an unprecedented breach in protocol” in inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak before Congress without White House consultation.

Brian Williams to Chuck Todd’s ‘Reality Check’ on Obama’s Liberal Plans: ‘A Lot of People Hope You’re Wrong’
By Curtis Houck | January 21, 2015 | 5:33 PM EST

On Tuesday night, NBC News anchor Brian Williams charged that “a lot people hope” a reality check by Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd was wrong in asserting that most of President Obama's initiatives proposed during his State of the Union address won’t become law.

“Some people hope you’re right, a lot of people hope you’re wrong,” interjected Williams following Todd’s brief outlook on whether topics covered by Obama such as paid sick leave and trade authorizations will pass the Republican-controlled Congress.

PBS Anchor Gwen Ifill Oozes As SOTU Ends: Obama's Taking 'A Victory Lap'
By Tim Graham | January 21, 2015 | 4:38 PM EST

The State of the Union coverage on PBS last night had a slightly bizarre analysis as the speech ended. PBS NewsHour anchor Gwen Ifill jumped in over the applause and said Obama “talked about this being a breakthrough year for America and he seems to be taking on a victory lap.”

Later, David Brooks said it was a "very liberal speech" and professed amazement that Obama pretended he hadn't been crushed in the midterms.

Noted Scholar Rosie O'Donnell Mocks Joni Ernst as Stupid
By Scott Whitlock | January 21, 2015 | 4:33 PM EST

Comedienne and 9/11 truther Rosie O'Donnell mocked Republican Senator Joni Ernst as stupid on Wednesday. The View co-hosts were discussing Ernst's rebuttal to the State of the Union and O'Donnell said of the woman who is also a lieutenant colonel in the National Guard: "Proving that anyone in the world can be a senator."

Bloomberg's Hunt Hits GOP 'Not Interested' In Governing; Praises Obama for Same Thing
By Kyle Drennen | January 21, 2015 | 3:23 PM EST

Appearing on PBS's Charlie Rose Tuesday night following President Obama's State of the Union address, Bloomberg View columnist Al Hunt praised it as "one of the best speeches of his presidency" and "remarkably effective," before admitting: "I don't think he's going to get much done....This is not a cycle where you get much done. He may get a little stuff on trade and infrastructure."

CNN Touts Obama's State of the Union With Highlight Reel-Style Mash-Up
By Matthew Balan | January 21, 2015 | 12:51 PM EST

Wednesday's CNN Newsroom aired an ESPN-style highlight reel of "some of the moments that got us talking" from President Obama's State of the Union address. The mash-up featured dramatic music and bold graphics, and zeroed in on the Democrat's "burn" of congressional Republicans during his speech. Bizarrely, the program also repeatedly played clips of the President winking and Vice President Biden blowing kisses during the joint session of Congress.

NBC's Lauer Accuses GOP of 'Disrespect' & 'Pettiness' During SOTU
By Kyle Drennen | January 21, 2015 | 12:02 PM EST

In a softball interview with Joe Biden on Wednesday's NBC Today, co-host Matt Lauer fretted over there being "more tension than normal" during Tuesday's State of the Union address with Republicans in control of Congress and slammed GOP reaction to a line in the speech: "...the President was talking about having arguments that are worthy of the body and the country, and then he said, 'I've run my last campaign,' and there was a smattering of applause, maybe even laughter from some Republicans and the President shot back. Did you see that as a moment of disrespect? Was it a symptom of the very pettiness that the President was referring to?"