MSNBC is no stranger to guest panelists from the New York Times, but don't expect Times writer Russ Buettner to appear on the network's air anytime soon as Mr. Buettner gave readers of the November 18 paper a look at how "Questions About [Rev. Al] Sharpton’s Finances Accompany His Rise in Influence."

The hypersensitive leftists who screamed in social media at The New York Times over using the term “no angel” to describe Michael Brown after he was shot dead in Ferguson ought to read Washington Post media blogger Erik Wemple.

Wemple took the “no angel” term into a Nexis search of the Times archives and found that somehow black columnist Charles Blow wasn’t Twitter-harassed when he described convicted killer Clayton Lockett (also black) as “no angel,” underlining that the term can be a way of clearing the throat on the way to sympathy, a "yes, but" and not a vicious insult:

Washington Post media blogger Erik Wemple sat in the crowd at CNN’s “town hall” interview with Hillary Clinton on Tuesday and concluded: “If you’re a possible Democratic candidate, with or without a book to promote, and you want an experience that will elevate you, push for a CNN town hall in Washington. It’s hospitable turf.”

Wemple reported that to add “energy” to the Hillary event, the audience was coached to applaud Mrs. Clinton, which they did with great vigor, especially when Christiane Amanpour raised the prospect of Hillary running for president:

On Friday, Glenn Kessler at the Washington Post (HT Hot Air) gave "Four Pinocchios" (i.e., a "Whopper") to a statement President Barack Obama made about Senate Republicans' filibuster track record on Wednesday in a speech at a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee dinner in Los Angeles.

In the process, Kessler essentially delivered a rebuke to reporters who cover Obama. Every one of them should have recognized that his DCCC claim that "since 2007, they (Republicans) have filibustered about 500 pieces of legislation that would help the middle class" is false. For it to be true, GOP senators would have had to average 68 filibusters per year only of middle-class relevant bills for the past 7-1/3 years. With the Senate being in session an average of just under 112 days per year during the time involved, that' an impossible frequency of more than one every other day. Excerpts from Kessler's critique follow the jump (links are in original; bolds are mine):

Thursday was a busy time for White House press secretary Jay Carney. First, he claimed that the toughest interview president Barack Obama had in 2012 was moderated by Comedy Central's Jon Stewart. As if that wasn't bizarre enough, he later stated that “there has never been a more transparent administration,” a situation that “creates headaches for us and ridiculous stories on Fox News.”

It didn't take long for Greta van Susteren, host of that channel's weeknight On the Record program, to come out swinging and post a message asking: ”White House delusional? Obsessed with Fox News Channel? Thinks we are the only ones that spotted this BS?”