Jonathan Karl

Networks Fret Conservatives Posed ‘a Thorny Obstacle’ to Boehner; Will Force Him to be ‘More Confrontational’
By Curtis Houck | January 6, 2015 | 10:29 PM EST

On Tuesday night, each of the major broadcast networks devoted time to covering the swearing in of the 114th Congress and the race for House Speaker that saw John Boehner retain his post, but not without 25 conservatives voting in dissent against the incumbent Republican.

Overall, the networks lamented how the group presented “a thorny obstacle to Boehner's leadership” and, in turn, will force him to be “more confrontational with President Obama” instead of "working with the President on some issues, including tax reform and trade."

‘Big Three’ Networks Pounce On GOP Rep. Scalise Speaking To White Nationalists In 2002
By Jeffrey Meyer | December 30, 2014 | 10:08 AM EST

On December 29, Congressman Steve Scalise (R-La.) admitted that he spoke at a convention of white supremacists in 2002 while serving as a Louisiana state legislator and the “big three” (ABC, CBS, and NBC) networks predictably had a field day with the story. On Tuesday, all three networks provided full reports on Congressman Scalise during their morning newscasts totaling 5 minutes 44 seconds. CBS News reporter Jan Crawford declared that “this comes as the GOP is really trying to burnish its image, reach out to African-Americans and other minorities and this obviously does not help.” 

'Backslappy Boys Club' BS? Salon Bashes Fox's Kurtz for Dissing Female Reporters' Obama Questions
By Tim Graham | December 26, 2014 | 2:42 PM EST

Liberals were overjoyed that President Obama only called on females in his year-ending news conference on December 19. Vanity Fair headlined its story “Obama’s All-Women Press Conference Deals Glancing Blow to Patriarchy.”

Simon Maloy at Salon turned into another opportunity for Fox-bashing and male-loathing:

‘Big Three’ Boost President Obama Visiting ‘Colbert Report’
By Jeffrey Meyer | December 9, 2014 | 11:56 AM EST

On Monday night, President Obama appeared on Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report for a friendly interview with the liberal comedian, and Tuesday morning the “big three” (ABC, CBS, and NBC) networks predictably promoted the president’s late night stop. CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King hyped how Obama “was a guest on Comedy Central Colbert Report last night. It was his first visit to the show as Stephen Colbert gets ready to end that program. At one point it appeared the president may have been auditioning for his next job.”

Jon Stewart Eagerly Mocks Josh Earnest Following Scuffle With Jon Karl
By Jeffrey Meyer | December 4, 2014 | 2:35 PM EST

Earlier this week, Jonathan Karl, ABC News Chief White House Correspondent, confronted White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest over President Obama’s decision to nominate Colleen Bell, an Obama donor and former soap opera producer, to be the U.S. Ambassador to Hungary. While ABC has yet to acknowledge it’s own reporter’s battle with the White House, on Wednesday night Daily Show host Jon Stewart eagerly mocked the situation and claimed “that is the greatest thing I have ever seen the president's press secretary do.” 

CBS Covers ABC Reporter Grilling White House Press Secretary, ABC Doesn't
By Jeffrey Meyer | December 3, 2014 | 9:43 AM EST

On Tuesday afternoon, Jonathan Karl, ABC News Chief White House Correspondent, confronted White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest over President Obama’s appointment of Colleen Bell, a major Obama donor and producer of the soap opera The Bold And The Beautiful, to be the ambassador to Hungary. Despite the controversy surrounding the appointment, ABC has yet to cover Karl’s questioning on television, but CBS This Morning found the news worth reporting and gave the story more than a minute of coverage during its Wednesday morning broadcast. 

ABC's WNT Omits Jonathan Karl Grilling Earnest Over Soap Opera Producer’s Credentials for Ambassadorship
By Curtis Houck | December 3, 2014 | 1:22 AM EST

On Monday, ABC News chief White House correspondent Jonathan Karl grilled White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest on what exactly did Obama campaign donor and former soap opera producer Colleen Bell have in terms of qualifications for becoming the U.S. Ambassador to Hungary.

When it came to ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir mentioning or playing video of that exchange on Monday evening, the program stayed silent. Instead, video of Karl’s exchange was relegated to ABC News’s website.

‘Big Three’ Networks Provide Free Publicity For Obama’s Ferguson Summit
By Jeffrey Meyer | December 2, 2014 | 11:00 AM EST

On Monday, President Obama hosted “activists and officials including police” for a summit in the wake of the Michael Brown shooting. Following the event, all three network morning shows gave the White House event ample publicity during their Tuesday morning broadcasts. While the “big three” (ABC, CBS, and NBC) networks did their best to promote President Obama’s initiative, all three omitted the fact that no members of the Ferguson Police Department were invited to attend Monday’s meeting at the White House.

Networks Push Illegal Immigrants, Pro-Amnesty Group Ahead of Obama’s Speech
By Curtis Houck | November 20, 2014 | 10:38 PM EST

Ahead of President Obama’s speech on immigration on Thursday night, the major broadcast networks all did their parts to push the arguments in favor of his executive amnesty ranging from a whole segment devoted to a family that would benefit from the President’s executive order to promoting one pro-amnesty group.

On the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley, over two minutes was spent on segment promoting a family of children born in the U.S. with an illegal immigrant mother, who currently is in an Arizona detention center, but now could be allowed to be freed and apply to become a U.S. resident under the President’s executive amnesty.

CBS and NBC Parrot WH Argument on Previous Presidential Immigration Policies as Grounds for Amnesty
By Curtis Houck | November 19, 2014 | 10:38 PM EST

On Wednesday night, CBS and NBC promoted the White House talking point that previous presidential actions on immigration gives President Barack Obama the proper legal authority to enact executive amnesty the evening before a primetime address to the nation on the topic. 

At no point during the coverage on either network did their reporters mention that this justification is being used despite the President’s previous assertions that he did not have the proper legal means to carry out any sort of mass-reaching executive order on illegal immigration. 

ABC, NBC Omit Mention of Vulnerable Democrat Landrieu in Failed Keystone Senate Vote
By Curtis Houck | November 19, 2014 | 12:11 AM EST

While all three major broadcast networks covered the failed vote in the U.S. Senate to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline on Tuesday night, ABC and NBC neglected to mention that political motivations were behind the vote to aid the reelection efforts of vulnerable Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana that will take place on December 6. 

After previously being held up in the Senate for years, the vote was finally allowed early Tuesday night and fell one vote short of the 60 votes needed for passage as only 14 Democratic Senators joined with all 45 Republicans to approve the measure.

NBC Nightly News Keeps Quiet on Gruber as ABC’s World News Tonight Finally Covers Story
By Curtis Houck | November 18, 2014 | 8:15 PM EST

On Tuesday night, NBC Nightly News continued its streak of ignoring comments made by ObamaCare architect Jonathan Gruber into an 11th day while ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir finally brought up Gruber’s comments on the “stupidity of the American voter” and the "advantage" of having a “lack of transparency” in getting ObamaCare passed.

Anchor David Muir discussed the story for one minute and 16 seconds with ABC News chief White House correspondent Jonathan Karl and described the situation as a “controversy” and labeled Gruber as “one of the architects of ObamaCare” two days after President Obama brushed off Gruber as merely “some adviser who never worked on our staff.”