Wednesday's NBC Nightly News was the sole Big Three evening newscast to notice the criticism of the Obama administration banning U.S. airliners from traveling to Israel. Prominent politicians from both sides of the political spectrum, including Senator Ted Cruz and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, have denounced this move by the FAA. Senator Cruz accused the administration of using the "federal regulatory agency to launch an economic boycott on Israel."
Anchor Brian Williams zeroed in on Bloomberg's blunt critique of the travel ban, as he introduced a report from correspondent Richard Engel: [MP3 audio available here; video below the jump]
The Lead
By Matthew Balan | July 23, 2014 | 11:44 PM EDT
Will MSM Meekly Accept Press Restrictions During Ft. Sill Unaccompanied Alien Children Facility Visit?
By P.J. Gladnick | July 7, 2014 | 7:07 PM EDT It's supposed to be the "most transparent administration in history" yet the federal government is placing restrictions on the press so severe that you would think they were visiting the super secret Area 51 rather than the Ft. Sill Unaccompanied Alien Children facility in Oklahoma. Congressman Jim Bridenstine of that state recently tried to investigate at the site but was rebuffed by maximum security.
Today, Bridenstine appeared as a guest on CNN's The Lead with Jake Tapper and revealed the incredible restrictions that will be placed upon the press when they will be permitted to visit the facility this Thursday. Basically, they can view what is carefully presented to them but only if they agree to hermetically seal themselves off from the reality of the situation. Read for yourself the absurd restrictions the press must submit themselves to:
By Matthew Balan | June 16, 2014 | 2:14 PM EDT
On Thursday's The Lead on CNN, James Allen Fox used actual crime data to splash cold water on a liberal talking point claiming that mass shootings on the rise: "It's a horrific event when four, five, twelve people are gunned down...But let's not think that this is an epidemic." Fox, a criminology professor at Northeastern University, also pointed out that the now-expired "assault weapons" ban had little impact on the number of mass shootings.
Anchor Jake Tapper wondered "what does society need to do" to prevent such events from happening. His guest actually contended that it would be overkill to implement draconian measures in response to such massacres: [MP3 audio available here; video below the jump]
By Jeffrey Meyer | June 2, 2014 | 6:47 PM EDT
CNN’s Jake Tapper interviewed Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy on his The Lead with Jake Tapper program on Monday, June 2 and used the opportunity to hit the Obama official over new regulations aimed at reducing CO2 emissions by 30 percent by the year 2030.
Throughout the discussion, Tapper grilled McCarthy over the lack of Democratic support for the new regulations and how “You can't get anything through Congress on this and not just the Republican House but also the Democratic-controlled Senate?” [See video below.]
By Tom Blumer | May 22, 2014 | 10:11 AM EDT
In discussing President Obama's Wednesday press conference on the Veterans Administration wait-list scandal, CNN's Drew Griffin, identified by the network's Jake Tapper as "the reporter who began this whole story with his investigation into the Phoenix VA," appeared to barely contain himself as he described the "disconnect between what's happening out here in the country and what the president is talking about."
Specifically, Griffin asserted that "this problem is real; it exists; it really doesn't have to be studied," and that "the vets I've been talking to wanted much more direct action." Griffin clearly expected a far more substantive and immediate response from Obama yesterday, and was disappointed that it didn't come. The video segment (via the Washington Free Beacon), a transcript, and Rush Limbaugh's insightful reaction follow the jump (bolds are mine throughout this post):
Journalist: 9/11 Truther Movement Fruit of 'Right-wing Fringe Talk'; Most Famous Truthers Are Leftists
By Connor Williams | May 20, 2014 | 12:35 PM EDT
Emily Bazelon apparently has found the opening of the 9/11 Memorial Museum in lower Manhattan as a perfect excuse to suggest that conservatives are particularly prone – compared to other Americans – to buy into the absurd conspiracy theories of the so-called 9/11 Truther movement. But the most prominent of 9/11 Truthers in the national spotlight are celebrities and media personalities whose politics are left of center, including a co-host of CNN’s Crossfire.
The Slate senior editor made the pronouncement on the May 19 edition of The Lead with Jake Tapper, after Tapper asked her if there was a great deal of scapegoating involved with the Truther conspiracy [Click here for MP3 audio; Video below]:
By P.J. Gladnick | May 15, 2014 | 8:43 PM EDT
Today White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough kept defending the record of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinkseki over his handling of the Veterans Administration hospitals scandal on CNN's The Lead. Finally an increasingly agitated Jake Tapper grew frustrated with the excuses until he exploded in anger: "How Many Dead Veterans Do You Need?"
It was an all too familiar administration two-step but the normally mild-mannered Tapper wasn't going to have any of it. In the dramatic video below the jump, you can see a clearly upset Tapper finally lash out at McDonough.
By Matt Hadro | April 30, 2014 | 10:07 PM EDT
CNN's Jake Tapper gave a full segment to Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson calling Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas an "Uncle Tom," but the broadcast networks completely ignored the controversy on Wednesday evening.
The networks' blackout of a Democrat using a racial insult against a Justice shows a clear double standard after their deluge of coverage of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling's racist remarks about his players. And just last week, the networks highlighted Republicans and conservatives who supported rancher Cliven Bundy's stand against the federal authorities but who had to backtrack after Bundy's racist rant went public.
By Matthew Balan | April 30, 2014 | 7:41 PM EDT
On Wednesday, Jake Tapper set aside a full segment on his CNN program to Rep. Bennie Thompson's "Uncle Tom" insult of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Tapper spotlighted the "racially-charged" and controversial" remarks, where the Mississippi Democrat also denigrated Senator Mitch McConnell and opponents of ObamaCare in general as "racists."
The anchor turned to correspondent Dana Bash, who pursued Rep. Thompson about his attack on the prominent official. Bash reported that the liberal politician "doubled down" in particular on his inflammatory labeling of Justice Thomas: [MP3 audio available here; video below the jump]
By Tim Graham | April 25, 2014 | 1:20 PM EDT
In his “Happy Warrior” column in the April 21 National Review, Jonah Goldberg reports on how “Press Shows Bias.” In this case, it’s the case of California state Sen. Leland Yee, whose remarkable attempts to smuggle guns and even missile-launchers went mostly ignored in the national media.
The most notable omitter was CNN, which tweeted it covers state officials “just about never.” (On April 11, CNN anchor Jake Tapper proved the exception to the rule: “This week, Yee pleaded not guilty to charges that are stunning in their reach and, if true, hypocrisy.” A full report by Jason Carroll followed.) Goldberg’s column mocked the old cliche of covering “man bites dog” stories:
By Matt Hadro | February 14, 2014 | 5:54 PM EST
CNN's Jake Tapper didn't ask guest Bill Maher once about his vile rhetoric against conservative women in a lengthy, two-segment interview on Friday's The Lead.
Tapper asked all soft questions of the liberal comedian who gave $1 million to President Obama's super PAC in 2012. He also brought up the Lewinsky scandal, which enabled Maher to laud Bill Clinton as "respectable" and a "great guy." This from a man who has a history of despicable vitriol against Republican women.
By Noel Sheppard | December 12, 2013 | 6:15 PM EST
Conservatives across the fruited plain are likely going to be shocked by this - and liberals extremely angered! - but the fact-checking website PolitiFact on Thursday named President Obama's "If you like your health care plan, you can keep it" promise the Lie of the Year.
Such was announced on CNN's The Lead (video follows with transcribed highlights and commentary):