Campaigns & Elections

Florida is a "state where a small number of ballots can swing a presidential race," MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell noted on her eponymous program this afternoon as she introduced Miami Herald's Marc Caputo to discuss Florida's attempt to "purge" its voter rolls of noncitizens. But while Caputo noted that some 13 noncitizens -- who are of course ineligible to vote -- have been found and eliminated…

Former Clinton operative George Stephanopoulos threw Bill Clinton's recent attack on Republicans at guest Bill O'Reilly on Tuesday's Good Morning America, but O'Reilly would have none of it. "He [Clinton] says it’s Romney and the Republicans are going to bring European economics to America," Stephanopoulos revealed. O'Reilly laughed off the remark. "How many drinks did he have? I mean this…

NewsBusters senior editor and Media Research Center director of media analysis Tim Graham appeared on the June 4 O'Reilly Factor to discuss the role that the broadcast network morning shows play in influencing the electorate with their liberal-leaning narratives about the issues this election season. The morning shows have strong ratings, "have become the profit centers for [broadcast…

Et tu, Tina?  Has Maureen Dowd, by her scalding column this weekend, signaled to fellow liberals that it's OK to rap President Obama?   Dowd portrayed Obama as lazy, nihilistic, removed and self-absorbed.  Now comes Brown on today's Morning Joe, calling Obama "aloof" and not "lovable." Daily Beast editor Brown made her comments in the context of criticizing Obama's decision to stay out of…

Politico went to its “Arena” pages to ask the experts if its recent story on the New York Times and The Washington Post being "in the tank" for Obama was accurate or inaccurate. The expert mix was pretty balanced. Former USA Today reporter Richard Benedetto was candid: “As a daily reader of the print edition of The Washington Post, I have the clear anecdotal impression that President Obama…

If the polls are right, the vote next Tuesday in Wisconsin on whether to recall Gov. Scott Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and four Republican state senators could amount to a redial of their original victory. Voters who first elected the conservative Walker on a promise to fix the state's dismal economy and crushing debt appear ready to reaffirm their judgment. They would be making the…

Actress Sarah Jessica Parker, famous for her role as a helpless know-it-all writer, has decided to throw her support behind President Obama in a new ad aimed at attracting donors to his reelection campaign. In the ad, which debuted during MTV’s annual Movie Awards, Parker clearly patronizes to her intended audience by referring to Obama as “that guy” as she invites them to eat dinner with…

The Obama campaign's early attempts to attack Mitt Romney's record at Bain Capital or present him as too extreme to be president have not worked out all that well so far. The early stumbles have created a flurry of commentaries wondering what's wrong with the team that performed so flawlessly in Election 2008. The answer may have nothing to do with the Obama campaign and have everything to do…

On Sunday's CBS Evening News, John Dickerson candidly admitted that a failed recall attempt of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker "would be a big blow" to the unions, and that it "would be a sign to any Republican contemplating similar action to limit unions that you could survive, and Walker will become the poster child and hero of that effort." Poster child? Dickerson predicted that there "would…

As Republican strategist Alex Castellanos described the split in the Democratic Party over Mitt Romney's record at Bain Capital on Sunday's NBC Meet the Press, host David Gregory defensively attempted to focus on Romney's difficulties: "...here's the problem for Governor Romney. He does have to create distance from a Republican Party that is in trouble." Gregory failed to give much evidence…

It's the Monday after a woefully disappointing unemployment/jobs report and the day before the Wisconsin recall looks likely to blow up in Democrats' face. You're MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts. How do you rally the Democratic base? It's as simple to turning to an old network standby: blasting those dastardly Republicans for "voter suppression" efforts. On two programs today -- Roberts's 11 a.m…

Six-term entrenched incumbent Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, is attacking his conservative challenger, Dan Liljenquist, over his alleged support for tax hikes in Washington. My sides ache. Liljenquist has never voted for federal tax hikes or massive entitlement spending or multibillion-dollar bailouts or serial debt-limit increases in Washington because he has never served in Washington. Never.…

Wisconsin Democrats, Washington elite and insiders, and liberal special interests have joined together to fight for the recall of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in Tuesday's election. But this past Friday, when I saw them also send in the big gun — former President Bill Clinton himself — against Gov. Walker, I knew I had to enter the ring, too. The Los Angeles Times reported last Thursday: "…

"Black preachers [are] divided on same-sex marriage, not Obama," insists the Washington Post's headline for a June 1 Religion News Service article about how African-American ministers across the country may disagree with President Obama on same-sex marriage, but that they are 100 percent committed to his reelection. RNS's Lauren Markoe based this analysis on the amen chorus of some 200…