MSNBC President Phil Griffin Finally Comes Clean on Channel's Liberal
It took a while, but MSNBC President Phil Griffin has finally admitted and embraced his cable network's hard-left slant. He told the Chicago Tribune that he will try to carve out a niche on the left, hoping some day to rival the Fox News Channel's record-setting ratings.
Not so long ago, Griffin insisted that MSNBC was not "tied to ideology" -- unlike Fox, which simply could not be trusted,…
Ed Schultz, Criticizing Fox, Displays Odd Inability to Distinguish New
One of my favorite scenes from the eponymous Mary Tyler Moore sitcom of the '70s -- doofus anchorman Ted Baxter is on the air when producer Mary Richards rushs into the studio with breaking news.Baxter sees Richards from the corner of his eye as she waves the bulletin to get his attention. Laughing nervously, Baxter says, Can't you see I'm on the air, Mary?Richards hands the bulletin to Baxter…
Baltimore Sun Omits Democratic Affiliation of Politician Who Staged 'P
Last August, Maryland state delegate Jon Cardin (D-Baltimore County), nephew of the state's junior U.S. Senator Benjamin Cardin (D), proposed marriage to his girlfriend. But unlike normal folks who might propose via the jumbotron at the ball park or by having a waiter slip the diamond ring in a champagne flute, Del. Cardin decided to get the local cops to help arrest his woman's heart -- by…
Unlike CBS 'Evening News,' 'Early Show' Report Fails to Cite Any Suppo
On Friday's CBS Early Show, correspondent Bill Whitaker reported on protests against Arizona's new immigration law, citing several opponents of the new measure, but failing to feature a single supporter. On Thursday's Evening News, Whitaker filed a nearly identical report that included a clip of at least one proponent of the legislation.In the Early Show report, footage was show of an immigration…
MSNBC: Charlie Crist Independent Run Shows GOP Pushing Out Moderates
During Thursday's 11AM ET hour on MSNBC, anchor Tamron Hall asked former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean about Florida Governor Charlie Crist's expected announcement to run as an independent in that state's senate race: "Is this a sign that people, perhaps centrists or moderates, like Charlie Crist, have no place in this new emerging Republican Party?" That set up the left-wing…
CBS White House Correspondents Dinner Guest List: 6 Democrats, 1 Repub
On MediaBistro.com's TVNewser blog, Chris Ariens reported on Wednesday that CBS News has announced a list of special guests seated at its table for Saturday's upcoming White House Correspondents Association Dinner, a list which includes a handful of celebrities as well as a seven prominent political figures, only one of whom is a Republican. The public officials who will be sitting down for a…
CBS Touts Democratic Strategy Labeling GOP 'Party of Wall Street
On Wednesday's CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith lamented Republican opposition to the Democrats' financial reform legislation: "The Senate is expected to vote for a third time on financial reform. Republicans blocked the previous two attempts. President Obama says he can't understand why, and plans to make his case once again later today."In the report that followed, White House correspondent…
Rick Sanchez Forwards CAIR's Nazi License Plate Speculation
On Tuesday's Rick List, CNN's Rick Sanchez unquestioningly forwarded Islamic advocacy group CAIR's admitted speculation about a Virginia license plate containing a supposed coded message of white supremacy/neo-Naziism, which they found on a pickup truck that also had an anti-Islamic message on it [audio clip available here].Sanchez devoted a brief to the controversy over the Virginia license…
CBS's Smith to McCain: 'How Are You Going to Dismantle' Financial Inst
Hitting from the left in an interview with Republican Senator John McCain on Tuesday's CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith worried about the ability of financial reform legislation to expand government control over Wall Street: "How are you going to dis – how does any of this dismantle these giant financial institutions?"On April 22, ABC Good Morning America co-host George Stephanopoulos asked…
CBS's Smith: Hispanics See Arizona Law as 'Purely Discriminatory
Near the end of an interview with Arizona Senator John McCain on Tuesday's CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith turned to the subject of illegal immigration and the new Arizona law to combat it: "a very tough immigration reform bill which basically makes it illegal for you to be in the state without some sort of documentation. Is this law the answer to the immigration crisis?"McCain noted the…
Ed Schultz's Ongoing Reign of Error Serves up Frequent Unintentional H
Contrary to widespread belief among conservatives, Ed Schultz's radio show is not an irredeemable waste of your time. Occasionally what Schultz says is actually funny. That Schultz remains oblivious to this only adds to the humor.On April 20, for example, Schultz was talking about the new illegal immigration law in Arizona and claimed that after a similar measure was enacted several years ago in…
MSNBC News Flash: Arizona Law 'Makes it a Crime to be Illegal Immigran
During the Monday 12PM ET hour of live coverage on MSNBC, anchor Contessa Brewer described the "firestorm" over a newly passed immigration law in Arizona and fretted: "does this lead to a situation where neighbors are turning in neighbors or families turning against families?" Later in the segment, a headline on screen read: "Law Makes it a Crime to be Illegal Immigrant."Brewer discussed the…
'Mostly Peacefully' Means 'Somewhat Violently' at the New York Times
The New York Times sometimes takes its politically correct blandishments to humorous extremes, as in Randal Archibold's lead story Saturday, “Arizona Enacts Stringent Law On Immigration.” Check the curious way Archibold referred to a protest against Arizona's new anti-immigration law, then try to imagine how the paper would react if such things had happened at a Tea Party rally: As hundreds of…
CBS's Smith: 'Will Anyone in GOP Break Ranks' on Financial Reform
At the top of Monday's CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith referenced a possible Senate vote on the Democrats' financial reform bill and proclaimed: "Showdown in the Senate. Democrats are scrambling to get enough votes. Will anyone in the GOP break ranks?" It was just the latest example of a week of CBS coverage pressuring Republicans to sign on to the controversial legislation.In a later report…
