John Roberts

When is a tax not a tax? When President Obama says it isn't, or when the Supreme Court says it is? Obamacare was sold on several fraudulent lines. The president knows the country doesn't want to pay higher taxes, given the deplorable way their government spends the money. And so the administration packaged it as something different.

Here's a headline you likely never expected to see at the perilously liberal Daily Beast: "The Media Man-Crush on John Roberts, Conservative Who Saved Obamacare." Inside Howard Kurtz's surprising piece, readers were treated to even more inconvenient truths about today's media:

NewsBusters' associate editor Noel Sheppard spent part of his Sunday discussing with CNN's Don Lemon the media's coverage of last week's ObamaCare ruling by the Supreme Court. Although the encounter was quite friendly, the two clearly didn't see eye to eye on how the press has handled this controversial matter in recent months (video follows with CNN transcript and commentary):

Readers are advised to remove all food, fluids, and flammables from proximity to their computers before proceeding. You've been warned. NBC News justice correspondent Pete Williams on this weekend's syndicated Chris Matthews Show actually said that when it comes to nominating judges, "A Democratic president is more likely to appoint somebody near the middle who is less ideological" (video…

Good Morning America's Terry Moran on Friday highlighted how Chief Justice John Roberts "saved" Obamacare, featuring voices that lauded the "statesman" and only one clip of Mitt Romney condemning the ruling. In comparison, CBS showcased an interview with Republican Congressman Eric Cantor. Instead of allowing much conservative opposition, Moran delicately spun, "Roberts's opinion reframed…

The top of the Yahoo home page on Friday asked "Did Chief Justice Roberts save the Supreme Court?” That’s channeling the incessant spin of ABC Nightline anchor Terry Moran, who announced on Yahoo's web show Top Line: “Roberts rode to the rescue of the Obama health care plan, and maybe rode to the rescue of the Supreme Court, a little bit, as well.”  "We live in an era of punditry and hyper-…

Chris Matthews on Thursday made a very cynical observation about the Supreme Court upholding ObamaCare. Appearing on MSNBC Live shortly after the ruling was announced, Matthews said, "There must be a strange feeling down in Texas right now in the Bush family that they created a Chief Justice" that ruled this way (video follows with transcribed highlights and commentary):

In live coverage right after the Supreme Court upheld ObamaCare, ABC's anchors and reporters praised Chief Justice John Roberts for siding with the liberals. George Stephanopoulos insisted that the judge proved he really was an "umpire." Barely restraining himself, Terry Moran fawned, "Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor for the court. Sometimes letting the politics of the thing…