Will Media Cover Barack Obama's $500,000 Book Deal

In an exclusive on Thursday, the Washington Times reported that only five days before assuming the presidency, Barack Obama received a $500,000 advance to write a children's book. Times writers Jim McElhatton and Christina Bellantoni put it this way: "As he empathized with recession-weary Americans, President Obama arranged in the days just before he took office to secure a $500,000 advance for a…
Scott Whitlock

CNBC Host to Rangel on AIG Bonus Tax Push: 'Talk About Violating the P

In the wake of the American International Group (AIG) bonus controversy, some have called the plans of congressional leaders to tax those bonuses at a rate of 90-100 percent "legislating with a vengeance." However, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., insists that doing this is a necessity, despite the premise that retroactively taxing anything is a…
Jeff Poor

CNBC Hosts Question Alleged Tax Cheat Rangel's Authority on AIG Retroa

'Squawk on the Street' co-host: 'When you talk about violating the public trust, you've had some tax issues of your own.'
Jeff Poor

Time's Israely Laments Pope's 'Inflammatory Rhetoric

Time magazine's Jeff "The pope's a Scrooge" Israely is at it again, lecturing Benedict XVI on his "inflammatory rhetoric."Israely joins CNN's Jack Cafferty, Washington Post/Newsweek's "On Faith", and PBS's Bonnie Erbe in the bash-Benedict choir's latest oratorio. His March 19 article evaluated the pontiff's recent comments on condoms and HIV/AIDS as "candor over P.R.", lamenting Benedict's word…
Ken Shepherd

CBS Touts ‘Fan-in-Chief’ Barack Obama’s NCAA Picks

On Thursday’s CBS Early Show, co-host Russ Mitchell shared President Obama’s bracket picks for the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four: "And it appears March Madness has reached the White House. The fan-in-chief President Obama tells ESPN his NCAA Final Four bracket includes Louisville, Memphis, Pittsburgh, and North Carolina. And he predicts a Tar Heels victory over Louisville in the final. There…
Kyle Drennen

Obama's Media Strategy: 'Pick the Target, Freeze It, Personalize It an

New administration embraces direct response approach to addressing critics in the press, ginning up friendly media and net roots.
Jeff Poor

Joy Behar's Kids Book: Barack Obama Vs. Mean Republican Dogs

Liberal "View" co-host Joy Behar appeared on Thursday's edition of "Good Morning America" to promote her new children's book "SheetzuCacaPoopoo," an allegory for Barack Obama's rise to power. According to Behar, the illustrated tale the book is really about the new President. She explained to GMA co-anchor Robin Roberts, "The dog- Max is in trouble. They send him to obedience school, okay? When…
Scott Whitlock

CNN's Jack Cafferty: Catholic Church Must 'Drag Itself Out of the 13th

Seemingly not satisfied with bashing the likes of former President Bush or Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, CNN commentator Jack Cafferty took aim at a more international target on Wednesday’s Situation Room -- Pope Benedict XVI and the Catholic Church. He joined PBS’s Bonnie Erbe and the Washington Post’s On Faith webpage in attacking the pontiff’s recent comment against the effectiveness of condoms…
Matthew Balan

NASA's Hansen: Democratic Process Isn't Working

When a high-profile government employee goes overseas claiming "The democratic process doesn't quite seem to be working," should the American news media take notice. After all, such was uttered Wednesday by NASA's James Hansen, one of the world's foremost climate alarmists who is disgusted by the fact that democratically elected governments aren't completely buying into his junk science…
Noel Sheppard

Fox Biz 'Happy Hour' Co-Host: 'AIG Bailout Funds Terrorism

While there has been a lot of outrage over taxpayer money being used to fund $165 million in bonuses paid out to American International Group (AIG) executives propagated by the media, Fox Business "Happy Hour" co-host Cody Willard suggested the bailout money is going to something far worse - terrorism, specifically al-Qaida.On March 18, The Wall Street Journal reported that some of the money the…
Jeff Poor

Open Thread

NB Staff

AP's Labeling: Obama the 'Populist Crusader' vs. 'Hardline Conservativ

Tim Graham

Networks Claim 'Responsibility' To Air Obama Speeches... But Often Ski

The Hollywood Reporter's (THR.com) James Hibberd is reporting that the TV networks are "reluctantly" shuffling their on air schedules to fulfill their "responsibility" to air President Obama's important campaign speech... er, I mean address to the nation next week. The Nets are solemnly claiming the mantle of the patriotic American fulfilling their civic duty to air presidential addresses, it…
Warner Todd Huston

Name That Party: Top NM Dem Sentenced, Party Affiliation Deep Sixed

Manny Aragon was one of New Mexico's most powerful law makers and power brokers. A former Senate president, Aragon was this week convicted and given a 67 month sentence for lining his pockets and that of his co-conspiritors with millions in fraudulently billed state contracting money. While his "iconic" status is mentioned and his long standing position as a "Senate leader" is dutifully…
Warner Todd Huston