Open Thread

For general discussion and debate. Possible talking point: John McCain.So, how do you feel McCain did? What were the high points and low points?The people I spoke to at the convention felt it was a sincere, tender discussion with Americans about his past, his love for country, and his devotion to the nation. How do you feel it went?
NB Staff

What About Williams? Vieira Claims Only Blogs Went After Palin Family

Hard to believe, but Meredith Vieira is apparently not a regular NewsBusters reader.  The Today co-anchor would otherwise have avoided an embarrassing lapse.  On Today this morning, Vieira claimed that it was only "blogs" that went after Sarah Palin's family matters.  That left her vulnerable to McCain senior adviser Steve Schmidt's zinger, pointing out that one of her own network's anchors had…
Mark Finkelstein

Stephanopoulos Corrects McCain But Last Week Defended Obama

Assessing Barack Obama's speech last Thursday, for the “Nightline Report Card,” ABC's George Stephanopoulos awarded Obama A's as he dismissed Republican complaints about his “red meat” attacks on John McCain, declaring they allowed Obama to affirmatively answer “the commander-in-chief question” and hailed how he addressed social issues “in a way that a majority of Americans” will embrace. But…
Brent Baker

Us Magazine Hit Hard by Canceling Subscribers After Palin Attack

Courtney Hazlett over at MSNBC's "The Scoop" is reporting that thousands of "Us Weekly" subscribers have not only called the magazine to cancel their subscriptions -- some reports say up to 10,000 cancellations have occurred -- but have also contacted advertisers and expressed their outrage that they are advertising with the celebrity news magazine that would so blatantly try to destroy Governor…
Warner Todd Huston

AP Says Shame on GOP for Showing Palin's Kids at Convention

Apparently Ted Anthony of the Associated Press thinks it is somehow "contradictory" of the GOP to show VP candidate Governor Sarah Palin's kids at the GOP convention on TV. He seems to imagine that, since the GOP objected to the media attempting to use the kids against Governor Palin, that the GOP shouldn't be allowed to have the kids attend the convention to see their Mother accept her…
Warner Todd Huston

Schieffer Pleased McCain Speech 'More Inclusive' Than Palin's

CBS's Bob Schieffer on Thursday night praised John McCain's acceptance speech at the Republican convention, especially compared to VP nominee Sarah Palin's address from the night before. He was pleased that McCain appealed to “our better angels” with a speech that was “much more inclusive” than what Palin delivered: I thought this was a fine speech tonight that appeals to our better angels,…
Brent Baker

Blitzer: 9/11 Video at GOP ‘Provocative,’ Brown Asks About ‘Fea

Just after the bottom half of the 8 pm Eastern hour of CNN’s coverage of the Republican convention, as Oklahoma Congresswoman Mary Fallin began an introduction of a video presentation about Islamist attacks on the U.S. over the past decades, host Wolf Blitzer gave a bit of a warning about the content of the video: "Let's listen to Congresswoman Mary Fallin of Oklahoma. She's going to make the…
Matthew Balan

Matthews & Olbermann Deny Media Doubted Palin's Maternal Fitness

Apparently fed up of hearing what they believe was a phony line being delivered by GOP spokesmen – that women across the country were offended by the media questioning Sarah Palin's fitness as a mother – Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann defied critics to find examples of any news outlets making that charge. Matthews and Olbermann, spurred on by criticism from Hawaii's Republican governor Linda…
Geoffrey Dickens

CNN’s Gloria Borger to Giuliani: Has the GOP Gotten ‘Narrower

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani faced liberal lines of questioning from CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and Gloria Borger during the 6 PM EDT hour of The Situation Room before the network’s Thursday night coverage of the Republican convention. In particular, Borger pressed Giuliani on his differences with Sarah Palin on social issues: "Last night, you spoke before Sarah Palin, a woman who -- with…
Matthew Balan

Toxic Beverly Hills

Five minutes into the family hour, the lame, recycled 90210 opened with – an oral sex scene.
L. Brent Bozell III

Time: Kilpatrick Quitting Helps Obama, Yet Media Largely Ignored His P

In "Kilpatrick Out, a Boost for Obama?", Time's Amy Sullivan explores the question of whether the resignation of the Democratic Detroit mayor will help the Obama ticket's chances in the swing state of Michigan. Sullivan relays that the Obama camp is "thrilled" by the end of the Kilpatrick saga, which had "damaged an already weakened Democratic brand in Michigan." Yet as NewsBusters has docmented…
Ken Shepherd

On PBS, Mark Shields Mocks President Bush: 'Avoided Military Service

Tim Graham

U.S. News: 'Cindy McCain's $300,000 Outfit

Mike Bates

Forbes Names Vieira Most Powerful On-Air Woman in Media

Magazine ranks 'Today' host above top journalists; does not mention anti-business history.
Paul Detrick