Open Thread

For general discussion and debate. Possible talking point: Oscars.Are you going to watch? Have any favorites? Will there be any political controversies? Expect some Obama lovin'? Could you care less?
NB Staff

Name That Party: In Birmingham, Ala. Democratic Mayor's Sentencing for

Former Birmingham, Alabama mayor Larry Langford (pictured at right in AP photo), who is a Democrat, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Friday for bribery.In reporting the story, Reuters did what a competent wire service should do, informing readers of Langford's party affiliation early on:The former mayor of Alabama's largest city, Birmingham, was sentenced on Friday for his role in corrupt…
Tom Blumer

David Gregory Claims NBC Makes 'Pretty Good Strides' in Covering All S

John Eggerton of Broadcasting & Cable magazine reported that NBC Meet the Press host David Gregory faced a conservative question at a National Association of Broadcasters state leadership event, but he insisted NBC does a great job of presenting both ends of the political spectrum: During a Q&A session following Gregory's talk, a broadcaster in the audience suggested network news execs…
Tim Graham

The Grand Disillusionment: Rich Rips Obama

Talk about tough love . . . Frank Rich believes Barack Obama is approaching a "do or die moment" and that "we face the alarming prospect that his presidency could be toast" if he doesn't push ObamaCare through.  Rich's New York Times column of today, The Up-or-Down Vote on Obama’s Presidency, is a crushing compendium of criticism for a president he sees as talented but too timid.  I'd encourage…
Mark Finkelstein

'Famed' N.Y. Times Reporter Tells Michael Moore Capitalism Is 'Driving

The leftist blog The Raw Story is hyping an exclusive: "Famed NYT reporter tells Michael Moore capitalism driving humanity’s downfall." It’s merely an outtake from Moore’s hostile movie Capitalism: A Love Story. Former New York Times reporter Chris Hedges, the radical author of books like "American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America," warns of the coming eco-catastrophe.But in…
Tim Graham

Obama Gets a Warm Embrace from Fox...Well Not FNC, But a Fox Show

It wasn’t on the Fox News Channel (FNC) nor a Fox News production carried on Fox (such as Fox News Sunday), but President Barack Obama received a warm and appreciative session with John Walsh, marking the 1,000 edition of America’s Most Wanted, an entertainment program carried by the network which has failed to air the Obama press conferences shown by ABC, CBS and NBC. Walsh began by offering…
Brent Baker

There She Goes Again: Maddow Descends Into Deceit to Malign Orrin Hatc

If there's one thing Rachel Maddow hates, it's hypocrisy. That and dishonesty, oh, don't get her started. Especially when they emanate from the GOP side of the aisle, at least as perceived by her. But when coming from Maddow, well, let's just say her blind spot is broad of breadth.On her MSNBC show Tuesday, for example, Maddow repeatedly called Sen. Orrin Hatch a liar in response to a Hatch op-ed…
Jack Coleman

CBS Drama Showcases Blank Book that Mocks Palin as Empty-Headed Dunce

On this past Tuesday’s episode of The Good Wife on CBS, viewers were treated to a scene in which a ballistics expert opens a gift, from a partner of a law firm, to find a book about Sarah Palin made up of, he discovers by thumbing through it, blank pages “satirically representing,” Amazon.com explains, “the mind and thinking of Sarah Palin.” The book, ‘Going Rouge: A Candid Look Inside the…
Brent Baker

Gun Phobia in the News: Gun Dealer Denied Little-League Team, Unlike

Cam Edwards at NRANews.com passed along a New Jersey Star-Ledger story showing how gun dealers are held in low esteem. Matt Carmel of Maplewood, New Jersey was rejected when he applied to sponsor a little-league baseball team: Carmel, a licensed gun dealer, applied to sponsor a team in the local Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken baseball league, using the name of his business — Constitution Arms.He was…
Tim Graham

Deranged: Roseanne Barr Blames Maria Osmond’s Faith for Son’s Suic

Perhaps this was a cry out for relevancy - something she hasn't been since the Clinton administration, but comedienne Roseanne Barr is showing her social commentary knows no bounds. In a March 4 post on her blog, Barr used the suicide of Marie Osmond's son, Michael Blosil, to go on a sick and twisted anti-religion screed. According to the former sitcom star, any underlying issues that led to…
Jeff Poor

Sean Penn Hopes His Critics Die of Rectal Cancer, Lara Logan Laughs

I'm not sure which is worse: Sean Penn hoping his critics die screaming of rectal cancer, or CBS News's Lara Logan finding that funny.As NewsBusters previously reported, CBSNews.com on Friday posted a preview of an interview to be broadcast on "Sunday Morning." In it, Logan asked Penn, "Does it make you angry when people talk about, you know, 'Sean Penn, the Hollywood star, the movie star, coming…
Noel Sheppard

Chris Matthews Calls Liz Cheney 'Daughter of Dracula

Chris Matthews on Friday referred to Liz Cheney as the Daughter of Dracula.As the "Hardball" discussion turned to the new television ad released by Cheney's Keep America Safe, the MSNBCer invited on a Republican and Democrat strategist to offer their views."The message of that ad is Dick Cheney`s still out there and he`s still angry about the way his war is being treated by history," said…
Noel Sheppard

Stewart Calls Palin a Genius: 'You Can't Underestimate This Woman

Comedian Jon Stewart actually called Sarah Palin a genius Wednesday.As he reviewed her performance on the "Tonight Show" the previous evening, the "Daily Show" host said, "I don't say this to a lot of comics, especially new ones, but if you had a day job, you should quit it."  The Comedy Central star continued, "Her ability to do this well is just one more example of the genius of Sarah Palin:…
Noel Sheppard

Radio Host Picks Up MRC’s ‘Media Bias 101’ – ‘One of the Bes

Filling in for Mark Levin on his national radio talk show on Thursday, Houston radio host Michael Berry picked up on MRC’s recently-released “Media Bias 101” report detailing dozens of polls since 1981 showing journalists liberal attitudes and strongly pro-Democratic voting record. “I'm sitting on a great study done by the Media Research Center, Media Bias 101,” Berry enthused. “It's one of the…
Rich Noyes