Smarmy Brian Ross Touts His 'January Surprise,' Eagerly Digs for Gingr

ABC trotted out the "best of" Newt Gingrich slams on Thursday, finally revealing the results of an exhaustive Brian Ross interview with Marianne Gingrich, the former Speaker's ex-wife. Ross boasted that his scoop could be seen as a "January surprise" to harm Gingrich. Recycling old attacks, Ross eagerly prompted the ex-Mrs. Gingrich: "You know his secrets. You know his skeletons." How…
Scott Whitlock
January 20th, 2012 12:57 PM

Dan Rather to Work for Ryan Seacrest

Dan Rather's career keeps looking sillier. Mark Cuban's HDNet has a splashy new partner -- Ryan Seacrest, the host of "American Idol" and producers of such highbrow TV as "Keeping Up with the Kardashians." The network will rebrand itself as AXS (pronounced "access") and go heavy on concerts. Cuban said "Dan Rather Reports" will remain as is. The new moniker may fit Rather, who certain has "…
Tim Graham
January 20th, 2012 11:05 AM

Bozell in WMAL Interview: ABC's Gingrich Story Has 'Awful Taint of Rat

ABC News's Marianne Gingrich interview has "that awful, awful taint of Rathergate to it," timed as it was "to do the most amount of damage it possibly could to Newt Gingrich's career," NewsBusters publisher Brent Bozell complained in an interview with Washington, D.C. news-talk station WMAL's Morning Majority program. While Marianne Gingrich may be "entirely honest" in her claim, she is "…
NB Staff
January 20th, 2012 10:50 AM

'Today' Show Groupies Fawn Over 'Crooner-in-Chief' Obama: 'He Could Be

Having apparently run out of actual news to cover on Friday, the cast of NBC's Today gushed over President Obama singing a line from the song "Let's Stay Together" during a fundraiser at the Apollo Theater. After a clip played of the musical moment, weatherman Al Roker proclaimed: "He could be on The Voice." News anchor Natalie Morales excitedly added: "Sign him up." [Listen to the audio or…
Kyle Drennen
January 20th, 2012 10:27 AM

Letterman Airs Mock Video of Gingrich Having Sex With Vending Machine

On the CBS Late Show Thursday, host David Letterman aired a mock video of Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich having sex with a vending machine. This came at the end of his Top Ten segment called, "Top Ten Revelations In The Interview With Newt Gingrich's Ex-Wife" (video follows with transcribed highlights and commentary):
Noel Sheppard
January 20th, 2012 10:20 AM

'Romney Riches Are Being Seen as New Hurdle,' at the NYTimes, Anyway

The New York Times has been going to town on controversies over Mitt Romney’s money, from his personal tax rate to the work of Bain Capital, the private equity firm he co-founded. Thursday’s front page story goes into excruciating detail on what is known about Romney's wealth, under the self-fulfilling headline “Romney Riches Are Being Seen as New Hurdle,” by Nicholas Confessore, David…
Clay Waters
January 20th, 2012 9:54 AM

Wanda Sykes: Rick Perry 'Had to Drop Out' - 'He Was One More Debate Aw

Comedienne Wanda Sykes speculated Thursday that Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry had to drop out of the race because "he was one more debate away from saying the N-word."  Appearing on NBC’s Tonight Show to bash all the GOP candidates, she also told the host that Newt Gingrich might have wanted an open marriage with his ex-wife because she said he had a "tiny penis" (video follows…
Noel Sheppard
January 20th, 2012 9:26 AM

NYTimes Certain Romney's Tax-Cut Proposals Would 'Benefit the Wealthie

Tax-cut hostile New York Times reporters Michael Cooper and David Kocieniewski teamed up Thursday in a “news” article that assumed as fact (using a study from a left-of-center “nonpartisan” group) that plans by Republican presidential candidates for reducing tax rates would by design lead to widening deficits and "benefit the wealthiest the most": “Higher Deficits Seen In Romney’s Tax Plan, And…
Clay Waters
January 20th, 2012 8:50 AM

Appearing on 'Kudlow Report,' Bozell Hits ABC News for 'October Surpri

At the very least the timing of ABC News's interview with Gingrich ex-wife Marianne Gingrich is suspect. At the very worst, it is completely inappropriate if it failed to be newsworthy and respectful, NewsBusters publisher Brent Bozell told CNBC's Larry Kudlow on his January 19 Kudlow Report. "In some respects, aren't they obliged to get it out as fast as they can," Kudlow countered, adding…
NB Staff
January 20th, 2012 8:25 AM

CNN In South Carolina Debate, 2008: Democrats Get First Question on Ec

CNN's John King explained after the final South Carolina debate that he started by asking Newt about his "open marriage" because it seemed like the "elephant in the room." Former Bush aide Ari Fleischer dissented and said the economy is always the number one story, not just the political insider's hot story. So let's ask: when CNN hosted a Democratic debate in South Carolina on January 21, 2008…
Tim Graham
January 20th, 2012 8:09 AM

Scarborough: Conservative Leaders All Tell Me They Want Brokered Conve

"I've been talking quietly to the most powerful, I think, conservative movers-and-shakers in Washington over the past couple weeks, trying to get their read. Are we really going down this path? Every single one I've spoken to is trying to figure out a way to get to a brokered convention." That was Joe Scarborough on Morning Joe today.  For good measure, Scarborough also stated as a simple…
Mark Finkelstein
January 20th, 2012 7:43 AM

Silvio Berlusconi's Titanic

Conservatives remember how everything from flammable pajamas to sexual harassment in public housing was blamed on Ronald Reagan. On NPR's All Things Considered on Wednesday night, somehow the wreck of the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia became "reminiscent of" former conservative prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. Longtime NPR reporter Sylvia Poggioli described how the ship's captain,…
Tim Graham
January 20th, 2012 6:46 AM

CNN Suggests 'Racial Coding' In Gingrich's Words

On Thursday morning, CNN's Soledad O'Brien suggested that candidate Newt Gingrich speaks with a "racial coding" on the campaign trail. She gave credibility to former President Carter's bizarre remark about Gingrich having a "subtlety of racism" about him, asking her panel if the quote was a "bombshell." O'Brien could also have questioned Carter's remark as a smear coming from a Democrat.…
Matt Hadro
January 19th, 2012 11:49 PM

WashPost Shows Dramatic Double Standard Rushing Into Newt 'Open Marria

On Thursday, the Washington Post website posted an article at about 1 pm from reporter James Grimaldi based on a Post interview with Newt Gingrich’s second wife Marianne making claims that Gingrich asked for an “open marriage.” The standard was wham, bam, print it, ma'am. The Post had a very different standard for Bill Clinton. Paula Jones held a press conference at CPAC on February 11, 1994…
Tim Graham
January 19th, 2012 11:09 PM