'Media Mash': Post-Election Edition

The historic "shellacking" that Democrats suffered on Tuesday night brought out the worst in Obama's acolytes in the mainstream media, giving NewsBusters publisher Brent Bozell plenty to talk about on Sean Hannity's eponymous November 4 program. Appearing via satellite for the popular recurring "Media Mash" segment, Bozell and Hannity first tackled who else but Chris Matthews. Clearly…
NB Staff
November 5th, 2010 11:25 AM

Lawrence O'Donnell: 'I Am A Socialist'

MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell admitted on national television Friday that he's a socialist. In the middle of a heated debate with Salon's Glenn Greenwald on "Morning Joe," O'Donnell said, "I am a socialist. I live to the extreme left, the extreme left of you mere liberals" (video follows with partial transcript and commentary):

Noel Sheppard
November 5th, 2010 11:12 AM

MSNBC Says 'Fantastic' Report Shows 151,000 Jobs Added, But Rate 'Hold

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the unemployment numbers for October showing “fantastic” gains of 151,000 jobs, according to MSNBC, and an unchanged 9.6 unemployment rate. CNN’s Christine Romans called it a “good report,” during “American Morning” and noted that it was the “first time in a very, very long time” enough jobs had been added in one month to keep up with new entrants…
Julia A. Seymour
November 5th, 2010 10:48 AM

Laughable Maddow Spin: Epic GOP House Blowout 'More Normal Than Not No

Allegedly not reeling from the previous night's midterms, Rachel Maddow quickly sought to reassure her shellshocked viewers -- debacle, what debacle?! To bolster her argument, Maddow cited a bar graph created by Steve Benen at Washington Monthly showing midterm losses -- along with a few gains -- for the party in the White House since 1934. Here's Maddow's valiant spin on her show…
Jack Coleman
November 5th, 2010 10:39 AM

The Girls: Sarah Palin

MRC's newest production 'The Girls' counters the impression created by other lady-led talk shows like 'The View' that the left-wing mindset is the only one worth discussing. Maria, Melanie, and Penny will take on current issues from a conservative perspective, and their insights may not always be what viewers expect. In Episode 1, The Girls discuss Sarah Palin's impact on politics, and the…
Bob Parks
November 5th, 2010 9:04 AM

BREAKING: Keith Olbermann Donated Maximum Contribution to Three Democr

For those smug ones on the left who constantly insist Fox News is remarkably synonymous with the Republican Party, they might want to play down the smugness. That might start with MSNBC chief Phil Griffin, who mocked Fox and insisted to the New York Times “Show me an example of us fund-raising." Politico's Simmi Aujla reports that Keith Olbermann couldn't just put Democrats on his show, he also…
Tim Graham
November 5th, 2010 8:58 AM

Coincidence? American Medical Association CEO Quits After GOP Victorie

Michael Maves, the president of the nation’s largest doctor group announced his resignation today.  He was one of the Obama White House’s top allies in the recent health care battle. During the Clinton administration’s prior attempt to expand the federal government’s role in health care, the AMA’s opposition was often cited as a key point against the legislation.
Matthew Sheffield
November 5th, 2010 8:08 AM

Olbermann Frets Obama Will Cave to McConnell ‘Instead of Kicking Him

 On Thursday’s Countdown show on MSNBC, as he plugged a segment on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s appeal to President Obama to cooperate with the GOP, host Keith Olbermann suggested that Obama should "kick" the "ass" of McConnell rather than surrender to the Republican Senator’s demands. Referring to McConnell during a plug, Olbermann complained: "Once again, he honestly explains what…
Brad Wilmouth
November 5th, 2010 7:43 AM

Schultz: Don't Blame Me—I Got Impeachment Conspiracy From Clyburn

Shout out to Ed Schultz, apparently a NewsBusters fan . . . Last night we noted that Ed was "obsessed" with the nutty notion that Republicans are plotting to impeach Pres. Obama.  Tonight, Ed  repeatedly complained that "blogs" had accused him of being "obsessed" with the idea.  His defense?  He didn't come up with the concept himself.  He got it from . . . Dem congressman Jim Clyburn…
Mark Finkelstein
November 4th, 2010 9:22 PM

Cantor's Promise to Hold Oversight Hearings Prompts CBS to Regurgitate

Contrasting a “contrite” President Obama with a “less conciliatory” Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell, CBS reporter Nancy Cordes on Thursday night conveyed Democratic concern about likely House Majority Leader Eric Cantor's pledge to hold oversight hearings as she recalled “a barrage of damaging probes, one of which ended in impeachment hearings.” Cantor, Cordes asserted, has called “…
Brent Baker
November 4th, 2010 8:45 PM

MSNBC's Cenk Uygur Claims George W. Bush Confessed to 'War Crimes' in

In an attempt to re-litigate the past, MSNBC contributor Cenk Uygur indicted former President George W. Bush for war crimes. Bellowing today from his regular perch on late afternoon Dylan Ratigan Show, Uygur mischaracterized the 43rd President's position on the waterboarding of 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed as "go ahead and torture him basically" before demanding that Bush be…
Alex Fitzsimmons
November 4th, 2010 6:49 PM

Matthews Accuses Another Republican of Being Under 'Hypnosis

 Chris Matthews must be really pleased with himself, after accusing Rep. Michele Bachmann of being under hypnosis, in his now famous election night skirmish with the Minnesota Congresswoman, as he attached that description to yet another Republican on Thursday night's Hardball. After noting that Ben Quayle won his congressional race, Matthews went on to play a clip of one of his ads, after…
Geoffrey Dickens
November 4th, 2010 6:25 PM

NBC Sports Speculates: GOP Victory In Minnesota Could Cause NFL's Viki

Not even NBC Sports could stay out of politics the day after the election, on what must have been a slow NFL news day. The provocative headline "Republican Tidal Wave Could Carry Vikings To L.A." was featured prominently on NBC Sports' ProFootballTalk.com Wednesday.
Matt Hadro
November 4th, 2010 6:19 PM

Balt Sun Media Critic: MSNBC 'Pumping Irrational Fear' Into Viewers

There's a cable news channel out there operating with a single partisan voice, and doing its best to scare the pants off of viewers as the new Congress approaches. Listening to much of the media, you might think that network was Fox. But in fact Fox has a wealth of opinions on air, though most of its prime time hosts are consistently conservative. And while certainly a number of critics try…
Lachlan Markay
November 4th, 2010 6:15 PM