Jay Leno Calls Newt Gingrich a 'Hot Air Balloon

A week after HBO's Bill Maher called Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich "a fat womanizing blowhard," NBC's Jay Leno referred to the former House Speaker as a "hot air balloon." Tonight Show guest Meghan McCain actually thought that was funny (video follows with transcript and commentary):
Noel Sheppard
November 19th, 2011 1:52 PM

Krauthammer Scolds Shields and Totenberg: 'What Planet Are You Guys Li

Charles Krauthammer justifiably lost his patience with his fellow panelists on PBS's Inside Washington Friday evening. No matter how many times he explained that Republicans last week proposed a revenue increase that Democrats refused, PBS's Mark Shields and NPR's Nina Totenberg couldn't seem to grasp this simple concept leading Krauthammer to ask, "What planet are you guys living on...I’ve…
Noel Sheppard
November 19th, 2011 1:08 PM

NPR's Nina Totenberg: There Was Nothing Political About Obama Giving S

NPR's Nina Totenberg on Friday exhibited what Hillary Clinton would call a willing suspension of disbelief. When the subject of failed solar company Solyndra came up on PBS's Inside Washington, Totenberg actually said with a straight face, "There is no evidence that there was any political anything about the awarding of this contract" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
Noel Sheppard
November 19th, 2011 11:20 AM

Cain's Taliban 'Gaffe' Refuted by Cain Spokesman and Mere Minutes of I

Oops, he supposedly did it again. Herman Cain, the GOP presidential candidate who has experience as a rocket scientist on his resume, made another allegedly "stupid" remark. Why, if you buy the press's accounts of his statements, it's hard to believe the guy can dress himself in the morning without hanging his pants over his head and putting his socks on his hands. Here's what Cain said that…
Tom Blumer
November 19th, 2011 10:12 AM

Weekend Open Thread

For general discussion and debate about whatever the heck you want as long as it's decent. So have it.
NB Staff
November 19th, 2011 9:47 AM

Weekend Sports Open Thread

After Iowa State's amazing upset of Oklahoma State, college football will be even more interesting today. And how about those 8-1 Niners? Or Tim Tebow just winning? Let's talks weekend sports.
NB Staff
November 19th, 2011 9:43 AM

Bozell Column: (Almost) Nothing's Sacred

In advance of Tinseltown's parade of Christmas insensitivities - they've already unloaded the marijuana movie "A Very Harold and Kumar 3-D Christmas" - let us stipulate that it's not just seasonal. The manufacturers of pop culture thrive on offending every traditional value. Start with Pamela Anderson, the ridiculously surgically enhanced former Playboy Playmate, home-movie porn specialist…
Brent Bozell
November 19th, 2011 7:37 AM

Bill Press: GOP Guilty of Grover-Inspired 'Treason' on Tax Pledge

On his radio show Thursday, former CNN host Bill Press found it a little disconcerting to see the Republicans on the budget super-committee say on TV they were refusing to budge off their last offer. Then he went just a little further: Republicans are committing treason, against the Constitution, by sticking with their Grover Norquist no-tax-hike pledge. "I think it's pretty clear to me and…
Tim Graham
November 19th, 2011 7:05 AM

AP Gets Fooled by a Christopher Walken Impersonator Who Has Been on th

You can't make this up: The ever-careful Essential Global News Network known as the Associated Press actually believed that a guy who has been on a DC sports show for several football seasons impersonating Christopher Walken was actually Christopher Walken. After excerpting several paragraphs from AP's unbylined (naturally) mea culpa (saved here at host for future reference, fair use and…
Tom Blumer
November 18th, 2011 11:27 PM

Newsweek Hails Bill Maher, Testament to the American Dream

Newsweek loves Bill Maher -- so much that the utter incongruity of driving your $120,000 all-electric Tesla roadster to rally the “99 percent” in Los Angeles doesn’t collapse upon itself in their saccharine narrative. Lloyd Grove began his tribute: “In many ways, Bill Maher is a testament to the enduring power of the American Dream.” This is also a ghastly clash, since Maher routinely scorns…
Tim Graham
November 18th, 2011 10:34 PM

Daily Kos: China, Saudi Arabia Will Fund Incoming Republican Dictators

The next time you hear liberals mourning that today's conservative movement has no William F. Buckleyesque figure to banish the right-wing wackos to the fever swamps, just remember what passes for left-wing political thought at the Daily Kos. Last year, the Kosmonaut known as "Troubadour" predicted things were going to go very badly after the midterm elections: "Win or lose this election season…
Tim Graham
November 18th, 2011 9:21 PM

All Accusers Are Not (Treated as) Equal

Cain, Clinton and double standards in an age of moral bankruptcy.
Dan Kennedy
November 18th, 2011 6:42 PM

Larry Elder Schools Chris Matthews: I'll Cut You Off 'the Way You Cut

Conservative talk show host Larry Elder on Tuesday grilled Chris Matthews for his hostile treatment of conservatives and dismissed the Hardball anchor's fawning new book about John F. Kennedy. When Matthews objected to the barrage, Elder slapped down his complaints: "I'm sorry for cutting you off the way you cut your guests off!" [MP3 audio of the entire interview here.] A wounded Matthews…
Scott Whitlock
November 18th, 2011 6:29 PM

MSNBC Describes Michael Moore, Other Celebs as 'Unsuspecting' One Perc

Yearning to join the wealthiest one percent of Americans? You may already have -- and not even know it. Hard to believe such a thing is possible but MSNBC morning anchor Thomas Roberts ran a segment Wednesday about that one percent so reviled by Occupy squatters co-opting public property for their private use around the nation. (video clip after page break)
Jack Coleman
November 18th, 2011 6:19 PM