'Death Cloud' Could Kill Millions of Americans Who Live in Oil Refiner

What do oil refineries and rental cars have in common? They will probably kill you, at least according to ABC's Brian Ross. Ross is either bored with his job or just doesn't seem to care about frightening his viewers with exaggerated reports. But either way, ABC's chief investigative correspondent is breathing new life into the term yellow journalism. Those who are familiar with Ross's work…
Alex Fitzsimmons
February 25th, 2011 4:03 PM

Kudos to Fred Bowen: WaPo Writer Celebrates Iowa Wrestler Staying True

On Tuesday I wrote about how ESPN.com's Rick Reilly slammed 16-year-old Iowa wrestler Joel Northrup for his decision to forfeit a state tournament wrestling match against 14-year-old freshman Cassy Herkelman, citing his religious convictions about the impropriety of wrestling a girl. Reilly mocked Northrup's beliefs as "wrong-headed," oddly comparing his refusal to wrestle Herkelman with…
Ken Shepherd
February 25th, 2011 4:03 PM

Why Is MSNBC Allowing Fringe Conspiracy Theorist Alex Jones to Hype Hi

MSNBC anchors, such as Chris Matthews, often rail about a supposed failure by conservatives and Republicans to denounce birthers from their ranks. Yet, host Contessa Brewer interviewed 9/11 truther (and seller of birther merchandise) Alex Jones on Friday, allowing him to hype his conspiracy website three times. Jones appeared on MSNBC's News Live to recount his gossip-filled interview with…
Scott Whitlock
February 25th, 2011 3:51 PM

Sen. Rand Paul Prevails in Economic Debate With David Letterman

I think he’s wrong about some of these things, I just can’t tell you why. – David Letterman
John Nolte
February 25th, 2011 2:57 PM

Iran Sent Warships Through Suez Canal to Syria; Networks Barely Touch

Two Iranian warships docked in the Syrian seaport of Latakia on Thursday, the Associated Press reported yesterday: The chief of Iran's navy, Adm. Habibollah Sayyari, said the frigate Alvand and the supply ship Kharq are in Syria for a training mission. He rejected Israeli criticism that the trip was provocative. Of course, the Iranian and Syrian regimes are allies and co-sponsors of…
Ken Shepherd
February 25th, 2011 1:08 PM

The NY Times Takes Two More Left Jabs at New Jersey Gov. Chris Christi

Matt Bai’s upcoming New York Times Sunday Magazine cover profile of Chris Christie, New Jersey's attention-getting Republican governor, has its questionable moments, but the overall tone was far more temperate than a teaser the Times used to promote it, featured on the front page of nytimes.com Thursday evening. The segment of Bai's long story the Times chose to highlight is one that just…
Clay Waters
February 25th, 2011 1:04 PM

NBC Jumps on Prank Call to Scott Walker, But Ignored Video Sting of Pl

While NBC was quick to cover a prank phone call to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker by a left-wing website on Wednesday, it did not give one word of reporting to a video sting earlier this month that showed Planned Parenthood employees agreeing to abortions for hypothetical underage girls involved in sex trafficking. Wednesday's NBC Nightly News featured a report by correspondent Michael…
Kyle Drennen
February 25th, 2011 12:38 PM

Cincinnati Reporter Frets Over 'So Drastic' Cuts, Govt. Shutdown

Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Malia Rulon seems to have misplaced her objectivity when she prepared a February 21 front-page report on legislation passed by the House that would reduce projected spending during the current fiscal year by $61 billion. Later in this post, I will present evidence showing that Ms. Rulon's objectivity has likely been missing in action for many years. This amount…
Tom Blumer
February 25th, 2011 10:55 AM

Media Mash: Wis. Protest Edition; Bozell and Hannity Analyze Media's B

"It's like they have the same writer!" Fox News' Sean Hannity marveled after watching a montage of liberal journalists comparing the labor union protests in Madison, Wisconsin, with the anti-Mubarak demonstrations weeks ago in Cairo. "Sean, this is really goofy. These reporters should be embarrassed," NewsBusters publisher Brent Bozell agreed on last night's "Hannity." "If you want to find…
NB Staff
February 25th, 2011 10:53 AM

NYT's Paul Krugman, Inspired By Leftist Paranoia, Sees 'Shock Doctrine

Paul Krugman’s New York Times column for Friday, “Shock Doctrine, U.S.A.,” used for both headline and text fodder a book of far-left paranoid propaganda by Naomi Klein to push Krugman’s pet idea: That Wisconsin’s Republican Gov. Scott Walker is trying to make a “power grab” in order “to destroy the last major counterweight to the political power of corporations and the wealthy.” Here’s a…
Clay Waters
February 25th, 2011 10:28 AM

NBC Still Ignoring Planned Parenthood Sting, Despite House Vote to Def

You can lead a network to a story, but you can't make it report. Certainly not if the story reveals the disturbing truth about one of liberalism's sacrosanct institutions - the largest abortion-provider in the United States. The broadcast networks' coverage of the scandal and potential defunding of Planned Parenthood by the House of Representatives has been disgraceful. On Feb. 1, pro-life…
Matt Philbin
February 25th, 2011 10:11 AM

Open Thread: GOP Now the Reformers, While Dems Defend Status Quo

Amazing what two years can do. Barack Obama's promises to stir up Washington and reject the status quo seem like distant memories. We imagine they'd elicit a chuckle from most Americans if uttered today. In his latest Washington Post column, Charles Krauthammer writes that "Obama's Democrats have become the party of no." Real cuts to the federal budget? No. Entitlement reform? No. Tax reform…
NB Staff
February 25th, 2011 9:25 AM

MSNBC’s Schultz Discovers FNC's Smith and Van Susteren are Not Conse

  Twice this week on the Ed Show, MSNBC host Ed Schultz has paid attention to FNC’s Shepard Smith for not approaching the Wisconsin labor union controversy from the right, and also added in FNC’s Greta Van Susteren on Thursday. On Wednesday, the MSNBC host began his regular "Takedown" segment: Tonight, in the "Takedown" segment, how about Shepard Smith? I’ll tell you what, he's bucking the…
Brad Wilmouth
February 25th, 2011 9:23 AM

Daily Kos: In Wisconsin, the Plutocrats Plot 'Walkercide

The hatred of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker continues in the fever swamps of the Daily Kos. The blogger "Patience John" posted an article Wednesday headlined "Walkercide: Killing the American Dream for Corporate Paymasters." Try not to pay attention to the mangled syntax: that "Walkercide" sounds like a plot to kill the governor, not the other way around, or that the headline suggests a plot to…
Tim Graham
February 25th, 2011 8:36 AM