Open Thread: Billionaire-funded Leftists Protest Conference Held by Bi

Over the weekend, libertarian billionaires Charles and David Koch convened a conference of like-minded businessmen and policymakers at the Rancho Las Palmas resort to discuss election strategy and the future of classical liberalism. Outside, a hodgepodge of lefty protest groups gathered to whine about the influence of money in politics. In a completely unsurprising show of hypocrisy, Soros-…
NB Staff
January 31st, 2011 9:18 AM

The Next Civil Rights Struggle: School Vouchers

Is the party of Lincoln the party of civil rights? Are Republican conservatives the new civil-rights leaders? These are far from the most frequently asked questions in American politics, but they're worth raising. The most underreported story regarding the recent State of the Union address was who was sitting in the Speaker of the House's box -- students, parents, teachers and the Catholic…
Kathryn Jean Lopez
January 31st, 2011 9:06 AM

Climate Alarmist Blames Egypt Crisis On Global Warming

On Friday, MSNBC's Chris Matthews blamed the crisis in Egypt on George W. Bush and the Iraq war. Two days later, climate alarmist extraodinaire Joe Romm blamed it on - wait for it! - global warming:
Noel Sheppard
January 31st, 2011 8:44 AM

Socialist Larry O'Donnell Wears $88 Socks and $525 Shoes

Alexandra Steigrad of Women's Wear Daily is a fan of Lawrence O'Donnell: "O’Donnell’s circuitous, introspective ramblings off the air, while profound, contrast with the often cutting and incisive style of his on-air questioning. And it’s that elegant, well-groomed O’Donnell who masterfully navigated himself to near the top of MSNBC’s ratings by invoking the wrath of the right-wing media…
Tim Graham
January 31st, 2011 8:07 AM

Daily Kos: Ending Tax-Funded Abortions Means 'Transition to American T

Following up on CBS worrying about Republicans satisfying the "conservative right wing" on abortion: At the Daily Kos, Saturday's Open Thread by Dante Atkins kissed up to Kos founder Markos Moulitsas, hyping his "American Taliban" attack line again, this time about H.R. 3, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. Atkins can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want their tax dollars going to the…
Tim Graham
January 31st, 2011 8:00 AM

CBS Sees ‘Conservatives’ Wanting to Restrict Abortion, But No ‘L

 Catching up on an item from last Thursday’s CBS Evening News, after recounting for the second time the case of Philadelphia abortion Dr. Kermit Gosnell’s horrific practice, anchor Katie Couric introduced a piece devoted to upcoming political fights over abortion. During the report, opponents of abortion were twice labeled as "conservatives," while the word "liberals" was never used to refer to…
Brad Wilmouth
January 31st, 2011 12:34 AM

Olbermann Bashes Vietnam Vet's Letter to the Editor About Him

Keith Olbermann must be starving for attention since his surprise exit from MSNBC. On Sunday, he actually bashed a letter to the editor of the Boston Globe written about him by a Vietnam vet:
Noel Sheppard
January 30th, 2011 11:26 PM

ABC Skips Life March, But Highlights Attacks on Chick-fil-A By Gay Gro

 After ABC’s World News ignored the March for Life pro-life event last week, the January 30 World News Sunday did find time to run a report highlighting complaints by gay rights activists over Chick-fil-A -- a family-owned restaurant chain known for its Christian-based social advocacy -- supplying food to a socially conservative group in Pennsylvania that promoted a ban on same-sex marriage in…
Brad Wilmouth
January 30th, 2011 11:17 PM

Waivers for Favors: Big Labor's ObamaCare Escape Hatch

President Obama's storytellers recently launched a White House blog series called "Voices of Health Reform," where "readers can meet average Americans already benefiting from the health reform law." I propose a new White House series: "Voices of Health Reform Waivers," where taxpayers can meet all the politically connected unions benefiting from exclusive get-out-of-Obamacare passes — after…
Michelle Malkin
January 30th, 2011 10:52 PM

Obama Believes American Exceptionalism Begins with Government

Obama's latest watchword, "investments," is not, as I originally assumed, simply a euphemism for government spending. It captures his entire economic philosophy — a philosophy that is permanently engrained in the core of his being and disastrous for America's "future." President Bill Clinton shrewdly used the word as a more palatable substitute for income tax rate increases, saying taxpayers…
David Limbaugh
January 30th, 2011 8:17 PM

Kurtz: MSNBC Complains About CNN Airing Bachmann's SOTU Response Then

Howard Kurtz on Sunday pointed out a delicious irony involving MSNBC and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.). After complaining about CNN's decision to air the Congresswoman's response to President Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday, MSNBC spent the next several days giving far more attention to her than to the official GOP respondent (video follows with transcript and commentary):
Noel Sheppard
January 30th, 2011 4:52 PM

Matthews: Were Neocons Right About Middle East; Was Bush Better Equipp

Chris Matthews on Friday asked the panelists on the syndicated program bearing his name two questions about the crisis in Egypt that must have made his liberal viewers gasp. Moments after surprisingly asking NBC's Andrea Mitchell if "neo-conservatives who believe in really trying to push democracy" were right all along, Matthews asked David Sanger of the New York Times if George W. Bush was "…
Noel Sheppard
January 30th, 2011 3:10 PM

Sam Donaldson Thanks Anti-American TV Network Al-Jazeera

ABC News prominently featured the anti-American television network Al Jazeera on "This Week" Sunday. Not only was the network's Washington bureau chief afforded a good amount of time during the Roundtable segment to sing Al Jazeera's praises, but as the show neared its conclusion, Sam Donaldson actually thanked the organization (video follows with transcript and commentary):
Noel Sheppard
January 30th, 2011 12:59 PM

SNL Trashes Michele Bachmann, Imagines 'Second Attempt' at SOTU Speech

Predictably joining the media attacks on Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), NBC's "Saturday Night Live" began its most recent installment mocking her response to the President's State of the Union address last Tuesday. Actress Kristen Wiig playing the Congresswoman explained that as a result of technical difficulties in her first attempt, CNN gave her a second try at it. What followed…
Noel Sheppard
January 30th, 2011 11:06 AM