Weekend Open Thread

For general discussion and debate about politics, the economy, sports, and what not.
NB Staff
May 22nd, 2011 8:42 AM

NPR's Feminist Friday Night: Sappy Tributes to Speaker Pelosi and 'The

On Friday night’s All Things Considered, National Public Radio paid tribute to feminism in two stories. Congressional reporter Andrea Seabrook celebrated the first female Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, and then anchor Michelle Norris honored the twentieth anniversary of the feminist film Thelma and Louise. In her story, Seabrook worried over the "sexists" who demonized Pelosi for her…
Tim Graham
May 22nd, 2011 7:41 AM

WaPo: Will Boehner Be Dumped by 'Feverish' Tea Party Hotheads

Sunday’s Washington Post Magazine features House Speaker John Boehner on the cover, and next to his face are the words "While the SPEAKER battles against the Democrats, is his BIGGEST THREAT from his own party?" (All the words are capitalized, actually, but "Speaker" and "biggest threat" are much larger.) Post reporter Michael Leahy spent several pages wondering if the "Young Guns" directly…
Tim Graham
May 22nd, 2011 7:04 AM

WaPo’s Greenberg Ignores Role of Arab Countries in Creating Arab Ref

In the Washington Post article, "Israeli Troops Fire at Palestinian Protestors on Borders, Killing at Least 12, " writer Joel Greenberg recount the creation of thousands of Palestinian refugees around the time of Israel’s founding in 1948 without noting that Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq all declared war on the Jewish state, sending thousands of Palestinians from their homes.…
Brad Wilmouth
May 22nd, 2011 5:00 AM

Margaret Carlson: Gingrich Plays ‘Skinhead Politics,’ Paul Ryan Wo

On Friday’s Political Capital show on Bloomberg News, as host Al Hunt turned the discussion to Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign, Bloomberg’s Margaret Carlson attacked Republican Congressman Paul Ryan’s plan for Medicare reform as she voiced supposed agreement with Gingrich that "it is right-wing social engineering to destroy Medicare as we know it." She then went on to suggest that…
Brad Wilmouth
May 22nd, 2011 4:35 AM

CNNMoney Headline: 'Florida and Texas Governors in Jobs P*ssing Match

In a post time-stamped on Saturday at 12:16 p.m., CNNMoney.com has a story (HT Ed Driscoll via the PJ Tatler) headlined "Florida and Texas in jobs p*ssing match" (except that there's an "i" where I typed an asterisk). Since the story has been up for at least 12 hours (maybe longer, given that the its URL is dated May 20; Update, May 22, 5 p.m.: The comments at a cached CNN Political Ticker…
Tom Blumer
May 22nd, 2011 1:08 AM

AP's Full Description of Herman Cain as Godfather's CEO: 'Rescued by S

In their coverage of Herman Cain's official announcement that he is a candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States, Associated Press reporters Shannon McCaffrey and Greg Bluestein limited their description of Cain's tenure as chief executive of Godfather's Pizza to the following: He worked at Coca-Cola, Pillsbury and Burger King before taking the helm of the…
Tom Blumer
May 22nd, 2011 12:20 AM

Ed Schultz Trashes Paul Ryan, Says Liberal Grandma-Off-the-Cliff Ad Is

MSNBC’s Ed Schultz came out of the gate lunging at Congressman Paul Ryan on Thursday night, insisting the ridiculous online ad with a Ryan-like figure throwing a grandma off a cliff was "very effective and is truthful." Obama-defender Schultz was also shameless enough to suggest "this kid" Ryan has no business experience: "He’s never run a business. He never had to meet payroll." As if Obama…
Tim Graham
May 21st, 2011 7:15 PM

Maher: GOP Primary Voters Want Misogynist, Racist, Homophobic Presiden

Bill Maher on Friday once again spent much of his "Real Time" program on HBO bashing conservatives. During his final "New Rule," he accused Republican primary voters of wanting a presidential candidate who's misogynist, racist, and homophobic (video follows with transcript and commentary):
Noel Sheppard
May 21st, 2011 5:05 PM

Omission Watch: Job Creation Staggering at 'Slowest Post-Recession Rat

Here’s more figures suggesting most media outlets are skipping around the bad economic news. On the front of Friday’s USA Today was this story by Dennis Cauchon: Nearly two years after the economic recovery officially began, job creation continues to stagger at the slowest post-recession rate since the Great Depression. The nation has 5% fewer jobs today — a loss of 7 million — than it…
Tim Graham
May 21st, 2011 3:26 PM

Israeli Born Kiss Star Gene Simmons on '67 Borders: 'Obama Has No F--k

Most Americans are probably familiar with outspoken Kiss star Gene Simmons, but likely didn't know that he was born and partially raised in Israel. With this in mind, when he was asked by CNBC's Jane Wells what he thought about President Obama's suggestion that Israel's borders be redrawn to pre-1967 levels, Simmons replied, "He has no f--king idea what the world is like because he doesn’t…
Noel Sheppard
May 21st, 2011 2:57 PM

Greg Gutfeld: Obama's Media Honeymoon Lasting Longer Than Most Marriag

At a function commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first live presidential news conference Monday, veteran journalists bemoaned the fact that the press are too "timid" at such events today. On Thursday, "Red Eye's" Greg Gutfeld pointed out that this is because "The media loved President Obama from the moment their gazes met from across that smoky room...So all the smart folks knew that…
Noel Sheppard
May 21st, 2011 1:10 PM

Dylan Ratigan: 'Republican Rhetoric Based in Abandonment of Arithmetic

If you had any questions as to why Dylan Ratigan belongs on MSNBC rather than CNBC they were all answered Friday night. Appearing on HBO's "Real Time," Ratigan presented himself as a far-left commentator telling the audience of devout liberals, "This entire rhetoric machine from the Republican Party is predicated on an abandonment of arithmetic and fact" (video follows with transcript and…
Noel Sheppard
May 21st, 2011 11:42 AM

Roger Ailes: It's Truly Pathetic That I Gave Chris Matthews His Start

As NewsBusters previously reported, MSNBC's Chris Matthews said Thursday, "It’s so pathetic that Roger Ailes has put Sarah Palin on television." According to TVNewser, Ailes struck back Friday:
Noel Sheppard
May 21st, 2011 10:24 AM