Friday's NCAA Tournament Open Thread

We're getting this one started early for those of you (like me!!!) that have the day off. Other than Duke-Belmont yesterday, I found it a boring start compared to years past. Anybody agree?On the other hand, in the past few years, many of the best upsets occurred on the first Friday. So, maybe today will be better (full brackets after the jump):
NB Staff

Terrorist Released from Prison, LAT Calls Her 'Fetching' Co-ed Turned

When is a terrorist simply an aged "radical" to the Los Angeles Times? When the terrorist is Kathleen Soliah, who in her glory days was a "fetching high school pep-squad member turned fugitive." Soliah was a member of the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), a group that plotted to blow up Los Angeles Police Department cruisers in the 1970s.Here's how Times staff writer Joel Rubin opened his March…
Ken Shepherd

NYT Weeps as High-Ticket Items Become Unaffordable in Slowdown

Front-page article spins slowing luxury item sales as 'housing-related' hardship hitting 'Main Street.'
Jeff Poor

Minn. Star Trib Publishes Help Wanted Ad For Anti-Military Story

This is really taking their quest to find stories that makes victims out of members of the U.S. military to the farthest degree! The Minneapolis Star-Tribune is apparently now resorting to advertising to dredge up women in the military "whose marriage is ending" for a story they want to write. There is really only one reason they'd want such examples and that is so that they can show that the…
Warner Todd Huston

Tapper to Clinton Camp: Stop Pretending You're Not Pushing Wright Stor

Ken Shepherd

How Will Media Cover Bill Clinton Rev. Wright Photo

Thursday evening, the New York Times' Kate Phillips published at that paper's Caucus Blog a 1998 picture of President Bill Clinton shaking Rev. Jeremiah Wright's hand (right, courtesy of NYT).In her posting, Phillips said the photograph was provided to her by the Obama campaign.Given all the controversy surrounding this hateful pastor, and how it has negatively impacted the junior senator from…
Noel Sheppard

NewsBusters Interview: Karl Rove Slams Lefty Blogosphere, Talks Media

Are liberal Democrats less likely to have social lives than conservatives?According to Karl Rove, the answer to that question is yes. The Republican guru all but made that argument explaining why he thought liberals are more likely to be on the web than conservatives."I hate to sound sort of diffident about it but it strikes me that a lot of people on the right have got active lives and are doing…
Matthew Sheffield

Portfolio Magazine Slams Top Corporations as 'Toxic Ten

Conde Nast's business mag goes after corporations for what it deems 'self-serving' and 'laughable' environmental efforts.
Paul Detrick

Open Thread

For general discussion and debate. Possible talking point: a new poll finds that one in five Democrats will vote for McCain if their candidate doesn't win the nomination (paragraph break eliminated):As Democratic Senators Barack Obama of Illinois and Hillary Clinton of New York slug it out for the nomination, many of their supporters -- at least in Pennsylvania, site of the next major primary --…
NB Staff

Matthews: I Get Emotional, Obama 'Gets To Me

It wasn't quite a "thrill up up my leg" moment, but Chris Matthews clearly hasn't gotten over his love affair with the candidacy of Barack Obama. It was a discussion of NM Gov. Bill Richardson's endorsement of Obama on today's Morning Joe that inspired an outpouring of emotion in which among other things Matthews acknowledged Obama "gets to me."CHRIS MATTHEWS: I think [Richardson's] a gutsy guy…
Mark Finkelstein

Cooper's Soft With Obama: Patriotism's Going to Be Exploited

Tim Graham

NewsBusted

We have now officially passed a milestone: fifty episodes of "NewsBusted." Thanks to everyone for watching, spreading the word, and helping us take the truth about media bias to a larger audience!Topics in today's episode: Thirteen percent of Americans incorrectly think Barack Obama is a Muslim, should harming the environment be a sin? A study claims 1-in-4 teenage girls has an STD, and new TV…
Matthew Sheffield

CBS Castigates McCain Staffer for Accurate Obama/Wright Video

“The McCain campaign suspends a staffer for circulating an inflammatory video about Barack Obama,” CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric intoned as “Campaign Controversy” was plastered on screen over a YouTube video which simply intersperses clips of Barack Obama and Jeremiah Wright. Managing to twist Obama into a victim, a task made easier by the feckless McCain campaign, Couric set up a Thursday…
Brent Baker

Readers Cite LAT For Anti-Catholicism - Again

Anti-Catholicism still thrives at the Los Angeles Times, even though readers of the paper continue to call them on it. Last week, the Times published a smarmy op-ed by "humor" writer Barry Gottlieb ("That 'thou shalt not' list just got longer," 3/17/08). In addition to propagating the false story that the Vatican had composed a list of "new sins" (it didn't), Gottlieb mocked Catholic belief,…
Dave Pierre