CNN Seeks Out Stimulus 'Believer' Cited by President Obama
February 1st, 2010 6:19 PM
On Saturday’s Newsroom, CNN’s Don Lemon deferentially took President Obama’s advice and interviewed a stimulus “skeptic” turned “believer,” whom the Democrat cited as an example of the success of the stimulus during his recent State of the Union address. Lemon talked up the stimulus and the Obama administration’s energy efficiency tax credit with his guest Alan Levin, whose company produces…
Joy Behar Takes Huffington's Side vs. Ailes Armed With Untruths
February 1st, 2010 4:50 PM
It was a metaphysical certitude the classic battle between Fox News's Roger Ailes and liberal publisher Arianna Huffington on Sunday's "This Week" would send many in the mainstream media over the top, and comedian Joy Behar didn't disappoint.As "View" co-host Whoopi Goldberg gave the audience the background of the matter Monday -- "Fox News president Roger Ailes pointed out that on the Huffington…
ABC Devotes Over 60 Minutes to John Edwards, Avoids Labeling Him a Dem
February 1st, 2010 12:38 PM
Since Friday, ABC has devoted 60 minutes and 23 seconds to interviews covering the most salacious details of John Edwards' sex scandal. Yet, the network's anchors have refrained from referring to him as a Democrat. 20/20 on Friday spent the entire hour talking to Andrew Young, a former top Edwards aide who allegedly holds a sex tape involving the politician. The D-word was never used by reporter…
Fox's Roger Ailes Battles Huffington, Krugman and Walters
January 31st, 2010 2:35 PM
There was a marvelous fireworks display on Sunday's "This Week" when Fox News chairman Roger Ailes squared off against liberal media powerhouses Arianna Huffington, Paul Krugman, and substitute host Barbara Walters.The one standing at the end likely didn't vote for Barack Obama.In the second half of the Roundtable segment, Walters began by asking her conservative guest about the White House's…
CBS: GOP A ‘Tough Crowd’ For Obama; No Mention of President’s Pa
January 29th, 2010 1:29 PM
At the top of Friday’s CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith declared: “President Obama meets with GOP leaders as he tries to tackle the growing employment problem. Will it be a monologue or a dialogue?” White House correspondent Bill Plante later reported: “The President is also reaching out to Republicans today, speaking to the GOP House retreat. But it could be a tough crowd.”In Plante’s report…
ABC Guest Reveals: George Stephanopoulos and Hillary Clinton Related
January 29th, 2010 10:45 AM
Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates appeared on Friday’s Good Morning America to promote a new series on genealogy and revealed to George Stephanopoulos that he might be related to Hillary Clinton. Gates told the former Democratic staffer turned journalist, "You are very likely a maternal cousin with Hillary Clinton."[Audio available here.]Gates, who very famously was involved in an altercation…
ABC’s Robin Roberts Frets to Teresa Heinz Kerry: What's Up With Scot
January 28th, 2010 4:53 PM
Good Morning America co-host Robin Roberts on Thursday implored Teresa Heinz Kerry to explain how Republican Scott Brown could have won his Senate race in Massachusetts. Talking to the wife of Democrat John Kerry, she lamented, "What’s happening?" Prefacing this question, a bewildered Roberts recapped, "We have the election, recent election in Massachusetts, where Ted Kennedy had been senator…
Today Show Skips Any Mention of Bob McDonnell’s GOP Response to Stat
January 28th, 2010 12:36 PM
Of the three morning shows on Thursday, only NBC’s Today show skipped any mention of Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell’s Republican response to the President’s State of the Union address. Both ABC’s Good Morning America and CBS’s Early Show gave McDonnell’s rebuttal at least minor attention. On the Early Show, Chip Reid explained, "Virginia's newly inaugurated governor Bob McDonnell gave the…
Media Praise President Obama’s ‘Humility’ In State of the Union
January 28th, 2010 11:07 AM
Immediately following President Obama’s State of the Union address Wednesday night, ABC’s George Stephanopoulos got reaction from Newsweek editor Jon Meacham, who observed: “There were at least three moments where he expressed explicit humility. ‘I’m not – I know that people aren’t sure I can deliver this change. I take my share of the blame for not explaining health care.’” At the same time,…
McCain Said 'Blame It On Bush' When Obama Claimed He Inherited Deficit
January 28th, 2010 10:50 AM
CRITICAL UPDATE AT END OF POST: Obama praised the 2009 budget when the Senate passed it!After President Obama told the nation during Wednesday's State of the Union address that he inherited the huge budget deficits befronting the country, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) turned to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and said, "Blame it on Bush."In reality, this was one of many Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) moments…
Morning Shows Tout Risk to Republicans for ‘Continuing to Say No
January 28th, 2010 9:28 AM
The three morning shows on Thursday reacted to Barack Obama’s State of the Union address by highlighting the risk Republicans run in continuing to oppose the President’s agenda. On NBC’s Today, Meredith Vieira fretted to Joe Biden, "What risk do the Republicans run by continuing to say no, by being the party of no?" NBC put the happiest spin on the speech, featuring a graphic that trumpeted, "‘…
Networks Ignore Contradiction Between Obama's Middle Class Giveaways
January 27th, 2010 4:22 PM
In an attempt to boost flagging approval ratings, President Barack Obama announced a series of initiatives aimed at helping out the middle class on Jan. 25, two days ahead of his State of the Union address. The networks, which have protected him from public outrage for months, praised the initiative. NBC heralded the move, giving Obama credit for "getting the message" Jan. 25. CBS's Katie Couric…
Behar Accidentally Outs Gays, Says Monogamy Is 'Too Much Trouble
January 27th, 2010 3:49 PM
If it isn't obvious already, Joy Behar doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut. On Jan. 26's "The View," a clueless Behar accidentally tipped the agenda of much of the gay and same-sex marriage movement. "They," she said, referring to gays, "don't take monogamy and infidelity the same way that the straight community does." Such things as fidelity, she added, don't have the "same weight" with…
Networks Pounce on ‘Louisiana Watergate’ Story After Only 17 Hours
January 27th, 2010 12:08 PM
All three morning shows on Wednesday highlighted the revelation that a conservative activist had been arrested in connection to an attempt to tamper with the phones of Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu. Despite jumping on the "Louisiana Watergate" story only 17 hours after it was first reported, the networks took five days to file full reports on the same James O’Keefe and his undercover footage…