The NewsBusters Weekly Recap: October 20 to

October 27th, 2007 9:42 AM
Aren't they Grand? On Wednesday's "Early Show," Harry Smith gushed over Bill and Hillary Clinton and how two "idealistic kids" transformed themselves into "political rock stars." Smith also took pains to point out that the Clintons are a "still-young couple." Over on ABC, Clinton-fan Kate Snow fawned over Bill and Hillary for being "masters at turning bad news into good." In general, she seemed…

ABC's George Stephanopoulos Spews: U.S. Lacks 'Credibility' on Iran

October 26th, 2007 12:22 PM
According to former Bill Clinton operative George Stephanopoulos, one reason the United States wouldn't start a war with Iran is because the Bush administration doesn't possess the "troops or the allies or the credibility that it would take to launch a war right now." Stephanopoulos, who is now the host of ABC's "This Week," slipped that bit of bias into a discussion on Friday's "Good Morning…

ABC Gushes: Clintons Are 'Masters at Turning Bad News Into Good

October 25th, 2007 12:09 PM
In early October, ABC reporter Kate Snow sprang to the defense of Senator Hillary Clinton's much maligned laugh. On Thursday's "Good Morning America," the correspondent marveled over Bill Clinton's successes and also how his wife is able to make turning 60-years-old a good thing. While an ABC graphic wondered if the Democratic power couple are "masters of spin," Snow gushed, "The Clintons have…

California Wildfires: Media Blame Another Natural Disaster on Bush

October 24th, 2007 2:49 PM
As wildfires rage throughout Southern California, media have predictably begun to blame this awful natural disaster on President George W. Bush much as they did almost exactly two years ago when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. On Tuesday evening, MSNBC's Dan Abrams set up an interview with California Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-Cal.) thusly:But the fire storms in California`s raising…

Arnold Grabs ABC's Shipman, Demands: Stop Spinning Fire Coverage

October 24th, 2007 12:42 PM
Reporter Claire Shipman did her level best to get California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to say the efforts to combat the state's wild fires were going poorly. Shipman interviewed the governor on Wednesday's "Good Morning America" and wondered about "the comparison to Katrina that everybody's making in the back of their mind..." At one point, Governor Schwarzenegger cut off Shipman's pleas for…

ABC's Ross Accuses Rudy of Being Pedophile Priest's Pal

October 23rd, 2007 12:21 PM
On Tuesday's "Good Morning America," reporter Brian Ross continued his critical series of investigations into Republican presidential candidates. Just two weeks after he slammed Fred Thompson for his role in the 1973 Watergate investigation, the ABC correspondent looked into the fact that Rudy Giuliani's consulting firm has employed a priest that has been accused of molesting children in the '70s…

ABC's Roberts to Laura Bush: Export Generosity, Not Bombs

October 22nd, 2007 12:43 PM
America should export generosity and hope instead of bombs and fear. Host Robin Roberts quoted these sentiments from Archbishop Desmond Tutu and columnist Thomas Friedman to Laura Bush on Monday's "Good Morning America." Roberts was traveling with the First Lady through the United Arab Emirates and other Middle Eastern countries as part of a tour to increase breast cancer awareness in that region…

Bozell: Hollywood Hates People Who Oppose Sex at

October 21st, 2007 7:04 AM

The NewsBusters Weekly Recap: October 13 to 19 (Al Gore Edition

October 20th, 2007 10:21 AM
Al Gore: He Speaks for Us AllIt would be quite the understatement to say that members of the media approved of Al Gore's Nobel Prize win. Sam Donaldson lauded Gore for doing something "very important." Cokie Roberts justified the former vice president's inaccuracies by claiming that even if it was propaganda, Gore made an important issue popular. Over on CNN, reporter Miles O'Brien, once again,…

ABC Medical Expert: Hillary Knows Health Care Better Than Anyone

October 19th, 2007 11:43 AM
Hillary Clinton is smart and clearly knows health care better than any other 2008 candidate. That's according to ABC's medical expert, Dr. Tim Johnson. On Friday's "Good Morning America," the network contributor gushed, "She certainly knows health care better, I think, than any other candidate....I'm very impressed with her knowledge base." Johnson lauded Clinton for "offering a wide range of…

Say Happy 108th Birthday to the World’s Oldest Blogger

October 18th, 2007 1:10 PM
So, you think blogging is just for youngsters? Think again, for the world's oldest blogger, Olive Riley, celebrated her 108th birthday on Wednesday. Marvelously, the "Good Morning America" crew was there to help her ring in another year (must-see video available here):

Sky-Is-Falling Media Claim Black Monday 'Could' Happen Again

October 17th, 2007 4:55 PM

ABC 'Sexual Educator' Won't Rule Out Birth Control for Grade School

October 17th, 2007 12:50 PM
"Good Morning America" co-host Diane Sawyer hosted a serious debate on Wednesday about whether Maine middle school students, children as young as 11, should have access to birth control pills. The ABC program engaged in a classic example of labeling bias with a graphic that identified talk show host Glenn Beck as a "conservative commentator." In contrast, Sawyer referred to the other guest, Logan…

Sanchez Blasts Media, But Media Only Highlight His Criticism of Bush

October 15th, 2007 9:01 PM
The news media “eagerly reported” comments from General Ricardo Sanchez, the former top commander in Iraq, “calling the war in Iraq a quote 'nightmare with no end in sight,'” FNC's Brit Hume noted Monday night before pointing out how “there has been considerably less reporting of his harsh criticism of the press in the same speech.” Indeed, in his Friday address to a group of journalists, Sanchez…