B-I-A-S: Media Largely Ignore Spelling Bee Champ's Homeschooled Status
June 1st, 2007 12:35 PM
(14:50 EDT) Video of Tim Russert misspelling "Iraq" at bottom of post.When California homeschooler Evan O’Dorney, 13, won the National
Spelling Bee on Thursday night, the nation’s press reacted with a yawn.Instead
of focusing on the winner, The New York Times ran a story about an
immigrant from India who lost in the second round of the competition.
That boy, Kunal Sah, 12, who is living in Utah…
'Today' Show Sells Al Franken as 'Harvard Smart
May 29th, 2007 4:41 PM
If there was one thing the 'Today' show wanted its viewers to know about comedian, turned failed Air America radio host, turned Senate candidate, Al Franken, it's that he's really "smart." Profiling his Minnesota Senate seat run, the Today show cast went out of their way to prove the Saturday Night Live alum's candidacy was serious by emphasizing Franken was, indeed, "smart."Not once, not twice…
Hear This, Hillary: Obama 'OK' With Losing, Stresses Health Care
May 29th, 2007 9:14 AM
Is Barack Obama really running for president, or is he not-so-subtly positioning himself to be Hillary's running mate? I seemed to sense that 'subliminable' message on 'Today' this morning. At about 7:10 am EDT, the NBC show kicked off its "Today on the Trail" series, which will join the leading presidential contenders out on the campaign trail, with a feature on Obama. Meredith Vieira spent time…
The NewsBusters Weekly Recap: May 19 to
May 26th, 2007 10:30 AM
"Get the Hint? Wink Wink? Nudge Nudge?" Katie Couric may be many things (don’t call her perky), but she’s not subtle. The "CBS Evening News" anchor touted a new special on Walter Cronkite, a journalist who "stood up to the Commander in Chief" during an "unpopular war." "We Can Dream, Can’t We?" Former Clinton aide George Stephanopoulos, now the anchor of ABC’s "This Week," took time out of his…
Just What Hillary Didn't Want to See
May 25th, 2007 8:31 AM
You're Hillary Clinton [work with me here] tuning into "Today" the morning after you've voted against funding the Iraq war . What's the one image you dread seeing pop up? But there it was.This isn't shaping up as Hillary's favorite day. As the Washington Post reports here, two books about Clinton have hit the shelves, and neither paint a flattering portrait of the former First Lady. What's…
Media Ignore Congressman Murtha’s Potential Rules Violation
May 22nd, 2007 2:23 PM
Imagine for a moment that a high-ranking Republican was accused by a Democrat of violating House rules in order to get a $23 million earmark approved for his district. Would the media report it?Probably on front-pages all across the country, and on morning and evening network newscasts for days, right?Well, last Thursday evening, Politico reported (emphasis added throughout):
Reuters’ Absurd Double Standard Concerning White House's Response to
May 21st, 2007 1:56 PM
By now you’ve probably heard about former President Jimmy Carter’s absurd comments to the BBC regarding President George W. Bush’s foreign policy being the worst in American history.You may even have seen Carter on the “Today” show Monday morning saying that his statements were “maybe careless or misinterpreted” (video available here).However, did you read the following absurd double standard…
