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| Media Propaganda, coruption, and conspiracy
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Chaldean Justice League has noticed an ongoing and orchestrated bias in media. Presenting information in an unfair and unjust way seeds a mindset that bears the fruit of injustice. The propaganda used by the media has been recorded and captured by the Media Research Center.
We share their findings with the Chaldean community as a demonstration of media propaganda and the injustice born of such fraudulent journalism. The covert attempt to change the will of the people through propaganda is in itself corrupt.
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ABC Touts School for Obama Kids: 'Complete With Organic Lunches'
Various Good Morning America hosts and reporters on Monday glowingly commented on the first day of school for young Sasha and Malia Obama at posh private institution Sidwell Friends. At the same time, they ignored the contradiction of President-elect Barack Obama opposing vouchers which would allow poor inner-city children in Washington D.C. to do the same thing. Instead, reporter Claire Shipman cooed over Sidwell Friends and the exciting opportunities awaiting the Obama children. Speaking of ten-year old Malia and the school, she enthused: "It's an award winning, entirely green building, complete with organic lunches, one of the many things that appealed to her and her family."
CNN and Post's Quinn Gush Over Obama Kids' New 'Magical' School
CNN correspondent Joe Johns' report on Monday's American Morning heaped praise upon Sidwell Friends School, the new school for the Obama daughters. Johns read from one of the school's own mission statements about its "Quaker values" and later described how President-elect Obama apparently "often seems in tune with Quaker principles -- seeking consensus with others; talking rather than fighting with opponents; and, at least in the case of Iraq, if not Afghanistan, opposing war even when the majority supports it." The correspondent also featured three clips from the Washington Post's Sally Quinn, who gushed over school: "Sidwell is a happy school....it can be a really magical place."
CBS's Schieffer to Cheney: 'Is Anything President Does Legal?'
On Sunday's Face the Nation on CBS, host Bob Schieffer seemed to be acting out a scene from Frost/Nixon as he questioned Vice President Dick Cheney about the terrorist surveillance program: "Do you feel you went too far, Mr. Vice President, in your surveillance?...Do you -- do you believe that the President, in time of war, that anything he does is legal?" Later, Schieffer again questioned the legality of Bush administration policies: "Let me talk to you a little bit about torture. You have said that you do not believe that waterboarding, for example, was torture...Would you do it again if you had to make those same decisions again? Because a lot of people now say that some of the things that happened here may be the reason that some of our casualties happened...because people saw the publicity of these things, the kinds of things that happened at Abu Ghraib." In fact, it was CBS News that broke the Abu Ghraib story, so by Schieffer's logic, CBS caused American casualties by showing the pictures.
ABC Frets Over Richardson as 'Distraction' from Obama's Agenda
ABC anchor Dan Harris led Sunday night's World News with Commerce-nominee Bill Richardson's unexpected withdrawal, but framed the story around worries over Richardson becoming a "distraction" from Barack Obama's agenda. George Stephanopoulos, however, assured him it will only "be a blip." Harris recited how "Obama is facing trouble abroad, trouble at home, and now trouble in his own cabinet." So, "this is another major challenge" for the besieged Obama, Harris empathized, "at a time when the economy is reeling and war is raging between the Israelis and Palestinian militants." Following a report from Jake Tapper, Harris went to George Stephanopoulos: "Obama's coming into office with a very ambitious agenda, and if you add together what's going on with Richardson right now with the Blagojevich scandal, is that going to be a distraction in the key early days?" Stephanopoulos assured him, given all the issues on Obama's agenda including "the panoply of national security challenges he's going to face when he takes office," that "this is likely to be a blip."
CNN Omits Radical Left-Wing Bent of 'Activists' Protesting Obama
During a report on Friday's Situation Room, CNN correspondent Susan Roesgen failed to mention the left-wing affiliation of the "activists" who were protesting near the Chicago home of President-elect Barack Obama. She only labeled them as "pro-Obama" and that they "promote a list of campaign promises they want Obama to remember -- promises to bring the troops home, to stop foreclosures, to make a plan for universal health care." Roesgen's short report, which began 36 minutes into the 5 pm Eastern hour of the CNN program, began with a description of the tight security outside Obama's home, and how "anyone who wants to make a political statement is pretty much pushed off to the side." She described the group of people making the demonstration as "small in number, big in spirit."
Holiday Weeks CyberAlert Headlines: Hyping Obama and Deriding Palin
After a couple of holiday weeks, headlines and links to some CyberAlert items those away from their computers missed which are still relevant. "Mitchell in Awe of Cabinet 'Brain Power,' Donaldson Pro-Cuomo"; "Obama's 'The Man,' CBS's Early Show Explores 'How Cool is Obama?'"; "Network Morning Shows Fawn Over Obama Vacation Photos"; "Newsweek Uses Year-End Edition to Take Potshots at Palin"; "NYT Falls for French Prank After Mocking Palin for Similar Gaffe"; "'Disheartened by What Bush Did to Us,' He Should Be 'Ashamed'"; "Joe the Plumber Laughs at CNN Anchor Who Insists He's Fair"; "NBC Promotes Vanity Fair's 'Good Riddance' Story on Team Bush"; "Globe's Carroll Dreams Obama Can Match Gorbachev's 'Greatness'"; "NBC Empathizes with Obama's Plight: Hounded by Press Corps"; and "As U.S. Succeeds in Iraq, Network TV Pulls the Plug."
4th Runners-Up Quotes in MRC's Annual Awards for Worst Reporting
The fourth runners-up quotes in the MRC's "Best Notable Quotables of 2008: The Twenty-First Annual Awards for the Year's Worst Reporting." Monday's CyberAlert featured the winners, Tuesday's had the first runners-up, Wednesday the second runners-up, Friday the third runners-up; today the fifth place quotes.
List of the 44 Judges Who Selected the Winning Worst Quotes
In recognition of their time and effort, a listing of the names and affiliations of the judges for the "Best Notable Quotables of 2008: The Twenty-First Annual Awards for the Year's Worst Reporting."
Top Runners-Up Quotes in MRC's Annual Awards for Worst Reporting
The first runner-up quotes in the MRC's "Best Notable Quotables of 2008: The Twenty-First Annual Awards for the Year's Worst Reporting." Monday's CyberAlert featured the winners; today the second place quotes.
List of the 44 Judges Who Selected the Winning Worst Quotes
In recognition of their time and effort, a listing of the names and affiliations of the judges for the "Best Notable Quotables of 2008: The Twenty-First Annual Awards for the Year's Worst Reporting."
From TimesWatch: Top 10 New York Times Lowlights from 2008
From the MRC's TimesWatch site. "The Favored One (Obama) vs. the Fallen One (McCain): Top 10 New York Times Lowlights from Campaign 2008."
Obama's 'The Man,' CBS's Early Show Explores 'How Cool is Obama?'
On Friday morning's The Early Show on CBS, viewers were treated to what seemed like a parody of Barack Obama's mainstream media paparazzi fawning over the Democratic President-elect, as the show ran a report exploring the question of "How cool is Obama?" and co-hosts Harry Smith and Tracy Smith referred to Obama as "the man" and "the epitome of cool," respectively. Audio of the classic rock group the Chiffons singing "He's So Fine" even played as the piece on Obama's "coolness" began. Tracy Smith oozed as she plugged the segment: "We're actually talking about how a lot of people think that President-elect Barack Obama is the epitome of cool. Look at that guy. Everything, I mean, even in a baseball cap. Don't you think?" After Harry Smith referred to a New York Times article about the significance of Obama spending his childhood in Hawaii, Tracy Smith effused: "That makes him even cooler."
Network Morning Shows Fawn Over Obama Vacation Photos
The Tuesday morning shows of NBC, ABC, and CBS all promoted Barack Obama's celebrity status as hosts and reporters ogled the latest paparazzi photo of Obama in swim trunks while on vacation in Hawaii, as NBC's Matt Lauer declared on Today: "And fit to serve, Barack Obama photographed shirtless in Hawaii and a lot of women are giving him the presidential seal of approval." On ABC's Good Morning America, co-host Diane Sawyer outlined Obama's workout routine: "...these photos of the first abs, which we've all been analyzing this morning. I just want to reminder you, to get those abs, he does standing triceps push-downs, shoulder presses, sit-ups with a high platform, one set of triceps, and calf raises." On the CBS Early Show, fill-in co-host Debbye Turner Bell held up the picture and announced: "Take a look at this. I'll be happy to pick this up!"
Obama's Blago Story on 3, His Exercise Chiseled Pectorals on 1
Here's a textbook definition of bias by story placement in a newspaper. On Christmas Eve, the Washington Post placed the release of the Obama's transition team's report on contacts with Gov. Rod Blagojevich on page A3 -- headlined "Obama Report Clears Dealings with Blagojevich." Centered right underneath the headline in this four-column story was a gray two-column box with a sidebar headlined in capitals "OBAMA ATTENDS SERVICE FOR GRANDMOTHER." But on Christmas Day, this Obama story was on Page One of the Post: "As Duties Weigh Obama Down, His Faith in Fitness Only Increases."
Newsweek Uses Year-End Edition to Take Potshots at Palin
Newsweek sprinkled throughout its year-end double issue, with Barack Obama on the cover as the #1 member of "The New Global Elite," a bunch of potshots at Sarah Palin -- and even derided teen daughter Bristol too. In a list of those who committed "low behavior" during 2008 (which did at least also highlight John Edwards), the magazine accused Sarah Palin of a "smear" against Barack Obama, on another page Newsweek described her as an "ill-informed, inarticulate shopaholic" (while on the same page hailing MSNBC's Rachel Maddow as a "brilliant" woman who "gives libs a happy new voice") and deep in the December 29/January 5 edition the magazine ridiculed Bristol Palin: "For 30 years, the Moral Majority has promoted 'abstinence only.' Jamie Lynn Spears, Bristol Palin...how's that working out?"
NYT Falls for French Prank After Mocking Palin for Similar Gaffe
The New York Times, which last month mocked Sarah Palin for getting taken in by a French prank...got taken in by a French prank, printing a letter Monday (December 22) allegedly from Bertrand Delanoe, the Mayor of Paris, calling Caroline Kennedy's bid for a U.S. Senate seat as "appalling" and "not very democratic."
'Disheartened by What Bush Did to Us,' He Should Be 'Ashamed'
Declaring President George W. Bush's "economic legacy is selfishness" for daring to propose letting people invest a portion their Social Security payments in the stock market, on Sunday's Meet the Press the Washington Post's Michelle Singletary charged Bush "should be ashamed of what he's left us." The Post-based nationally-syndicated "Color of Money" personal finance columnist contended that as a "regular mom and churchgoer" she's "just so disheartened by what Bush did to us" economically by "fighting a war that we couldn't win." She got the last word, an overly dramatic one at that, during the panel's assessment of Bush's legacy: "He did all of this, I think, at the detriment of our country, our economy. And I think the regular American people are sitting here going, 'We're in this war, and you said you couldn't afford health care, and yet all these billions of dollars are over there. And I have no job, no health care and probably no house.'"
Joe the Plumber Laughs at CNN Anchor Who Insists He's Fair
Just before 8am Eastern time on the Tuesday edition of CNN's American Morning, anchor John Roberts interviewed Joe "The Plumber" Wurzelbacher, and something unusual happened. After a battery of questions from Roberts suggesting Joe was throwing John McCain "under the bus," Joe shot back that the media does that to candidates it supports. Roberts took offense, since "I'm a journalist," and Joe laughed at that. Roberts insisted Joe should not cast aspersions against him, and Joe said he didn't mean to attack Roberts personally, but the news media are "very slanted to the left."
Winning Quotes in MRC's Annual Awards for the Worst Reporting
The winning quotes in the MRC's "Best Notable Quotables of 2008: The Twenty-First Annual Awards for the Year's Worst Reporting." As noted in a CyberAlert Special last Monday, the awards issue was posted, with videos, on Monday, December 22, but following tradition, today, Tuesday and Wednesday -- the last weekdays of the year -- CyberAlert will run the winning quotes followed on succeeding days by the runners-up. MSNBC's Chris Matthews earned the dubious honor of "
Quote of the Year" for the Hardball anchor's gushing reaction to a Barack Obama speech back in February: "I felt this thrill going up my leg. I mean, I don't have that too often....And that is an objective assessment." Matthews edged out Reuters news service, which "won" second place for this ridiculous post-election headline: "Media bias largely unseen in U.S. presidential race." MRC.org features the online posting with audio/video (click-and-play Flash video, as well as downloadable Windows Media video and MP3 audio clips), a PDF and downloadable text.
List of the 44 Judges Who Selected the Winning Worst Quotes
In recognition of their time and effort, a listing of the names and affiliations of the 44 judges for the "Best Notable Quotables of 2008: The Twenty-First Annual Awards for the Year's Worst Reporting."
NBC Touts How Biden Will Boldly Put Middle Class 'Front and Center'
In an abbreviated edition of Sunday's NBC Nightly News, the network still found time to tout as newsworthy how Vice President-elect Joe Biden will chair a "White House Task Force on Working Families." With "Focus on the Middle Class" on screen below a picture of Biden, anchor Lester Holt, referring to ABC's This Week, asserted Biden had "revealed" his function: "In an interview that aired today, the Vice President-elect, Joe Biden, revealed his role as the new administration's point man on the middle class." NBC reporter John Yang affirmed that "making good on a central theme of the campaign," Biden "laid down a bold political yardstick for economic policy." Viewers then heard a fairly pedestrian clip of Biden on ABC: "Is the middle class no longer being left behind? We'll look at everything from college affordability to after-school programs, the things that affect people's daily lives." Yang then heralded, with "front and center" enlarged on screen from the press release: "Biden will head a cabinet-level task force making sure middle class and working families are 'front and center.'" How reassuring.
Mitchell in Awe of Cabinet 'Brain Power,' Donaldson Pro-Cuomo
Sunday Wrap: Mitchell in awe of cabinet 'brain power,' Donaldson pro-Mario Cuomo, ombudsman urges bias fix. Some quick items from the Sunday interview shows and newspapers. On Meet the Press, NBC reporter Andrea Mitchell trumpeted the Obama cabinet's "meritocracy," and how it's supposedly made up of "superstars," as she gushed over "people with so much brain power and so much education." Over on ABC's This Week, Sam Donaldson opined Mario Cuomo "would make a very good President." In her final column for the Washington Post, outgoing ombudsman Deborah Howell urged the paper to address its lack of political diversity: "Make a serious effort to cover political and social conservatives and their issues."
Erroneous WashPost Front Page: Obama's 'Team of Moderates'
The top-left corner of the Saturday Washington Post carried the decidedly inaccurate headline: "For Obama Cabinet, A Team of Moderates." Reporter Alec MacGillis asserted that Obama finished assembling "a team full of outsize personalities with overlapping jurisdictions and nominees who are known more for pragmatism than for strong leanings on the issues they will oversee." Hillary Clinton and Tom Daschle, no strong liberal leanings?
ABC's GMA Frets Over Obama's 'President-Elect Housing Crisis'
On Friday's Good Morning America, anchors and reporters fretted about there being no room in Washington D.C. for Barack Obama. It seems that the President-elect's children start school on January 5 and Blair House, the presidential guest quarters, will not be available until the 15th of that month. News anchor Chris Cuomo worriedly insisted, "I mean, you know, he has got enough on his mind. He is worried about getting his kids situated, which is testament to the Obamas as parents." Co-host Robin Roberts sympathetically wondered of Obama, "You know, he can't check in early?" An ABC graphic hyperbolically asked, "President-Elect Housing Crisis?" During a tease for the David Wright segment, Roberts labeled the Obamas as like "so many folks" who are "scrambling to find a hotel room."
Behar: Obama Picking Warren = 'Cheney in Charge of Gun Control'
On Thursday's The View, co-host Joy Behar expressed her displeasure at President-elect Barack Obama's choice of Rick Warren for the invocation at his inauguration: "I don't think it's appropriate. It's like putting, you know, Cheney in charge of gun control. It's wrong....it's just wrong."
CBS's Chen: Leave Caroline Kennedy Alone, Criticism 'Unfair'
On Thursday's CBS Early Show, co-host Julie Chen came to the defense of would-be New York Senator Caroline Kennedy, who has faced criticism for her lack of experience: "This is so unfair. I mean, look, the system is set up the way it's set up and Governor Paterson decides and that's it. Leave her alone, everyone." That comment followed a report by correspondent Meg Oliver, in which Kennedy avoided tough questions from the press: "She quickly got a taste of the pressure that comes with seeking a high-profile political office...questions mostly went unanswered."
Leno: Shoe-Thrower Offered MSNBC Show, Letterman: Show on FNC
Last week, NBC's Tonight Show host Jay Leno took a couple of noteworthy jabs at the anti-Bush mainstream media in America, on Monday joking that the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at President Bush was "offered his own show on MSNBC," and on Tuesday quipping that "he was so anti-Bush, at first people just assumed he was an American journalist." By contrast, CBS's Late Show host David Letterman used the episode to jab Fox News as he cracked on Tuesday that the "hot head" Iraqi journalist with "poor journalistic skills" was "offered his own show on Fox News."
Time on Obama: 'History Can't Wait' for His 'Obi-Wan Kenobi Calm'
With the level of surprise set firmly at zero -- Time magazine routinely chooses the presidential election winner as Person of the Year -- Time gave that honor to Barack Obama on Wednesday. But the first peek at David Von Drehle's cover story shows that Time's gooey valentines to Obama know no end, starting with the headline: "Why History Can't Wait." The President-elect has that "Obi-Wan Kenobi calm," and yet is "the opposite of flashy, the antithesis of rhetoric: he gets things done. He is a man about his business -- a Mr. Fix It going to Washington." Compared to Bush in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Obama represents change so indelibly that even sinking three-pointers on the basketball court drive home the point: "In the land of the hapless, the competent man is king." Hillary Clinton tried to say Obama was all talk, "Yet he was the one whose campaign ran like clockwork, while hers was a fratricidal mess. And by Nov. 4, the strongest party in the U.S. was no longer the Republican Party or the Democratic Party; it was the Obama Party."
Stephanopoulos on Cabinet: 'Diversity and Competence Without Tokenism'
ABC's George Stephanopoulos on Wednesday night hailed President-elect Barack Obama's cabinet, pointing to how his national security team is made up of "coalition builders," including Hillary Clinton, before praising Obama for how "he has also kept his promise of reaching out beyond Washington for change with younger reformers like Shaun Donovan at HUD, Arne Duncan at Education and Lisa Jackson at the EPA." Thus, ABC's chief Washington correspondent decided: "He's managed to get this diversity and competence without engaging in any tokenism." But then Stephanopoulos recited Obama's political tokenism, pointing out how he "picked people in the cabinet with an eye towards fast-growing voter groups" as two cabinet nominations went to Hispanics and two to Asians and three choices were purely about electoral politics, not competence: "The Southwest has been a real prime target area, and look what the President-elect has done. He's picked Governor Napolitano of Arizona, Governor Richardson of New Mexico, Senator Salazar of Colorado, trying to lock in gains in those three key states."
CNN: At $50,000, 'Stars are Themselves Star Struck' with Obama
Picking up on a Center for Responsive Politics (CRP) report on how several Hollywood actors and actresses have ponied up $50,000 each for VIP access to Barack Obama's inaugural events, CNN reporter Samantha Hayes marveled: "It's a measure of the excitement around Obama, that the stars are themselves star struck." She highlighted, in a story run on Wednesday's Anderson Cooper 360, that "the Hollywood 'A' list is snapping up top-dollar tickets," naming Halle Berry, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jamie Foxx, Sharon Stone and Samuel L. Jackson as amongst those who have donated the maximum $50,000 to the inaugural committee.
Nightline Hosts Gush Over Idea of Caroline Kennedy as Senator
Nightline anchor Cynthia McFadden and ABC reporter John Donvan on Monday gushed over the possibility that Caroline Kennedy could replace Hillary Clinton as the Senator from New York. McFadden teased the segment by cooing: "So, is another chapter in the Camelot story about to be written?" Donvan repeatedly mentioned that Caroline Kennedy wouldn't have much experience for such a post. But, he didn't seem bothered at all by this, at one point stating: "All she will have at first is that name. But, at least she has kept it the way it was remembered, as part of a story that so many wanted to believe in." Contrast this with the coverage vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin received over a perceived lack of experience. Certainly, the media were not as forgiving for a non-Kennedy such as the Governor of Alaska.
CBS on Iraqi Shoe-Thrower: 'Sock and Awe;' 'Thrilled Arab World'
At the top of Tuesday's CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith offered this witty line teasing a story on the Iraq journalist who threw his shoes at President Bush: "Sock and awe. How the Iraqi shoe-thrower is now being hailed as a hero and drawing thousands of supporters." Later, Smith introduced a report about the shoe-thrower: "It's being referred to as the 'toss heard around the world.' In fact, many Iraqis are showering accolades on the journalist who threw his shoes at President Bush."
NY Times: 'Hyperpartisan' Era Begin with Clinton's Impeachment
New York Times political reporter Peter Baker's front-page story for the Sunday Week in Review, "The Lasting Effects of Political Poison," tried to diagnose the source of today's political polarization, and located a popular liberal cause. Patient Zero of what Baker called the "hyperpartisan age" is, in Baker's telling, President Bill Clinton, victim of impeachment by a Republican Congress in 1998 for mere "prevarications about sex" (as opposed to his perjury). The text box to Baker's story read: "Since 1998, little taste for impeachment, or for consensus." But did the age of nasty partisanship really begin with Republicans in 1998? How about the vicious personal smears against Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas in 1991?
CBS and ABC Tout Shoe-Thrower as 'Celebrity' and 'Folk Hero'
Usually rude protesters who disrupt events by throwing objects at state leaders don't earn media celebrations, but instead of being embarrassed by their Iraqi media colleague who, as he spewed venomous hatreds, dangerously threw his shoes at President Bush on Sunday in Baghdad, ABC and CBS on Monday night championed his popularity amongst Iraqis. ABC put "Folk Hero?" on screen as fill-in anchor Elizabeth Vargas trumpeted how Muntathar al-Zaidi has "become an instant celebrity to many of his countrymen" while CBS anchor Katie Couric hailed how "many Iraqis are calling him a hero" before reporter Elizabeth Palmer snidely concluded: "Al-Zaidi should do jail time, said the Iraqi bloggers, because he missed." From London, ABC's Jim Sciutto maintained: "Shoes have become a new symbol of anti-Americanism in the Arab world. And the Iraqi reporter who threw them, Muntathar al-Zaidi, a folk hero." Sciutto touted how "more than 100 lawyers volunteered to defend him. It was a heroic way to say goodbye to Bush, said one Iraqi." Though Sciutto at least noted how "some Iraqis are embarrassed," he countered: "Still, in news coverage, on new fan Web sites, in Arabic text messages, the overwhelming sentiment: giddy satisfaction."
ABC Hypes Cheney's 'Startling Admission' -- But What Was It?
Plugging how "Vice President Cheney sat down with ABC's Jonathan Karl for an exclusive interview," fill-in World News anchor Elizabeth Vargas on Monday night asserted Cheney "made a startling admission about the questioning of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks." But Vargas failed to explain what Cheney said to Karl that represented "a startling admission" and Karl didn't point out any "startling admission" from Cheney in the interview excerpt which followed the Vargas set up. In fact, Cheney didn't really say anything new as he stood by the "remarkably successful effort" to get intelligence from captured terrorists, affirmed the decision to waterboard KSM and denied he's "changed."
Cafferty Reads E-mail Comparing 'Gasbag' Limbaugh/Hannity to KKK
On Friday's The Situation Room on CNN, Jack Cafferty used his regular "Cafferty File" segment to attack Rush Limbaugh and other conservatives, citing Colin Powell's recent words criticizing Limbaugh's role in speaking for Republicans. After he quoted Powell's remarks, Cafferty clarified that Powell was "talking about that gasbag Limbaugh," and posed the question for viewers: "Should Republicans stop listening to Rush Limbaugh?" Later in the program, all the viewer e-mails he read were harshly critical of Limbaugh, with one even comparing him and Sean Hannity to the Ku Klux Klan. Cafferty, reading e-mail: "Connie in Chicago: ‘Yes! Limbaugh is a far-right agitator of the worst sort with a 1950's mentality of what values 21st century America should reflect. I expect him and other like-minded Sean Hannitys of the world to step out of their closet and display their white sheets and dunce caps. Limbaugh is a bad joke.'"
ABC Hails Obama's 'Green Team,' Slams Bush's Climate 'Censorship'
Less than a week after a new report from the ranking Republican on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee showcased hundreds of scientists who disagree with the United Nations' alarmist take on global climate change, ABC's World News on Sunday night featured a report devoted solely to cheering Barack Obama's new "green team" -- the promotional term was embraced by ABC News -- and laying the groundwork for radical action on global warming after what ABC termed "censorship" and "stonewalling" by the Bush administration. The story by ABC's Bill Blakemore offered a manipulative presentation, asserting that "wildfires, droughts and downpours [are] increasing exactly as predicted for global warming" -- but not mentioning that global temperatures are actually lower now than in 1998 -- and scolding how the Bush White House allowed "political assistants in their 20s to rewrite the conclusions of leading climate scientists" -- as if the liberal political opinions of scientists could not be second-guessed.
Time Magazine's Jay Carney Joins VP Joe Biden's Staff
After 20 years with Time magazine, where he's served since 2005 as Washington Bureau Chief, Jay Carney announced Monday he's going through the revolving door to join incoming Vice President Joe Biden's staff where he'll oversee press operations for the Democrat. Officially, Politico reported Monday, he'll hold the title of "assistant to the vice president and director of communications." Carney is married to ABC News correspondent Claire Shipman, a regular on Good Morning America, and the two used to appear regularly together on ABC's This Week.
In '05, Newsweek's Clift Hailed Blago as 'Cherubic,' Clintonesque
From the Wish I Could Take That Back file: Almost exactly three years ago, Newsweek's Eleanor Clift hailed Gov. Rod Blagojevich for his "fresh" approach to health care. He was "worth listening to," and with his "cherubic face," he reminded Clift of "another eager young governor, Bill Clinton circa '92." He was a rarity for daring to rest on a self-proclaimed "moral standpoint."
CBS and ABC Tout Shoe-Thrower as 'Celebrity' and 'Folk Hero'
Usually rude protesters who disrupt events by throwing objects at state leaders don't earn media celebrations, but instead of being embarrassed by their Iraqi media colleague who, as he spewed venomous hatreds, dangerously threw his shoes at President Bush on Sunday in Baghdad, ABC and CBS on Monday night championed his popularity amongst Iraqis. ABC put "Folk Hero?" on screen as fill-in anchor Elizabeth Vargas trumpeted how Muntathar al-Zaidi has "become an instant celebrity to many of his countrymen" while CBS anchor Katie Couric hailed how "many Iraqis are calling him a hero" before reporter Elizabeth Palmer snidely concluded: "Al-Zaidi should do jail time, said the Iraqi bloggers, because he missed." From London, ABC's Jim Sciutto maintained: "Shoes have become a new symbol of anti-Americanism in the Arab world. And the Iraqi reporter who threw them, Muntathar al-Zaidi, a folk hero." Sciutto touted how "more than 100 lawyers volunteered to defend him. It was a heroic way to say goodbye to Bush, said one Iraqi." Though Sciutto at least noted how "some Iraqis are embarrassed," he countered: "Still, in news coverage, on new fan Web sites, in Arabic text messages, the overwhelming sentiment: giddy satisfaction."
ABC Hypes Cheney's 'Startling Admission' -- But What Was It?
Plugging how "Vice President Cheney sat down with ABC's Jonathan Karl for an exclusive interview," fill-in World News anchor Elizabeth Vargas on Monday night asserted Cheney "made a startling admission about the questioning of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks." But Vargas failed to explain what Cheney said to Karl that represented "a startling admission" and Karl didn't point out any "startling admission" from Cheney in the interview excerpt which followed the Vargas set up. In fact, Cheney didn't really say anything new as he stood by the "remarkably successful effort" to get intelligence from captured terrorists, affirmed the decision to waterboard KSM and denied he's "changed."
Cafferty Reads E-mail Comparing 'Gasbag' Limbaugh/Hannity to KKK
On Friday's The Situation Room on CNN, Jack Cafferty used his regular "Cafferty File" segment to attack Rush Limbaugh and other conservatives, citing Colin Powell's recent words criticizing Limbaugh's role in speaking for Republicans. After he quoted Powell's remarks, Cafferty clarified that Powell was "talking about that gasbag Limbaugh," and posed the question for viewers: "Should Republicans stop listening to Rush Limbaugh?" Later in the program, all the viewer e-mails he read were harshly critical of Limbaugh, with one even comparing him and Sean Hannity to the Ku Klux Klan. Cafferty, reading e-mail: "Connie in Chicago: ‘Yes! Limbaugh is a far-right agitator of the worst sort with a 1950's mentality of what values 21st century America should reflect. I expect him and other like-minded Sean Hannitys of the world to step out of their closet and display their white sheets and dunce caps. Limbaugh is a bad joke.'"
ABC Hails Obama's 'Green Team,' Slams Bush's Climate 'Censorship'
Less than a week after a new report from the ranking Republican on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee showcased hundreds of scientists who disagree with the United Nations' alarmist take on global climate change, ABC's World News on Sunday night featured a report devoted solely to cheering Barack Obama's new "green team" -- the promotional term was embraced by ABC News -- and laying the groundwork for radical action on global warming after what ABC termed "censorship" and "stonewalling" by the Bush administration. The story by ABC's Bill Blakemore offered a manipulative presentation, asserting that "wildfires, droughts and downpours [are] increasing exactly as predicted for global warming" -- but not mentioning that global temperatures are actually lower now than in 1998 -- and scolding how the Bush White House allowed "political assistants in their 20s to rewrite the conclusions of leading climate scientists" -- as if the liberal political opinions of scientists could not be second-guessed
Time Magazine's Jay Carney Joins VP Joe Biden's Staff
After 20 years with Time magazine, where he's served since 2005 as Washington Bureau Chief, Jay Carney announced Monday he's going through the revolving door to join incoming Vice President Joe Biden's staff where he'll oversee press operations for the Democrat. Officially, Politico reported Monday, he'll hold the title of "assistant to the vice president and director of communications." Carney is married to ABC News correspondent Claire Shipman, a regular on Good Morning America, and the two used to appear regularly together on ABC's This Week.
In '05, Newsweek's Clift Hailed Blago as 'Cherubic,' Clintonesque
From the Wish I Could Take That Back file: Almost exactly three years ago, Newsweek's Eleanor Clift hailed Gov. Rod Blagojevich for his "fresh" approach to health care. He was "worth listening to," and with his "cherubic face," he reminded Clift of "another eager young governor, Bill Clinton circa '92." He was a rarity for daring to rest on a self-proclaimed "moral standpoint."
NBC's Lee Cowan: Blagojevich 'Fell Victim to History'
Certainly delivering a unique take on the Blagojevich case, in a Thursday night story on why Illinois politics are so corrupt, NBC reporter Lee Cowan characterized the Governor of Illinois as a politician who "fell victim" to Chicago's political machine. Apparently, corruption was just irresistible. Cowan contended: "The Windy City is a political stew of characters, a cast of players that even Hollywood would envy. Governor Rod Blagojevich is just the latest squeaky wheel in Chicago's political machine. Although he promised to be different, he fell victim, prosecutors allege, to history."
CNN's Yellin Hails: Obama's 'Set Down a Marker for Transparency'
CNN correspondent Jessica Yellin reversed course concerning her take on President-elect Barack Obama's "transparency" on the issue of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and the appointment of his successor in the U.S. Senate. During a segment on Wednesday's Situation Room, Yellin criticized the outgoing Illinois Senator for "not starting off on the foot he promised he'd start off on, which is more transparency and more candor than we've seen before." Just under 17 hour later, minutes after Obama stated that he was "absolutely certain" that no one in his camp was involved in the Governor's alleged scheme to sell his senate seat, the CNN correspondent praised the President-elect: "I should also highlight...that he's also set down a marker for transparency. He promised a transparent government...and he has revealed now much more than we usually hear in these kind of investigations scandals from a politician."
Terrorist Ayers Has His Say on Same NYT Page McCain Was Refused
McCain's op-ed unworthy, but domestic terrorist Bill Ayers' op-ed is: "The Real Bill Ayers" falsely claimed the Weather Underground never attacked people. During the 2008 campaign, John McCain's pro-Iraq War op-ed was judged by the New York Times editorial page as unworthy of publication (even though Barack Obama had penned a pro-withdrawal one for the paper just a week before). But last weekend, one well-known personality from the campaign broke his silence and claimed that precious piece of journalistic real estate: 1960s domestic terrorist and Obama friend Bill Ayers wrote an op-ed for Saturday's edition, "The Real Bill Ayers," setting out his side of the story.
CBS: GOP Attempts to Tie Obama to Blagojevich 'A Tough Sell'
Wednesday's CBS Early Show worked hard to put as much distance as possible between Barack Obama and disgraced Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, as correspondent Chip Reid reported: "Barack Obama and Rod Blagojevich have both been leaders in Illinois Democratic politics for years, but long-time observers say that's about as far as the connection goes." Reid later dismissed Republican efforts to question Obama's connection to the indicted Governor: "...that's not stopping the Republican National Committee from trying to tie the two men together...Despite the occasional photo together, though, linking them could be a tough sell."
George Stephanopoulos: Blago is Obama's 'Best Character Witness'
Former top Democratic aide-turned journalist George Stephanopoulos appeared on Wednesday's Good Morning America to downplay the connection between Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, charged with trying to sell a U.S. Senate seat, and President-elect Barack Obama. He helpfully argued that the profane references to Obama on the FBI's tapes indicate that "Blagojevich himself is the President-elect's best character witness." Stephanopoulos and co-host Diane Sawyer did discuss the apparent contradiction between Obama's claim on Tuesday that he had "no contact" with the governor and chief spokesman David Axelrod's comments on November 23 in which he asserted, "I know he's talked to the governor." A very credulous Stephanopoulos explained, "Well, first of all, David Axelrod put out a statement late yesterday, where he said he simply misspoke there...That is backed up by everyone else on the team, as well." So, while an ABC graphic read, "Political 'Crime Spree': Will Allegations Affect Obama," the former Clinton aide obviously didn't think so.
NY Times' Tom Friedman to Obama: Go 'Radical' on the Environment!
During an interview on CNN's No Bias, No Bull program on Tuesday, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman expressed his confidence in President-elect Obama's "vision" for environmental policy and urged that the future executive be given "means...that are as radical as its ends" to carry out this policy: "[I]t's great to say we're going to have green jobs and green homes and green-collared jobs to re-insulate people's homes, install solar panels. Those jobs won't get taken up unless you change building codes around the country. So...I think, the challenge for President-elect Obama will be to have the standards, regulations, the means that are as radical as its ends so we can really achieve those ends."
Matthews to Ayers: 'I Agitate My Way, You Agitate Your Way'
Chris Matthews invited on Bill Ayers on Wednesday night's Hardball, and actually confronted him about his bombing of Capitol Hill during his days as a member of the '60s terrorist group Weather Underground, as the former Capitol Hill police officer emotionally observed: "I was a Capitol policeman at the time, so I was one of the guys that could have been killed obviously at the time you put that, your guys put that bomb in there. So I have a little personal interest. It wasn't just vandalism. To me it was life-threatening to the guys I worked with. And there were some pretty good guys working there." However Matthews, who paradoxically may not even be alive to conduct this interview today if the Weather Underground's bombs were more devastating, devoted most of the interview tossing softballs Ayers' way, as the two often agreed with each other on Barack Obama and Iraq policy as the Hardball host pointed out they only really differed on how to spread their points of view: "Well, Mr. Ayers, with all due respect, you agitate your way, I agitate my way."
Angst on PBS Over Too-Long Wait for Obama's Inauguration
In the midst of a discussion about President-elect Barack Obama's national security team, Washington Week host Gwen Ifill on Friday night's program sought confirmation for her theory that "what people are beginning to say is that this President-elect should be President now" as "people are saying why isn't Barack Obama leading the fight about the auto-makers?" New York Times reporter Peter Baker agreed: "That's right, exactly." He proceeded to fret over how "people voted for change and this strange, odd 77-day waiting period that we impose...between our election and our inauguration" just isn't compatible with the "hyperactive 24/7 fast-moving culture that we have today." Baker admired how "Obama is trying to find some balance between respecting President Bush," whom Baker conceded is "still in charge," and "finding a way to assert leadership."
Rather: Biggest Crisis Since Pearl Harbor, So Inaugurate Sooner
Appearing on Friday's Morning Joe on MSNBC, former CBS anchor Dan Rather chided President Bush for not doing enough during his lame duck period and argued for moving Inauguration Day up to December 1. And although Rather didn't explain specifically what Bush wasn't doing enough about (The financial crisis? The terrorist incident in India?), he did hyperbolically fret: "But, we're in possibly, possibly the biggest crisis we've been in since December 7, 1941 and maybe since the time of the Civil War." Addressing the past practice of inaugurating presidents in March, Rather lobbied: "Thank heaven, we now swear them in, new Presidents, in January. I'd be in favor of moving it up to December 1st."
CBS: Wounded the 'Consequence' of Rejecting Shinseki's Advice
Media reports on President-elect Barack Obama's selection of retired Army General Eric Shinseki commonly described the pick as a "rebuke" or "repudiation" of the Bush administration for underestimating the number of troops that would be needed to occupy Iraq, but CBS's Dean Reynolds went further as he implied abiding by Shinseki's 2003 recommendation for "several hundred thousand soldiers" would have prevented wounded troops. On Sunday's CBS Evening News, over archive video of Shinseki visiting wounded soldiers -- and leading into a soundbite from Shinseki saying "veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan in particular are confronting severe wounds, some seen, some unseen" -- Reynolds declared: "Now Shinseki will deal with the consequences of a policy that rejected his advice."
Conflict of Interest? Chris Matthews Silent on Rendell Gaffe
With more and more reports coming out that MSNBC's Chris Matthews is actively looking to run for Senate in his home state of Pennsylvania, questions about a conflict of interest have been raised. Can the host fairly cover the Democratic Party when he's actively trying to join its Senate ranks, and even more specifically, how objective can he be when he's interviewing Pennsylvania Democrats like frequent Hardball guest Governor Ed Rendell? Well, if last week is any indication, Matthews is failing that objectivity test as he has yet to mention on Hardball the controversy surrounding a, some believe, sexist remark Rendell made about Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano having more time to devote to being Homeland Security Secretary because she has "no life."
Time's Israely: Pope's a 'Scrooge' for Defending Church Doctrine
Time magazine's Jeff Israely compared Pope Benedict XVI to the most famous Charles Dickens character in his latest column, which focused on the "tough line on Church doctrine" the pontiff has taken: "[T]here is growing proof that the 82-year-old Pope is...quite willing to play the part of Scrooge to defend his often rigid view of Church doctrine." Israely later put Scrooge's characteristic anti-Christmas exclamation in the mouth of the Holy Father: "[O]ne can imagine Benedict flashing that gentle smile, tilting his head ever so slightly and declaring: Bah Humbug!"
Obama 'Most Fascinating' to Walters: 'Redeemed American Promise'
Unveiling President-elect Barack Obama as her "Most Fascinating Person of 2008," Barbara Walters wrapped up her Thursday night prime time special by championing how Obama "has redeemed the American promise that an individual can make his own destiny and create a new world." (Obama hasn't even taken office, yet he's already managed to "create a new world"?) She then presumptuously gushed: "We are all members of that new world now, and that for us makes him the Most Fascinating Person of 2008. Good luck, Mr. President."
Good Morning America Gushes Over 30 Day Anniversary of Obama Win
Sounding like junior high students reveling in their first romance, Good Morning America co-host Diane Sawyer and ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos on Thursday celebrated the one month anniversary of Barack Obama's election as president. While talking to the former Clinton aide-turned journalist, Sawyer cooed: "Well, speaking of the President-elect, kind of an anniversary today. 30 days since he was elected." She continued in a bubbly tone: "So, it's time to launch the first annual, ever, 30-day George Stephanopoulos presidential election awards." Stephanopoulos, of course, had nothing but praise for Obama. He enthused: "So, it's hard to imagine this first month going much better for the President-elect." He also lauded the Democrat for handling "the transition with the same kind of precision and discipline that he managed to show during the campaign."
CBS's Schieffer: Obama Cabinet 'Bunch of Flaming Moderates'
On Thursday's CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith discussed the Obama transition with Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer, who contended: "A lot of people said this is going to be a very extremist President and all that, that he's a very liberal Democrat, but as we have seen in appointment after appointment, he's hewing to the center. He's picking a bunch of flaming moderates here, when you come right down t it. Now some liberal Democrats may not like that, but he's getting praised generally across the board here." Smith agreed: "Yeah, Bob, I would guess that the only people who really feel like they have their feathers ruffled are, maybe, the liberal Democrats."
CNN's Cho Tries to Expose 'Rahmbo' Emanuel's 'Nice Guy' Side
During a report on Thursday's American Morning, CNN correspondent Alina Cho used personal anecdotes in attempt to show how Barack Obama's Chief-of-Staff-designate Rahm Emanuel has "softened over the years." Cho cited the outgoing Illinois Congressman's unnamed rabbi, who said he is "really just a nice guy, intensely spiritual, even polite." She also stated how despite being labeled a "street fighter with a killer instinct," Emanuel also has more of sensitive side: "His congressional colleagues say he's the kind of guy who will chew you out then send you a cheesecake."
Chris Matthews: It's 'Really Hard' to 'Salute Sarah Palin'
On Thursday night's Hardball, Chris Matthews actually praised Sarah Palin for her ability to draw a crowd and even pegged her as the early frontrunner for the GOP nod in 2012: "Who's gonna beat her?" However, the MSNBC host later admitted giving Palin that much credit took a lot out of him as he confessed to a guest panelist: "This is really hard to do this, to salute Sarah Palin."
Only NBC Nightly News Notes Fewest Ever Monthly Deaths in Wars
Of the broadcast network newscasts Thursday evening, only the NBC Nightly News took a few seconds to note some more good news from the war front as fill-in anchor Lester Holt reported "combined deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan in November" stood at eleven, "the lowest total since the U.S. invaded Iraq." ABC's World News devoted more than two minutes to LBJ tapes, which showed him "anguished about the Vietnam war," while the CBS Evening News also had no time for the improving news out of Iraq and Afghanistan as the program aired a full story on how the recession is impacting the rich in Beverly Hills who, in Katie Couric's formulation, are being "forced to hawk what they own to pay what they 90210."
Lily Tomlin: When You Say 'Zoo,' Elephants Hear 'Guantanamo Bay'
Sometimes you have to laugh at the overwrought emotion that Hollywood celebrities bring to their causes. In a story on Thursday's Today (in the supposedly hard news 7am half hour), KNBC reporter Robert Kovasic reported on a debate in Los Angeles about whether to spend $40 million to renovate and enlarge the elephant compound at the Los Angeles Zoo, or instead create a 100-acre elephant preserve just outside the city. MRC's Geoff Dickens caught this soundbite of actress Lily Tomlin wailing about the plight of the elephant in the zoo: "The word, 'zoo' is sort of elephant-speak for Guantanamo. They're really, they are suffering and being tortured."
Mitchell Lauds Obama's 'Effortless' Creation of 'Mosaic' Cabinet
When it comes to building a quota Cabinet that fulfills liberal demands for "diversity," Barack Obama is far smoother than the "artless" and "calculating" Clintons were back in 1992, NBC's Andrea Mitchell argued Wednesday afternoon on MSNBC. In contrast to the Clintons, Obama's approach is "effortless. They're creating a mosaic, but they're not doing it by self-consciously creating that mosaic," Mitchell enthused.
Milbank on CNN:'Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy' Wants to Stop Clinton
During his regular "Political Daily Briefing' feature on CNN's No Bias, No Bull program on Tuesday evening, Dana Milbank of the Washington Post used Hillary Clinton's famous descriptive about her conservative opponents in describing one group's latest effort against the outgoing New York Senator: "A group called Judicial Watch, charter members of the vast right-wing conspiracy -- they were on to Hillary back during the commodity trading days -- now, they say because of Article One in the Constitution says you cannot serve in the position where you got a -- voted for a pay raise while you were in Congress, they're saying she is constitutionally ineligible." He then opined that "the only thing for Hillary to do is just give her $191,000 salary as Secretary of State to Judicial Watch for their extraordinary creativity -- just save everybody the court costs."
Bernstein: Clintons Bring National Unity Through 'Real Wisdom'
Veteran Washington Post reporter Carl Bernstein appeared on Wednesday's Morning Joe on MSNBC and gushed that Barack Obama's appointment of Hillary Clinton to the State Department will benefit from the "real wisdom" Bill Clinton has "when it comes to foreign policy." Continuing to fawn over the President-elect's cabinet choices, Bernstein enthused: "And the real thing about this appointment, though, is that Obama is assembling a group of people to unite the country." The author of the Clinton bio A Woman in Charge optimistically added: "He [Obama] wants a political consensus so he can do what other Presidents haven't been able to do, which is to move the country in the direction he wants without division down the middle."
Matthews Wowed by Obama Response to Query on Richardson's Beard
"Wow!" That was Chris Matthews' immediate reaction to Barack Obama's response to a question from a Fox News reporter about why his pick for Commerce Secretary, Bill Richardson, shaved off his beard. After playing, on Wednesday night's Hardball, a clip from Obama's press conference introducing Richardson, Matthews expressed awe at the "intellectual" way Obama analyzed Richardson's personal grooming habits.
Time Mag's Grunwald Frets Chambliss Will Cause GOP to Shift Right
In a Tuesday posting before the results were in from Georgia's run-off Senate election between incumbent Republican Saxby Chambliss, who won, and Democrat Jim Martin, Time magazine's Michael Grunwald fretted a Chambliss victory "could reinforce the dangerous message that recent electoral results have been sending to Republicans" which is that "GOP moderates like Connecticut Congressman Christopher Shays and GOP pragmatists like North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory keep losing, while most Republican survivors have been conservatives from conservative districts and conservative states." So, Grunwald worried, "the party keeps looking more like Chambliss and moving further in his direction -- even more white, even more to the right, even more eager to fight."
'Rather: Unleashed' = Evils of 'Huge Conglomerate' Owning News
As if anyone would be interested in Dan Rather being "unleashed," Tuesday's edition of the IFC Media Project, a weekly far-left show that presumes the media are biased to the right, featured Rather whining about too much entertainment in news and blaming "the big, huge international conglomerate that now owns so many of the news outlets" for bringing American journalism to "a crisis point" -- not his own embarrassing political hit job on President Bush based on forged documents -- for blocking "investigative" journalism.
CNN's Brown Lectures Obama for Brushing Off Media's Questions
On Monday's No Bias, No Bull program, CNN's Campbell Brown lashed out at President-elect Barack Obama for his flippant response to a reporter's question: "Mr. President-elect, reporters, we hope, are going to ask you a lot of annoying questions over the next four years. Get used to it. That is the job of the media, to hold you accountable. But this isn't just about the media. It's about the American people, many of whom voted for you because of what you said during the campaign, and they have a right to know which of those things you meant and which you didn't. Apparently, as you made clear today, you didn't mean what you said about Hillary Clinton. So, what else didn't you mean?"
MSNBC Anchor Frets: Why Hasn't Obama's Election Ended Terrorism?
File this one under "Deluded Expectations." During MSNBC's coverage of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, daytime anchor Alex Witt seemed frustrated that the election of Barack Obama 23 days earlier -- and the accompanying "global outpouring of affection, respect, hope" -- had not caused an end to terrorist violence. Talking with correspondent John Yang, who was covering the Obama side of the story, Witt conceded that while "you certainly can't expect things to change on a dime overnight....There had been such a global outpouring of affection, respect, hope, with the new administration coming in, that precisely these kinds of attacks, it was thought -- at least hoped -- would be dampered down. But in this case it looks like Barack Obama is getting a preview of things to come."
CBS's Couric: Cabinet Picks 'Inoculate' Obama from Criticism
Following coverage of a Monday morning news conference in which President-elect Barack Obama announced his national security team, CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric observed: "Two initially surprising centrist choices for his so-called team of rivals. Senator Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, and of course Bush Defense Secretary Robert Gates." She then asked political analyst Jeff Greenfield: "In a way, this inoculates President-elect Obama from criticism that he is somehow soft in the area of foreign policy, doesn't it?" Greenfield agreed: "Yeah, I think so." Greenfield went on to explain: "If he's going to pursue a different course, emphasizing diplomacy and international aid, if you have people like General Jones and Secretary Gates, and Hillary Clinton, who's relatively hawkish for a Democrat, it doesn't sound like a Kumbaya, let's just trust everybody. These are hard-headed realists and I think it helps him pursue that foreign policy."
Matthews Panel Frets GOP Will Fight Obama's 'Great Things'
On Sunday's syndicated Chris Matthews Show, host Matthews led the panel in a discussion over whether conservatives would choose to cooperate with the Obama administration in making "historic changes" to repair the economy, rather than stand in opposition to his programs. The premise of the discussion seemed to be that times are too serious for conservatives to dare dissent from Obama's plans. At one point, David Ignatius of the Washington Post suggested that "thoughtful" Republicans will work with Obama as he referred to John McCain's concession speech: "I thought that John McCain set the tone for thoughtful Republicans in his concession speech election night, where he reached out to Obama. He was remarkably generous. One of the best speeches he's ever made, in my book." As he teased the show, Matthews wondered if Republicans would try to stand in the way of Obama accomplishing "great things," or if they would see the light and cooperate: "Will the mountain of crises our country faces make Barack Obama do great things? And with all the crises, will even Republicans see historic steps are required?"
CNN's Bernstein Attacks Cynicism of Press, GOP on Hillary Pick
A year ago, author and Hillary Clinton biographer Carl Bernstein said he was hired at CNN for Campaign 2008 to "examine the real lives and records" of the presidential candidates "and their political machines." But now that the campaign is over, Bernstein announced on Tuesday that the media needs to "ratchet down our own cynicism" and ponder the smarts and "sheer star power" Hillary Clinton can bring to the State Department. Bernstein also attacked Republicans for issuing a critical press release: "The Republicans are in very rough shape right now. And putting out the kind of statement they did this afternoon, the idea, the old cliche about politics stopping at the water's edge before this gentleman even gets a chance to be President of the United States, was quite extraordinary." As if the Democrats didn't criticize President Bush on foreign policy?
ABC Ignores Party ID of Dem Mayor Accused of Racist Remarks
Over the course of two segments and seven minutes, Good Morning America co-host Diane Sawyer on Monday completely ignored the party affiliation of the Kansas City mayor embroiled in a lawsuit over racist remarks and charges of nepotism, at no point identifying Mayor Mark Funkhouser as a Democrat. The only designation of Funkhouser came in the form of a bland, onscreen graphic: "Mayor Mark Funkhouser (Kansas City, Missouri)."
Walters Aggressive with Bush in '01, Tosses Softballs to Obama
In the interview for Wednesday's Barbara Walters Special on ABC with Barack and Michelle Obama, Walters asked few questions that put the Obamas on the defensive, in contrast with her January 2001 interview with then-President-elect Bush in which she challenged him on a number of fronts. Most notably, she chided Bush for choosing John Ashcroft as Attorney General because he "openly opposes abortion," and claimed that Ashcroft was "not considered a fri | | |