Bush Worsening Christmas Sales; FNC to Take Up MRC Awards; Vicious Attack on Thomas by ABC's Simpson; Dan Rather as Gladiator Warrior 1) ABC, CBS and NBC led Thursday night with how the White House castigated Bush for hinting an economic downturn may be ahead. Dan Rather scolded: "Is talk of a recession responsible?" Some in the White House "accuse the Bush team of economic fear-mongering." Rather even blamed Bush for exacerbating slow holiday sales. Only FNC recalled how Clinton acted similarly in 1992. 2) Words seldom, if ever, heard before from a network reporter: "Reagan's big across-the-board tax cut... continue reading
Bush's Fault Blacks Opposed Him; No Disenfranchisement Found; Pressure From "the Far Right"; Silence Over Hillary Book Deal 1) ABC and CBS put the burden on Bush for black aversion to him, citing his visit to Bob Jones University as well as stands on the death penalty and affirmative action. CBS showcased a black Republican woman who left the GOP over Bush. 2) FNC's Brit Hume picked up on newspaper reports about how there's no evidence of any black disenfranchisement in Florida but in Philadelphia, "in some precincts, 100 percent of those registered were recorded as having voted, with 99... continue reading
As "Rough" on Bush as on Clinton?; Rather Gullible to Clinton Whoppers; More Gore Votes; West Wing to Be "Pain in Ass" to Bush? 1) CNN's Judy Woodruff seriously wondered: "Will Bush have as rough a time" with the media as did Bill Clinton? 2) Dan Rather tossed softballs and questions matching the Democratic spin to Bill Clinton in his 60 Minutes II interview, such as "you say what" to those "convinced that the Supreme Court...voted politics not the law?" Rather didn't bat an eye when Clinton offered whoppers about Whitewater, Tom DeLay, impeachment, Ken Starr... 3) Tuesday night CBS... continue reading
"Did Al Gore Cry?"; "Use DeLay's Extremism" As a "Foil"; Gumbel: Ignore GOP Extreme and Follow McCain's Lead 1) CNN's Bernard Shaw to Gore aide Roy Neel: "In the final hours...how many times did Al Gore cry?" 2) Face the Nation hosts pounded away at Dick Cheney, pressing the winner to embrace Democratic policies. Gloria Borger suggested they and Democrats "write legislation together" while Schieffer dreamed: "Will there be a place where you will say to Democrats ....'You've had a better idea on this than we do'?" Schieffer urged Bush to "resist and isolate" conservatives. 3) Bush should "use DeLay's... continue reading
Bush's Short & Lax Work Day; "BEWARE" of "THE HAMMER"; Al Gore Always Asks "What Would Jesus Do?"; Rather Wrong on Statue 1) "A typical Bush work day begins early and ends early with a long break in the middle for exercise," ABC's Dean Reynolds warned as he relayed the complaint from a professor about how Bush "combines ignorance of the policy background in Washington with a distaste for study." 2) "BEWARE" of Tom DeLay, aka "THE HAMMER," warned a wanted poster-like mock up graphic on the CBS Evening News as the broadcast network morning and evening shows targeted DeLay... continue reading
Bush Hindered by Conservatives; Brokaw Pushed McCain's Agenda; "Ideologically Motivated" SCOTUS Made Bush President 1) Conservatives, as epitomized by Tom DeLay, are an impediment to George Bush. ABC asserted the "firebrand conservative" will cause Bush more "difficulty" than any Democrat. CBS's Gloria Borger insisted Bush's first "test" is whether he shuts down DeLay, whom CBS tagged as "ultra-conservative." 2) Brokaw's first question to John McCain after Bush spoke: "I saw or heard nothing in this speech about campaign finance reform..." Second question: "You were critical of the Governor's tax plan when you were contesting with each other during the primaries... continue reading
Rather Saw No Victory for Bush; Not a "Just and Fair Verdict"; Burden on Bush "To Change His Tone"; Thomas and Scalia Conflicts -- Extra Edition 1) Dan Rather: "What it does not do is in effect deliver the presidency to George Bush. It does not do that....This may mean that George Bush is going to be the next President, but that's by no means clear." It was clear to the other networks. 2) "Tonight's absolutely stunning, if not stupefying, Supreme Court decision," was how Dan Rather described it. Rather quoted approvingly from the Stevens dissent: "The identity of the... continue reading
Thomas: Scalia's "Rubber Stamp"; Reagan Made Court Political; Rather's "Penetrating Intelligence"; Sudden Concern for Equality -- Back to today's CyberAlert 1) Network morning shows found a "bitterly divided" Supreme Court with public relations damage. But they loved quoting from the dissenters, even misquoting, as ABC's Charles Gibson asserted: "Justice John Paul Stevens saying that the loser in all of this might be the rule of law." Bryant Gumbel hit Clarence Thomas: "Does he do anything besides vote and rubber stamp Scalia?" 2) ABC reporter Karla Davis found that deep divisions on the Supreme Court can be overcome when the goal... continue reading
Court Swayed by Media Hostility?; Showing "True Political Colors?"; Scalia on Court's "Sharp Right Edge"; White Men's Rules 1) Dan Rather referred to the Supreme Court's "surprising, some say astonishing, 5-4 order." CBS legal analyst Jonathan Turley predicted such hostile reaction to how "partisanship not principles" guided their decision would impact their ruling. 2) ABC's Charlie Gibson declared: "Perhaps no one decision has sparked more anger and more division than Saturday's Supreme Court stay." CBS's Jane Clayson asked: Is the court "showing its true political colors?" Bryant Gumbel proposed the court "has shown its political stripes." 3) CBS and NBC... continue reading
SC Handing Election to Their Party; Florida Ruling Showed No "Split" or "Divide" Like the U.S. High Court 1) George Stephanopoulos accused the U.S. Supreme Court of jumping "right into the middle of a political dispute in a way that will hand the election to the party of the person that appointed them." Steve Roberts asserted the court "appeared to be acting for partisan motives to protect George Bush from those votes being counted. I think they've done themselves a lot of damage." 2) CBS News anchor John Roberts: "Some people have suggested that the court has shown itself to... continue reading