Bush's "Harsh" & "Scare Tactic" Ad; Couric Took on Lieberman's Spin; Matt Lauer as Jennifer Lopez -- Back to today's CyberAlert 1) Morning shows on the new Bush ad questioning Gore's claim he's never said anything "untrue" during the campaign: Diane Sawyer asked if it goes "too far?" CBS's Diana Olick warned that Bush had unleashed "Halloween scare tactics." NBC's David Gregory argued the ad contradicted Bush's pledge "to unite and inspire." 2) Media Reality Check. "NBC's Slavish Social Security Spin Specialists: Claire Shipman Applauded Effective Gore Scare Ad, But Bush's Defense Spun As 'Harsh Attack Ad.'" 3) Katie Couric... continue reading
Gore Kiss "Heat" to Rub Off on Voters; CBS Turned Naderite Press Release Into News; Bush Denounced Again by Martin Sheen -- Extra Edition 1) CBS's John Roberts respected Gore's attack: "Gore was dead serious today as he accused the Texas Governor..." But in the next story CBS's Bill Whitaker jabbed Bush: "Even while talking compassion," he "took a dig at Al Gore." Roberts gushed about how "Gore has even resurrected the famous convention kiss, hoping all that energy and heat will rub off on voters." 2) Tom Brokaw's symmetry: He asked Bush if he would reduce his tax cuts... continue reading
Bush Belied "Unite" Message; Bush "Obscured" His Pro-Life Stand; Wall Street Wins with Bush or Gore; Clinton Posed Like Lincoln -- Extra Edition 1) NBC's David Gregory contrasted how while Bush "promises to unite the country," he accused Gore "of appealing to people's quote, 'darker impulses.'" But NBC failed to rebuke the Gore campaign's attacks on Bush's ability to be President and NBC dedicated a whole story to how Bush's "critics say he's done his best to obscure his anti-abortion position." 2) "Now almost no one thinks Bush can truly win" in California, pronounced Bill Whitaker on the CBS Evening... continue reading
Critics "Claim" Finance Excesses; Today's Gloomy Prediction for Bush; Gumbel's Show 10% Below This Morning -- Back to today's CyberAlert 1) Campaign finance excesses in 1996 by Clinton-Gore are not an established fact to ABC's Jack Ford. There are just "critics" who complained about "what they claim were campaign finance excesses." 2) A gloomy forecast for Bush from NBC's Today. Katie Couric speculated about "if Gore wins Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin does he win the election?" Russert affirmed: "Yes, the race is over. Absolutely." 3) Media Reality Check. "NBC: Helping Hillary on GOP Cole Calls; Today Co-Hosts Upset at... continue reading
Bush To Be a "Harsh Conservative"; Hume: Media Focus on "Daisy II" Showed Bias; Distressed at Nader Hurting Gore -- Extra Edition 1) Most biased assumption of the weekend, ABC's Cokie Roberts to Trent Lott: If the GOP maintains control of the House and Senate and Bush wins "there's some concern that the 'compassionate conservative' George Bush would suddenly become the 'harsh conservative.'" 2) ABC's This Week ignored the anti-Bush scare calls and NAACP ad while CBS's Face the Nation raised one call with Joe Lieberman. Tim Russert asked Lieberman about the NAACP ad and played it and the "Daisy... continue reading
Esquire's "Monica's View" of Bill; CBS's Clayson Pleaded for Nader to Drop Out; NBC's Prime Time Dramas Advanced Gore's Agenda -- Back to today's CyberAlert 1) George Bush on tonight's Tonight, Gore on Tuesday night and on Queen Latifah's daytime show on Wednesday. 2) On Sunday morning NBC's Meet the Press and Fox News Sunday showed the Esquire cover photo of Bill Clinton which Rush Limbaugh dubbed "Monica's view," but both avoided pointing out the significance of the angle of the photo. 3) CBS's Jane Clayson pleaded this morning with Ralph Nader's campaign manager: "Mr. Nader doesn't want Governor Bush... continue reading
Daisy Ad Over Anti-Bush Scare Call; 2.7% GDP Good News This Year But Bad News for President Bush in 1992 1) As they played it Friday night, ABC conceded the creator of the "Daisy II" ad designed it to get media attention without having to buy any spot time. Like NBC, ABC gave it far more prominence than an official Democratic scare call against Bush. CNN and FNC gave equal time to each. On FNC, Fred Barnes marveled at how the networks have ignored the DNC's phone call scaremongering. 2) A rundown of the text and visuals in the much-condemned... continue reading
Networks Pounced on "Daisy" Ad; Chinese Money to Dems "Unproven"?; MRC Cited on Comics Page -- Back to today's CyberAlert 1) Media Reality Check on network reaction to the "Daisy" ad: "Networks Talk Ads, But Ignore the NAACP's: ABC, CBS, NBC Air NARAL Ad for Gore; ABC, CBS Hit Ads Against Gore on Sharpton, Chinagate ." 2) The Associated Press dismissed as "unproven" the charge in the new "Daisy" ad that China "dumped money into the 1996 campaign" and Kathleen Hall Jamieson, apparently serious, told the New York Times: "It lacks the subtlety of the original ad." 3) The Media... continue reading
Dan Rather: Bush "Got Nastier"; Gore's Forgiven Fumbles; Stars Came Out for Hillary, One Wants to Pay Higher Taxes -- Extra Edition 1) Dan Rather complained "the campaign climate got nastier today with new Bush attacks." CBS's Bill Whitaker claimed Bush employed "some of his harshest language yet." ABC and CBS relayed Gore's citing of a new report critical of Bush's Social Security plan, but pointed the report also took on Gore's plan. None, however, cast any doubt on Gore's global warming claims. 2) FNC's Brit Hume recounted some numerical fumbles Al Gore has made over the past few days,... continue reading
Excusing Gore's Tenn. Plight; More RAND Ranting; Media Skipping Gore's Secret Russia Deal; Bush a "Serial Killer" -- Extra Edition 1) ABC, CBS and NBC Wednesday night rationalized Gore's Tennessee plight. ABC's Jim Wooten: "It isn't a case of a prophet being without honor in his own land....Tennessee is a genuine two party state." NBC's Claire Shipman insisted: "Experts say, in fact, it's not a state a Democrat would naturally win." 2) ABC and CBS highlighted the RAND report critical of Bush's education record. ABC even played a clip of a new Gore ad it inspired. Both showed Gore asserting... continue reading