Gore Fibs Are "What We Want"; Bush Getting Just Payback; Jennings v. NRA; Most Reporters Picked Gore to Win; Lieberman's False Story -- Extra Edition 1) Newsweek's Eleanor Clift: Gore's "picayune" lies show he's "overly competitive," but "maybe that's what we want in a President." 2) CBS and NBC focused on new anti-Bush ads from the DNC. Bush has little to complain about, Dan Rather admonished, since "Gore forces" claim "Bush has been running a consistent attack campaign, going all the way back, they say, to his primary races against John McCain." 3) ABC's Peter Jennings special on the NRA... continue reading
Prodded to Hit Cheney Harder; Lauer Excused Gore on Fibs; Media Flunked Kaus Test; Left Wing West Wing Back -- Back to today's CyberAlert 1) An ABC poll found Dick Cheney to be the "clear winner" of last night's VP debate, so Good Morning America's Jack Ford prodded Joe Lieberman about why he didn't attack Cheney harder, especially on his "congressional record." 2) Network truth squads were AWOL this morning on Lieberman's Hollywood hypocrisy, but Bill Bennett brought it up on Today. 3) NBC's Matt Lauer defended Gore's fibs: "I mean, he is under the heat of a huge national... continue reading
Moderator Shaw's Agenda; Rather Raved Over Debate Tone; Cheney Bested Bush; Winnie Doesn't Need to Collect Cans to Pay For Drugs -- Extra Edition 1) VP debate moderator Bernard Shaw of CNN did not press the nominees from the right but did pose several questions from the left, including a liberal canard about unequal pay for women. He oddly propounded: "Imagine yourself an African-American." 2) Dan Rather raved over the tone of the debate, describing it as "the best vice presidential joint appearance" in "the television era." Viewers were also treated to a Ratherism: "He looked at him like he... continue reading
Standing Student Tale Skipped; ABC & NBC Ruled Gore Right on Bush Tax Cut Skew; Jennings Upset Tax Cut Means Less for Government -- Extra Edition 1) Post-debate analysis and reaction topped all the networks Wednesday night. Only CBS cited overnight poll results showing little change in candidate preference. 2) ABC, CBS and CNN on Wednesday night ignored Gore's fabrication about a Florida high school girl who because of overcrowding must stand in class. Only NBC and FNC corrected Gore on it. All the networks took note of Gore's false claim that he once accompanied FEMA chief James Lee Witt... continue reading
"Extremely Conservative" Cheney; Alter Defended Gore Gaffe; Bernard Shaw's Record -- Back to today's CyberAlert 1) NBC's Today refused to describe Joe Lieberman as liberal, but this morning Tim Russert tagged Dick Cheney as "extremely conservative" while also listing specific votes he cast long ago. 2) "Oh God, man, listen to you! This is disgraceful," Don Imus upbraided Newsweek's Jonathan Alter for defending the "grain of truth" in Gore's claim he accompanied FEMA's chief to a Texas fire. 3) MRC Media Reality Check. "Lieberman Respects Farrakhan: No Story? After Eight Days, Most of the Press Still Missing, Despite Question to... continue reading
Only GMA Confronted Gore With Gaffes; Lehrer Scolded For "Pro-Life"; Gore "Most Positive I Have Seen"; Letterman Top Ten -- Back to today's CyberAlert 1) Wednesday morning only ABC's Charles Gibson asked Gore about his make-believe Texas trip, while NBC's Tom Brokaw tripped himself up trying to question Bush's budget facts. 2) MRC Campaign 2000 Media Reality Check: "Tall-Tale Al Gets Ignored or Excused on TV; Only ABC Asked About Witt, and Stephanopoulos Found 'No Big, Big Lies or Grand Distortions.'" 3) Washington Post TV critic Tom Shales scolded debate moderator Jim Lehrer for using the phrase "pro-life," which he... continue reading
Bush Scolded for Raising Scandal; Stephanopoulos Thrilled with Gore; Rather Bored; CBS Picked Up Anti-Bush Gun Article -- Extra Edition 1) Bush scolded in post-debate analysis for daring to mention Gore's fundraising scandals. CBS's Bob Schieffer called it Bush's "weakest moment" and Dan Rather disapprovingly raised the strategy with both Dick Cheney and Joe Lieberman. 2) ABC's George Stephanopoulos was enthralled with Al Gore's performance, gushing: "He was strong, he was detailed, he was specific." In contrast, CBS's Bob Schieffer thought Bush gained the most because "he seemed to have as much of a grasp of the issues as Al... continue reading
Bush Issued "Extreme Conservative" Warning; Bush Put "Tax Cuts Before Tots"; Lehrer Follows Liberal Pack and Helped CDF -- Back to today's CyberAlert 1) George Bush needs to "make sure he doesn't get cornered as too much of an extreme conservative on issues like a woman's right to choose or gun control," George Stephanopoulos lectured on today's GMA. On Nightline Jackie Judd saw abortion cutting for Gore. 2) Time magazine blasted Bush's Texas record: "Tax Cuts Before Tots." On the day of the debate a front page headline in the Los Angeles Times declared: "Felons Get Concealed Gun Licenses Under... continue reading
Bush Not Prepared to Be President; CBS's Self-Contradiction; Tipper Tossed Softballs; CNN's Campaign Finance Reform Agenda -- Extra Edition 1) ABC and CBS highlighted pre-debate polls which put Gore ahead. Dan Rather stressed how "only 49 percent say Bush is prepared well enough for the job of President." NBC's Claire Shipman gushed of the "citizen advisers" for Gore: "It's almost as if he has his own group of private...public opinion pollsters right here with him." 2) CBS contradicted itself. Dan Rather reported that "73 percent of voters polled say the next President's power to appoint new justices will be an... continue reading
Gore's "Teeny-Weeny Exaggerations"; More Bush/Big Oil; Columnist Documented Bias; Ex-Reporter Suggested How to Avoid Bias 1) Al Gore has recently "been caught embellishing personal stories," ABC News acknowledged Sunday night, but World News tonight has yet to tell viewers about those incidents. 2) Media too tough on Gore? Nina Totenberg of NPR and ABC: "I don't actually think Gore has told any whoppers at all, they are the minor-est kind of factual, teeny-weeny exaggerations." 3) CBS promised an examination of the energy policies of both candidates, but only hit Bush: "Al Gore called it mostly a short-term fix, a long-term... continue reading