Vulgarity Unveiled; Disbarment Too Tough; Innocent Elian Move; Limbaugh = Rocker 1) The New York Daily News, Washington Post and Fox News Sunday all picked up on the vulgarity employed by Robin Williams during his comedy routine at the big Democratic fundraiser. 2) Disbarment would be too tough a punishment for Bill Clinton, argued Eleanor Clift, since his lie "was irrelevant to a case that was eventually thrown out." 3) The networks displayed no skepticism about why Elian was moved to Washington, DC, where he is more accessible to Cuban operatives. ABC, CBS and NBC cited convenience for his father's... continue reading
Vulgarities at Fundraiser; Making Fun of Elian Photo; Disinterested in Disbarment 1) Robin Williams laced his jokes, at the big Democratic bash featuring Bill Clinton and Al Gore, with vulgarities. But that didn't bother the Washington media even though it meant C-SPAN cablecast in prime time words the broadcast networks never allow. 2) Time magazine showed the photo of Elian wearing the outfit of the Pioneers, Cuba's communist youth group, but only to make fun of those upset by it, suggesting it's no worse than wearing a T-shirt advertising a U.S. TV show for kids. 3) The networks highlighted a... continue reading
Tripp Trumped; Corroboration for Freeh Skipped; Erbe: Expect "Conservatives to Lie" 1) Case against Linda Tripp dropped by Maryland prosecutor, but neither ABC or CBS mentioned the development Wednesday night. CNN and NBC gave it a few seconds. 2) CBS's John Roberts labeled as "best intentions" the quest to eliminate soft money and on the United purchase of US Airways, ABC took a nice shot at United's bad service: "United currently ranks among the worst carriers in every category." 3) Pressure on Janet Reno to drop fundraising corroborated, but only FNC cared. Brit Hume: "What had been a top Justice... continue reading
CBS Tried to Discredit Disbarment; Forget "Personal Peccadillos"; Freeh Corroborator 1) CBS News tried to discredit the disbarment recommendation for Clinton, featuring a recused member who accused the other committee members "using every means necessary to get him." But John Roberts undercut that premise by noting the member also said that party politics did not play a role in the final decision. 2) Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric pressed disbarment supporters more than opponents. Matt Lauer wished for less scrutiny: "I hope that the American people would find it more exciting to talk about health care and Social Security and... continue reading
Democrats Always Wanted Disbarment; Hillary Not Liberal; NBC's No Elian Photo Policy 1) The networks jumped on the Clinton disbarment case. ABC's Jackie Judd ignored the role of a federal judge and credited only a "conservative" legal group. CBS's Bob Schieffer: "The irony here is that disbarment is a punishment that many Democrats favored" while the GOP "demanded impeachment or nothing and got nothing." 2) Those opposed to Hillary are "hard-right conservatives" who hate her, but you can't accurately paint Hillary as a liberal. That's the mainstream media line on the New York Senate campaign as reflected by Newsweek's Howard... continue reading
Lazio's "Nasty" Campaign; Baffling Lack of Hillary Backing; Evil Eastwood 1) ABC's Cokie Roberts to Rick Lazio: "If you get the Conservative Party nomination can you describe yourself as a moderate?" 2) Rick Lazio and his allies scolded by ABC News for being "nasty" and employing "political hardball" in criticizing Hillary. CBS lectured: "Lazio claimed he would not run a negative campaign." 3) Friday night, the networks avoided adopting the liberal spin of Lazio as an extremist, though George Stephanopoulos volunteered on ABC that Hillary's camp will "move hard and fast to define Lazio as a Gingrich clone." Instead, they... continue reading
Non-Rudy PM Update: Freeh Memo Coverage; Elian Photo on GMA; MRC at NRA 1) AP disclosed FBI Director Louis Freeh wrote a memo "suggesting a top Justice Department official was under pressure not to proceed with the probe" in order "to save Attorney General Janet Reno's job." Zilch this morning on CBS; 20 seconds on ABC and NBC. 2) Since FNC showed it Wednesday night, only ABC's Good Morning America has let viewers see the photo of Elian wearing the uniform of the Pioneers, Cuba's communist youth indoctrination group. 3) MRC's Tim Graham to appear at this weekend's NRA convention,... continue reading
Bill & Hillary: "Together... Emotionally"; Elian Photo Spiked; Helen's Liberal Legacy 1) EPA regulation night. All the networks either led with or ran stories on the EPA's plan to reduce diesel-fuel pollution because it causes cancer and a warning that Dioxin is more dangerous than thought, but none questioned the accuracy of the EPA's science. 2) "Together again, Bill and Hillary Clinton, the picture of harmony" Tom Brokaw trumpeted over video of Hillary accepting the Senate nomination in Albany. Andrea Mitchell compliantly relayed how they have "banded together...politically and emotionally." 3) Last week all the networks showcased photos of a... continue reading
"Mockery" of McCain's Reforms; Old Women Not Raped; President Helps Prostitute 1) The CNN and FNC political shows picked up on how last year Gore favored putting Social Security money into the stock market, but the broadcast networks skipped the contradiction. Dan Rather trumpeted how 87 percent give Clinton credit for the good economy. 2) Dan Rather lamented "a campaign finance law loophole that makes a mockery of reforms advocated by the McCain campaign." Eric Engberg complained the post-Watergate "regulatory structure is now near collapse, thanks to clever exploitation of loopholes." 3) Bush's lead over Gore in a poll prompted... continue reading
Bush's SS Plan Welcomed & Denounced; Mom March Agenda Pushed; Labeling Disparity 1) ABC's Peter Jennings gave Bush's SS private investment idea a warm welcome, but Betsy Stark worried "there's no guarantee investors will invest wisely" or the "stock market will go up." Tom Brokaw called it a "controversial strategy" and Dan Rather relayed how Gore says it risks "ruining" the "social safety net." 2) "We may look back on this one as one of those demonstrations that led to real change," hoped CBS's Bob Schieffer in reviewing the Million Mom March. NBC's Lisa Myers looked at the effort "to... continue reading