"Squeezed by the Right" into Abortion Hardline; "Below the Belt" Questions 1) CBS and NBC zoomed in on George Bush's, as Dan Rather juxta-posed it, "tougher line against abortion rights." CBS reported Bush was "squeezed by the right." NBC's David Bloom castigated Bush for negative campaigning. Tom Brokaw will miss Bob Kerrey. 2) Only after NBC's Claire Shipman gushed about Donna Brazile's "passion for justice," did NBC Nightly News, 13 days after ABC and CBS, come close to quoting her insult that the GOP would "rather take pictures with black children than feed them." 3) Peter Jennings was fascinated by... continue reading
Thanks to Clinton "Less to Worry About"; Indignant About Q's to Hillary 1) Peter Jennings trumpeted how Bill Clinton "wants more health care for more Americans" so that millions "have something less to worry about." Reporter Dean Reynolds deplored how George Bush "has done almost nothing to slow down or limit" executions in Texas. 2) An incensed Bob Schieffer condemned a Buffalo talk show host for daring to ask Hillary if she had an affair with Vince Foster. Dan Rather warned that Bush launched "a heavy-money television campaign to unload negatively on McCain." 3) An Un-Rather point. NBC's George Lewis:... continue reading
Frigid Weather: Blame Global Warming; Hyping Liberal Class Warfare 1) Warm winter days earlier this month: Dan Rather blamed global warming. Record low temperatures in the Northeast this week, guess what Rather blamed. 2) Two liberal groups released a report on, as NBC put it, "a widening gap between rich and poor." ABC also pounced and Peter Jennings referred to them as "two public policy think tanks." 3) Dan Rather attributed Bill Clinton's plan for more money for gun law enforcement to pressure from the "ammunition maker's lobby." Peter Jennings won't say "partial-birth abortion" but he will use the term... continue reading
ABC Admired Clinton's Racial Efforts; Prime Time Newt Bashing 1) All three broadcast network evening shows led Monday night with the South Carolina protest against flying the Confederate flag. Dan Rather declared America still has "a long way to go for the dream of equal opportunity." 2) "President Clinton, who has spent more time in the inner cities of America than any other President, was there again, helping black youngsters," gushed ABC's John Cochran in assessing Clinton's legacy on race. All was fine until the GOP won in 1994. 3) John Cochran's dinner invitation to the Gore's, portrayed at the... continue reading
Rather's Warming Mantra; Hillary Quiz Scandal; A&E's 224 Year Old Bias 1) Global warming "is real and it is underway" Dan Rather announced for the third time this week on Thursday night as John Roberts featured a liberal activist who warned we all might die if we don't follow Clinton's policy to reduce greenhouse emissions. 2) Jeffrey Toobin denigrated Linda Tripp as "very odious," but Today's Matt Lauer relayed how in his book he wrote that Clinton's friends said they believe Clinton "would never have admitted his relationship with Lewinsky had [Monica] not kept genetic proof." 3) Did Hillary have... continue reading
Cronkite Cautioned Letterman; Global Warming Jellyfish; More Toobin 1) Walter Cronkite warned David Letterman not to mistreat guest Hillary Clinton. The audience didn't laugh when she took a shot at Rudy Giuliani and while she delivered a Top List of reasons she decided to appear, the real reason was a poll supported it. 2) CBS's donation to Gore's campaign: A night of dire warnings about global warming. The latest evidence: More jellyfish. NBC's David Bloom mischaracterized 1994 GOP ads as "anti-immigrant." 3) Good Morning America featured ABC News legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin as Charlie Gibson noted how in his book... continue reading
Clinton Saving "America's Treasures"; ABC's Toobin Backs Hillary's VRWC 1) "An ambitious plan to save America's treasures," exclaimed Tom Brokaw on Clinton making some Western areas National Monuments. ABC led with the end-run around Congress. Jackie Judd spelled out the bad implications of a court ruling limiting federal power. 2) Dan Rather readily relayed how John McCain "criticizes George W. Bush's tax cut plan as a giveaway to the rich." But CBS's numbers on the impact of each plan didn't match that rhetoric. 3) ABC legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin is out with a book claiming conservatives used the Lewinsky matter... continue reading
Merger Fears; Russert Argued for Internet Taxes; Bush Like Clinton 1) AOL/Time-Warner led Monday night. Peter Jennings relayed how Gerald Levin "says he believes in objective journalism" while CBS focused on the threat to consumers. Dan Rather also warned "there is fear of dust bowl in the nation's salad bowl." 2) Moderating another GOP debate Monday night Tim Russert again became the seventh candidate, arguing with Steve Forbes over Internet taxes. In a post-debate interview with George Bush he continued his network's fixation on the Confederate flag. 3) Howard Kurtz on CNN: "There were seven important people at the Republican... continue reading
Abortion Mantra; Brian Williams Booed; Debate Sponsor Condemned Russert 1) Sam Donaldson pressed Bob and Elizabeth Dole from the left on how GOP opposition to abortion turns off women. On Fox, Tony Snow approached Bill Bradley from the right on social spending. 2) During Friday's GOP debate shown by MSNBC the candidates were hit from the left and the audience booed Brian Williams. Margaret Carlson condemned attendees for "waving and cheering and stomping the most simple-minded statements." 3) MSNBC's Brian Williams criticized GOP candidates for offering "red meat for conservatives," saying they uttered positions which were "rather strident." The Union... continue reading
Russert & Williams Easy on Dems, Tough on Bush; Condemning Elian Supporters 1) As debate moderator, Tim Russert hit Republicans from the left, but his bias really came through in comparing the agenda of his post-debate questions to Democrats Wednesday versus Republicans Thursday. Brian Williams did not tag Democrats, but wondered if the GOP "is viewed as too far to the right?" 2) When Alan Keyes noted how the Declaration of Independence proclaims "all men are created equal," the reporter from New Hampshire Public Television shouted: "And women!" 3) Of the broadcast evening shows, only CBS noted Gore campaign manager... continue reading