BiasAlerts

Coup Linked to CTBT Foes; Unabomber "Charming"; Clift Thanked Bush 1) Pakistani coup linked Tuesday night to Senate rejection of the CTBT. "The Pakistanis may now feel freer to pursue their nuclear ambitions," warned ABC's John Cochran. Dan Rather stressed how "some Senators feel" rejection "would send a dangerous message." 2) NBC compared China and India population control, assessing China's "strict government approach" with forced abortions more successful and claimed only a third of Chinese are poor. 3) Katie Couric proposed that the Unabomber "comes across" as an "almost charming guy." An author featured in Time claimed that "when you... continue reading

"Patients' Bill of Rights" Cheered; Brazile's Dirty Campaigning Ignored 1) After promoting the "patients' bill of rights," the networks celebrated as a bipartisan triumph its "stunning upset" passage. Only NBC's Lisa Myers highlighted how trial lawyers will benefit instead of just how Republicans are pawns of the HMO industry. 2) Only FNC informed viewers that Gore's new campaign manager, Donna Brazile, was forced to resign from the Dukakis campaign after she demanded that then-VP Bush "fess up" to an affair. 3) The networks highlighted George W. Bush's attack on conserva-tives. CBS suggested "Bush seems to view hard-right Republican leaders like... continue reading

Clinton Warned Us; "Intelligent Catholics" Like Dung; Clinton Avoided Sex 1) More Americans without health insurance. NBC's Tom Brokaw called it a "national emergency" and Jim Avila recalled that's "a flaw in the booming economy President Clinton said today he warned America about five years ago, when health care reform was killed." 2) A State Department report detailed financial improprieties by Tony Coelho, chairman of Gore's campaign. CBS gave it a full story while ABC only allocated a few seconds and NBC ignored it. 3) Months after Gore hired Carter Eskew, CBS's Bob Schieffer bit on the hypocrisy: "This year... continue reading

China's Communist Success; Socialist Turner; Morris's "Cockamamie" Story 1) ABC News picked up on George W. Bush's very liberal sounding attack on the House GOP for balancing the budget "on the backs of the poor." Peter Jennings urged that the rich should pay more in Social Security taxes, complaining Bill Gates is under-taxed. 2) With free college, medicine and funerals, as well as TVs, VCRs and apples for all, CBS's Barry Petersen marveled at how the PRC village of Nanjie "is a glimpse of what all China might have been had communism succeeded." 3) CNN founder Ted Turner declared at... continue reading

Beatty Not Liberal; Morris Distorted on "Airhead"; Clinton's Spittle 1) ABC's George Stephanopoulos approved of Gore's campaign reorganization while NBC's Andrea Mitchell stood in front of Gore's real boyhood home. Peter Jennings insisted: "China, today, is hardly a communist country." 2) CBS and NBC refused to call Warren Beatty a liberal, but in their stories about his possible presidential bid they both tagged as "conservative" columnist Arianna Huffington. 3) Contrary to Katie Couric's claim that Edmund Morris concluded Reagan was "an airhead," he told her Wednesday: "I did not call him an airhead." In fact, he decided Reagan "was a... continue reading

Hailing Maverick McCain; "Gipper Was an Airhead"; Leftist West Wing 1) Without raising doubts about his sincerity, CBS and NBC relayed how Bill Clinton thanked the "power of grace" and "the God in whom I believe." Dan Rather added how he's seeing religious counselors. 2) "I suspect a lot of people would find it the height of irony that Linda Tripp files a suit for invasion of privacy," declared ABC's Charlie Gibson as he doubted Clinton officials did wrong. 3) The networks hopped aboard John McCain's campaign, stressing how he's a "maverick" and a "renegade" who's willing to "buck the... continue reading

Morris's Imaginary Friends Spawned by Acorn; Reagan's "Empty Mind" 1) 60 Minutes revealed an "electric shock" from an acorn led Edmund Morris to invent imaginary characters. Lesley Stahl cited Reagan's lack of compassion for the homeless as a character flaw, pleading with Morris: "You can't have admired him for that." 2) Time's Jack White tore into Reagan's "empty mind" and near "treason," while Newsweek's Evan Thomas dismissed the idea Reagan knew what he was doing, crediting his "intuitive idiot genius." 3) The President of ABC News promised George Stephanopoulos would not be the "beat reporter" on Gore, but Sunday's World... continue reading

FBI's Freeh Opposed Pardons, But Nets Don't Care; Beatty Better Than Reagan 1) Peter Jennings and Dan Rather delivered nearly identically worded items on Clinton's veto of the tax cut. 2) In unprecedented testimony, FBI agents said the Justice Dept. thwarted their probe of Charlie Trie, but not a word about it on ABC, CBS, MSNBC, NBC or CNN. Only FNC's Special Report with Brit Hume cared. Skipped too by the Washington Post and New York Times. 3) The FBI vigorously opposed the FALN pardons and warned it would return "hardened terrorists" to society. MSNBC ran a story and GMA... continue reading

Pardon Hearing Skipped; Raisa as Jackie; Stossel's Rare Spin; Sam on Pot 1) ABC, CBS and NBC ignored the pardon hearing. FNC noted the FALN's victims were "insulted" by Clinton's letter defending his action while CNN just relayed his view. ABC plugged a hearing on pensions, warning that women "will have to work until they die." 2) CBS on Raisa Gorbachev: "For Russians she was part Jackie Kennedy, telegenic and fashionable, and part Hillary Clinton, criticized for being too outspoken and too influential." 3) ABC brought George Stephanopoulos onto GMA to analyze the race between Bill Bradley and Al Gore,... continue reading

Pothead Sam; Video of Pardoned FALNers Making Bomb; Delete 2nd Amendment 1) Sam Donaldson admitted marijuana use; George Stephanopoulos filed his first pre-taped evening news story; and the entire Fox News Sunday team squeezed onto the set with a former Miss America. 2) FNC immediately played an FBI surveillance video from 1983 showing two pardoned Puerto Ricans making a bomb, but ABC, CNN and NBC avoided it in the evening though Meet the Press did show it. 3) FNC's panel took on Rivera's political advocacy for the pardons: "This guy is a total shill for Bill Clinton." 4) "It's Time... continue reading