Bush & Drugs a Big Story on Outlets Which Ignored Broaddrick 1) The nets jumped on the Bush drug issue. NBC's Brian Williams called it "the question that will not go away," though it is reporters who are making it an issue. The ABC and NBC evening shows never ran stories on Juanita Broaddrick's rape charge. 2) All three morning shows looked at Bush and drugs. It led Today and GMA had George Stephanopoulos as its solo analyst as Charlie Gibson suggested Bush be asked if he ever committed a felony. 3) On FNC Gennifer Flowers demonstrated how Clinton scratched... continue reading
DOD Security & Pardon for Terrorists Skipped; GMA's Gibson Dozed Off 1) Tuesday's CBS Evening News picked up on a Washington Post story, relaying how a former DOE official insisted "there's not a 'shred of evidence' that [Wen Ho] Lee passed secrets to China and that race was 'a major factor' in naming Lee the prime suspect." 2) "In a stinging draft report," USA Today revealed Monday, the GAO disclosed that "the Defense Department has 'created risks to national security' by failing to conduct thorough security background investigations." But only FNC found it worth a story. 3) A federal judge... continue reading
ABC's GOP Analyst: Stephanopoulos; NRA Doesn't Care If Kids Die 1) Overhype of the straw poll? Not on Monday. Just seconds in the evening for Alexander's withdrawal. The morning shows focused on Columbine with Today spending more time with a teen who mowed state capitol lawns than on analyzing the straw poll. 2) ABC's one and only straw poll analyst: ex-Clinton dissembler George Stephanopoulos who insisted "George W. Bush seemed acceptable across the board to all of the straw poll goers." 3) NBC's David Bloom came to Bush's defense: "Bush's basic positions are well-known. He's a tax cutting, anti-abortion, pro-business,... continue reading
Corporate America Dominates PBS; Cronkite Denounces Jarvik 1) Today's Media Reality Check fax report: "Reporters Look Biased in Pressing Bush, But Not Forcing Clinton's Answer About Cocaine or Broaddrick: Coke-Question Pushers Should Ask Bill." 2) Walter Cronkite takes to the Wall Street Journal letters page in the wake of the PBS-DNC fundraising scandal to denounce PBS critic Laurence Jarvik, announcing that PBS viewers "are quite clear about who is carrying out a political agenda. And they know it's not public broadcasters." 3) How NPR used a hearing on the list-swapping scandal to promote a left-wing media-watch group who claims PBS... continue reading
Tragedy Overkill; Koppel's Idea of "Objective"; PBS on Y2K 1) The day care center shooting in suburban Los Angeles dominated the morning shows yesterday, especially NBC's Today. 2) Good Morning America's hosts considered getting federal agents more heavily involved in domestic surveillance. 3) Monday's and Tuesday's Nightline shows on health care and gun control demonstrated Ted Koppel's skewed idea of "objective reality." 4) Liberal-dominated PBS is represented by the NewsHour's discussion with four regular essayists on what issues should be front and center in the 2000 campaign. 5) Washington Post TV critic Tom Shales jokes about the synchronicity of Charlton... continue reading
"Pious, Sex-Crazed" Starr; Pinch Favored U.S. Deaths 1) Today's two-part interview with Ken Starr began with the statement: "Your critics have portrayed you as a pious, sex-crazed out-of-control prosecutor who will do anything to get the president." Energy Secretary Richardson did two Tuesday morning TV interviews, but drew no espionage questions. 2) CNN'S Bob Franken and CNBC Geraldo sub David Gregory analyzed Starr's decision to wrap up before the 2000 election. Will the "vicious political vendetta" go away or will Hillary be "smeared"? 3) The hippie '70s geopolitics of New York Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. are revealed in The... continue reading
"Huge" GOP Tax Cut; Jesse's Fan Club; Gore's "The Best Boy" 1) NBC and MSNBC announce Bill Clinton will veto that "huge," "mammoth" Republican tax cut bill. 2) On ABC's "Good Morning America" Friday, Jesse Jackson was interviewed by an awestruck Farai Chideya: "you can't ask for a stronger base than the Reverend Jesse Jackson on your side." 3) ABC's Cokie Roberts finds her heart bleeds for her lifelong friend Al Gore: "I've known Al Gore since the day he was born and he's never done anything bad in his life. He's been the best boy. 4) Reuters remembers Gorbachev,... continue reading
Whipping Black Conservatives; Notable Quotables: Praising Hillary 1) Washington Post reporter Lonnae O'Neil Parker attacked black conservatives as racial betrayers. 2) August 9 Notable Quotables. Headings include: "Hillary, Frank and Candid?"; "ABC's Shill-Filled Showcase"; "Stop That Stupid Tax Cut"; "Nike's Evil Empire" and "Colin Powell, Gun Nut." >>> Want the latest on the PBS list-swapping scandal? See comments from the MRC's Tim Graham and others on the new cover story in World Magazine at: http://www.worldmag.com/world/issue/08-14-99/cover_1.asp >>> Summer Classic Videos: Each day this week MRC Webmaster Sean Henry will post on the MRC home page a classic video from the MRC's... continue reading
Two Nets Skip China Report; Out of Water?; No Corrections for Hale Tale 1) A bipartisan Senate committee report documented how the Clinton administration botched the Chinese espionage investigation, but ABC and NBC ignored it Thursday night. 2) FNC's Carl Cameron picked up Tom Daschle's complaint that the media should press George W. Bush about cocaine use. 3) CBS panicked Thursday night over the drought, asking: "Could America run out of water?" Yes, because of our lawns and pools. 4) GMA and CBS's This Morning failed to bring anyone aboard to argue against the court ruling saying the Boy Scouts... continue reading
CBS's Dishonest Hit on Tax Cuts; Disputing Foster Affair, Snubbing Rest 1) Even after Bill and Hillary abandoned the abuse excuse CBS's John Roberts wouldn't let go, asking Bill: "Are you trying to work through the issues, to look back over that time of your life?" 2) CBS's Diana Olick delivered a hit piece against the tax bill in which she falsely stated that it "offers a one percent income tax reduction," and stressed concerns of "moderate Republicans." 3) CBS and NBC portrayed congressional Republicans as out of touch for not backing Clinton's plan to spend more on farmers. 4)... continue reading