Judging Gingrich; Scumbag vs. Nazi; Jennings' Denouncements Upset NY Post 1) Newt Gingrich's comments about Clintonites abusing the political system were either ignored or condemned. NBC's Today tagged them as "harsh." CNN emphasized how Gingrich had ruined his "warm and fuzzy" image by going for the "political jugular." 2) The ABC and NBC morning shows jumped on Dan Burton's "scumbag" comment but where were they when a liberal said Independent Counsel Donald Smaltz reminded him of "a Nazi"? 3) The Senate's IRS hearings: a cheap Republican political ploy? 4) Sam Donaldson argued against education IRAs, declaring of public schools: "We... continue reading
Hillary Cheered, Paula Jeered; Kaplan Sorry CNN Showed Clinton's Hug 1) Hillary Clinton got a standing ovation while the correspondents booed Paula Jones at their big dinner. Margaret Carlson denounced the presence of Jones as an "insult" to Bill Clinton. 2) Dateline landed an exclusive with Elizabeth Ward Gracen, but instead of pressing her about who told her to lie in 1992, Jane Pauley highlighted her contention that Clinton isn't a harasser. 3) CNN President Rick Kaplan insisted it was a "big mistake" to have aired the video showing Clinton hugging Lewinsky. 1 The annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner... continue reading
Peter Backs Jane; Fox Conspiracy; Education IRAs Hurt Poor; Miss America Missed 1) Peter Jennings defended Jane Fonda's charge about starving children and he misses the homeless shanty towns in New York. 2) Fox goes conspiracy. All the networks highlighted conspiracy theories about Martin Luther King's death but all except FNC emphasized the lack of evidence. 3) Only NBC's Lisa Myers explained Susan McDougal's importance. Only ABC and CBS mentioned how George Bush denounced attacks on Starr. 4) CBS and CNN contended that the education savings accounts are a sop to the rich, but in reality all incomes would benefit... continue reading
Disreputable Right-Wing; Slamming Deregulation; Hot for Global Warming 1) NOW refused to help Jones, but only NBC highlighted their hypocrisy. CBS relayed NOW's attack on the "disreputable right-wing" and emphasized the cost and time of Starr's probe. 2) Phone "slamming" is a problem in "this age of deregulation," insisted Peter Jennings. Phone bill "cramming" too. 3) A petition signed by 15,000 scientists promised "There is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of...greenhouse gases is causing...catastrophic heating." But CBS, CNN and NBC ignored that, showcasing one scientist's claim about a hot 1997 . 1 NOW decided on Wednesday against filing... continue reading
Make "Killer" SUVs "Kindler & Gentler;" Gore Charity Shortchanged 1) CBS and NBC skipped the scandals but CNN and ABC highlighted Bush's letter. Only FNC mentioned Jim Guy Tucker or McCurry's dodging. ABC looked at the upside of Microsoft's dominance. 2) A report suggested making cars heavier and safer but ABC and CBS preferred to focus on "deadly," "killer," "destructive," "dangerous" and "monster crushing" SUVs. CBS urged development of a George Bush edition: a "kindler, gentler" SUV. 3) Media feeding frenzy over the Gore's paltry charitable giving? Hardly. It has yet to generate a story on ABC or CBS. 4)... continue reading
Starr Too Old for Pepperdine; Russert on the MRC: "Holy ****" 1) CBS News reporter Bob Schieffer predicted Starr will never go to Pepperdine because "by the time he finishes his investigation he'll be too old." 2) Monica and Paula have fallen off the news, but CBS has kept pace with the argument over the Secret Service. "The best laid plans of men with mice," Rather sighed over Bill Gates' embarrassment. 3) "Holy [expletive]" NBC's Tim Russert blurted when he read in Notable Quotables what he supposedly said. 4) The April 20 edition of Notable Quotables. "My whole line is,... continue reading
Millionaire, Billionaire Godfather Scaife; Reagan Ignored His Grandchildren 1) Jones and Starr together again on the news. ABC, CNN and NBC all interweave Starr, Scaife, Pepperdine and Hale. Is Scaife "a millionaire...Clinton basher" or the "billionaire...godfather of the alleged right-wing conspiracy"? 2) The New Yorker's Jane Mayer angrily denounced the idea that anyone could consider Linda Tripp a victim. 3) "Al Gore and his wife Tipper are no grinches when it comes to giving of themselves," but they donated just $353 to charity. 4) On its 50th anniversary the CBS Evening News recalled the Reagan years: "We knew that he... continue reading
Bank Merger Danger; Clinton's Donor Payoff Pays for China; Hale Tale 1) The big bank mergers, CBS News reporter Ray Brady contended, "cap a 15-year trend of...the undoing of laws originally enacted to prevent a repeat of the bank failures of the 1930s." 2) Clinton gave a big donor and exemption which led to China obtaining U.S. ballistic missile secrets? Only FNC cared. ABC relayed the charges about payoffs for Hale, but like CNN failed to note the accuser's history. She claimed to turn the rain on and off. 1 Great big banks mean a great big depression? Monday night... continue reading
Big Tobacco Should Go Out of Business; Al Gore, Please Save Us 1) CBS News reporter Jim Stewart doesn't understand why the tobacco companies don't want to go out of business. 2) ABC gave Peter Jennings a prime time forum to promote Al Gore as a visionary out to save us from global warming and junk science "reminiscent of the tobacco industry's efforts to persuade Americans that cigarette smoking didn't cause lung cancer." 3) Only FNC reported the "psychic" history of the woman making the Hale accusation. CNN and NBC ignored the dirt digging threat from a Democratic official while... continue reading
CNN's Hale Tale; Communion OK; Savaging of Clinton Reagan's Fault 1) The broadcast networks have forgotten about Monica, but CNN focused on how a man "funneled money to Hale from the American Spectator...a conservative publication" funded by Richard Scaife. 2) "Canine racism" worries a former ABC News reporter. Tom Brokaw insisted that big tobacco had backed out of "their deal." 3) The champagne for the celebrating Clinton aides was bought by R.W. Apple, chief Washington reporter for the New York Times. 4) The Today show's Catholic expert insisted Clinton did nothing wrong in taking communion. After all, Reagan did the... continue reading