Wednesday's NBC Nightly News featured an overwhelmingly positive profile of Michael Bloomberg's new gun control advocacy group. That built upon the network's cheerleading of Bloomberg on Wednesday morning's Today . Almost the entire story featured quotes from Bloomberg and supporters, with just one soundbite from the NRA. Anchor Brian Williams reported Bloomberg's $50 million pledge without a hint of irony after lamenting big money politics two weeks before. Without batting an eye at the amount of Bloomberg's pledge, Williams introduced the "new effort financed by the independently wealthy former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg." Yet when the Supreme Court... continue reading
An unsigned Wednesday article in the Military Times spotlighted how veteran groups have rebuked the New York Times for an opinion piece that played up the recent shootings at two Jewish community centers as apparent proof that white veterans are susceptible to joining hate groups. Paul Rieckhoff of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America hammered the liberal newspaper for its " sensational, slanderous and incredibly offensive " attack on his peers. In the Wednesday op-ed , author Kathleen Belew cited a controversial 2009 Department of Homeland Security report that hyped the potential for "right-wing extremists...to recruit and radicalize returning veterans... continue reading
Two Democratic politicians in Texas apparently warranted a front page, 1200 word story in Wednesday's New York Times . Writer Jason Horowitz profiled San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro and his brother, Congressman Joaquin Castro. According to Horowitz, "The two brothers share not only looks, ambition and personal mannerisms — they both lower their heads, with almost monklike modesty , when greeting people — but also a childhood steeped in Latino activism, bunk beds and English." Horowitz also repeatedly hinted that one of the brothers could end up on a presidential ticket in 2016. The journalist glowingly recounted: Last week, Mayor... continue reading
CNN's Chris Cuomo tried to get former Assistant Secretary of State Jamie Rubin to defend President Obama's response to Russia's aggression in Ukraine during a segment on Wednesday's New Day . Cuomo cited how Russian President Vladimir Putin " did this in Georgia ..... under President Bush " in 2008, and wondered, " Is it fair to look at this situation and say, the weakness or perception of weakness of President Obama has given a window of opportunity to Putin? " The anchor didn't identify Rubin as either a former Clinton administration official or as the husband of CNN personality... continue reading
MSNBC is not known as a champion of religion, unless it’s someone who is liberal coming on to criticize religious individuals, especially if they are a member of the Catholic Church. Take Sister Simone Campbell, president of the liberal Catholic organization NETWORK, who has been featured on the “Lean Forward” network multiple times for her criticism of Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) and his budget priorities. Appearing as a guest on Andrea Mitchell Reports on Wednesday April 16, the fawning over Ms. Campbell was evident, with Mitchell proclaiming how “the honor is all mine” to finally meet Campbell in person. The... continue reading
On Tuesday, the Republican National Committee (RNC) filed a lawsuit against the IRS for that agency’s “illegal stonewalling” of the RNC’s request of documents related to the targeting of conservative groups. So far there hasn’t been one second of airtime on ABC, CBS, NBC’s Tuesday evening shows or Wednesday morning shows. The New York Times and Washington Post also have yet to devote even a sentence to RNC’s lawsuit in their print editions. “We’re filing this suit because the Obama administration has a responsibility to be transparent and accountable to the American people. The IRS has a legal obligation to... continue reading
In a glowing interview with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Wednesday's NBC Today , co-host Savannah Guthrie touted the anti-gun activist's latest crusade: "You're putting $50 million into the effort ....saying essentially this new group is going to borrow a page from the NRA's playbook. The NRA has been very successful in frightening lawmakers who oppose them....You're quoted in the New York Times this morning saying, 'We have to make them afraid of us.'" [ Listen to the audio ] Only two weeks earlier, NBC was wringing its hands over a Supreme Court ruling loosening campaign finance... continue reading
Former Newsweek editor Jonathan Alter appeared on The Ed Show , Tuesday, to lobby for more boycotts of the "racist" Rush Limbaugh. The radio host's crime, according to the writer, is making a few joking comments about the shoe-throwing incident involving Hillary Clinton. On his show, Limbaugh mused, "I can totally relate to people who think that everything the Clintons do is staged...I just don't attach much genuineness to them." Limbaugh allowed, "Maybe it's because in my subconscious, I think it was staged." Alter railed against Limbaugh, assailing, " When do more boycotts of Rush Limbaugh's sponsors come? You know,... continue reading
New Census questions will change the findings on the impact of ObamaCare, reported the New York Times on Tuesday. The broadcast networks ignored this new report on the Tuesday evening newscasts, however. In fact, a census official told the Times they "are expecting much lower numbers" of the uninsured "just because of the questions and how they are asked." As the Times stated, the Census Bureau "is changing its annual survey so thoroughly that it will be difficult to measure the effects of President Obama’s health care law in the next report, due this fall, census officials said." As Mediaite... continue reading
On Tuesday's New Day , CNN's John King hyped the Congressional Budget Office's projection about ObamaCare – that "yes, ObamaCare is expensive, but less expensive than they thought – by about $104 billion over 10 years. That's a decent junk of change ." King asserted that the health care issue is "the big domestic challenge for the President and for Democrats this election year: that is...trying to defend it – you could say now, maybe, bragging – about ObamaCare ." The journalist then expressed his bewilderment that Democrats weren't playing up this CBO projection: [MP3 audio available here ; video... continue reading