All three networks on Monday night and Tuesday morning covered the "major blow" a judge delivered by ruling that the National Security Agency's massive data collection is likely unconstitutional. Yet, NBC's Nightly News managed to mention the President only once in passing. Instead, anchor Brian Williams kept the nearly three and a half minute segment politically vague: "Privacy violation: A surprise ruling about the government's spying on the phone calls made by Americans. The question tonight, what will this change and when?" Williams lectured, "In the name of keeping us safe, Americans have sacrificed a number of freedoms since 9/11,... continue reading
On the Friday, December 13, PoliticsNation , the Washington Post 's Dana Milbank joined host Al Sharpton in complaining that conservatives "demonize" people who receive welfare benefits as the two discussed efforts to restrain welfare spending. Sharpton posed: But, Dana, what gets me is the demonizing. I mean, we just played that tape of Ronald Reagan. More than just the policy is the need to denigrate, to demonize, to in many ways make people that are already suffering appear so outrageously exploitative and like they are some kind of criminals almost, when they're really, in most cases, in need. Milbank... continue reading
Teasing an upcoming story on Monday's NBC Today , co-host Matt Lauer fretted over "the emotional debate ignited by a Fox News anchor over Santa's true race," referring to FNC host Megyn Kelly saying that Santa Claus is white . Minutes later, news reader Natalie Morales promoted the same segment by proclaiming: "Why St. Nick has suddenly become the most controversial figure of the season." [ Listen to the audio ] In the report that followed, correspondent Kristen Welker declared: "This debate is focused on Santa Claus, but really it's about a much larger issue in this country – the... continue reading
CBS This Morning stood out on Monday as the only mention so far on the Big Three's morning and evening newscasts of the New York Times' Sunday item about sheriffs in Colorado who are "refusing to enforce" gun control laws passed earlier in 2013, "saying that they are too vague and violate Second Amendment rights . Many more say that enforcement will be 'a very low priority,' as several sheriffs put it." Anchor Charlie Rose devoted a 14-second news brief to writer Erica Goode's story about the law enforcement officials' stance against the new laws in the Centennial State: [audio... continue reading
In an attempt to stir tensions within the Republican Party over the recent budget deal, on Sunday's NBC Meet the Press , host David Gregory falsely claimed that Florida Senator Marco Rubio had denounced the agreement as "un-American." [ Listen to the audio ] Gregory cited the fictional quote twice to Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan, one of the architects of the deal: "On the Right, my colleague Kelly O'Donnell spoke to your colleague Marco Rubio. He calls this an un-American deal ....when Senator Rubio says it's un-American, is that just because he's running for president, do you think?" In a... continue reading
The liberal hosts of The View on Monday took one last chance to fawn over Michael Bloomberg, touting the "bold" actions the exiting New York City Mayor made against guns, soda and cigarettes. Walters, who has joked about flirting with the billionaire, referenced a skit she appeared in with the left-wing politician: " I would like to point out that you and I got married on the program, supposedly. It was never consummated. " Walters introduced Bloomberg by enthusing, "Michael Bloomberg has been more than just the mayor of New York City for the past 12 years. Some people think... continue reading
Leading off Thursday's NBC Nightly News , anchor Brian Williams declared: "It's war. A private battle blows wide open in public as the most powerful Republican in Washington says he's had enough, coming out swinging against members of his own party." Moments later, he hailed House Speaker John Boehner's "rare outburst of candor mixed with anger and frustration" at conservatives critical of the new budget deal in Congress. [ Listen to the audio ] Williams contemptuously observed: "His problem has been the rise of the Tea Party faction, the newly arrived and highly motivated members who do not go along... continue reading
Norah O'Donnell and Charlie Rose predictably conducted a hostile interview of Senator Marco Rubio on Friday's CBS This Morning , badgering the Republican for his opposition to a budget proposal from Republican Rep. Paul Ryan and Democratic Senator Patty Murray. O'Donnell hinted that he was in the pocket of conservative special interest: " I want to ask you about the criticism that you may be more beholden to these conservative groups than to your own party ." The anchor later wondered if " these groups have too much power ." Rose himself carried water for the supporters of the proposal:... continue reading
CNN hosts and analysts actively cheered the House budget deal and scoffed at Tea Party conservatives who opposed it, on Wednesday and Thursday. " I think this is great, what we're hearing here. You've got Boehner saying the fringe types, back off. We're here to do a job. We have to compromise ," New Day co-host Chris Cuomo relished the Speaker's rebuke of the Tea Party on Thursday morning. [Audio here .] On Wednesday morning's Newsroom , The Daily Beast 's executive editor John Avlon spat on "activist groups" opposing the deal, saying "They're not interested in governing. They're not... continue reading
Jake Tapper's Thursday interview with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi started off chummy and didn't really get tough until near the end. Tapper teed her up to criticize Tea Party Republicans and critique John Boehner's Speakership on CNN's The Lead . " Speaker Boehner has an unruly group of Tea Party Republicans ," Tapper noted before serving his biggest softball. " How have you been able to control, cajole, convince, work with, the feistier progressives in your caucus both as Speaker and as Minority Leader in a way that he has not been able to do with Tea Party Republicans?... continue reading