PBS’s Judy Woodruff and Gwen Ifill provided a tag team of Obama idolatry in their interview with President Barack Obama at the White House following Wednesday’s March on Washington anniversary event, gently pressing him from the left and treating him as a victim of racist opposition as Gwen Ifill forwarded the theory “you are a victim of partisan racial gridlock.” When, in the session carried on the PBS NewsHour , Obama fretted “we have increasing inequality in this society,” Judy Woodruff buttered up Obama by first hailing how “you’ve been able to do -- help the country in many ways,”... continue reading
Appearing as a guest on Tuesday's PoliticsNation on MSNBC, Washington Post political reporter Nia-Malika Henderson complained that former President Reagan left Americans with a negative image of poor people on welfare "taking advantage of the system." She also suggested that Democrats have not spent enough time talking about poverty in recent years and praised Democrats California Rep. Karen Bass and Newark Mayor Cory Booker as "champions" who are stepping up to advocate for the poor. Henderson: "I think sometimes some people sort of focus on this old idea of poverty that it's in certain areas, in the inner city. I... continue reading
While touting both Republican Chris Christie and Democrat Hillary Clinton as "the two hottest politicians," CNN's Jessica Yellin chipped away at the Republican's status by asking if he was a "bully." She said nothing negative about Clinton, on Tuesday evening's OutFront . "Our sixth story OutFront : is Chris Christie a bully? " Yellin introduced the segment, centered on the New Jersey governor's in-your-face style with reporters and constituents. She only asked questions, but it echoed an NBC panel from a year ago which ran down Christie as a "bully" who wouldn't win over the rest of the country. Yellin... continue reading
Douglas Brinkley predictably fawned over President Obama's apparently " very beautifully written " address marking the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech, mere moments after he finished delivering it: " I think it's one of the great speeches that Barack Obama's ever delivered ." [audio available here ; video below ] Scott Pelley turned to Brinkley during CBS's special coverage of the anniversary rally. The liberal historian was quick to sing the President's praises: SCOTT PELLEY: Doug Brinkley, noted American historian, professor of history at Rice University – as we embark on the next 50... continue reading
CNN's Fredricka Whitfield was incredibly generous to former Democratic D.C. Mayor Marion Barry on Saturday over his past drug arrest and jail time. Barry was convicted on drug charges and served six months in jail in the 1990s, in between his two terms as D.C. Mayor. Yet Whitfield first praised his "incredible tenure." Then she brought up his arrest but framed him as a victim of his past: " Does it frustrate you or bother you that forever there's always going to be that association with that drug bust in 1990? " [Video below. Audio here .] When Barry pushed... continue reading
ABC provided immediate and enthusiastic praise for Barack Obama's speech, Wednesday, commemorating the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" address. Anchoring live coverage, he praised, " President Barack Obama, playing the role of teacher and preacher and president today ." Stephanopoulos then began to link Obama and King. He allowed that Obama insisted in his speech, "No one can match the brilliance of Martin Luther King." The ABC host then connected, " But it does seem on the relatively rare occasions where the President chooses to speak about race directly, he rises to the occasion." [MP3... continue reading
Wednesday's CBS This Morning shamelessly promoted President Obama's upcoming address commemorating the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's 1963 "I have a dream" speech by featuring nothing but race-related clips from the President's past speeches. Jeff Pegues hyped the "big names" set to speak at the anniversary celebration, but underlined " the headliner: the nation's first black president, delivering a speech and standing where Dr. King did half a century ago ." Pegues also hyped how the President's July 2013 remarks about Trayvon Martin were " surprisingly revealing ", and played up how the Democratic executive has "walked a fine... continue reading
In a puff piece on Wednesday's NBC Today , White House correspondent Kristen Welker heralded President Obama's upcoming speech marking the anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech: "President Obama has delivered a number of big speeches before, but this one is different. He'll be speaking in the shadows of Dr. King, a man who gave his life fighting for civil rights. So, today, the stakes couldn't be higher." [ Listen to the audio ] Only Obama's fellow liberals were given sound bites throughout the report that sounded more like a press release. First, White House aide... continue reading
Good Morning America on Wednesday conceded that school districts across the country are dropping a new government-imposed lunch program because, as one student put it, "the food is just nasty." However, no one on GMA pointed out that the plan had been heavily promoted by Michelle Obama. In contrast, back in February, the journalists featured the First Lady for an eight and a half minute segment, including time to promote her Let's Move initiative. Anchor George Stephanopoulos allowed, "Schools across the country are dropping out of a federal program to curb childhood obesity because the kids just won't eat what... continue reading
On Monday's NBC Today , co-host Savannah Guthrie conducted a cooking segment with White House chef Sam Kass to promote First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move campaign and wondered: "So do you feel like the program is having the intended effect? Do you think people are thinking differently about food, now?" [ Listen to the audio ] Kass, boyfriend of MSNBC host Alex Wagner , declared: "Oh, absolutely. I think we're seeing the country unite around our kid's health....last year the new school lunch standards were put in place. School chefs are cooking much healthier food, and that's going to... continue reading