On Wednesday's All In show on MSNBC, host Chris Hayes opened the program rejoicing over the "sweet, sweet victory" of the Supreme Court ruling against the federal Defense of Marriage Act, calling it a "watershed moment in the centuries-long struggle for equality in this country." After playing clips of news coverage of the ruling, Hayes declared: Today, the Supreme Court opened up same-sex marriage once again in California, the most populated state in the country, and ruled that any couple that is legally married in their state, in these United States, is married before the eyes of the federal government... continue reading
Despite a busy news night by his own admission, CNN's Anderson Cooper made time to highlight a Texas Democratic state senator's filibuster against pro-life legislation. Cooper gave a soft interview to state senator Wendy Davis, " a hero to some in the fight over abortion ." Her accomplishment? She "took a stand against a bill restricting abortions in the state." [Video below. Audio here .] Cooper gushed over the "remarkable scene" where a mob disrupted the legislative vote to the point where the vote was nullified because of the delay. Planned Parenthood's Cecile Richards was on hand to dance on... continue reading
Leading off a panel discussion on Thursday's NBC Today applauding the Supreme Court's gay marriage decisions, co-host Natalie Morales proclaimed: "Wednesday's historic ruling on same-sex marriage is being celebrated across the country, but it was sixteen years ago when Ellen Degeneres marked a milestone, breaking a huge barrier in front of millions of people on primetime TV." [ Listen to the audio ] After a clip played of Degeneres coming out on her sitcom in 1997, fill-in co-host Carson Daly posed the question: "So how much influence has pop culture had on America's changing attitude and the Supreme Court decision?"... continue reading
On Wednesday's All In show, host Chris Hayes celebrated a filibuster by Texas Democratic State Senator Wendy Davis to thwart the passage of a bill restricting abortion, calling her 11-hour filibuster "absolutely-epic" and "one of the most remarkable acts of political leadership that I've ever seen." Hayes plugged the segment recounting a Twitter response to the speech from President Obama, as the MSNBC host added: "He was referring to the absolutely epic 11-hour filibuster by Texas State Senator Wendy Davis." Before introducing Senator Davis as a guest, Hayes played a clip from the Texas state senate, and related: Those were... continue reading
CBS This Morning led its Thursday broadcast with overwhelmingly slanted coverage on the Supreme Court's pro-same-sex "marriage" rulings. Ben Tracy played up the " long night of celebrating in West Hollywood ", after the Court paved the way for the termination of California's Proposition 8. Tracy also prominently featured a homosexual couple's informal ring ceremony, who "after being blocked by Proposition 8...will now get re-married in their home state." The morning newscast loaded its reporting with six soundbites of the liberal plaintiffs and lawyers in the case, along with their supporters, and only included two clips from conservatives decrying the... continue reading
Celebrating Wednesday's Supreme Court rulings in favor of gay marriage, on Thursday's NBC Today , correspondent Gabe Gutierrez reported live from San Francisco city hall and announced: "In one of the country's oldest and largest gay neighborhoods, vindication. It was the day San Francisco's Castro District had been waiting for." [ Listen to the audio ] A series of sound bites followed of gay rights activists expressing their jubilation over the ruling. The plaintiff in the Defense of Marriage Act case, Edith Windsor, declared "The beginning of the end of stigma." Rabbi Camile Shira Angel proclaimed: "I feel blessed with... continue reading
The journalists at Good Morning America seem to have decided that the gay marriage debate no longer has two sides. On Thursday, co-anchor Robin Roberts opened the program by spinning Wednesday's Supreme Court decision only as a good thing. She extolled, " And some wonderful pictures to show you of jubilation. People dancing in the streets in cities all around the country." [ MP3 audio here .] After using the loaded term "marriage equality," Roberts gushed, "Celebrating well into the night. Look at San Francisco city hall, lighting up right there in tribute." Over the span of two segments totaling... continue reading
Reporting from the White House lawn during NBC's live coverage of the Supreme Court's rulings in favor of gay marriage on Wednesday, correspondent Peter Alexander touted how the decisions were "very personally satisfying for the President , who it was only about a year ago during the course of the campaign...came out and said that he has had this personal evolution on the topic..." [ Listen to the audio ] Minutes later, Alexander recited a tweet from the President: "He said the following: 'Today's DOMA ruling is a historic step forward for #marriageequality,' and then he wrote, '#loveislove.'" After quoting... continue reading
ABC, CBS, and NBC's morning newscasts on Wednesday spotlighted Texas State Senator Wendy Davis's filibuster against pro-life legislation, hyping how she stood for hours in " comfortable pink sneakers " to stop a vote on the bill. The networks trumpeted how "the unfolding drama topped the list of worldwide Twitter trends," but ABC and NBC failed to include any tweets or soundbites from supporters of the proposal. [audio available here ; video below ] CBS This Morning did include two clips from a pro-life Texas state legislator, but anchors Charlie Rose and Norah O'Donnell gushed over Davis. Rose harped about... continue reading
Though Chris Matthews was happy with Wednesday's Supreme Court rulings in support of gay marriage, the liberal host still used hyperbolic rhetoric to describe the state of the country and the Democratic Lieutenant Governor of California. Talking to Gavin Newsom, Matthews praised the politician, comparing him to an executed Civil War abolitionist: " In effect, you were sort of like John Brown or something back in the Civil War days -- pre-Civil War days ." [MP3 audio here .] Brown lead an armed insurrection against the institution of slavery. He was tried and hanged. It's hard to compare Newsom's political... continue reading