The evening following President Barack Obama’s announcement of his executive action on illegal immigration, major broadcast networks CBS and NBC sought to carry water for the President on Friday night as he made a trip to a Las Vegas high school to promote his move that would allow millions of illegal immigrants to stay in the United States. Between two reports total from the CBS Evening News and NBC Nightly News , the President’s speech was hailed as having “campaign-style fervor” that featured “[a] combative President Obama, chastising congressional Republicans for inaction” on immigration. CBS News chief White House correspondent... continue reading
On her 12 p.m. ET hour MSNBC show on Friday, host Andrea Mitchell asserted that President Obama's executive order blocking deportation of millions of illegal immigrants was somehow "not amnesty": "...what this is not, as the President said, this is not amnesty. People have to apply, the applications won't be taken until the spring. There's a window where Republicans could act. So it's not what people are describing, the critics." Even Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd couldn't quite swallow that spin: "It is a temporary amnesty as far as these people are concerned." Mitchell countered: "Well, it's a relaxation... continue reading
In a segment on his PBS show Thursday night, Charlie Rose and his guests discussed President Obama’s executive order on illegal immigration and described the responses from those in the Republican Party as “a bit extreme” and “ludicrous” while also harping on the conundrum that Republican leadership now supposedly faces in dealing with conservatives now that the executive amnesty is announced. Joined by Karen Tumulty of The Washington Post and Michael Shear of The New York Times , the three discussed the President’s executive action in a segment that was taped prior to his speech during the program’s first 15... continue reading
The journalists at CBS This Morning on Friday downplayed conservative opposition to Barack Obama's amnesty and instead hyped unease about how long it took for the order to be issued. Reporter Major Garrett showcased complaints, noting, "For immigration activists, long disappointed by White House indifference, it all sounds like a new day." He then featured Lynn Tramonte, the head of an organization supporting Obama's amnesty move. She complained, "It's almost unreal because for six years, we've had a different President Obama. When he came into office, we believed his campaign promises." [MP3 audio here .] Garrett underlined, "The President broke... continue reading
In the wake of President Obama's announcement Thursday night that he would go around Congress to grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants, Friday's NBC Today warned of Republican overreaction to the presidential power grab. Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd proclaimed: "Republican leaders are nervous that they won't be able to control their conservative members who would like to lash out and have a fight now with the President." During a news brief at the top of the 8 a.m. ET hour, correspondent Peter Alexander declared: "In many ways, politically, the ball is now in the Republican's court with... continue reading
Following President Barack Obama’s speech announcing his executive order on illegal immigration, CNN political commentator and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich unloaded on the President, likening his speech to statements made by ObamaCare architect Jonathan Gruber and that those in the “elite” class “really underestimate” the disdain Americans have for unfortified borders. Responding on CNN in the minutes after it ended, Gingrich opined that it was wrong for the President to go against the incoming Congress as it had “repudiated his policies in the election” a few weeks ago. Gingrich then slammed what viewers just heard as “a... continue reading
Ahead of President Obama’s speech on immigration on Thursday night, the major broadcast networks all did their parts to push the arguments in favor of his executive amnesty ranging from a whole segment devoted to a family that would benefit from the President’s executive order to promoting one pro-amnesty group. On the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley , over two minutes were spent on segment promoting a family of children born in the U.S. with an illegal immigrant mother, who currently is in an Arizona detention center, but now could be allowed to be freed and apply to become... continue reading
On Wednesday's AC360 , CNN's Dana Bash was hesitant to address President Obama's past remarks on immigration reform, where he repeatedly denied that he couldn't act alone – to the point that she first touted the Democrat's supposed academic credentials. Host Anderson Cooper played five clips of Mr. Obama making this point, and underlined that " he said he couldn't do it in the past. He's now saying he can do it, and should do it, and will do it ." Cooper then asked Bash, " What's the White House spin on it? " The congressional correspondent led her answer... continue reading
Although many journalistic outlets have conducted a blackout of ObamaCare architect Jonathan Gruber's comments about duping "stupid" Americans, CNN's Jake Tapper has delivered consistent coverage and on CNN.com , Wednesday, offered an elaborate explanation of why Gruber's impolitic comments are really important. After explaining how the President insisted that his health care plan wouldn't do what Gruber says it will, Tapper declared, " Gruber thinks ObamaCare is a good thing. It's just that we voters were too stupid to realize that. So, we had to be fooled. And that's why so many people are mad about it." [MP3 audio here... continue reading
During the Republican Governors Association conference on Wednesday, Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd spent more than half of an hour-long panel discussion grilling several GOP governors on illegal immigration and President Obama's upcoming executive order to grant amnesty to millions of illegal aliens. The Republicans pushed back hard against the NBC host. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal called him out: "We have an hour. We've now spent 30 minutes talking about the President breaking the law tomorrow....I'd like to talk about energy, I'd like to talk about education." Minutes later, after Todd continued to harp on the issue, Texas Governor... continue reading