BiasAlerts

In a fawning report on Wednesday's NBC Today on President Obama winning re-election, correspondent Kristen Welker provided gauzy commentary: "...the Chicago crowd was electrified as the President delivered a soaring speech in which he thanked all those who supported him, including his family.... The President's daughters are a little taller, his hair grayer, but in his speech, Mr. Obama sounded a lot like the man America first elected four years ago." [ Listen to the audio ] Welker touted how "the President struck a tone of healing" and "joked that unlike 2008, the first daughters will not be getting a... continue reading
On Tuesday's NBC Today , correspondent Kristen Welker described an Obama campaign "filled with anticipation and nostalgia" and the President giving his final stump speech in Iowa "With an eye on his future" and having "reached back to the past." Welker continued to fawn: "...the state which gave Mr. Obama his first 2008 victory, launching his improbable and historic journey. An emotional night, even for a president known for keeping his cool." [ Listen to the audio ] Later in the report, Welker touted: "And while [Obama's] top surrogates stormed the battleground states, some of the biggest names in entertainment... continue reading
At about 1:26 a.m. during MSNBC's live coverage of election night, co-anchor Chris Matthews obsessed over critics of President Obama who "practically frisked" President Obama and told him, "get out of your car, show me your birth certificate, who are you?" Even as he rejoiced that racism had not cost Obama reelection, Matthews made his comments on the subject after co-host Rachel Maddow noted polls showing Obama had received a lower percentage of white voters than four years ago. Matthews: I am, well, I happen to be white, and I've been very ashamed in this election by the comments made... continue reading
Shortly after 1:00 a.m. during MSNBC's election night coverage, MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell ridiculously claimed that Democrats are more tolerant of Mormonism than Republicans and blamed the "Bible-thumping side of the Republican party," which he asserted is "where anti-Mormon feeling resides," for political analysts discussing Mitt Romney's Mormon religious beliefs, in spite of polls showing Republicans more inclined to accept a Mormon President than Democrats. O'Donnell: Let's just remember the reason his religion was discussed in political terms by analysts at any point was the Bible-thumping side of the Republican party, and that's where anti-Mormon feeling resides. It doesn't exist in... continue reading
Norah O'Donnell lived up to her reputation on Tuesday's CBS This Morning for tossing softball questions at liberal guests while hounding conservative ones. During an interview of Obama campaign flack David Axelrod, O'Donnell wondered if " the minority vote will be bigger than it was in 2008 ." Charlie Rose assisted his co-host in asking, " Are we looking at a new Democratic majority - a different voter group that are coming together to be the majority in America? " By contrast, the former NBC correspondent peppered Romney adviser Kevin Madden with questions that cast doubt on the Republican presidential... continue reading
Reporter and Barack Obama acolyte Terry Moran on Monday attended the President's last rally as a candidate, wistfully recalling the "magic" of the Democrat's past campaigns. Moran reminisced, " Looking at Barack Obama today, on the last day of his last campaign, it is impossible not to think back to what seemed a hinge of history. " [MP3 audio here .] Perhaps speaking of himself, the Nightline co-anchor looked back: "The crowds were bigger, more rapturous, more hopeful. For so many people it was magic." After all, it was Moran who, in February of 2009 , hyperbolically declared, "I like... continue reading
During a panel discussion on Tuesday's NBC Today , former McCain campaign advisor Steve Schmidt and PBS host Tavis Smiley began writing the Republican Party's obituary before any votes had been counted, after co-host Matt Lauer wondered: "Which party stands to suffer the most long-term damage if they lose today?" [ Listen to the audio ] Schmidt proclaimed: "Well, if the Republicans lose, there's gonna be a civil war that breaks out in the Republican Party." Smiley followed by ranting that the GOP would be on the decline no matter what the outcome of the election: "I think we agree... continue reading
Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos and analyst Matt Dowd on Tuesday offered one more day of doom and gloom for the Republican presidential ticket. Discussing the prospect of Mitt Romney winning Virginia, Stephanopoulos insisted, " But it's not even enough. He really has to sweep the whole east coast ." (Of course, the east coast includes states such as Maine and Massachusetts, areas he doesn't need to win.) Dowd, who has worked for both Democrats and Republicans, piled on: "[Romney has] a very narrow path to an electoral college victory...It's as if he has to draw an inside straight in... continue reading
In an interview with senior Romney advisor Ed Gillespie on Tuesday's NBC Today , co-host Matt Lauer ripped into an ads run by the Governor's campaign in Ohio about the auto industry: "The reaction was swift and unanimous, Ed. They were painted as misleading by independent fact-checkers. Ohio newspapers said they were an exercise in deception, a masterpiece of misdirection, and Chrysler and GM called them inaccurate and campaign politics at its cynical worst." [ Listen to the audio ] Lauer jabbed: "How could this happen to the guy who is the son of a car-maker and the guy who... continue reading
CNN's Soledad O'Brien threw Democratic talking points at Sen. John Portman (R-Ohio) on Monday's Early Start , but the Romney surrogate was ready as he defended the campaign's Jeep ad. "Was it a mistake then to run that Jeep ad which ran in Toledo, Ohio?" O'Brien pressed. "[I]t was deemed by PolitiFact to be false," she added, despite the claim's accuracy that plans were indeed made to build Jeeps in China. "I think the ad is correct in the sense that Jeep is planning to move some production to China," stated Portman. O'Brien challenged him with a quote from the... continue reading