Remarking that Wisconsin voters had "decided to leave their governor in office" on Wednesday's NBC Nightly News , anchor Brian Williams contemptuously declared that "money flowed into that state from all over the country, from people who had never been to Wisconsin, had no connection to Wisconsin. Part of the new and unlimited spending that is changing politics in a hurry." [ Listen to the audio ] After Williams credited the out-of-state money for "a huge victory for the Republicans," chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd breathlessly proclaimed: "Walker and national Republicans responded aggressively [to the recall], launching an unprecedented... continue reading
On Wednesday's The Ed Show , MSNBC host Ed Schultz took a condescending tone toward labor union members who voted for Governor Scott Walker in Tuesday's recall election in Wisconsin as he recounted NBC News exit poll numbers showing that a significant chunk of union voters supported the Wisconsin Republican. A baffled Schultz relayed the numbers and recounted the decision of some union members to vote for Walker, using a mocking tone of voice: Despite Walker ending collective bargaining for public employees, 27 percent of union members voted for this guy? Twenty-seven percent of union members said, "Hey, he's our... continue reading
The Big Three networks certainly have their priorities straight. ABC, CBS, and NBC's morning shows on Wednesday dedicated more time to entertainment news than the results of the Wisconsin recall election. On CBS This Morning , Disney's new ban on junk food ads from its kids programming received a minute and a half more than the political story. The same gap occurred on ABC's Good Morning America , but instead of junk food, the Miss USA pageant got the extra time. NBC's Today , however, one-upped its competitors, as they devoted over six minutes to former Hannah Montana star Miley... continue reading
Searching for an excuse to explain what went wrong for Democrats in Wisconsin, the broadcast networks blamed "a record-shattering $64 million poured into" the recall election by "conservative out-of-st ate groups" supporting Republican Governor Scott Walker. On Wednesday's CBS This Morning , correspondent Bill Plante promoted Obama campaign talking points on the major Democratic loss: "...what it called the 'massive spending gap'. Governor Walker's supporters raised $31 million to $4 million for the challenger, Tom Barrett.... with most of that money coming from out of state – a huge chunk of it from the super-PACs." On Tuesday's CBS Evening News... continue reading
During the special 11:00 pm EDT edition of The Ed Show on Tuesday, MSNBC host Ed Schultz fretted about what he viewed as "pretty damn scary stuff" that he believed Republicans would do in following Governor Scott Walker's example in pushing a conservative agenda in Wisconsin. A bit later, during an interview with the Reverend Jesse Jackson, he asserted that conservatives are trying to "destroy and defund public education," which he claimed was "hurting the minority communities." Early in the 11:00 p.m. hour, Schultz observed: This is a big victory for the conservative movement, not only in Wisconsin but in... continue reading
Shortly after MSNBC called Republican Governor Scott Walker as the winner of Tuesday's recall election in Wisconsin a bit past 9:50 p.m. during the Rachel Maddow Show , a subdued Ed Schultz gave his initial reaction. Conceding that the "disappointing" results signal that "it's going to be a tough one" for Democrats in November, he went on to blame Walker's fundraising advantage for the Republican victory. Schultz: But this is also an opportunity for the Republicans to gain a great deal of confidence that, when they outfund the opponent, it can make a difference. We are looking at almost a... continue reading
On Tuesday's The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell , MSNBC host O'Donnell teased his show by asserting that President Obama is "the really big winner" in Wisconsin because of exit polls showing that, in spite of Republican Governor Scott Walker's win, a majority of those who voted preferred President Obama over GOP candidate Mitt Romney in the presidential race. O'Donnell: "Tonight, the really big winner in the Wisconsin recall election is President Obama." Without noting the caveat that a significant number of voters typically do not make up their minds which candidate they will vote for until the days leading... continue reading
The media's crush on Bill Clinton has only grown stronger since he left office, and CNN renewed its affection for the former president on Tuesday by airing over four minutes of him introducing President Obama at a Democratic fund raiser. Fox News caught some flack for producing and airing a four-minute anti-Obama video – not that NBC and MSNBC haven't done the same thing to Romney – but CNN pulled a similar move in not producing, but still airing, what amounted to Obama campaign propaganda. And this is not the first time this has happened on CNN's The Situation Room... continue reading
Seated atop a high horse on Monday's NBC Nightly News , correspondent Peter Alexander lamented the tone of the Wisconsin recall election of Republican Governor Scott Walker: "It is a fiery local c ampaign that analysts say highlights the country's nasty political landscape, where demonization often drowns out discourse." What Alexander failed to notice from his lofty perch was that left-wing MSNBC host Ed Schultz has driven much of the nastiness in the campaign. Launching his vicious assault against Walker in February of 2011 on The Ed Show , Schultz spewed: "Governor Scott Walker is trying to balance the budget... continue reading
CBS This Morning on Tuesday heralded President Obama and former President Bill Clinton's joint fundraising appearances in New York City, playing up the " star-studded lineup " that appeared with the two. Correspondent Bill Plante gushed that Obama "shared the stage and the spotlight with former President Bill Clinton... his reputation now bathed in nostalgia as he made the case for his fellow Democrat." Political director John Dickerson also likened Clinton to a lumbering dog throwing its weight around: "He's [Clinton] also, sort of, a big St. Bernard bounding around the political landscape , saying what he wants, and it's... continue reading