BiasAlerts

On Friday's NBC Today, fill-in co-host Savannah Guthrie grilled Arizona Senator John McCain on his criticism of Barack Obama's foreign policy positions in the 2008 campaign and urged: "Bin Laden is gone. Anwar al Awlaki, who was the rising star in al Qaeda, is gone. Qadhafi is gone. Drone strikes have intensified greatly....Given the track record now in office, would you change your opinion, sir?" [ Audio available here ] Prior to that, Guthrie pressed McCain on his early criticism of Obama's handling of Libya: "You were an early supporter of U.S. intervention in Libya, and yet, you harshly criticized... continue reading
It's no surprise MSNBC hosts were quick to see 'vindication' for President Barack Obama in the death of Moammar Qadhafi, but ABC's George Stephanopoulos and Jake Tapper were just as eager Thursday night to make sure viewers knew the White House was gloating. 'The President was careful not to take too much credit in the Rose Garden,' fill-in World News anchor George Stephanopoulos noted before presuming that 'behind the scenes White House officials have to be feeling some sense of vindication.' Tapper confirmed 'they do. They see this as a vindication for Obama's foreign policy ....which is more international cooperation,... continue reading
New York Times reporter Susan Saulny suggested G.O.P. presidential contender Herman Cain employed old anti-black stereotypes in Wednesday's ' Behind Cain's Humor, a Question of Seriousness ,' even letting a professor accuse Cain of using 'a certain kind of minstrelsy to play to white audiences.' It is safe to say that no other Republican on the campaign trail this year - or ever - has begun a speech with the phrase 'Awww, shucky ducky!' the way Herman Cain did this year to the utter delight of his audience, which responded with wild applause. Few candidates compare themselves to a flavor... continue reading
As the Media Research Center has documented , CNN's Anderson Cooper has been targeting Republicans far more than Democrats with critical "Keeping Them Honest" investigative reports – and Cooper continued that trend Wednesday night. The CNN host scrutinized Republican presidential candidates for statements they made in Tuesday night's debate, but has not reported controversial statements made this week by President Obama and Vice President Biden. Cooper also hit candidate Herman Cain with a "Keeping Them Honest" on Monday night, the third time he has focused such a report on Cain in the last two weeks. In contrast, President Obama has... continue reading
CBS's Early Show on Thursday stood out as the only Big Three network program that covered what anchor Jeff Glor labeled as Vice President Biden's " controversial comments linking rape and the jobs bill ," where he attacked the GOP for opposing the legislation. ABC and NBC's morning shows on Thursday didn't air anything on the story, and none of the networks' evening news shows on Wednesday reported on it. Despite correspondent Bill Plante's full report on Biden's attack on the GOP, which included a sound bite of the Democrat standing by his comments after a question from Human Events... continue reading
Early on Thursday's The Daily Rundown on MSNBC, as news was breaking of the reported death of Libyan dictator Moammar Qadhafi, host Chuck Todd used the opportunity to declare: "...a trillion dollars and thousands of U.S. lives to topple a dictator in Iraq, it's a billion dollars and no U.S. lives to topple a dictator in Libya. That's a – that's a pretty stark contrast." [ Audio available here ] Todd, NBC's chief White House correspondent, made the gratuitous shot at the Bush administration while talking to Robin Wright of the liberal Woodrow Wilson Center, who proclaimed: "...this is going... continue reading
On Wednesday's NBC Nightly News, correspondent Andrea Mitchell filed a report in which she gushed over First Lady Michelle Obama's campaign skills, dubbing her as President Obama's "not so secret political weapon." Mitchell recounted the First Lady's campaign appearance from earlier in the day: On the White House jobs tour today, Michelle Obama is on message, announcing 25,000 private sector jobs for veterans and military spouses over the next two years. As the campaign gains speed, the First Lady is gearing up. Soon came of clip of the Daily Beast's Tina Brown chiming in: Michelle Obama really brings a warmth,... continue reading
CBS's Early Show on Wednesday somehow couldn't find time for any Republicans to comment on the most recent GOP presidential debate, and instead, brought on David Axelrod, the chief strategist for President Obama's reelection campaign, to bash the GOP. Anchors Erica Hill and Jeff Glor gave Axelrod the kid glove treatment, instead of pressing him about the issues that may negatively affect the President. Glor began with the simplest question possible to the presidential advisor: " What did you think of the debate last night? Let's start with that ." As one might expect, Axelrod bashed the Republican field in... continue reading
Chris Matthews despises many conservatives, but saves some of his most vitriolic comments for Newt Gingrich. On Wednesday's Hardball, he slammed the Republican presidential candidate as "demonic." Discussing Gingrich's debate answer to a question on health care, Matthews trashed, "You know, the demonic aspect of the person of Newt Gingrich– and I do mean that– he speaks with a forked tongue where you see both forks at the same time ." What prompted this outburst? An argument between the former Speaker and Mitt Romney during Tuesday's debate over whether the ex-Massachusetts governor got the idea for an individual mandate from... continue reading
On Wednesday's NBC Today, fill-in news anchor Savannah Guthrie shared this important presidential news with viewers: "And it's the last day of the President's bus tour through North Carolina and Virginia but it hasn't been all business for the commander in chief. At a Virginia high school he sparked a giggle-fest and even managed to break some hearts." [ Audio available here ] A clip followed of a group of teenage girls asking Obama if he knew singer Justin Bieber. The President said that he did, but that Bieber had a girlfriend. Guthrie then remarked: "Oh, look at those faces...... continue reading