Texas Governor Rick Perry conducted interviews with all three network morning shows on Friday and all used controversial comments made by Dallas pastor Robert Jeffress as a line of attack. This despite Perry having already distanced himself from the pastor's remarks labeling Mormonism a "cult." On NBC's Today, co-host Matt Lauer led the charge by leveling this accusation against the Perry campaign: "...the issue of faith was really introduced – the can of worms was opened by a surrogate of your own campaign..." On ABC's Good Morning America, co-host George Stephanopoulos wouldn't let the issue go: "The Romney campaign...have called... continue reading
In the face of their removal from a Manhattan park so it can be cleaned up, NBC anchor Brian Williams stepped up his praise Thursday night for the far-left Occupy Wall Street protesters. 'They share a heritage with other big protest movements in American history,' he heralded in his lead story, 'some of them have changed history.' He then trumpeted: 'The center of the message is increasingly resonating. The crowds tell us that. Now the polls tell us that.' Reporter Mara Schiavocampo hyped protests 'growing in number and intensity. Thousands taking to the streets in at least 190 cities nationwide.'... continue reading
On his Thursday program, MSNBC's Martin Bashir collaborated with pro-abortion Rep. Diana DeGette to bash pro-life conservatives as " misogynists " during a seven-and-a-half-minute long segment. Bashir claimed that it's "hardly surprising" that the proposed Protect Life Act, which would protect the conscience rights of health care workers, "has earned the moniker the 'let women die act.'" During the segment, the host repeatedly railed against Republicans for putting the bill up for a vote while "fourteen million Americans out of work." Bashir also adopted the pro-abortion lobby's own talking points from the very start: BASHIR: ...What are they focusing on... continue reading
At the end of a fawning interview with far left activist and singer Harry Belafonte on Thursday's NBC Today , co-host Ann Curry asked about his litany of controversial comments over the years and if he ever wished he kept his "mouth shut." Belafonte claimed "many Americans shared" his radical views and that: "I handled it with dignity and a certain kind of preciseness that I've not regretted." [ Audio available here ] Curry responded by wrapping up the segment and touting Belafonte's autobiography, My Song : "Well, you certainly do that in this book and what's really sweet at... continue reading
Conservatives are concerned, as expressed by other candidates at Tuesday's debate, about how Herman Cain's '9-9-9' plan would impose a new national sales tax revenue stream and how easy it would make it for Congress in the future to increase an enticing 9 percent income tax rate. Liberals are upset by how the plan would raise taxes on those with lower incomes and reduce taxes on the wealthy. Guess on which worries the networks concentrated? 'A long list of economists say Cain's plan would hit the lower middle class hard,' ABC's Jonathan Karl fretted Wednesday night. On CBS, Wyatt Andrews... continue reading
According to MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell, Clarence Thomas' accuser, Anita Hill, is a "living legacy." The cable anchor on Wednesday fawned over the woman who, 20 years ago, charged the now-Supreme Court justice with sexual harassment. At no point did she offer a tough question or challenge the honesty of Hill. Instead, Mitchell treated the Brandeis professor as a larger than life figure, wondering, " How is it to live with this, this history? You are now part of history. You have been for 20 years ." Mitchell reminisced about her own role in covering the 1991 confirmation hearings, remembering, "I... continue reading
Surging Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, identified as "pizza man" by an ABC graphic, finally appeared on Good Morning America, Wednesday, but was grilled by George Stephanopoulos on his 9-9-9 economic plan and a lack of experience. Dismissing Cain's call for a nine percent flat tax for individuals and business and a nine percent sales tax, the former Democratic operative turned journalist attacked, "You're going to spend another nine percent every time they spend a dollar. That's going to be a huge hit to Americans who are hurting right now, isn't it?" Stephanopoulos wouldn't accept Cain's explanation that the net... continue reading
In an interview with First Lady Michelle Obama that aired on Wednesday's NBC Today, weatherman Al Roker gushed over recent shopping trip to Target and wondered: "...do you sometimes miss the ability to do something like that on a regular basis?... Do you go to Costco? Do you buy a lot of toilet tissue at once?" [ Audio available here ] Obama said of her shopping trips: "I do that more frequently than people realize....we try to sneak out as much as possible and it – and it helps to keep our kids' lives normal." To the challenging toilet paper... continue reading
CBS's Bigad Shaban filed a puff piece about the "Occupy Wall Street" demonstrators on Tuesday's Early Show, trumpeting their " self-operating mini-community in lower Manhattan " and how they were " hungry for change ," all the while ignoring the radical left wing politics of many in attendance. Shaban took more time to note that " this isn't your average protest. Yoga classes are taught in the off-time ." Co-anchors Chris Wragge and Erica Hill played up the " mini-village, complete with a daily newspaper, recycling, a free breakfast buffet, [and] yoga " during their promo for the correspondent's report... continue reading
MSNBC's Chris Matthews on Tuesday worried about the emergence of Mitt Romney as a serious front-runner and a threat to Barack Obama's reelection. Talking to Democratic strategist Mark Penn, the Hardball host spoke the language of the Occupy Wall Street protesters: " Suppose [Democrats] make [Romney] Gordon Gekko? Suppose they say, he's one of the pigs on Wall Street?" ( Gordon Gekko was the bad guy businessman in the 1987 film Wall Street .) Matthews continued, suggesting Democrats turn the Republican candidate into "one of the big investment bankers, one of the equity people who's been making tons of money... continue reading