Of the three morning shows on Wednesday, only NBC's Today speculated that Barack Obama might be using "scare tactics" with his dire warning that, barring a deal on raising the debt limit, Social Security checks in August might no be mailed out. Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos simply asserted that the "debt crisis in Washington is getting very scary." Stephanopoulos uncritically repeated, "And President Obama for the first time yesterday saying that Social Security recipients in August may not receive their checks." In contrast, NBC's Matt Lauer, skeptically asked, " Scare tactic? President Obama warns millions of Americans Social Security... continue reading
On Wednesday's NBC Today, co-host Ann Curry talked to left-wing MSNBC host Chris Matthews about the debt ceiling fight, who cheered Senator Mitch McConnell's plan to give President Obama sole authority to raise the nation's credit limit: "...the White House seems to be happy that somebody on the other side realizes how dangerous this is going to be next week." Later, Matthews went further in his praise for McConnell, pleased that the Senate Minority Leader was moving away from conservatives: "I think what the White House is happy about is that finally Mitch McConnell who's a leader, just like the... continue reading
In a relatively inoffensive interview with President Barack Obama for Tuesday's CBS Evening News, anchor Scott Pelley implied the Tea Party (and maybe congressional liberals too) should be blamed for blocking a debt ceiling deal ( 'Isn't the problem that a large number of the Members of Congress will not follow your leadership or the Republican leadership?') and fondly recalled how 'it wasn't that long ago when compromise in Washington was considered a virtue, not a vice.' Pelley touted how 'Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill were on opposite sides of the political spectrum, but they respected each other, they liked... continue reading
CNN's Anderson Cooper and Gloria Borger took turns casting President Barack Obama as the centrist 'adult' in a room teeming with unruly Republican children who would rather invite economic calamity than compromise on a debt-reduction plan. Discussing a topic that would have made a perfect "Keeping Them Honest" segment, Cooper insisted, incorrectly, on Monday's "AC 360" that the Democratic president has never raised taxes since taking office in 2009: "Now, in fact the stimulus was about one-third tax cuts. So in fairness, he did not raise taxes. He and Congress later passing a payroll tax holiday that is in effect... continue reading
Tuesday's off-lead story in the New York Times by Jackie Calmes from Washington claims Obama is now grasping centrism as a weapon in the budget battle. So why has the Times been telling us he has always been a pragmatic centrist? ' Obama Grasping Centrist Banner In Debt Impasse – Talks Remain Stalled – President Urges Biggest Deal Possible Despite G.O.P. Skepticism .' For the last three years we've been told by the Times and the rest of the media Obama was in fact a 'pragmatic' centrist, unlike the conservative George W. Bush. Why would Obama have to "reposition" himself... continue reading
Newsweek editor Tina Brown, who last week smeared the Republican Party as " suicide bombers ," was featured as a guest on Tuesday's Good Morning America to slam the "amorality" of Rupert Murdoch. Brown appeared to discuss the News of the World scandal and the ethics of the media mogul. Talking to host Robin Roberts, the editor attacked, "But at the same [Murdoch] has no, you know, ethics in the company." Brown, who in addition to running Newsweek, also oversees the Daily Beast, showed up on MSNBC's Morning Joe last week to trash Republicans who oppose raising the debt limit:... continue reading
In an interview with radio host Laura Ingraham on Tuesday's NBC Today, co-host Matt Lauer fretted over the lack of a deal on raising the debt ceiling and called on Republicans to abandon their opposition to tax increases: "When it comes to taxes, this issue of revenues, is there any way this deal gets done without the Republicans compromising somewhat on taxes?" [ Audio available here ] Ingraham pointed out: "...if the Republicans hadn't taken the House of Representatives last November, if the Tea Party hadn't kind of risen up and gotten all of this populist influence, we wouldn't even... continue reading
Six out of seven reporters, called on by Barack Obama at Monday's press conference, asked a question of the President that came from the left and/or blamed Speaker John Boehner and the Republicans for standing in the way of a deal on the debt ceiling. Ben Feller of the AP, began the trend of questioning when he asked how Obama was going to deal with Republicans who were "adamantly" opposed to tax increases. CBS News' Chip Reid followed with "isn't the problem the people who aren't in the room, and in particular Republican presidential candidates and Republican Tea Partiers on... continue reading
MSNBC's Martin Bashir on Monday wondered if Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum support " a return to the days of slavery " after the two GOP hopefuls signed a pledge on upholding traditional marriage. Teasing a segment on the topic, the cable anchor mused, " Next, the problem with promises. Did two Republican hopefuls really sign a pledge suggesting a return to the days of slavery? " [MP3 audio here .] Bashir covered the language in a "marriage vow" put together by the Family Leader, a conservative social group in Iowa. In their pledge, the organization suggested, "a child born... continue reading
During the roundtable discussion on Sunday's NBC Meet the Press, liberal Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson claimed the fight over the debt ceiling would be a political "winner" for President Obama, prompting host David Gregory to declare that the commander in chief would look like "the debt slayer." Gregory then turned to chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd and wondered why debt ceiling negotiations broke down. Todd placed the blame squarely on Republicans: "Well, it broke down because Speaker Boehner couldn't get an agreement on taxes. Let's remember, he was not – he did not believe he was politically strong... continue reading