The network evening news programs on Wednesday and morning shows on Thursday skipped covering the suspension of MSNBC host Ed Shultz for trashing Laura Ingraham as a "right-wing slut." Yet, these same networks eagerly jumped all over the story of Don Imus referring to college basketball players as "hos." On Wednesday, ABC's World News, CBS's Evening News and NBC's Nightly News avoided reporting on this May 24 remark by Schultz: " Like this right-wing slut, what's her name, Laura Ingraham? Yeah, she's a talk slut ." (Good Morning America, Today and Early Show did the same.) Later in the day... continue reading
On Thursday's NBC Today, senior investigative correspondent Lisa Myers kept up the attack on Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich for having a line of credit with the jeweler Tiffany's five years ago: "Gingrich has always described himself as frugal and fiscally conservative, which is why this story about a huge line of credit at Tiffany's just won't go away." Myers touted the story as great fodder for late night comics, who "have had a field day," and remarked that Gingrich "and his wife, Calista, have been dubbed the 'Blingriches.'" She noted how "The questions just keep on coming," playing a... continue reading
Jessica Alba received an overwhelmingly positive reception on Thursday's Morning Joe while lobbying for legislation that would give the EPA broad-sweeping powers to regulate chemicals in consumer products. Despite her cheerful demeanor, the Hollywood starlet made a spate of damning claims against the chemical industry that she failed to substantiate, while the MSNBC panel nodded in approval. "I realized that there are toxic chemicals in American products that are completely unregulated that are in and around our children," accused Alba, even though the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 empowers the EPA with such statutory authority. After Alba fretted that... continue reading
CNN's Jack Cafferty reverted back to his Palin derangement syndrome Wednesday afternoon. He touted two new books that heavily criticize Palin - labeling one as "required reading" for any potential supporters of a Palin presidential run - as an antidote of sorts to what he deemed "Palin propaganda." Cafferty's question of the hour was "With the GOP field so weak, should Sarah Palin run for president?" He spent the majority of his brief time slot bashing Palin and assembling the case against the former governor. "Just when we thought that maybe she had decided to just go away and leave... continue reading
In full retreat, a humiliated and somber Ed Schultz opened his MSNBC show on Wednesday night ( video below ) by apologizing to Laura Ingraham for using, on his radio show, "vile and inappropriate language" to describe her, language he did not repeat. On Tuesday, the left-wing host had slimed the conservative talk radio host as a "right-wing slut" and a "radio slut." (After Schultz's statement, Thomas Roberts hosted the rest of the hour.) Schultz pleaded: "I am deeply sorry, and I apologize. It was wrong, uncalled for and I recognize the severity of what I said. I apologize to... continue reading
The New York Times provided big play to Tuesday's special congressional election to fill New York's 26th congressional district near Buffalo, a race in which Democrat Kathy Hochul upset Republican Jane Corwin. Reporter Raymond Hernandez was quick to assume this one special race spells bad news for Republican plans to reform Medicare, and their prospects in the national elections 18 months away. But how does the Times typically react when Republicans win special and off-year elections? The stack of headlines to Wednesday's off-lead story by the conservative-hostile Hernandez set the tone: " Gaining Upset, Democrat Wins New York Seat -... continue reading
Networks Skip Democrat Label While Covering John Edwards Indictment, Touted Disgraced 'Conservative'
The network morning shows on Wednesday all avoided party labels for Democrat John Edwards in the wake of the announcement that the former presidential candidate will be indicted by the Justice Department. In February, however, the same programs could not wait to highlight a disgraced conservative and tout his party ID. ABC's Good Morning America, NBC's Today and CBS's Early Show simply referred to Edwards as "the former presidential candidate." On Today, reporter Lisa Myers sympathetically explained that "last weekend you'd never know" Edwards was in trouble. She recounted, " Here on a baseball field in North Carolina the former... continue reading
All three network morning shows on Wednesday cheered Democrat Kathy Hochul winning the special election in New York's 26th congressional district and framed the outcome as a rejection of Republican plans to reform Medicare. On NBC's Today, news reporter Ann Curry proclaimed: "The race hinged on Hochul's opposition to a Republican-led plan to make deep cuts in Medicare." [ Audio available here ] On ABC's Good Morning America, news reporter Josh Elliot declared Hochul's win to be "a seismic event in the political world" and a "shocking upset." Like Curry, he declared: "The GOP candidate lost after backing that Republican... continue reading
Plugging an upcoming story on Tuesday's CBS Evening News , anchor Russ Mitchell highlighted that "Congress gives Israel's Prime Minister dozens of standing ovations but," Mitchell warned as if it were just as relevant or surprising, "the Palestinians are not buying his peace plan." The Palestinians haven't yet bought into the right for Israel to even exist. Setting up the subsequent report, Mitchell repeated his formulation: "Nancy Cordes reports he got a standing ovation, but the Palestinians were not impressed." Cordes emphasized how Benjamin Netanyahu "refused to compromise on the biggest prize: Jerusalem" and "an aide to Palestinian leader Mahmoud... continue reading
A clearly amused Chris Matthews narrated and laughed at a liberal ad showing Republican Paul Ryan murdering an elderly woman by throwing her off a cliff. This is the same MSNBC anchor who railed against "ugly" conservative talk and wondered if it led to the shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords. After playing a lengthy excerpt, Matthews enthused, " Boy, I love the point of view on that one as she tries to slow down with her feet. Anyway, the irony here, Paul Ryan may be driving the Republican Party off the cliff ..." Earlier he played a clip and snickered... continue reading