CBS's Jan Crawford spotlighted the Tea Party movement on Monday's Early Show, but also played up how it might present a "challenge" for potential Republican presidential candidates due its apparent unpopularity: " Recent polls show 47% of Americans have an unfavorable view of the movement. So candidates looking for Tea Party votes have to be careful not to alienate moderates ." Midway through her report, after noting the would-be GOP presidential candidates, such as Tim Pawlenty and Donald Trump, who showed up at some of the weekend rallies, the correspondent turned to possible downside that these politicians might face in... continue reading
A winking John Berman on Monday used only a little subtlety as he mocked Donald Trump for his "enormous" "size." The Good Morning America reporter turned financial comments by the businessman into something more low class: " We know he has a big ego, but he swears he has big ideas and also an enormous, well, see for yourself ." He then played a clip of Trump boasting about himself: "Much bigger and much more powerful, much stronger than anyone really knows." Berman jokingly questioned, "Really? Compared to, say, Mitt Romney..." An ABC graphic hinted, "Size Matters." The humor, which... continue reading
As part of the political panel on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday, PBS host Tavis Smiley decried the recent budget deal in Congress to fund the government through the rest of 2011: "I believe that budgets are moral documents....And I'm not so sure that this is not anything more than an immoral document where the poor are concerned." Smiley went on to lament how the budget negotiations "effectively locked out the American people, namely, the poor." He further ranted: "I don't understand why it is in this town that every debate about money always begins and ends with how... continue reading
CBS News on Sunday morning managed to examine incongruities in the U.S. tax system, highlighting those - including a former New York Times reporter - who think the wealthy aren't paying enough, but without bothering to point out the disproportionate share of the income tax paid by those at the top nor how more than a third of those who file an income tax return pay nothing or even get more back than they put in. Reporter Seth Doane lamented the declining top tax rate: "It declined slowly through the '60s and '70s until 1982 under Ronald Reagan when it... continue reading
"Why do these rich people need another tax cut?" Bob Schieffer demanded of his guest on Sunday morning's Face the Nation , Republican Congressman Paul Ryan. Conveying his no-so-profound economic reasoning, Schieffer saw a pot of money to be absconded: "I mean, they're already rich. They seem to be doing pretty well as it is now. Why cut their taxes some more?" After Ryan explained his proposal would maintain current tax revenue levels while eliminating deductions and loopholes used by the wealthy, a baffled Schiefier ruminated: I guess the part that I don't quite understand - and I take your... continue reading
During a pre-recorded commentary aired on CBS's Sunday Morning show, right-leaning actor and economist Ben Stein - also a CBS contributor - blamed "excessive tax cuts" enacted by President Bush and congressional Republicans for "starting the problem" of the current federal budget deficit, and advocated raising taxes on the wealthy in addition to "major spending cuts" and changes in Medicare and Social Security to get the deficit under control. Stein: "The Republicans who started the problem with excessive tax cuts in the Bush years will have to agree to raise taxes at least upon the truly rich of whom there... continue reading
According to Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos, Barack Obama "loves" talking about the birther issue, thinking it will help his reelection bid. Journalists on the ABC program seem to share this fondness, having repeatedly highlighted the issue. Stephanopoulos introduced an interview on Friday by marveling to co-host Robin Roberts: " I thought he'd take a pass, but [Obama] seemed to love talking about [birthers]." During the segment, the host offered Obama an easy opportunity to complain about those who don't believe he was born in America: "I mean all of us have been struck by Donald Trump rising to the... continue reading
In an interview with Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood on Friday's NBC Today, co-host Meredith Vieira exploited recent instances of air traffic controllers falling asleep on the job to bash Republican efforts to curb government spending: "...the House signed a bill - passed a bill, I'm sorry - that would cut $4 billion from your budget. Are you worried about that?" In response Lahood proclaimed: "Of course we're worried about it. And I think these incidents prove up the case that we can't let money stand in the way of safety....Money will never compromise safety. That will always be our priority... continue reading
Hardball's Chris Matthews on Thursday slammed Fox News as a " roach motel " for possible presidential candidates, knocking the chances of that network's analysts, Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin. Yet, the MSNBC anchor, who obsesses daily about the so-called birther issue, admitted he hasn't been as tough on Donald Trump as he could. (Trump, of course, hosts The Apprentice on parent channel NBC.) After Time magazine's Michael Scherer contrasted Palin and Gingrich with NBC's Trump, Matthews blurted, " Well, that's why I've sort of been nice to him, if he hasn't noticed that. " When Scherer relayed that the... continue reading
The network newscasts and morning shows have thus far ignored the story of Joseph Maraachli, a Canadian baby who was set to have his life support removed. Only Fox News has covered the dramatic transfer of the child on Monday to an American hospital for treatment. The child suffers from a neurological disease and is in a vegetative state. According to Fox News, "Doctors in Canada said the illness is irreversible and wanted to remove the breathing tube. His parents appealed to Canadian courts, but the hospital's decision was upheld." Fox News explained : Priests for Life says it represents... continue reading