Not paying U.S. military officers, closed museums and a lack of passports were just some of the potential problems highlighted by Good Morning America's Jon Karl on Wednesday. The ABC reporter discussed a possible government shutdown and warned that without a deal, "...Troops, including those on the front lines in Afghanistan and Iraq, may not get their paychecks." Karl didn't note that a Republican plan rejected by Democrats would fund the government for another week and the military through September. Co-host George Stephanopoulos teased the segment by fretting, "Will your tax refund be delayed? Could American troops on the front... continue reading
Covering the budget debate on Capitol Hill and the conflict in Libya, Andrea Mitchell spun two serious policy issues as examples of race-baiting. On the April 5 edition of Andrea Mitchell Reports, the MSNBC anchor lamented that Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) proposed 2012 budget would ravage black and Hispanic communities. "Representative Paul Ryan's 2012 budget, released today, includes reforms, what they call reforms, and also big cuts in housing assistance, job training, and food stamps," warned Mitchell. "All of which would have a very big impact on particularly poor and minority communities, some say." Mitchell was mum as Rep. Emanuel... continue reading
Over two programs totaling two and half hours of air time, ABC allowed only 65 seconds of coverage for Barack Obama's decision to break a campaign promise and try 9/11 terror suspects at Guantanamo and not in a civilian court . In contrast, all the other network evening shows on Monday and morning shows on Tuesday provided full reports. On Tuesday's Good Morning America on ABC, Juju Chang mildly explained in a news read, "Well, we begin with a legal turnaround for the Obama administration." On Monday's World News, Diane Sawyer delicately described it as a "switch in positions." Reporter... continue reading
On Tuesday's NBC Today, co-host Meredith Vieira grilled Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus on GOP criticism of the massive spending of the Obama administration: "...sixth consecutive month of job growth, unemployment numbers lowest in two years, it certainly appears that there is a recovery. So doesn't that throw a real monkey wrench into your argument?" Priebus pointed out: "Under this president - he's promised millions and millions of jobs - we've lost 26 million jobs, Meredith, since he's been president. He promised under an $850 billion stimulus program that we'd be on the path to recovery. Well, none of... continue reading
Although a government shutdown hasn't occurred yet, ABC's Good Morning America has already begun showcasing the possible dire impacts of such a budget impasse. Reporter Jake Tapper highlighted White House worries about "figuring out what this will mean in terms of parks that are closed, museums that are closed, veterans that are not able to get assistance for their benefits ..." Correspondent Jon Karl, in the same segment, warned that although a possible deal could fund the government for another week, "...It would also come at a steep price. Republicans are demanding $12 billion in spending cuts just for that... continue reading
On Monday's Morning Edition, NPR's David Schaper slanted towards a professor and his allies in academia who object to a recent open records request into his e-mails from the Wisconsin GOP, playing five sound bites from them versus only two from a non-Republican source who thought their concerns were overblown. One of the professor's allies labeled the request a " contemporary version of McCarthyism ." Host Renee Montagne introduced Schaper's report by putting the issue in the context of the continuing debate over state employees' collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin: MONTAGNE: The recent turmoil in Wisconsin over union rights for... continue reading
Chris Matthews on Monday linked the "zealots" in Afghanistan who encouraged and participated in the murders of United Nations workers to Republican "fanatics" and "zealots at home" who "attack the President's basic beliefs, accusing him of thinking like a Muslim from Kenya." Making his connection clear, the Hardball host (see file photo at right) opined, " Is this what's come to the wars in the Islamic world? We've begun to talk like the zealots from the Middle East . " MSNBC graphics also made the point. First, a picture of a militaristic Muslims appeared with the words "zealots abroad." Then,... continue reading
After MSNBC's Morning Joe played a clip from the Late Show with David Letterman that mocked Dick Cheney's heart condition, co-host Mika Brzezinski couldn't control her own laughter as other panel members wondered what was so funny. The Letterman clip was a faux-promo for an imaginary TV show called "The Dick Cheney Story." As the title song from the Mary Tyler Moore Show plays merrily in the background, images appear of Cheney wielding a gun, sitting in a wheelchair, and undergoing open-heart surgery. The clip closes with footage of Cheney fighting to get a breath of air over an "MTM... continue reading
For the second time in less than six months, Good Morning America offered 9/11 truther Jesse Ventura a platform to hype his conspiracy theories and smear the U.S. government as "Nazi." This occurred on the same day that GMA reporter Bianna Golodryga hit Republicans for having connections to birthers and wondered when the President will "fight back" against such charges. In contrast, although co-host George Stephanopoulos did press Ventura on his conspiratorial beliefs, he also joked around with the former Minnesota governor. At one point, he fawned, "You've had such a varied career. You were even once on a soap... continue reading
Good Morning America's Bianna Golodryga conducted a fawning interview with Bill Clinton on Monday and fretted that Barack Obama is " giving in too much to Republican demands " on the 2011 budget. The ABC journalist offered the former President, the ex-boss of GMA co-host George Stephanopoulos, no tough questions. Instead, she chose broad, softball queries about the Clinton Global Initiative. At one point, Golodryga, who is married to Barack Obama's former budget director, fawned, "We also saw your daughter moderate a panel yesterday. What was she talking about?" The reporter also pushed Clinton as to whether Obama should "take... continue reading