The Republican Attorney General of Virginia, Ken Cuccinelli, accomplished what many others have failed to do and that is stay calm and collected in the midst of Chris Matthews' increasingly absurd charges, that even bordered on accusations of racism. Invited on Thursday's Hardball, to discuss a possible repeal amendment to the Constitution, Cuccinelli faced down a series of Matthews distortions as the Hardball host, at varying times, accused him of wanting to start another Whiskey Rebellion, questioned if he wanted to overturn the Civil Rights Act and charged that he was playing to "The old Johnny Rebs" and "Civil War... continue reading
Good Morning America's Jon Karl on Thursday offered misleading, sloppy reporting on a congressional tax deal, bizarrely suggesting that the proposal "slashes" the estate tax. In a follow-up piece, news anchor Juju Chang asserted that many Democrats "are still opposed, especially to the estate tax cut ." In reality, the so-called death tax is currently at zero . Under the deal, it will increase to 35 percent. Karl mangled, " Even Democratic leaders are fuming, especially unhappy with the provision that slashes the tax on inheritances. " On the CBS Early Show, news anchor Jeff Glor spun, "One of [the... continue reading
Barbara Walters dismissed Sarah Palin as "uninformed" on Thursday, telling the former Republican governor, "... Many people find the thought of you as president a little scary ." The View co-host appeared on Good Morning America to promote her upcoming 10 Most Fascinating People special. She derided Palin, "You hear, 'Oh, she's very charming, but she's uninformed.'" [MP3 audio here .] Previewing the program with GMA co-anchor Robin Roberts, Walters explained how she retrieved a famous question from Katie Couric: "And you know, the Katie Couric question that caused her so much trouble? What do you read?...I gave her another... continue reading
As MSNBC's Richard Wolffe appeared as a guest on Wednesday's Late Late Show on CBS, after Wolffe conveyed his left-leaning take on the deal to extend the Bush tax cuts, host Craig Ferguson asked, "You're a Democrat, aren't you?" as he stared at the MSNBC contributor, and former Newsweek reporter, for comedic effect, inspiring audience laughter. After Wolffe responded, "I am a journalist," Ferguson smiled and quipped, "Much the same thing, isn't it?" Ferguson had turned the discussion to President Obama's role in the recent tax agreement, and Wolffe asserted that it was "embarrassing" for Obama that he had to... continue reading
CNN's Kiran Chetry helped two illegal immigrants lobby for the passage of the DREAM Act on Wednesday's American Morning, which would grant amnesty to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrant youth. Chetry encouraged them to express their concerns for the legislation, as many Republicans in Congress don't support it, and tossed softball questions, which gave them ample time to vouch for the act. The anchor interviewed Cesar Vargas and Gaby Pacheco 40 minutes into the 7 am Eastern hour. Chetry labeled the two " classic examples of who this DREAM Act would help, if it were to pass the Congress... continue reading
In the wake of November's election results there was much discussion in the press over whether or not the newly strengthened Republican Party would be willing to compromise with Democrats. However, since Monday's announcement of a deal on extending current tax rates, many in the media have been critical of President Obama for giving in to the GOP. Before the votes had even been cast in the midterm election, on ABC's November 2 Good Morning America , former Bill Clinton advisor and co-host George Stephanopoulos worried: "[Republicans] have to make a choice, as well. Do they choose to cooperate with... continue reading
MSNBC's Joe Scarborough slammed President Obama Tuesday for not standing up to Republicans but rather compromising over extending the Bush tax cuts. Scarborough called the tax cuts for millionaires "inefficient" and agreed with co-host Mika Brzezinski that the Republicans are "complete hypocrites" when it comes to dealing with the deficit. The deal includes an extension of the Bush tax cuts for all income brackets, including millionaires. In return, the Democrats get the extension of unemployment benefits that they were pushing for. "Ideologically, I've always voted for tax cuts," Scarborough claimed, recalling his tenure as a Republican congressman from Florida. "But... continue reading
Apparently unhappy at the idea of a compromise with Republicans over taxes, Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos on Wednesday attacked the deal from the left, wondering if the "White House [is] open to renegotiating" portions that have made liberals in Congress unhappy. Stephanopoulos, a former aide to Democrat Dick Gephardt, highlighted Nancy Pelosi's opposition to a high exemption for the returning estate tax. The host negotiated with White House advisor David Axelrod, prodding, "So , is this deal set in stone? No wiggle room at all? No more adjustments as it works its way through the House and the Senate?... continue reading
For much of the spring and summer, the big broadcast networks threw staff and airtime at covering Arizona's attempt to control its borders against rampant illegal immigration. Liberals detested Arizona's "harsh" new law, so the media elite reflexively treated it as a scandal in their coverage. But now, Congress is debating a liberal immigration plan, the so-called "DREAM Act," that would amount to amnesty for possibly one million illegal immigrants, and cost taxpayers up to $6 billion in higher education subsidies. Yet over the last five weeks, the three major networks have offered almost no coverage of the DREAM Act,... continue reading
NBC's Meredith Vieira, on Wednesday's Today show, hit David Axelrod repeatedly from the left as she lectured the White House senior adviser that the left is "furious" at Barack Obama for making a deal with the GOP on tax cuts as she pressed: "Why shouldn't Americans look at this as a disaster in the making?" During a segment headlined: "Tax Cut Compromise: Did President Go Too Far In Agreeing With GOP?" the Today co-host regurgitated talking points from the left to Axelrod as she scolded: "One senator went so far as to call" the tax cut compromise "borderline immoral" and... continue reading