Former ABC reporter Jami Floyd on Friday appeared on MSNBC and slammed Sarah Palin as an "extraordinary ass." The journalist's attack didn't register much of a shock with Jansing and Co. host Chris Jansing. She simply wondered if the profanity was "allowed" in the morning hours. After ex-Republican Governor Frank Keating touted Palin as extraordinary talent, Floyd, who also worked for the Clinton White House, blurted, " I say she's an extraordinary ass, frankly. " The reporter then justified her insult, asserting, "We're all grown ups. I think the grown ups are watching. The kiddies are in school." Floyd has... continue reading
On Friday's CBS Early Show, correspondent Nancy Cordes reported on leaked excerpts of Sarah Palin's new book, 'America By Heart,' claiming, "some of the topics she tackles may be surprising." One such topic was Palin's criticism of the media for promoting Levi Johnston: "It was disgusting to watch as his 15 minutes of fame were exploited by supposed adults taking advantage of a lost kid." While Cordes found that comment "surprising," CBS, and the Early Show in particular, were chief among those who exploited Levi Johnston and his attacks on the Palin family. As has been detailed on NewsBusters ,... continue reading
Very unusually, CBS's Katie Couric promised a look Thursday night at "how runaway government spending has exploded the national debt," but between that segment and her show's lead story, an "exclusive" interview with debt commission co-chairmen Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson, Couric illustrated how she and the media are an impediment to rational spending decisions since they paint any decision to not spend more in terms of how that will hurt people. To wit, she despaired: Also in Washington today, House Republicans blocked a further extension of jobless benefits set to expire on November 30th. If Congress doesn't act, two... continue reading
On Thursday's Countdown show on MSNBC, after guest Howard Fineman of the Huffington Post predicted that Republican Congressmen would be reluctant to extend unemployment benefits, host Keith Olbermann asserted that, referring to congressional Republicans, "They don't live in this world. They don't live in this country. And I think we'd be better off if they didn't live in this country." Later, during the show's "Worst Person" segment, Olbermann attacked FNC's Roger Ailes for the second consecutive night - this time for his recent attack on NPR and Comedy Central's Jon Stewart. Olbermann addressed Stewart directly, suggesting that the Daily Show... continue reading
At the top of Thursday's CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith cheered the public trading of General Motors stock as evidence that Obama administration's bailout of the auto industry had worked: "GM's big comeback. In a stunning turnaround, General Motors begins to sell it's stock less than 18 months after the government's massive $50 billion bailout." Smith even went so far as to ask: "Will American taxpayers make a profit on the investment?" Moments later, fellow co-host Maggie Rodriguez praised the companies "amazing turnaround" and observed: "What a difference a year and a half makes....here we are17 months after a... continue reading
ABC's "The View" hosted pastor Joel Osteen Tuesday, author of the book The Christmas Spirit - but the conversation took a controversial turn and went from Christmas to homosexuality. Co-host Joy Behar belittled Osteen about his conservative Christian beliefs on the matter. ABC's Barbara Walters first popped the question in the middle of the interview, flagging it was a "controversial" topic. She referenced a previous quote made by Osteen on the show about homosexuality not being "God's best" for a person's life. Walters asked him how he felt about a Georgia pastor who recently came out and said he was... continue reading
The co-hosts of MSNBC's Morning Joe pleaded with the Secretary of Transportation Tuesday for federally mandated devices in cars that would scramble cell phone reception, as well as for raising the driving age nationwide to 18. Calling himself a "small-government conservative," Scarborough said that he nevertheless supports a device in cars that would scramble cell phone reception while the car is in operation. Co-host Mika Brzezinski added that such a device was the only way to stop distracted-driving accidents. "I can hear the battle coming, because we've got Chris Licht who's our E.P....when Mika was talking about disabling devices, said... continue reading
On Thursday's CBS Early Show, correspondent Nancy Cordes reported on Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski declaring victory in her write-in bid for reelection and portrayed her as a victim of the GOP: "[She's] in a very unique position, not beholden to the Republican leaders who turned their backs on her when she decided to run and not beholden to the tea party, which did everything it could to defeat her." In reality, it was Murkowski who turned her back on the Republican Party after losing the primary and continuing to run against GOP nominee Joe Miller. Cordes sympathetically declared: "This was... continue reading
Of the three morning shows on Thursday, only CBS left out any mention of Barack Obama or Attorney General Eric Holder while reporting on the nearly complete acquittal of a former Guantanamo Bay detainee. Early Show news anchor Erica Hill asserted that "the verdict is in for the first Guantanamo detainee to be tried in a civilian court and it is being seen by some as a serious setback for the government. " Ahmed Ghailani was acquitted on 284 out of 285 charges against him. The President's name never came up on CBS. Over on NBC's Today, the four hour... continue reading
NBC's Matt Lauer, on Thursday's Today show, invited on Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski to applaud her presumptive write-in ballot win over Republican candidate Joe Miller and asked if she would now "stand up against" Republicans "who may feel that the only way for them to succeed" is for Barack Obama to fail. After Lauer went through the perfunctory congratulations, he asked the candidate who failed to win her party's own primary, if she would, essentially, become a thorn in the side of Republicans as seen in the following question: MATT LAUER: You, you talk about governance based on anger or... continue reading