For the Today show, Democratic Representative Patrick Kennedy's departure from Congress was something to mourn because it represented, as NBC's Matt Lauer lamented, "The end of an era. There's been a Kennedy in Congress since John F. Kennedy entered the House back in 1947." The nephew of the late President was invited on Monday's Today show to commemorate the occasion with he and co-host Meredith Vieira fondly looking over newly-released photos of JFK from Life.com and reminiscing about his father, the "great" Ted Kennedy. For the record the Today show got their facts wrong, as the MRC's Rich Noyes pointed... continue reading
Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos on Monday devoted almost an entire interview with Republican Darrell Issa to attacking a criticism the Congressman made of Barack Obama as "corrupt." Stephanopoulos attempted four times to get Issa to recant his accusation. The GMA host demanded of Issa, who next year will chair the powerful House Oversight committee, "And just before the election, you made a pretty serious charge on Rush Limbaugh's radio show, saying that President Obama has been, quote, 'one of the most corrupt presidents of modern times.' What did you base that on? And how will you follow up on... continue reading
On Sunday's syndicated Chris Matthews Show, panel member Katty Kay of the BBC claimed that Vice President Dick Cheney had convinced 70 percent of Americans to believe that Saddam Hussein was behind the 9/11 attacks, and that he "hoodwinked the American public." Kay's accusation came as host Matthews had turned the discussion to the topic of how President Obama might have handled the response to the 9/11 attacks differently than President Bush. Bob Woodward of the Washington Post asserted that "there was no al-Qaeda in Iraq until we invaded, and then they came." But, as previously documented by the MRC's... continue reading
Christine Amanpour spent much of Sunday's This Week arguing with her guests about how taxes must be raised - a theme also echoed on Face the Nation and Meet the Press - as she brought aboard the media's newest hero, tax-hike advocate David Stockman, and also touted Warren Buffett's quest to hike taxes and how even conservatives in Britain have agreed to do so: "They're saying there for every $3 in spending cuts, $1 up in taxes." Advancing the media-Democratic line against the agenda of victorious conservatives, Amanpour asserted to Senator-elect Rand Paul: "There are many economists who simply say... continue reading
The Times is quickly acting to squeeze out conservative enthusiasm resulting from the strong Republican gains on Tuesday night. Reporter Jackie Calmes made Friday's front page with the doubting " G.O.P. Lists Sweeping Goals, But Their Impact Is Uncertain ." But Calmes invites major skepticism herself when she claims that repealing Obama-care would actually cost the government money, a dubious opinion that ignores the history of government programs, and is based on incomplete government data. Times reporter Calmes also examines the prospect of extending the Bush tax cuts for all through the liberal prism of what it will cost the... continue reading
In her Friday tribute to defeated liberal Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold, " Independent Voters Turned on One of Their Own ," New York Times reporter Katharine Seelye unconvincingly labeled him a heroic "independent." Feingold may have held some idiosyncratic positions, but they were mostly left-wing ones. In 2002 he sponsored with Sen. John McCain stiff legislation on campaign finance that endeared him to liberals, and his lifetime voting rating of 13 as measured by the American Conservative Union is well left of center. The irony was lost on no one. Senator Russ Feingold, a liberal with a fierce streak of... continue reading
During her 1PM ET show on MSNBC on Friday, host Andrea Mitchell decried President Obama showing willingness to extend all the Bush tax cuts: "We got the big hint from Robert Gibbs yesterday that that is now on the table as far as the President's concerned. How does extending tax cuts for the very - the wealthy, the millionaires, how does that help the unemployed?" Mitchell directed that question to Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, who expressed opposition to extending the tax cuts: "Well, in my opinion, given our analysis, it's not going to be a job creator. We can look... continue reading
Bill Press says what most liberals in the media will only shroud in cryptic code: the voters who swept Democrats out of power in the House are stupid. During the first hour of his eponymous radio program on Friday, Press wished more liberal politicians would just say what they really think about the constituents they ostensibly serve: "Just once - probably never get reelected if you ever said it - I would like to hear somebody say, 'The voters have spoken, the bastards.'" The left-wing talk show host suggested a few variations of the insult: "Or, 'The voters have spoken... continue reading
When NBC's Matt Lauer threw out the tired, overused, standard media line, on Friday's Today show, that the public is tired of all the "vitriol" and wants the Republicans to just work with Barack Obama and the Democrats, his guest, Karl Rove, threw Obama's words back in Lauer's face as he pointed out it was the President who called Republicans "enemies." When Lauer asked if the GOP could advance their agenda "without personally attacking Obama" Rove responded taht Republicans could work with the President but it was he, who needed to tamp down the rhetoric, as the former George W... continue reading
Good Morning America on Friday featured an all liberal "Morning Mix" panel to bash conservatives, tout liberal talking points about the midterm elections and the stupidity of Sarah Palin. Additionally, host George Stephanopoulos dismissed the Republican gains, claiming, "...We see, now, every two years, the country just says throw everybody out. Again, it's happened all the time ." Actually, it hasn't. Tuesday's GOP landslide was the biggest swing in House seats since 1948 . It was the biggest Republican gain since 1938. Journalist Deborah Norville appeared on the panel to interpret the election results as a call for compromise: "Because,... continue reading