In an interview with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Wednesday's Early Show, co-host Harry Smith lamented possible gridlock following big Republican electoral gains: "...will there be that old-fashioned word we used to use once in a while, comity?... the Republicans say over and over and over again for the last two months, no compromise, no compromise, no compromise." Reid responded by claiming he was all about compromise: "I'm a consensus builder, that's what my reputation is, I'm going to continue to do that....legislation is the art of compromise, consensus building. And I don't see why in the world we... continue reading
Just after NBC News called Nevada for incumbent Democratic Senator Harry Reid, Meet the Press host David Gregory credited his victory to how "Tea Party-backed" Sharron Angle disrespected journalists, citing how she "made some very unwise decisions, namely, saying things like 'I'm not going to give any interviews until after I'm elected.'" Gregory contended: "I don't think that inspires a great deal of confidence in independent voters, or any voter for that matter." Later in the 1:00 AM EDT hour, anchor Brian Williams asked NBC News Washington Bureau Chief Mark Whitaker to explain "what's wrong" with the promise by Republican... continue reading
Former NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw threw a bit of wet blanket on the Tea Party's big night, after quoting Tea Party activist Matt Kibbe's declaration that "the people want less from their federal government," Brokaw skeptically added: "We've heard that before, when it bumps up against reality of closing a base or shutting down an agricultural substation...it gets pretty tough to do." This led current Nightly News anchor Brian Williams to cast Tea Partiers as know-nothing hypocrites, as he added: "Reminds me of the signs at more than one rally this past season: 'Get the government out of... continue reading
Michele Bachmann took every thing Chris Matthews had tonight and punched back, during her live election night MSNBC interview with the Hardball host. After a frustrated Matthews actually asked the Congresswoman if she was "hypnotized" and in a "trance" for not answering his questions the way he liked, Bachmann fired back: " The American people are the ones...coming out of our trance...I think people are thrilled tonight. I imagine that thrill is probably maybe quite not so tingly on your leg any more." Bachman's point was hilariously underlined by a sign behind her that referenced Matthews' now famous Barack Obama... continue reading
Chris Matthews, during MSNBC's live election night coverage, was distressed at what he saw was the "death of the moderate wing of the Republican Party." After his colleague Keith Olbermann ran down the latest results of Republicans leading or winning in specific races Matthews bemoaned how such moderates like Charlie Crist and Arlen Specter were run out of their own party and even bellowed: "Mike Castle getting knocked out by the woman who said she's not a witch...is a joke, it's a joke for the Republican Party to lose people like Mike Castle." The following November 2, outburst by Matthews... continue reading
Ex-CBS broadcaster Dan Rather on Tuesday appeared on MSNBC and lamented the fact that Republicans have turned Nancy Pelosi into a "villain" and "demonized" her. The famous broadcaster also implied that sexism was involved, gesturing to his female co-panelists, "She is from San Francisco. She is a woman." Before being interrupted, he added, "And the three of you can figure out-" Speaking of sexism, on the June 11, 2007 Morning Joe , Rather attacked Katie Couric, his successor at the CBS Evening News, this way: "The mistake was to try to bring the 'Today' show ethos to the evening news... continue reading
With Republicans aiming to take over the House and make gains in the Senate, the Times clearly thinks there is much at stake in today's elections. That's reflected in a beefed-up page of editorial endorsements this morning. The paper's 2010 electoral endorsements not only take in the usual metropolitan areas of New York State and Connecticut (skipping New Jersey this year), but around the nation, making endorsements in eight Senate seats, nine House seats, and eight governors' offices. So what's the partisan tally of the Times' outside endorsements? No surprise: 23 Democrats, 2 independents (former Republicans Charlie Crist for Senate... continue reading
The actual voting results are just part of what makes for an Election Night in today's mass media world. Perhaps as important - in some years, more important - are journalists' first stab at interpreting the results, telling audiences what they voted for (and against). MRC's archives show a trend on nights when conservative candidates do well: smug journalists slamming "angry" or stupid voters; claims that there's no mandate for conservative policies; slams that the Republican winners are "extremist" or "radical;" and arguments that the Democrats failed to follow through on their liberal agenda. In 1994, when Republicans picked up... continue reading
On Tuesday's Today show, a couple of correspondents laid down the potential story line of a big defeat for Sarah Palin if the Republican Tea Party candidate she endorsed, Joe Miller, doesn't win his bid for the Senate seat in Alaska as NBC's Chuck Todd proclaimed: "Sarah Palin's political future is a little bit on the line" and added "this would be a big embarrassment, " while NBC's Kristen Welker declared: "the race is also a referendum on Sarah Palin. " Welker also featured a sound bite from a political analyst noting a Miller defeat would mean a "black eye"... continue reading
HBO's Bill Maher spouted his usual anti-conservative and anti-Fox News rhetoric on Monday's Situation Room on CNN, attacking the Tea Party movement as "teabaggers [who] are all carrying the banner ... of corporatist America " and accusing CNN's competitor of " filling people with misinformation ." Maher also labeled Republican voters " far right " and a " fringe group of people who are very forceful ." The left-wing HBO host appeared for two segments starting at the bottom of the 5 pm Eastern hour. Anchor Wolf Blitzer began with an election-related question: "Let's talk a little bit about what's... continue reading