On Wednesday's Countdown show, during a 21-minute " Special Comment ," MSNBC host Keith Olbermann warned American voters against electing Tea Party Republicans to power, whom he suggested are "unqualified, unstable individuals" who will take America "backward to Jim Crow, or backward to the breadlines of the '30s, or backward to hanging union organizers." He then made a play off MSNBC's "Lean Forward" slogan to disparage the Tea Party movement as he declared: "Vote backward, vote Tea Party." After reading a list of controversial quotes and policy positions he disagreed with that have been spoken by a list of Tea... continue reading
Good Morning America on Wednesday was the only network morning show to highlight Barack Obama's exhortations that Latinos should help him "punish our enemies." Host George Stephanopoulos played the clip while discussing the issue with conservative Laura Ingraham. At the same time, he attempted to downplay the President's comments, given during an interview to Univision. After the radio host lambasted Obama, Stephanopoulos defended, "You don't really mean to suggest that it's okay for one side to be hard line and not the other?" Ingraham shot back: "I don't think it's presidential. And I know everybody's rough-and-tumble in this campaign. But... continue reading
Just days after MSNBC President Phil Griffin claimed his cable network does not use air-time to support Democratic candidates and liberal causes, evening host Lawrence O'Donnell yielded over two minutes of his eponymous program to feature MoveOn.org's latest anti-Republican advertisement in its entirety. O'Donnell introduced the partisan attack ad as a get-out-the-vote push: "Sometimes you have to take unusual steps to get out the vote. MoveOn.org, with the help of actors Olivia Wilde from 'House' and Romany Malco from 'Weeds,' has produced a warning from the future to show you what could happen if Republicans win this election because you... continue reading
A panel full of liberals on Wednesday's Good Morning America attacked the "angry, white" Tea Partiers and lauded the historical importance of Jon Stewart. Daily Beast editor Tina Brown gushed over the liberal comedian as " the only trusted branch of government ." Previewing the comic's rally on Washington this Saturday, the former Vanity Fair editor hyperbolically enthused, "You know, I mean, in the end, Stewart and Colbert, really are like the Huntley and Brinkley of today in the sense that people really, really trust them." GMA host George Stephanopoulos also featured D.L. Hughley. The actor dismissed Glenn Beck and... continue reading
On Wednesday's CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith interviewed MoveOn.org protestor Lauran Valle, who was stepped on during a protest outside of the Kentucky senate debate on Monday: "Less than a week before election day, the races are heating up, some even turn ugly. We'll speak exclusively with a woman who was stomped on the head during a campaign melee." While CBS was eager to talk to Ms. Valle, in September 2009 the network failed to give any coverage to a man having his finger bitten off by a MoveOn.org supporter at a California ObamaCare rally. At the September 2... continue reading
"We're so eager to promote ourselves with the smartest take on how President Obama and the Democrats got themselves in this pickle that we haven't done a good job explaining the stakes," Newsweek's Jonathan Alter despaired in a piece in the latest issue of the magazine in which he didn't even pretend to be a journalist and delivered a political activist's screed, " Why the Midterms Matter: The GOP's agenda has to be stopped ." Alter, author of the sycophantic book earlier this year, The Promise: President Obama, Year One , feared a dire fate if Republicans gain more power:... continue reading
"The Center for Public Integrity 's 20th anniversary dinner at the Newseum was wrapping up Thursday night," the Washington Post's "The Reliable Source" column reported in Tuesday's newspaper , "when things took a lively if unexpected turn: Former NBC correspondent Richard Valeriani, now a blogger living in Connecticut, took the stage uninvited and railed against the GOP." The Post got ahold of him and related "he said he got frustrated after listening to remarks by Rep. Darrell Issa - an 'egregious' example, Valeriani said, of 'obstructionists who put party ahead of the country.'" Ironically, emcee Christiane Amanpour, who certainly agreed... continue reading
CNN devoted seven news briefs on Tuesday to an assault on a MoveOn.org employee by Rand Paul supporters caught on camera outside the Kentucky Senate debate on Monday evening, but failed to mention a second assault on Rand Paul supporter by a booster of Paul's opponent, Jack Conway. Most of the briefs also omitted how the MoveOn employee was trying to get an embarrassing picture of Paul. Emily Maxwell of KYPost.com reported late on Monday how "tensions flared at he senatorial candidates' debate here Monday night in two confrontations between Conway and Paul supporters, Lexington police reported. The first involved... continue reading
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell claimed the GOP's top goal was to ensure Barack Obama is a one term president - and Joe Scarborough thinks that is "pathetic," as he described it on Monday's Morning Joe. Apparently, Scarborough was hoping that the Republicans would work with President Obama on bipartisan legislation, and put the political battles on the backburner. Ron Brownstein, columnist for the National Journal and President of Atlantic Media, reported that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has, as the GOP's top goal, to unseat President Obama in 2012. "That is embarrassing!" Scarborough exclaimed. "I want to take... continue reading
Appearing on Tuesday's CBS Early Show, Arizona Senator John McCain spoke of his admiration for Sarah Palin and criticized continued media efforts to go after his former running mate: "I continue to hold her in the highest regard and continue to be entertained by the attacks of the liberal media against her. It's very entertaining to watch." McCain made the comment as part of his response to co-host Harry Smith asking about a possible Palin presidential run in 2012: "There's still speculation about her running two years from now. If she runs, will she have your support?" McCain's initial reply... continue reading