CNN host and Newsweek International editor Fareed Zakaria blasted the Bush tax cuts across his media platforms as unaffordable and irresponsible. He opened his CNN show Sunday with it, and published an editorial Monday in The Washington Post and on the Newsweek website. The Newsweek headline was "Raise My Taxes, Mr. President!" He demanded they be allowed to expire in full at year's end: "In front of us is a simple, easy way to bring America's fiscal house in order, reduce our dependence on foreign borrowing, restore U.S. credibility and power, and provide a stable revenue base from which to... continue reading
During her 1PM ET hour show on Monday, MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell promoted allegations from the Congressional Black Caucus that ethics investigations into Democrats Charlie Rangel and Maxine Waters are racially motivated: "Are black lawmakers being singled out by the ethics watchdogs on Capitol Hill? New charges of racial bias." After detailing the accusations against California Congresswoman Waters, Mitchell noted the formal ethics charges filed against New York Congressman Rangel and touted his defense: "...he, we now know, tried to point out that Mitch McConnell and others allegedly did the same thing, trying to raise money for a center named... continue reading
Chris Matthews, during his syndicated The Chris Matthews Show over the weekend, warned viewers that a big win for Republicans in the upcoming midterms could lead to a bunch of "odballs" coming to Washington. Matthews, citing a New York magazine article by Jennifer Senior, alerted his audience that if the Tea Party is successful in November it could be reminiscent of the Republican class of 1994 when a bunch of "nutty standouts" arrived. Matthews then went on to list two groups of Republicans who were elected in 1994 and placed them in two groups: "the black helicopter crowd of paranoids"... continue reading
On Sunday's Newsroom, CNN's Don Lemon conducted a softball interview of the Rev. Al Sharpton and helped him forward the theory that the congressional ethics investigations into Representatives Charlie Rangel and Maxine Waters are being conducted because they are black. Lemon also didn't go into much detail as to what the charges against the two were and what were the circumstances of their cases. The anchor interviewed the liberal minister 12 minutes into the 6 pm Eastern hour. Before introducing Sharpton, Lemon did mention that Congressman Rangel was "accused of violating 13 House Rules" and that the "accusations range from... continue reading
In the midst of bad news for Democrats, Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos on Monday continued to search for a silver lining. Talking to ex-House Speaker Newt Gingrich, he quizzed, "But, I wonder what makes you nervous? Because some other polls show some warning signs at least for the Republican Party." The former Democratic operative turned journalist added, "Going back to 1994 when you led the Republicans to victory. The favorability of the Republican Party was 63 percent. It's only 37 percent now." He didn't cite other polls, such as the new Rasmussen survey which finds Republicans with a ten... continue reading
Best-selling novelist Stephen King slammed Glenn Beck as a "crazy" "nutcase" and Rush Limbaugh as a cynical huckster in his August 6, 2010 Entertainment Weekly column. The horror author derided Limbaugh as having "no conviction in that sonorous, slightly flabby voice." King attacked the radio star for supposedly not being sympathetic enough to the plight of Lindsay Lohan's drug problem. Yet, he provided no quotes or real examples, just a vague summary. The liberal writer complained of Limbaugh, "There's a hollowness there, and a patronizing undertone when he interacts with callers (who are called Dittoheads for a reason)." Again, offering... continue reading
President Barack Obama's approval level has fallen to well below 50 percent, but instead of attributing that to independents rejecting his liberal policies, CBS's Harry Smith, in an interview with Obama conducted Friday and aired on the Sunday Morning program, contended events beyond Obama's control have conspired to undermine him. Referring to Inauguration Day, Smith proposed: Maybe the promise that was assigned him on that cold, clear January day exceeded the reality ahead. A near depression. And a discouraging war still left to fight. Smith began with how "President Obama was in the Motor City to toot his own horn,... continue reading
In her debut Sunday morning as host of ABC's This Week with Christiane Amanpour, the long-time CNN international correspondent brought a foreigner's perspective to the program as she treated her lack of knowledge and familiarity with U.S. politics as an asset and the current New York City resident seemed to say that after more than two decades of covering the world she had decided to allow herself to deal with U.S. politics now that "the story in this country is turning into one of the most fascinating." She asserted in an opening explanation: "I'm also eager to open a window... continue reading
Democratic New York Congressman Anthony Weiner's theatrical temper tantrum rant on the House floor Thursday night, against supposed Republican obstructionism, animated cable news on Friday and Friday night ABC and NBC elevated it to legitimate news as they imputed great meaning to it as genuine frustration with congressional gridlock. ABC anchor Diane Sawyer announced: Every now and then, someone seems to express the nation's frustration with the endless wrangling and delay in Congress. And we thought you might like to hear New York Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner. He wanted a vote last night on a $7.4 billion bill, aid for... continue reading
CNN's Joe Johns surprisingly highlighted Charles Sherrod's racially-charged comments about stopping "the white man and his Uncle Toms from stealing our elections" during a segment on Thursday's Anderson Cooper 360. Johns also reported on the questions being raised by conservatives about how his wife Shirley Sherrod received her former position at the U.S. Department of Agriculture [audio clip available here ]. Anchor Anderson Cooper, after devoting some time to faulting himself for not pressing Mrs. Sherrod after she labeled conservative Andrew Breitbart a "vicious" racist during a July 22 interview, introduced the correspondent's report: "There's also a new aspect to... continue reading