World News anchor Diane Sawyer touted her objectivity in an interview for the February 28 Parade magazine. The ABC journalist seriously asserted, " I think no one knows my politics ." Continuing to hype her journalistic integrity, she proclaimed, "I hope first of all that everyone knows that the facts are what I care about." Sawyer also had nice things to say about far-left MSNBC host Rachel Maddow. She enthused, "And I think Rachel Maddow on MSNBC is great television. I love the expression of personality that cable invites." She did throw some praise to the Fox News channel: "I... continue reading
"The President often seemed exasperated with Republican arguments," CBS's Chip Reid empathetically conveyed in reporting on Thursday's health care policy summit before he declared that President Obama had achieved what he needed to accomplish: Well, he really did, Katie. What he really wanted to do was convince the American people, and more importantly wavering Democrats in Congress, that the Republicans are the party of no. They won't compromise and he now has no choice but to move ahead with Democrats alone. On ABC, anchor Diane Sawyer led with what she described as "a landmark event today, a televised political duel."... continue reading
CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanja Gupta pressed HHS Secretary Kathleen for price controls in all parts of the health care industry on Thursday's Newsroom. Gupta stated that insurance companies were "just the tip of the iceberg" of health care costs: "There are a lot of different organizations, groups, people who contribute to health care costs. Are you going to be going after all these folks?" [audio clip available here ] It looked a bit odd for CNN to choose the correspondent, whom Obama chose to be surgeon general before adviser Tom Daschle was forced to resign, to interview other... continue reading
Even when Chris Matthews attempts to side with the conservative/Republican position on an issue, he ends up either bashing them or praising Democrats, something he did three times on Wednesday's Hardball. First up Matthews raised a GOP concern that Barack Obama should not speak in an "elevated" position, by using a podium, at the health care summit because it would present Obama as "standing up there like God" over them. Later on Matthews appeared to defend tea partiers when he scolded Salon's Joan Walsh for using the term "teabag" which has a "sexual connotation" but just moments earlier accused conservatives... continue reading
Speaking to California Governor Arnold Schwarzengger on Thursday's CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith noted the success of the tea party movement, but spun it as a negative for the Republican Party: "There are winds of change blowing in the Republican Party. The tea party has met. There's a - it feels like a significant shift to the Right. Can the Republican Party exist without moderates?" Prior to that, Smith asked if Schwarzenegger had any helpful advice for President Obama: "His approval ratings are dropping. He's under fire from all kinds of quadrants. If you're going to give him some... continue reading
Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos on Thursday interviewed Fox News host Bill O'Reilly and attempted to play up divisions within the Republican Party over new Senator Scott Brown. He first proclaimed that the FNC anchor has been sounding "more and more like Ross Perot" and asserted that the host is appealing to "this angry middle in the country." Stephanopoulos then derided, "But, look at what happened to Scott Brown. The guy gets elected in Massachusetts. Votes with the Democrats. Look what they're saying on his Facebook page." The ABC journalist proceeded to highlight postings on the social networking site as... continue reading
A night after ABC anchor Diane Sawyer demanded to know who will "keep insurance companies from jacking up premiums while making huge profits?", on Wednesday night she again put ABC into service for the liberal spin machine the night before President Obama's health summit, teasing: "Big insurance executives forced to answer why they're raising your premiums while raking in big profits." World News devoted a full story to a hearing held by House Democrats to demonize WellPoint: We turn to the growing outrage at insurance companies, the ones that raise premiums on ordinary Americans while racking up big profits. Today,... continue reading
On Wednesday's Countdown show, in his latest "Special Comment," MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, after recounting some of the heartrending details of his father's current health problems, went on to slam Sarah Palin, Betsy McCaughey, and ObamaCare critics, especially those who have used the term "death panels," calling such national health care opponents by the names "subhumans," "ghouls," and "fiends." He went on to "damn" to "hell" those who use the term "death panels." Olbermann: "It's a life panel, and damn those who call it otherwise to hell!" After spending the first few minutes recounting his father's dire circumstances and his discussions... continue reading
Appearing in the 3PM ET hour on MSNBC on Wednesday, Huffington Post writer Ryan Grim claimed that President Obama's latest version of health care reform was actually a conservative approach: "We actually already have a Republican bill, and it's the one that Obama has proposed....It's all about choice. Everything in it is a Republican kind of free market-based idea." Speaking to anchor David Shuster, Grim continued his bizarre argument: "The idea that this is a Democratic bill, you know, that this is some left-wing plot, some government takeover that they're going to ram through the Senate, is the part that's... continue reading
MSNBC news anchor David Shuster on Tuesday linked the terrorist act of flying a plane into an Austin IRS building with growing concern over big government. After describing the horrific crime last week of Joseph Stack, Shuster connected, "While that's extreme, a recent NBC News/ Wall Street Journal poll found that when it comes to the federal government, 46 percent of Americans say it is not working well and needs large reforms." [Audio available here .] Shuster wondered how America got "to this point" and then looked back at tea party protests over the last year. At no time did... continue reading