1. Schieffer: Israel Made Same 'Mistake' in Lebanon as U.S. in Iraq CBS anchor Bob Schieffer on Friday night forwarded the idea that the Israeli situation in Lebanon matches the U.S. miscalculation in Iraq. "Despite this heavy bombing that Hezbollah's been getting from the Israelis," Schieffer told reporter David Martin, "they continue to attack and some critics are saying the Israelis may have made the same mistake that the United States made in Iraq, and that is underestimated what they were up against." Martin didn't address Schieffer's comparison of the Israel-Hezbollah war with the Iraq war, but he did confirm... continue reading
1. ABC Chafes: 'Breathtaking' Exxon Profits 'Enriching' Shareholders ABC's World News with Charles Gibson on Thursday night hyperventilated over "breathtaking profits" for ExxonMobil which "you paid for...at the pump," how the company made "more in 30 seconds than many families earn in a year" and how "just" $4 billion went to exploration while $6 billion went to "enriching" shareholders. But ABC never cited the company's quarterly profit number -- which at $10 billion matches $4 billion plus $6 billion and means 40 percent went for exploration. 2. Gregory Goes to Area Kerry Won to Prove GOP Faces Fall Backlash If... continue reading
1. Murtha CBS's Authoritative Source on the Army's Lack of Readiness On Wednesday's CBS Evening News, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin could have cited a letter to President Bush from Congressman Ike Skelton, ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, about how "nearly every non-deployed combat brigade in the active Army is reporting that they are not ready to complete their assigned wartime mission." But instead, when asked by anchor Bob Schieffer about the "strain" on troops longer deployments in Iraq will cause, Martin cited the left-wing's favorite Democrat as his authoritative source: "Congressman Jack Murtha said... continue reading
1. Matthews Rants About Empty-Headed Bush, Wants 'Smarter' President Declaring that "I think the next President's got to be stronger and smarter than this one," on Tuesday's Imus in the Morning, MSNBC's Chris Matthews went on a tirade for over two minutes against President Bush and those around him who filled his intellectual vacuum. "All they care about is ideology," Matthews fretted as he charged: "The President bought it hook, line and sinker." Matthews delivered insults as he asserted that Bush "trusts the intellectuals....they're a bunch of pencil-necks and now he buys completely their ideology because he didn't have one... continue reading
1. ABC's Gibson Reminds Viewers: Iraq Still an Ongoing Disaster On Monday's World News, ABC anchor Charles Gibson segued from coverage of the Israel-Hezbollah battle to remind viewers of how badly things are going in Iraq. Over an on-screen graphic of the numbers of civilians and military members killed in Iraq compared to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, Gibson announced: "Well the focus of the world, in recent days, has been on Israel and Lebanon. And attention has been diverted from Iraq. But it should be noted that in the thirteen days since the Israeli/Lebanese crisis began, more Iraqi civilians have died... continue reading
1. Nets Stress Bush Spurning of NAACP Invites, Skip Group's Attacks Without any mention of the vicious hostility the NAACP displayed toward President Bush since he spoke before the group in 2000, including a TV ad linking Bush's refusal to sign a hate crime bill to the dragging death of a black man in Texas, the Thursday broadcast network evening newscasts portrayed Bush as the one responsible for the estrangement. All stressed how Bush's Thursday appearance before the NAACP convention was his first and all three ran soundbites only from attendees critical of him. "It took five and a half... continue reading
1. CNN's 'Exclusive:' Nic Robertson's Forum for Hezbollah Agitprop Tuesday night on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360, senior international correspondent Nic Robertson touted his "exclusive" exchange with a Hezbollah propagandist who led Robertson on a tour of a bombed-out block of southern Beirut. Hezbollah claimed to show that Israeli bombs had struck civilian areas of the city, not the terrorist group's headquarters. The Hezbollah "press officer," Hussein Nabulsi, even directed CNN's camera: "Just look. Shoot. Look at this building. Is it a military base? Is it a military base, or just civilians living in this building?" A few moments later, Nabulsi... continue reading
1. Olbermann: Hearing Timed So Bush-Damaging Disclosure Buried Though the Tuesday Senate Judiciary Committee hearing at which Attorney General Alberto Gonzales testified was scheduled more than two weeks ago, noting the focus on the war in the Middle East the conspiratorial-minded Keith Olbermann called it "a perfect day then to bury the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on warrant-free domestic spying by the Bush administration." On MSNBC's Countdown, Olbermann fretted that Friday is usually the "take out the trash" day for a White House to put out "damaging" information, but it "could also be a Tuesday if much of the news-consuming... continue reading
1. Mitchell: 'Populist' Hezbollah Chief 'Provides Social Services' NBC's Andrea Mitchell asked on Monday's NBC Nightly News: "What is Hezbollah and what is its end game?" Mitchell first answered that "experts say to prove it can damage Israel in ways Arab countries couldn't." But then she proceeded to refer to "Hezbollah's charismatic leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah," also describing him as "a Shiite populist" who she relayed, over video of kids, "provides social services where Lebanon's weak new government cannot." Mitchell refrained from labeling Hezbollah as "terrorist" -- or mentioning how its real "end game" is the destruction of Israel --... continue reading
1. Clift Raises Ire of Colleague When She Calls Bush a 'Dictator' When, on the McLaughlin Group over the weekend, Newsweek's Eleanor Clift charged that President Bush is "a dictator who's ineffective," an incensed Chrystia Freeland, a Canadian native who is the Managing Editor in the U.S. of London's Financial Times, scolded Clift for using the dictator label "so loosely" and inaccurately. Clift opined that of those attending the G-8 summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin is "the only one of those leaders who goes in there with a commanding popularity among his own people, because he is perceived to be... continue reading