Despite John Roberts being confirmed today by a very strong 78-22 margin to be our nation's new Supreme Court Chief Justice, America Online (AOL) is blaring across its home page, "A Rough Week for Republicans." Here is the screen shot of AOL's home page from 3:31 pm PDT today (Thursday, September 30, 2005). According to AOL, the troubles of Senators Frist and DeLay are enough to signal a "rough week" for the Republican Party.

AOL also solicits viewers to vote in a poll asking, "Which Party Is Stronger Now?" Ugh.

Let's see: An overwhelming Supreme Court confirmation and very good news today about the nation's economy. Yeah, a really "rough week" ... (roll eyes). Nice try, AOL.

Democrat senator Vince Fumo has stepped forward trying to keep the Philly Inquirer from firing the staff who are slated to go. Columnist John Baer just can't figure out why.

IT STRIKES me as odd. I mean Vince Fumo, the Prince of Philadelphia, a fixture of power and influence, reportedly under investigation for stuff involving a non-profit group, doggedly pursued by the Inky for what seems years, stepping forward to save 100 jobs at that same Inky and this Daily News. Since when, I wonder, does a politician, especially one in a newspaper's crosshairs, seek to help newspapers? Strange, no?

Gee, why would a Democrat want a typical urban American newspaper to stay just as it is? I can't figure it out either. Hold on, hold on, I think I have it.

Shortly after yesterday’s announcement of Rep. Tom DeLay’s (R-Tex) indictment for alleged campaign finance violations, the mainstream media began doing reports on the subject with largely similar content. A memo written by Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean posted at the Democratic Party’s website almost immediately after the announcement was made contained virtually the same “hotbuttons” as those subsequently raised in media accounts of the story. 

What follows is a copy of that memo, along with comparisons to what has since been reported by leading media outlets on this subject:

Federal District Court Judge Richard J. Leon ruled Tuesday that the privacy rights of illegal aliens convicted here of crimes, including the most serious felonies, are more important than the public's right to know data needed to assess how the government is complying with the law that requires such aliens to be escorted out of the country upon their release from jail.

The ruling is in the case of CEI Washington Bureau Inc. v United States of America Department of Justice, Civ. No. 03-2651 (RJL). CEI is Cox Newspapers Washington Bureau, which earlier this year asked Leon to overturn a Justice Department denial of a Freedom of Information Act request for data, including the names, dates of birth and their FBI case numbers of several hundred thousand illegal aliens.

The aliens had been convicted in domestic courts of various crimes, including many of the most serious felonies such as rape and murder, and had served time in local or state jails. Federal law requires that federal officials meet such aliens on their release from jail and escort them out of the country.

Chris Matthews on MSNBC is already complaining that the vote was "only" 78 to 22. Isn't 78% considered a landslide? Here is this "slant the news" talking head from MSNBC wanting to go back to the days of the high 80's while he simply adds to the slant that the media will give any news that is actually quite normal. I would expect Democrats to oppose a Bush Nominee no matter what the office.

Now the media is ramping up the rhetoric because President Bush will announce another Supreme Court nominee within the week. Mr. Mathews complained that the president should announce the nominee on Friday but probably wouldn't because "it would be fodder for the weekend news programs". Fodder Mr. Mathews? You don't like who you don't know he is going to nominate? And you are reporting?

Wolf Blitzer, CNN’s “The Situation Room,” had Angelina Jolie on yesterday. After a discussion on the Katrina disaster and her reaction to the newly discovered “poverty” there, the topic shifted to her relief work in Africa and HIV/Aids issues, and eventually, of course -- to funding. Wolf Blitzer, jumping on an opening, had the following line ready to go [emphasis added] - brief disussion followed:

BLITZER: Bono, another star who has been deeply involved in trying to help people around the world. He was quoted in "Time" magazine in June as saying, "the most important and toughest nut is still President Bush. He feels he's already doubled and tripled aid to Africa, which he has, but he started from far too low a place."[Here is the point from which the interview should develop. Clinton admin. was doing way too little, now we are doing much more. How much more?]
Are you getting involved in the politics here in Washington, as well, trying to excite people, Democrats and Republicans?

Blowdried/coiffed NEWS READER:

Good evening.  California BURNED today, while President Bush -- mired
in scandal and criticism -- failed to respond.  The President spent
the day swearing in the New "Conservative" Supreme Court justice, but
failed to declare the entire state of California a disaster area,
qualifying the state -- especially those people of color there --
for federal assistance.

Cut away to REPORTERETTE in helicopter:

"Oh Rojer!  It's HORRIBLE!  Where is FEMA?  Where is the NATIONAL
GUARD?  These houses are BURNING!!!  No one is coming to HELP these
people!!"

Anchor NEWS READER:  "But, Judy, aren't the firefighters battling
the fires?"

REPORTERETTE:  "OH but Rojer!  These poor firefighters are
overmatched!  They simply don't have the FEDERAL SUPPORT they NEED
to put out these fires!"  This is due to the President's DISASTROUS
environmental policies, which are now coming back to haunt us ALL!

Geoff Dickens reports that on Hardball last night, Chris Matthews was doing a little exaggerating. He asked Norah O'Donnell: "Norah he’s been charged with money laundering involving a Texas, a set of Texas legislative races down there." Wrong, said the Laura Ingraham radio show crew (two law school grads there): they said there's a separate state law for money laundering, and Earle didn't use that.

O'Donnell quickly recycled the day's "culture of corruption" DNC talking point: "One reporter asked Scott McClellan whether the President is concerned about a stink of corruption surrounding the Republican Party," what with news coverage of Frist, Abramoff, and now DeLay. "The White House said no and sort of rejected that. But clearly there are many political analysts and other observers who are saying this is an issue for the President who’s facing the lowest approval ratings of his presidency and needs to get a Congress and a Republican Party to move forward in his agenda when there’s a lot on the plate." Twenty minutes later, Matthews addressed whether Ronnie Earle is a partisan:

On this morning's Today show NBC's Chip Reid attempted to play down Tom DeLay's charges of partisanship in Texas Democrat prosecutor Ronnie Earle's indictment:

Chip Reid: "In a blistering attack DeLay called Earle, who is a Democrat a partisan fanatic."

[DeLay: "This is one of the weakest, most baseless indictments in, in American history. It's a sham and Mr. Earle knows it."]

Reid: "But in an interview with NBC News earlier this year Earle vigorously denied his investigation of DeLay is motivated by politics."

[Earle: "We prosecuted four times as many Democrats as Republicans. This is not about Democrats and Republicans. This is about cops and robbers."]

Reid then went on to paint a dire political future for the Republican Party as a whole:

Back on Monday, I blogged about an NBC Nightly News story by Kevin Corke that raised the idea that the President could be called “a political opportunist” for his hands-on approach to Hurricane Rita. On Wednesday, Mr. Corke posted a comment right here on NewsBusters, disagreeing with my take on his report. I was out of the office yesterday, but I have since replied to his reply here, in case anyone is interested.

Even though we’re probably going to continue to disagree, I would like to thank Mr. Corke for his comment. It’s not one of those flip “we’re never biased” retorts that you might get from some in the media elite, but a detailed, point-by-point explanation of his story. As I said in my reply, the discussion of media bias is much improved when reporters take criticism seriously and respond as he did.