Skip to main content
  • CNSNews.com
  • MRC TV
  • Biz & Media
  • Culture & Media
  • TimesWatch
  • Take Action!

Join Us @:
Facebook
Twitter
Amazon Kindle

Free email alerts!

NewsBusters logo
May 24, 2013
  • Home
  • Blogs
  • About
  • Forum
  • Take Action
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Search
  • RSS

Hot Topics

  • Obama Targets Fox News
  • IRS Targets Tea Party
  • Censoring the News
Home » Blogs » Clay Waters's blog
  • NBC Fails to Report Its Own Scoop That AG Holder Approved Investigation of Fox's Rosen
  • Video: Bozell's Prediction Pans Out, Media In Full-on 'Move On' Mode in Obama Scandal Coverage
  • The Long Hike: Media’s 13 Years of Bullying Boy Scouts Over Gays
  • Only CBS Notes IRS Official’s Leave, Yet ABC and NBC Have Time to Show Obama’s Prom Photo with ‘Foxy’ Friend
  • Hearing on IRS With Lerner Taking the Fifth? Newspapers Had No Front Page Story Thursday
  • Chris Matthews Trashes 'Morning Joe' for Being 'Open to All People's Points of View'
  • Thursday Morning: Fox Gives 15 Minutes to Latest IRS Scandal Details; NBC and ABC Ignore
  • On Taxpayer-subsidized PBS, Liberal Reporters Lament Benghazi Won't Go Away

NYT's Trip Gabriel Digs Spurs In, Takes Ann Romney's Horse Story for Another Pointless Lap

By Clay Waters | June 18, 2012 | 19:54

A  A

New York Times campaign reporter Trip Gabriel followed up on his vital hard-news front-page expose of Ann Romney's horseback riding with an update on Sunday that also conveniently illuminated the stereotype of the Romneys as rich and out of touch, this time with the help of that quintessential man of the people, comedian Stephen Colbert: "Romney Horse Wins Spot on Olympic Dressage Team."

Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann, who plan to attend the opening of the Olympic Games in London this summer, now have a personal rooting interest in the event.

Jan Ebeling, Mrs. Romney’s longtime riding tutor, and his horse Rafalca, co-owned by Mrs. Romney, earned a berth on the United States Olympic dressage team on Saturday.

Mr. Ebeling, 53, who has spent a decade knocking on the door of top international competition, made his first Olympic team with a third-place finish here at the United States Equestrian Team Foundation headquarters, a century-old stable built by the financier James Cox Brady to adjoin his 64-room mansion.

Gabriel employed "Daily Show" comedian Stephen Colbert to represent public opinion.

As the wife of the presumed Republican presidential nominee, Mrs. Romney, through her involvement as a deep-pocketed patron, has brought dressage more attention than it has ever received in the United States, despite celebrating its 100th year in the Olympics. The comedian Stephen Colbert was the latest to focus on it, with a skit on his Comedy Central show last week that ribbed the sport’s fussy, elitist image.

“Folks,” Mr. Colbert said, “the image of Romney as a privileged princeling ends today, because now Mitt is just your average blue-collar fan of dressage."

....

But as Mr. Colbert’s satire suggested, the scrutiny may not be entirely a blessing for Mr. Romney’s image as a man in touch with the concerns of average Americans. As millions tune in to the Olympics in prime time this summer, just before Mr. Romney will be reintroducing himself to the nation at the Republican convention, viewers are likely to see “up close and personal” segments on NBC about the Romneys and dressage, a sport of six-figure horses and $1,000 saddles. The Romneys declared a loss of $77,000 on their 2010 tax returns for the share in the care and feeding of Rafalca, which Mrs. Romney owns with Mr. Ebeling’s wife, Amy, and a family friend, Beth Meyers.
 

About the Author

Clay Waters is the director of Times Watch, an MRC project tracking the New York Times. Click here to follow Clay Waters on Twitter.
  • 2012 Presidential
  • Ann Romney
  • Stephen Colbert
  • Trip Gabriel
  • New York Times
  • TimesWatch
  • Clay Waters's blog
  • Login to post comments
  • Printer-friendly version
Stop Censoring The Gosnell Trial!

Comments

President Obama

Submitted by NascarShizzle on Mon, 06/18/2012 - 8:12pm.

Will you please sign a pledge and not have your minions in the MSM stop attacking dogs, cats, rabbits, deer, and especially horses? LEAVE THE ANIMALS OUT OF YOUR CAMPAIGN.

  • Login to post comments

Don't we have laws against age discrimination???

Submitted by SickofLibs on Mon, 06/18/2012 - 8:13pm.

I saw somewhere that Ann's horse was 15 years old.

Now I admit I know next to nothing about equine life expectancy (I thought 15 was ancient) , but when I heard the horse was that old, my first thought was three cheers for her horse for making the cut.

But like everything else, libs have to piss on everything like the whining little babies they are.

  • Login to post comments

15 in horse years is middle age

Submitted by Blonde on Mon, 06/18/2012 - 8:15pm.

He probably pays his taxes, too.

Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)

  • Login to post comments

Making this fairly

Submitted by Boudin on Mon, 06/18/2012 - 8:27pm.

Impressive. These Horses can make up in smarts what they have lost in youth. She must be very proud.

I got news for you libtards, the other 2 Horses are owned by rich folks also.

Seek Truth, Defend Liberty
  • Login to post comments

Desperate times.....

Submitted by James3 on Mon, 06/18/2012 - 8:33pm.

Call for desparate tactics....the Seamus the dog story is off the table since it was discovered that Obama loves to nibble on dogmeat sandwiches, so now they are attacking Ann and her love of horseback riding. Whatever you do Libtards, DON"T TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMY! Taboo subject.....

  • Login to post comments

Jealous much?

Submitted by GG_NB on Mon, 06/18/2012 - 8:43pm.

They're living the American dream. More power to 'em.They're also quite charitable.

I'd say they look like a bunch of horses' a**es to continue this storyline, but I will not insult horses. Love horses.

"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
~Ronald Reagan

  • Login to post comments

Ms. Gabriel

Submitted by oldfart on Mon, 06/18/2012 - 8:45pm.

obviously has a thing for making a horse's arse out of her self.

The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius
  • Login to post comments

If Stephen Colbert wishes to satirize elitism,

Submitted by needle on Mon, 06/18/2012 - 9:54pm.

...he sure picked a minor target, considering elitism practically defines the Liberal community.

It is like choosing to shoot a caged canary when he could have fired upon barnyard overflowing with turkeys

- Looking forward to the self-annihilation of the Manipulated Stories Machine.

  • Login to post comments

And Mr. Gabriel will be

Submitted by motherbelt on Mon, 06/18/2012 - 10:49pm.

And Mr. Gabriel will be there, front and center, making sure everyone hears about it, complete with many many dollar signs!

  • Login to post comments

Bertram Gabriel III......

Submitted by Samaritan01 on Mon, 06/18/2012 - 11:05pm.

.....is best known as "Trip" Gabriel and he has worked tireless hours for the Styles section of the New York Times. Hard news is his specialty......especially when it comes to fabrics and lace and this year's fashions......

  • Login to post comments

Chicago's new name : Tombstone

Submitted by MidAmerica on Mon, 06/18/2012 - 11:23pm.

The obama's can counter the Romney's by putting together their own Olympic team. Their hometown has become a freefire zone and the bodies are piling up. So there has to be some really good shots out there on the streets that they can recruit to make up an Olympic Markmanship Team.

  • Login to post comments

It's the rider, not the horse

Submitted by freecitizen on Tue, 06/19/2012 - 7:09am.

They make it sound as if her horse made the Olympics. The rider made the Olympics, and as an Olympic patron she is providing the horse he will ride. I'm pretty sure the horse is not able to win a medal. From anyone else this would be considered a charitable act of supporting an amateur Olympic athlete.
He'll get so much media attention that if he starts to do well, everyone will start rooting for him. It is the Olympics after all. This has the potential to backfire.

Liberal: remove all that's Right, and this is what's Left.
  • Login to post comments

Waste!

Submitted by jpalm32 on Tue, 06/19/2012 - 8:31am.

The First Lady Requires More Than Twenty Attendants (that’s 22 attendants to be exact)

1. $172,200 – Sher, Susan (Chief Of Staff)
2. $140,000 – Frye, Jocelyn C. (Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Policy And Projects For The First Lady)
3. $113,000 – Rogers, Desiree G. (Special Assistant to the President and White House Social Secretary)
4. $102,000 – Johnston, Camille Y. (Special Assistant to the President and Director of Communications for the First Lady)
5. $100,000 – Winter, Melissa E. (Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief Of Staff to the First Lady)
6. $90,000 – Medina , David S. (Deputy Chief Of Staff to the First Lady)
7. $84,000 – Lelyveld, Catherine M (Director and Press Secretary to the First Lady)
8. $75,000 – Starkey, Frances M. (Director of Scheduling and Advance for the First Lady)
9. $70,000 – Sanders, Trooper (Deputy Director of Policy and Projects for the First Lady)
10. $65,000 – Burnough, Erinn J. (Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary)
11. $64,000 – Reinstein, Joseph B. (Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary)
12. $62,000 – Goodman, Jennifer R. (Deputy Director of Scheduling and Events Coordinator For The First Lady)
13. $60,000 – Fitts, Alan O. (Deputy Director of Advance and Trip Director for the First Lady)
14. $57,500 – Lewis, Dana M. (Special Assistant and Personal Aide to the First Lady)
15. $52,500 – Mustaphi, Semonti M. (Associate Director and Deputy Press Secretary to The First Lady)
16. $50,000 – Jarvis, Kristen E. (Special-2Assistant for Scheduling and Traveling Aide to The First Lady)
17. $45,000 – Lechtenberg, Tyler A. (Associate Director of Correspondence For The First Lady)
18. $43,000 – Tubman, Samantha (Deputy Associate Director, Social Office)
19. $40,000 – Boswell, Joseph J. (Executive Assistant to the Chief Of Staff to the First Lady)
20. $36,000 – Armbruster, Sally M. (Staff Assistant to the Social Secretary)
21. $35,000 – Bookey, Natalie (Staff Assistant)
22. $35,000 – Jackson, Deilia A. (Deputy Associate Director of Correspondence for the First Lady) (This is community organizing at it’s finest.)

There has NEVER been anyone in the White House at any time who has created such an army of staffers whose sole duties are the facilitation of the First Lady’s social life. One wonders why she needs so much help, at taxpayer expense, when even Hillary, only had three; Jackie Kennedy one; Laura Bush one; and prior to Mamie Eisenhower social help came from the President’s own pocket.

Note: This does not include makeup artist Ingrid Grimes-Miles, 49, and “First Hairstylist” Johnny Wright, 31, both of whom traveled aboard Air Force One to Europe.

FRIENDS…..THESE SALARIES ADD UP TO SIX MILLION, THREE HUNDRED SIXTY FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS ($6,364,000) FOR THE 4 YEARS OF OFFICE????? AND WE ARE IN A RECESSION????? WELL…..MOST OF US ARE.

I GUESS IT’S OK TO SPEND WILDLY WHEN IT’S NOT YOUR OWN MONEY?????

  • Login to post comments

Wow!

Submitted by Radical1979 on Tue, 06/19/2012 - 8:46am.

Do you have a source for that? I'd. like to bookmark it. Thanks!

Proud member of the 53%!
  • Login to post comments

Here you go, Rad....word for word.

Submitted by Blonde on Tue, 06/19/2012 - 9:01am.

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/m/michelle-obama-staff.htm

Note...the link attempts to debunk the staff size as claimed in the original e-mail of former first ladies....but I am dubious about that....in the prior FL's case....what positions are entailed in the total staff? It has to be done on a position by position basis in order to equate apples to apples.

Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)

  • Login to post comments

So we

Submitted by nolefan2 on Tue, 06/19/2012 - 9:29am.

Republicans have some rich people in our party. So what? Does anyone remember the Kennedys? I seem to recall the fascination the press had with Jackie and Caroline and their love of horses. The media fawned all of them with pictures of the two of them riding. Caroline had her little pony, Macaroni. How sweet it was. Now, with Ann Romney, it's all about filthy wealth. Eeewww. How disgusting How out of touch these elitists are. I would be willing to bet that the Democrat party has its share of members who are Olympics patrons as well. If the Dems think rich people should not run for office because they are out of touch with the people, then we're going to have to clean out the Oval Office and both the House and Senate.

  • Login to post comments

Typical

Submitted by sngnsgt on Tue, 06/19/2012 - 9:50am.

NYT's babble is laughable. Kerry's boat. Kennedy's broads. Edwards bimbo's. Rich democrats - good. Rich Republicans - evil. What a joke!!!

  • Login to post comments

SEE MY POST

Submitted by OldJarhead77 on Tue, 06/19/2012 - 2:14pm.

ON THIS SUBJECT IN THE ARTICLE ON LAWRENCE O'DOODOO HEAD

Liberals: No Morals, No Standards, NO Problem!
  • Login to post comments

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.
Stop Censoring The Gosnell Trial!

Editors' Picks

  • Obama/Holder DOJ's radical departure on press freedom is chilling (Boutrous @ WSJ)
  • Oops: Obama fails to salute Marine, went back to shake hand (Weekly Standard)
  • Deputy kills PBS NewsHour staffer (Washington Examiner)
  • Oklahoma disaster was tragic, but larger ones have occurred (USA Today)
  • Mainstream Media Scream: Today’s Savannah Guthrie questions GOP ‘overreach’ (Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner)
  • Desperate Carney complains asking about scandals like asking about birth certificate (RCP)
  • Look at NYT's partisan-hack rewrite of the IRS hearing (Draw and STRIKE!)
Ann Coulter's picture
Ann Coulter
Ann Coulter Column: When Did We Vote to Become Mexico?
Chuck Norris's picture
Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris Column: Why Tim Tebow Is an Ultimate Clutch Player
Walter E. Williams's picture
Walter E. Williams
Walter E. Williams Column: Hating America
Michelle Malkin's picture
Michelle Malkin
Malkin Column: Obama's Emptiest Benghazi Talking Point
Ann Coulter's picture
Ann Coulter
Coulter Column: Sorry, Sen. Rubio, But Your Immigration Plan Is Still Problematic
More >

RSS FeedAmazon KindleFacebookTwitter

Stop Censoring The News!

Gosnell's Just the Tip of the Iceberg
more cartoons
  • HUH? Slate Editor: Kaitlyn Hunt Case 'Is About Gay Rights. But It’s Not About That'
  • Weekend Open Thread
  • Leno: ‘Not Looking Good for Obama - Today His Teleprompter Took the Fifth’
  • Robert Redford Blasts America's Belief System, Tech Advancements
  • Dennis Miller: 'Nixonian' Obama Will Need Teleprompter to Say 'I Am Not a Crook'
More >
NewsBusters

Executive Editor
Matthew Sheffield

Editor at Large
Brent Baker

Senior Editors
Tim Graham
Rich Noyes

Managing Editor
Ken Shepherd

Associate Editor
Noel Sheppard

Contributing Editors
Tom Blumer
Geoffrey Dickens
Dan Gainor
David Limbaugh
Mithridate Ombud
Clay Waters
Scott Whitlock

Senior Contributor
Mark Finkelstein

Contributing Writers
Matthew Balan
Michael M. Bates
Erin R. Brown
Jack Coleman
Kyle Drennen
Douglas Ernst
P. J. Gladnick
Stephen Gutowski
Matt Hadro
D. S. Hube
Kathleen McKinley
Dave Pierre
Amy Ridenour
Julia A. Seymour
Terry Trippany
Rusty Weiss
Brad Wilmouth

Publisher
Brent Bozell

Site Design
Dialog New Media

 

  • Home
  • Blogs
  • About
  • Forum
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Search
  • Account
  • rss
  • CNSNews
  • MRC TV
  • Biz & Media
  • Culture & Media
  • Take Action!
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Amazon Kindle
  • Advertise
  • Jobs

Copyright © 2005-2013 NewsBusters.
Privacy Policy | Terms of Use