CBS, ABC Highlight Obama 'Flip-Flop' on Super PACs; NBC Punts
CBS This Morning on Tuesday led its broadcast with the Obama re-election campaign's decision on Monday night to reverse its opposition to super PAC fundraising. Charlie Rose teased the report by noting how "the White House...flip-flops on controversial super PAC donations." ABC's Jake Tapper used the same term on Good Morning America. NBC's Today show completely ignored this breaking development.
During his report on the CBS morning show, correspondent Bill Plante highlighted President Obama's "denunciation of that Supreme Court decision which allowed unlimited fundraising" and played a clip from his 2010 State of the Union address where he ripped the Citizens United decision in the presence of several of the justices who handed it down [audio available here; video below the jump].
The correspondent also pointed out that "it's not also the first time that the President has reversed himself on fundraising. You may remember that in 2008, he said that he would take public funding, then he changed his mind."
Just over a week earlier, on the January 31 edition of CBS This Morning, correspondent Armen Keteyian actually blasted the possible influence of super PACs in the coming presidential campaign: "You know, this is a tidal wave, and I think what's going to happen to is this is by far the most expensive [election], but it's the most negative, and it's really going to become I think the most slimy."
On Good Morning America, Tapper noted the Obama's campaign's about-face at the end of a report on the growing controversy between the administration and the Catholic Church over a mandate for contraception and abortifacient coverage without a co-pay in health plans:
TAPPER: And one other bit of breaking news overnight, Robin. Having to do with the Obama campaign and super PACs. Those are the third-party groups that can accept unlimited donations that have been flooding the air waves with negative ads. Originally, the Obama campaign said they would have nothing to do with super PACs. But, last night, they flip-flopped on the issue, saying that Republican super PACs are doing too much advertising. they have to compete and now have top cabinet officials, campaign officials and White House officials helping to raise funds for a Democratic super PAC.
Just after the top of the 8 am Eastern hour, ABC news anchor Josh Elliott gave a brief on the new policy, but didn't use the "flip-flop" term that Rose and Tapper both used:
ELLIOTT: Meantime, President Obama's campaign is reversing its position on so-called super PACs, those are third party groups that can accept unlimited campaign donations and flood the airwaves with their message. Now, the campaign is urging supporters to support a Democratic Super PAC, despite the President's criticism of those groups in the past.
NBC's Today show on Tuesday didn't cover the Obama campaign story at all.
The full transcript of Bill Plante's report on Tuesday's CBS This Morning, which aired two minutes into the 7 am Eastern hour, can be found at MRC.org.
- Matthew Balan's blog
- Login to post comments
Comments
It's the republican's fault!
Submitted by pilgrim4jc on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 2:59pm.
It's the republican's fault! What the... Even when the LSM reports on a blatant flip-flop they have to protect their guy. UFB.
Cooking analogy
Submitted by Samaritan01 on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 3:04pm.
I've seen less flip-flops on a pancake grill at a Boy Scout Jamboree.
They've already got a new t-shirt out
Submitted by bkeyser on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 3:12pm.
Super Pac-man.
Get yours today and show your appreciation of the Obama administration's support for Citizens United.
Flip flop
Submitted by angelann1 on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 3:13pm.
America, WAKE UP! occubama has no core ! He is an empty suit !If he speaks , he lies !!
NBC = Obama Territory
Submitted by greydawg on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 3:13pm.
NBC and its branches have been shameless whores for Obama for years. You don't get a job there unless you're willing to swig a jug of Obama syrup each day.
NBC must be pushing for Obama's most-favored...
Submitted by KyWriter on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 3:23pm.
...lap dog status. I can just see Andrea Mitchell cozying up on his lap in a big chair beside a roaring fire. (Apologies to any of you who just hurled at that image.)
An apolgy
Submitted by c5then on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 4:13pm.
does not clean off my keyboard. Thank you very much.
;-)
Madison and Jefferson and Franklin built a Republic - Roberts killed it!
In other words...
Submitted by c5then on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 4:12pm.
For Obama, political expediency trumps any personal convictions that he might entertain for the moment.
Madison and Jefferson and Franklin built a Republic - Roberts killed it!
Incredible. Just a year ago
Submitted by Liberallies on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 4:18pm.
Incredible. Just a year ago Obama, his minions and his Liberal lap dogs in the media were having a fit over the Supreme Court decision saying that Super Pacs were Constitutional. Obama, showing no class, went after the Supreme Court.
Now this hypocrite is going to use the Super Pacs which he condemned!
And of course, like a good Liberal who has been taught never to take responsability for his actions, President Obama and his administration blame the Republicans.
NBC the Obama Network
Submitted by John21 on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 4:23pm.
Did you expect anything else, NBC is the Obama Network. They have been a leading Obama cheerleader for the last 4 years, they are setting up to be the leading cheerleader for his 2012 propaganda blitz.
Why would you think they would say anything less the complementary about Obama? That would be like thinking the New York Times would print a truthful article.
For Obama, the situation's changed.
Submitted by Rover on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 4:32pm.
In 2010, he was anxious to denounce super-PACs because of the amount of rope his party was giving the Republicans to hang them all with.
This year, he knows he can't run on his record, and the strategy for November is to villify the GOP candidate, making the campaign about the opponent rather than Obama's presidency.
So now super-PACs are an essential weapon for him in what is likely to be the nastiest campaign in US history. Super-PACs have the advantage that they can be outright dishonest, while he can disavow any specific ad that they put on the air and appear clean himself. (Romney didn't help by setting the standard.)
Dishonesty will also be essential for the Democrats in the upcoming election, because the facts are generally against them. But with the amount of money that the Dems can funnel into these ads, and with the MSM disinclined to do any fact-checking in situations where letting a lie stand unchallenged will help Obama, by November a lot of independent Americans will not know what the truth is and what is dishonest propaganda.
Much like the run up to November ---
Submitted by matthewdean on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 7:09pm.
2008.
MD
When the Repub nominee is
Submitted by CDOG on Wed, 02/08/2012 - 1:51pm.
When the Repub nominee is decided, I hope all the pro Repub PACs relentlessly blast the airwaves with side by side displays of his then and now, strong positions in polar opposite. Flood the public with one at a time. Over and over till he's forced to explain it with spin. Then slap em with the next one. Repeat, reload, repeat.....up into November. We'll never run out of ammunition and they'll be on constant defence. Devout worshipers may not be swayed, but at least one topic will eventually hit a nerve in every independent group as you work your way along thru them. As the Repub moves forward, Demos will be behind picking up broken pieces and trying to explain one at a time. Near the finish line hit em hard with all so each group will get a reminder. That will keep em busy trying to re-explain every flop at once. This would require a lot of coordination and cooperation among the pacs.... but by God I think it just might root out those lying POS's. And don't just confine it to Obama directly. His friends, Nancy, Harry and the gang have plenty they dont want you to see too. Judo politics..... Don't be nasty with it. That will just tune many out. Just lay it side by side and let them defeat themselves.
Tyrants control Congress.... From Within
Submitted by CDOG on Wed, 02/08/2012 - 12:27pm.
The Repub presidential candidate that will pronounce a commitment to relentlessly pushing congress toward term limits, and more importantly, that they subject themselves, to the same laws they impose on us, I contend would easily take the nomination. I also believe he would ride into the Whitehouse on a Tsunami. I personally am sickened by Obama but not real excited about any one Repub. candidate either. The majority of American people are fed up to the gills with the entirety of Congress's elite status tho, and not just any particular party within. And we'll never change anything one member at a time. Throw a good man, ( ok..person) into that den of thieves alone and they will cut his throat when he wont play ball by their rules. Move the insider trading issue up front as a catylist for a total revamp. I know that enrages me, but its only a minor symptom of a major disease. Whoopi... They are working hard to isolate that and fix it before we see the giant tumor. I must clarify that I mean every government employee.... Elected, appointed, or hired, should live under the same laws as we the People are subjected. No exceptions nor exemptions! Bet theyd start reading those bills then! One more clarification,,,,, As Ive heard said before...... Id vote for a ham sandwich before I ever voted for Obama....... or a Democrat.
Who follws the law, anyways?
Submitted by CobraMan on Wed, 02/08/2012 - 2:07pm.
"have top cabinet officials, campaign officials and White House officials helping to raise funds for a Democratic super PAC"
Isn't it illegal for cabinet members, as well as "White House officials" to coordinate fund raising events? I seem to remember the Democrats holding Congressional investigations about this very subject during, and after, Bush's reelection. I do believe that Obama himself was one of those who complained about it bitterly while he was a Senator. Somehow, I don't see Harry Reid, or Waxman, for that matter, saying much about the illegality of this, for now anyways.
And Obama, himself, is proudly doing what he said was the worst thing to do, all because someone else may have more of the limelight than he has. He's even ordering his own cabinet member to willfully violate campaign finance laws and "help" him "create" his own Super PACs!
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.