NBC Nightly News Mentions Jet Tax Loophole Twice, Ignores It Was Part of Obama's Stimulus

The "NBC Nightly News" mentioned the corporate jet tax loophole twice in its report concerning Barack Obama's press conference Wednesday.

Unfortunately, Brian Williams and Chuck Todd neglected to inform viewers that this loophole was part of the President's stimulus package in 2009 (video follows with commentary):

During his over one-hour press conference, the President mentioned the need to close this loophole for the "rich" six times.

But as the Associated Press reported in February 2009, this was actually part of that year's stimulus package (h/t Heritage Foundation):

Just a few months after lawmakers scolded auto executives for flying to Washington in private jets, Congress approved a tax break in the stimulus package to help businesses buy their own planes.

The incentive -- first used to help plane makers recover from the 2001 terror attacks -- sharply reduces the up front tax bill for companies who buy assets like business planes.

The aviation industry, which is cutting jobs as it suffers from declining shipments and canceled orders, hopes the tax break in the economic-stimulus bill just signed by President Barack Obama will persuade more companies to buy planes and snap a slump in general aviation that began last year.

Pretty amazing that the President made a big deal on Wednesday over a tax loophole that he himself thought was a good idea when it was included in his stimulus bill two years ago.

Equally absurd was that the "Nightly News" would refer to this tax break twice in its report on the President's press conference without noting the delicious irony.

This seems particularly negligent given NBC's fascination with so-called gaffes and hypocrisies associated with Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann. There have been a minimum of three such reports filed by NBC News this week.

Yet the current President mockingly proposing to close a tax loophole that he extended and trumpeted shortly after taking office deserved absolutely no mention.

As NewsBusters has been cautioning for months, Americans better get used to this kind of duplicitous coverage from Obama's media shills.

Until the elections are over, he could probably throw up on a visiting dignitary without it being reported while a Republican presidential candidate sneezing without covering his or her mouth will likely garner the attention of a breast popping out during a Super Bowl halftime show.

Maybe even more.