ABC's Yunji de Nies Skips IPod Gaffe of Obamas; Touted GOP Errors

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"Good Morning America" reporter Yunji de Nies on Thursday gushed over Michelle Obama's appearance in London for the G-20 summit, thrilling about the First Lady's fashion and the fact that "Mrs. Obama hasn't lost touch with her sensible chic American roots." In contrast, GMA ignored the controversy over Mrs. Obama touching the Queen of England during her visit, which many consider a breach of protocol. Similarly, the show's hosts and reporters downplayed the fact that the Obamas gave Queen Elizabeth II an iPod loaded with Barack Obama's speeches.

This is despite the fact that the very same de Nies filed a report on Tuesday on the history of overseas presidential trips. She insisted, "But one unlucky misstep and everyone remembers." She then proceeded to feature supposed gaffes from Republican Presidents George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. Two days later, however, de Nies ignored the missteps of the Obamas and filed an absolutely laudatory segment on the First Lady. She rhapsodized, "The First Lady showcased her signature sleeveless style, her bare arms reminiscent of Jackie Kennedy, the last First Lady to cause such a stir across the pond."

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In a tease for the show, co-host Diane Sawyer enthused, "And we tell you how the first couple is taking London by storm." The piece featured a clip from Mariella Frostrup, the editor of British Vogue. She raved, "And I think she has got this new, redefined kind of glamour, which is not over-the-top, expensive, old guard glamour. But quite youthful, kind of attainable, fresh, feeling about her."

In the 7:30 hour, the morning show hosts did discuss the gift of an iPod to the Queen, but spun it as cute. As reported by Jake Tapper on ABC's Political Punch blog, the present contained video speeches by Barack Obama. Sawyer glossed over this and asserted, "And they also put on some videos of [the Queen's] visit to the U.S. and some speeches, various speeches of people she can watch." Various speeches of people? Would one of those individuals be the gift-giver himself? The GMA host didn't explain.

At the top of the segment, Sawyer did introduce de Nies as a "White House correspondent." Her ABC News bio doesn't mention this. If this is a promotion, viewers can probably expect more fawning Obama coverage from her.

A transcript of the April 2 segment and the later iPod exchange, follows:

7am tease

DIANE SAWYER: And we tell you how the first couple is taking London by storm.

7:01 am tease

DIANE SAWYER: And then, on another front, amid all the high drama, Michelle Obama continues to be the woman in the spotlight.

ROBIN ROBERTS: Yes her wardrobe changes, to the gifts she gave the Queen, the First Lady is, indeed, making her mark.

7:09

ROBERTS: And the summit is, of course, First Lady Michelle Obama's first time stepping out on the world stage. And every step she's taken has been closely followed, from her night out at the opera to her audience with the Queen. White House correspondent Yunji de Nies has more from Buckingham Palace. Good morning.

YUNJI DE NIES: Good morning, Robin. Well, she's been here just over a day. But Michelle Obama has already had quite an impact. She visited a cancer center. Dined with Naomi Campbell. Even had an audience with the Queen right here at Buckingham Palace. In fact, it's the cover of several papers this morning, The U.K., even the Queen herself, is buzzing about America's First Lady. Last night, it was the ultimate girls get together, with Michelle Obama and her G-20 counterparts, sharing the spotlight, with celebrities like Naomi Campbell and Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling This may be her husband's debut on the world stage, but Michelle Obama just might be stealing the show.

MARIELLA FROSTRUP (British cultural commentator): If he is, you know, an incredibly powerful president, she's the rock star, actually. She's the one who just looks amazing.

DE NIES: The First Lady showcased her signature sleeveless style, her bare arms reminiscent of Jackie Kennedy, the last First Lady to cause such a stir across the pond. London "Vogue" editor, Alexandra Shulman, says like her predecessor, Michelle Obama exudes glamour.

ALEXANDRA SHULMAN (Editor, British Vogue): There is a hunger for glamour. And I think she has got this new, redefined kind of glamour, which is not over-the-top, expensive, old guard glamour. But quite youthful, kind of attainable, fresh, feeling about her.

DE NIES: The new guard met the old guard at Buckingham Palace. The First Lady and the Queen became fast friends. [Video onscreen of Michelle Obama hugging Queen.] The royal matriarch even suggesting they stay in touch. But, Mrs. Obama hasn't lost touch with her sensible chic American roots. She wore double-stranded pearls combined with a J. Crew cardigan and pencil skirt. J. Crew tells "Good Morning America" the sparkling cardigan sold out by mid-morning. And they expect the skirt will also be gone soon.

SHULMAN: You never see a British politician's wife in something, so kind, of glam as that. But she's managed to make it glamorous. But it's inexpensive because it's J. Crew. So, she's got all those boxes ticked, hasn't he?

DE NIES: Now, we've seen Michelle Obama. Today, we're going to hear from her. She's speaking at a girls school. It's an event to empower young women. That's an issue she wants to champion around the world. Diane and Robin?

7:50

DIANE SAWYER: And they also put on some videos of her visit to the U.S. and some speeches, various speeches of people she can watch.

ROBERTS: On the iPod?

SAWYER: Yes. She can watch herself visiting the U.S. She was at Jamestown. She was went Richmond.

CHRIS CUOMO: Now, what do we think? What do we think? You think she's going to use the iPod? You think she's going to use it?

SAWYER: Well, she has an earlier one.

—Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center.


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Please...

Please someone, quick!  Gag me with a spoon!

Spoon?

Who needs a spoon...I'm gaggin on my own here.

well

Its a good thing we don't have those backward Texas hicks in office anymore. *rolls eyes*

Double Standard

Note the fashionista double standards here. If a Republican President's wife had showed bare arms at a formal event, or worn sequins in a morning visit to the Queen, embarrassed reporters would have decried them as boorish and uncivilized, unsophisticated from (horrors) Texas (or some other R state). But this is a democratic couple, so they are breaking new ground and starting new trends.

This is all rather nauseating.

PS Again, it was Larry the Cable Guy that started the bare arms trend.

What happened to the Hillary model?

All I ever hear about this current First Lady is her clothing.  The media is pathetic.

I still can't believe that self-absorbed twit gave the queen of

England an iPod.  Honestly, the point of a gift...ANY gift, is that it's supossed to be about the receiver, not the giver.  You're supposed to give them something that THEY are likely to enjoy, not something YOU would enjoy.

You think he would've learned from the DVD fiasco.  Then again, maybe he really did give this iPod gift a lot of thought.  Doesn't say much for him either way.

At least the DVDs were not

At least the DVDs were not of his speeches and appearances.

He's an effing no-class idiot, and by extension, so are we. 

I have one question for M'Obama

Are you smarter than a super model?

Apparently not.

 

I hope he fails, too.

 

 

"Even had an audience with

"Even had an audience with the Queen right here at Buckingham Palace."

Right here at the palace? Get the hell outta here, I thought the Queen always met guests at Mickey D's.

"She's speaking at a girls school. It's an event to empower young women. That's an issue she wants to champion around the world."

Empower young women around the world? Really? Like where they can leave the house, talk to a man who is not a relative, drive a car, go shopping, attend school, etc.? Then she should start with Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the other muslim countries where women are treated like dogs, or worse.

Empowering girls

She wants to empower them to kill uborn babies like good little liberals-to-be.

GAVE UP

I gave up several weeks ago.  Can't stand the whole circus.  It finally happened.  The People Magazine mentality of this country has gone over the edge.  Substance means NOTHING.  So glad I went to college for my 2 degrees, working for over 25 years, and always tried to do the right thing.  But I give up.  Selling my townhouse and moving to the countryside with my girlfriend in a town that has 1 intersection.  Far enough away from the political/hollyweird BS - to live a normal life. 

Oh, please take me with you

Oh, please take me with you - I'll mow the lawn and sleep in the shed like Slingblade!

LOL

Too late I already got dibs on the tractor and hammock out back.  My Verizon cell has NO coverage there too.  Goodbye cruel world.  I'll make a trip to the big city when Palin shows up.

Too Critical

People, you are being far too critical here. According to Christine Matthews, Michelle is the Queen of America, having displaced Barney Frank. It's okay for one Queen to touch another.

 

Ipod - what every 146 year old woman wants

I wrote on AWD last night about this.  Does anyone in Washington have a lick of sense?  What's the gift for Putin..a chia pet?  Sham Wow for the Chinese?

The silence of the MSM does not cover the inexperience of Obama that continuously is screaming out.

Angry White Dude

www.angrywhitedude.c...

AWD - LOL

Nice website....will add to my favs.  I hear she is regifting the Ipod on EBAY.  * Comes preloaded with crap *

Miller, thanks

My guess that an Ipod pre packaged with photos of the Queen and show tunes will not sell here in Texas but will probably go for a premium in San Francisco!

Angry White Dude

www.angrywhitedude.c...

Diane, Chris, ABC, MSNBC, CBS etc?

How does Obama's manhood taste?  Pretty good?  You're all doing a phenomenal job earning your presidential kneepads

"To sin by silence when we should protest, makes cowards of men" -Ella Wheeler Wilcox

*ack*

How does Obama's manhood taste?

Thanks, I just about puked reading that...

If nothing else, they ought

If nothing else, they ought to put a textile mill on three shifts just to make enough cloth to cover that huge butt michelle is toting around. Unemployment solved.

Gee I wonder what the media

Gee I wonder what the media would say if Barbara Bush or Nancy Reagan showed up to meet the Queen in a haltertop? Or if Reagan gave the Queen videotapes (they didn't have IPODs back then) of his greatest speeches? Or if Bush I gave the Queen a signed photo of his family?

They would be treated the same way the press is treating Obama, right?

Oh, no, only republicans commit gaffes because a gaffe is anything a republican does or says that right minded (and are there any other kinds?) liberals disagree with. The democrap media has answered that age old question, if a libtard President makes gaffe after gaffe in the WH or abroad, and the media doesn't report them, did the gaffes happen at all?

 

Hannity just reported

 That Obama had copies of his speeches on the i-pod. I am sure someone here suggested that, (at least he had the good manors not to do that)Well guess not. ht to our prophet

"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg

Obammy speeches

Obammy has his speeches on his own iPod. It's all he ever listens to.