Embarrassing: ABC's Jake Tapper Skips Keystone Decision, Shills for Obama and Disney
Who is Jake Tapper shilling for? The Obama administration or the Disney corporation? Over the two hours of Thursday's Good Morning America, there was not one mention of the administration's decision to reject the Keystone oil pipeline, costing at least 20,000 jobs. Yet, Tapper and ABC found time to promote both the administration's plan to create a "small world full of tourists who want to spend their money" and Disney World, parent company of ABC.
The segment, which featured clips of Beauty and the Beast and It's a Small World, included Robin Roberts gushing, "But, now, a big announcement about jobs from President Obama today." (She wasn't referring to Keystone, of course.) An excited Tapper enthused, "The President will announce this afternoon that he wants to make the United States the number one tourist destination in the world." [See video below. MP3 audio here.]
An ABC graphic fawned, "Be Our Guest: President's Going to Disney World: New Plan to Boost Tourism." Again, ABC is owned by Disney.
Tapper began the segment by informing, "We should, of course, disclose that Disney is the parent company of ABC News."
The entire tone of the segment was light-hearted and breezy. Tapper closed the piece by joking, "Of course, some bad news is that Malia and Sasha will not be here today. They will not be able to accompany their father, the President, when he comes to Cinderella castle, Robin."
Co-host Roberts lauded GMA's corporate bosses: "Thanks so much and have a magical day there at the kingdom!"
The two networks not owned by Disney, CBS (The Early Show) and NBC (Today), didn't cover Disney and the Obama administration's moves until the 8am and 9am hours, respectively.
The number of jobs Keystone would create is in dispute. CBS News reported that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce claims 250,000. Others say 20,000. Either way, it's amazing that a segment highlighting "a big announcement about jobs from President Obama" could ignore Keystone.
Tapper did cover the pipeline on Wednesday's World News. Anchor Diane Sawyer explained, "And today, a lightning bolt from the White House. Calling an end to the Keystone Pipeline, first proposed under the Bush Administration. It would be 1,700 miles, snaking through six states, from Canada to Texas, carrying oil, creating a lot of jobs."
To read a version of this article with a transcript, see MRC.org.
[Thanks to MRC intern Jeffrey Meyer for his assistance with this blog.]
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Comments
⇒ Tapper
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 1:25pm.
Getting close to the election, ABC tells Jake to pull in his trolling motor, fire up his Johnson, and head back to the slip over at the plantation.
It's sure starting to look like it
Submitted by OxyCon on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 2:46pm.
Tapper was an Obama shill in the last election though.
All I've heard about from Boy
Submitted by killa37 on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 1:53pm.
All I've heard about from Boy BlahBlah - with regards to jobs and employment - from Day WON is that it will be his #1 priority, and the object of 'laser-like focus', and how he won't rest until the situation improves...............as well as the numerous 'job conferences' and meetings that he's had, and all of the 'experts' that he is willing to listen to for their ideas, and bla bla bla bla bla endlessly, tediously, and boringly the whole time.
So now he's in Disneyland - shutting down a whole section of the park, and forcing the employees to go about their work in an altered way - to 'talk' about creating MORE jobs - and I emphasize the word 'talk' -because that is all he ever does!!!
And I'm thinkin' (Obamaspeak) that 'tourism' is actually ObamaCode for 'illegal aliens'. Those people who work at Disney ought to be fearful of their jobs - especially if they're 'white'.
?
Submitted by Ashrak on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 2:20pm.
Every time I think this particular fella has broken the chains of authorized journalism, he goes and demonstrates that the chains are still binding him.
Tapper, you are better than this. Or are you?
Evidently not.
Submitted by killa37 on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 2:32pm.
Evidently not.
Any
Submitted by grammajane on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 2:32pm.
respect I had for Jake is now gone.
I agree with you
Submitted by ohio granny on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 2:59pm.
Wonder who threatened him and with what? Either ABC bigwigs or the Obama campaign? Doesn't really matter, it is pathetic.
No surprises here.
Submitted by MJBeejr on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 2:35pm.
ABC is Obama's personal PR firm. Their headlines glow with reports of how great the economy is rebounding from the Bush era recession. Skewed statistics dominate their analysis, of course, but the kibosh of the Keystone pipeline - not an issue; especially when there are more important stories to cover, e.g., Obama comparing his ear size to Mickey's!
Irony?
Submitted by pylgrym on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 2:53pm.
I saw a report this morning that Disney world will be closing its "Main Street USA" venue during Obama's visit . . .
Little Girl: "Look mommy,
Submitted by Jack Bauer on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 3:52pm.
Little Girl: "Look mommy, there's DOPEY..."
Mom: "No sweetheart, that's the President of the United States auditioning for his new job when he's kicked out of the White House next November."
All of the above Mr Obama? --- How about ALL OF THE BELOW, instead.
⇒ No, sweetheart
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 3:57pm.
He's F%&#ing Goofy.
New Plan to Boost Tourism...
Submitted by Conservator on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 4:50pm.
Too bad for the tourists at the park today who will be kicked out of Main Street when his Majesty, King Obama, arrives to deliver his much heralded speech by the lefty MSM about jobs. During the past 4 years Obama has delivered many speeches on jobs? Yet, unemployment is higher today compared to the time the Democrats in Congress gave him some $800 billion plus to waste on a stimulus bill that only energized his sycophant supporters - NOT JOBS.
You recall President Obama's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness meeting in Durham, NC and he said jokingly, "Shovel-ready was not as ... uh .. shovel-ready as we expected."
Source:
Obama Jokes at Jobs Council: 'Shovel-Ready Was Not as Shovel-Ready as We Expected'