Bill O'Reilly Cites 'Amazing' MRC Study Comparing Network Coverage of Kerry's and Romney's Wealth
On Friday night, Fox News star Bill O'Reilly began his show with a Talking Points Memo touting a Media Research Center finding that the networks are much more attentive to describing Mitt Romney as very wealthy than were for John Kerry in 2004.
"Another sign the media wants Barack Obama re-elected. That is the subject of this evening's Talking Points Memo," he said. "The Media Research Center is a conservative watchdog group that exposes left-wing bias in the national press. Today, the center puts out an amazing analysis of how the evening newscast on the three networks covered John Kerry's wealth when he was running for President in 2004 as opposed to Mitt Romney’s money position now." [video and transcript below]
O'REILLY: Both men have access to about $250 million. But when Kerry was running, his vast wealth was mentioned only two times from January to April 2004. And NBC News didn't mention Kerry’s money at all. Contrast that to this year when Mitt Romney’s wealth has been mentioned 27 times from January to April, 13 times more than Kerry's wealth was mentioned. Here is an example.
BRIAN WILLIAMS: Mitt Romney chose today to release his tax returns from the year 2010. He did it to help stop the questions about his wealth. But in releasing his taxes he reveals what most Americans will regard as unimaginable wealth and vast investments after a successful career in business, much of it spent buying and selling companies.
O'REILLY: Now to be fair, Mr. Williams did not begin anchor the NBC Nightly News until December of 2004. Tom Brokaw was the anchor in question. But there is no question that the three network news organizations are treating Mitt Romney’s economic circumstance far differently, far differently than they treated John Kerry's.
But why? A logical conclusion is the network news organizations continue to favor the Democratic Party. And they will try to re-elect President Obama in November. Now, this isn't everybody working on the evening news programs but some key decision makers are committed left-wing ideologues.
When I worked at CBS News and later at ABC News, the left tilt was obvious. Bernie Goldberg wrote an entire book on it but today with the country in economic turmoil and a very important Presidential election on the horizon, fair play should be a must for the media. It doesn't serve the USA well to have powerful national news organizations skewing their coverage.
Self-identified liberal operations like MSNBC are not the problem here. It’s the nightly newscasts that continue to say they are non-biased. Well, those outlets can and do influence independent voters. The truth is John Kerry’s vast wealth virtually ignored by network news. But Mitt Romney’s fortune is a huge issue. Not fair. And that's the memo.
Mike Ciandella report for the MRC's Business and Media Institute can be found at www.mrc.org/bmi.
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Comments
wealthy democrats don't fit the narative
Submitted by ohio granny on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 7:43am.
Even though the conventional wisdom is that republican politicians and republicans in general are more wealthy than democrats, it seems to be that democrats are really the party of the wealthy. The alphabet stations don't want to go there because it does not fit the narative.
Wealthy republicans, out of touch with middle class people.. Wealthy democrats like Kerry and Kennedy, they understand middle class. Sure they do. They understand how sometimes you have to make a house payment late or pay the rent late because you have to pay the electric bill first. They understand because they have experienced that. Gag, puke. Idiots and the people who believe them are even bigger idiots.
Refresh my memory here:
Submitted by Bettendor on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 7:45am.
Refresh my memory here: Didn't John Kerry come into his wealth through his marriage?
So,
Submitted by nolefan2 on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 11:19am.
what's your point? He is still a wealthy Democrat. Old Joe Kennedy made his fortune bootlegging whiskey. Actually, he was probably the last Kennedy to actually work for a living.
Well, Kerry is a serial
Submitted by celator on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 8:04am.
Well, Kerry is a serial gigolo whereas Romney earned his own money after giving away his inheritance. So, to mention Kerry's wealth brings up an embarrassing personal history that the MSM would rather not talk about. As for Romney, he's a Republican so the MSM will always treat him like a pinata full of ill-gotten wealth. Not much of a puzzle here.
Kerry vs Romney
Submitted by NVRAT on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 9:33am.
The only thing I remember is the mainstream experts (drips under pressure) only mentioned the fact that Kerry was married to the Heinz fortune and he married well. Nothing was ever said about exactly how much his wife had. I don`t think those of us that went through that election cycle have forgotten the fact that Kerry had access to BIG BUCKS if he wanted so its not news that the Mainstream Slugs are being bias. The best thing that people can do is not watch any of the MSM shows, write and tell the networks and turn them off. Those that are Liberal mongers will continue watch the deceitful trash and nothing will change their minds.
Apparently "wealthy" is a
Submitted by motherbelt on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 10:00am.
Apparently "wealthy" is a function of political ideology rather than net worth, just like being "black" isn't a skin color as much as a set of beliefs.
That's why conservative blacks get called "Uncle Toms" and liberal multimillionaires like Michael Moore and Russell Simmons talk about "the rich" as if they are not a part of that group.
So true.
Submitted by thestalkinghorse on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 11:35am.
It's kind of like being a "minority". That label applies to those who vote Democratic. For example, Mormons are not a minority, but women (who are actually in the majority) keep the label.
Just
Submitted by nolefan2 on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 11:23am.
more liberal hypocrisy. There are as many wealthy Democrats as Republicans. Liberals think Democrats use their wealth to help the poor. Bullsqueeze. They don't care about the poor. They care about votes and re-election. They use their money to keep their children out of public schools, but chastise others who send their children to private schools by scrimping and saving and doing without things.
real reason why MSM treats
Submitted by searcher0 on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 12:32pm.
real reason why MSM treats them differently is romney put his own money into his business, worked hard at turning failing companies around until they were profitable, and invested wisely thus earning it through his own hard work and effort so therefore he is not entitled to fruits of his labors unlike kerry who got his wealth from marrying into it, not through any work on his part so therefore he is entitled to remain unquestioned as to his wealth.
Kerry's wealth-acquisition practices
Submitted by CO2Maker on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 2:14pm.
He married a wealthy woman, divorced her, got an annulment, remarried a wealthier woman.
He needed the annulment to get remarried in the Catholic church, à la Chappaquiddick Ted. (Damned, pesky Catholic rules.)
Is it just me, or does
Submitted by RR GOP on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 1:42pm.
Is it just me, or does Mittens look like Martin Sheen in that pic?
"Under Capitalism, man exploits man. Under Communism it's just the opposite."
"All that Communism needs to make it successful is for someone to feed and clothe it."
The difference
Submitted by Lamdog on Sun, 05/20/2012 - 3:05pm.
They are correct. It is not Kerry's wealth. It is his wife and neither of them earned it, the irony both owe their status to a Republican. Second Romney earned his wealth. Something Democrats politician seem incapable of doing on their own accord.
If you ever wanted to market
Submitted by AddisonSmith on Mon, 06/18/2012 - 1:04am.
Hy Admin its a good web.