The NewsBusters Weekly Recap: November 25 to December 1

Ever wonder what makes Keith Olbermann such a fine journalist? Well, according to the former sportscaster, it’s the fact that he doesn’t "make the facts up" like Rush Limbaugh does.

PBS host Jim Lehrer trumpeted his objectivity in a more creative way. Using a food analogy, the anchor deemed himself the "flavor of neutrality." (Just a thought, but where do the liberal flavors originate? Ben and Jerry's?)

Perhaps longing for the "good old days," NBC News chose no less an authoritative source than Matt Lauer to announce that the situation in Iraq is a civil war. Maybe NBC is attempting to recreate the famous "Cronkite moment"?

Interestingly, this same network that is so eager to declare a civil war, has, at times, been hesitant to label Hezbollah a terrorist group.

Over on CBS, reporter Laura Logan essentially declared that the U.S. has lost in Iraq. She questioned General John Abizaid about how the U.S. will "minimize" its defeat in that country. Later in the week, Logan took a White House Christmas moment with Laura Bush and used it to grill the First Lady over Iraq.

Jimmy Carter’s new book brought a fresh round of media fawning. Harry Smith gushed about Carter’s attempts to "promote world peace."  (Something, presumably, he didn’t get around to during his presidency.) CNN, incredibly, cited the former President as an expert on how to deal with Iran! On MSNBC, guest host David Shuster quizzed Carter about his feelings. Members of the media can be so thoughtful sometimes.

Finally, showing his typical level of civility, "McLaughlin Group" host John McLaughlin asserted that those who express doubts on global warming are "neanderthals." Isn’t tolerance a wonderful thing?