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Richard Socarides

CNN Gives Platform to 'Totally Biased' Comedian to Bash Romney, Ooze 'Barack's Like a Swiss Army Knife'

By Matt Vespa | October 15, 2012 | 12:57

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On the October 15 broadcast of CNN’s Starting Point, W. Kamau Bell of FX’s Totally Biased appeared to discuss politics and comedy in today’s discourse.  However, this self-avowed “lefty” pulled no punches in slamming Mitt Romney as a candidate whose robotic tendencies forced him “to act like a human.” 

Bell also gushed that President Obama is as versatile and useful as a Swiss army knife.

CNN's Panel Gangs Up on Pastor Joel Osteen Over Gay Marriage

By Ryan Robertson | September 20, 2012 | 18:32

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While CNN's ratings continue to slump, reaching record lows, its hosts and anchors seem intent on alienating what few socially-conservative viewers they may have left. Morning talk shows like Starting Point with Soledad O'Brien generally prefer to have roundtable discussions with maybe one token conservative panelist while the rest of the gang predictably parrots liberal talking points and espouses left-of-center convictions on policy issues.

Take for example how televangelist and author Joel Osteen was treated during his Thursday morning appearance to  promote his new book. Guru Deepak Chopra joined in on a conversation about the health and wellness of our mind, body, and soul. Chopra was completely ignored as soon as the topic transitioned to the matter of gay marriage. All attention was given to the pastor, who had the temerity to, as Christian pastors tend to do, stick to Biblical teachings on the matter. (audio available here; video below)

CNN Encourages Gay Activist to Fight Boy Scouts Over Excluding Openly-Gay Scouts, Leaders

By Matt Hadro | July 18, 2012 | 13:08

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Once again CNN is cheerleading the fight for gay rights, this time within the Boy Scouts. An effusive Starting Point panel welcomed gay activist Zach Wahls on Wednesday and celebrated his cause of pushing the Boy Scouts towards acceptance of openly-gay scouts and leaders.

Wahls is no stranger to CNN, as back in May he was lauded as a "very powerful" activist during a soft interview. On Wednesday, the CNN panel oozed admiration for him. "I'm a big fan. I've followed you for a little while," Starting Point regular Margaret Hoover told him. "You're a wonderful spokesman for the effort for equality." [Video below. Audio here.]

CNN's Hoover to First Black President of Southern Baptist Convention: Will You Push 'Civil Rights' Issue of Gay Marriage?

By Ken Shepherd | June 20, 2012 | 18:18

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Yesterday the Southern Baptist Convention elected their first black president, an historic moment for an organization that got its start defending slavery in pre-Civil War America.

CNN Starting Point host Soledad O'Brien interviewed Fred Luter Jr., who will be installed as president Wednesday evening. The interview on the main was fine, but towards the end, contributor Margaret Hoover pressed Luter as to whether he would champion as a "civil rights" cause, "inclusiveness of gay Americans," referring it seems to same-sex marriage. Luter answered in the negative, citing the Bible's teachings on the definition of marriage. It's then that O'Brien retorted that his stance put him in opposition to President Obama, as if to suggest that were a scandalous position for him to be in:

NBC Highlights Critique of Obama on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' ABC Minimizes

By Matthew Balan | October 12, 2009 | 13:11

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NBC’s Today show on Sunday devoted a three-minute report to President Obama’s speech to “gay rights” proponents, where he promised a repeal of the military’s ‘don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. The report had several sound bites from homosexual critics of the President, and none from proponents of keeping the policy. On the other hand, ABC’s GMA on Sunday had only one 23-second news brief on Obama’s speech.