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“Exposing & Combating Liberal Media Bias”
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Charles GibsonNo Liberals In Obama Cabinet? But the Budget Chief Is 'Nonpartisan'
TV reporters love to designate the CBO as "nonpartisan," but the appointment is made by the parties in power in the House and Senate, as the CBO website explains: "The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate jointly appoint the CBO Director, after considering recommendations from the two budget committees." The current president pro tempore of the Senate is Robert Byrd. Orszag got the job when the Democrats took over in 2007. Before that, he worked for the liberal Brookings Institution. Here's how Gibson ran down his completely non-ideological list of Obama picks: ABC Marvels at Obama Filling Bush's 'Vacuum' So 'We've Got Two Presidents'
Anchor Charles Gibson set up Stephanopoulos by marveling: “George, I don't think I've ever seen a President-elect getting so involved in policy so early. It does seem like we've got, at the moment, two Presidents.” Stephanopoulos admired Obama's take charge actions:
FNC Tags Waxman as 'Strong Liberal,' But ABC Avoids Any Label
ABC News wasn't so reticent about labeling former Republican Congressman Dan Burton who, after the GOP's 1995 takeover of the House assumed the chairmanship of the same committee Waxman now leads (Government Reform). In a story on the April 10, 1994 edition of the long-defunct prime time ABC News magazine show Day One, reporter John McKenzie marginalized Burton as “an ultraconservative Republican from suburban Indianapolis” who “is a favorite of the far right.” Waxman, who represents Beverly Hills, Malibu and much of coastal Los Angeles County, is certainly a favorite of the far-left. Holder Hailed, But in 2000 Ashcroft Marked as Sop to 'Far Right'
ABC's Charles Gibson noted Obama's promise of “diversity of political party, of gender, of geography and of race” and reported “Eric Holder would be the first African-American” Attorney General. In December of 2000, the late Peter Jennings stressed how Ashcroft is “from the conservative wing of the Republican Party. And some of the positions he's taken as a politician have galvanized liberal opposition to his nomination today.” Katie Couric, on CBS, trumpeted Holder as “another historic choice,” but eight years ago Dan Rather decided “anti-abortion groups and the self-described Religious Right could not be happier” with Ashcroft who is “known for his tough anti-abortion stand. Planned Parenthood immediately urged Congress not to confirm him.” On NBC, Brian Williams simply summarized Holder's resume as “a veteran lawyer, former U.S. Attorney, number two person at the Justice Department during the Clinton administration. If confirmed, Eric Holder would be the first African-American to become the nation's top law enforcement officer.” Filling in for Tom Brokaw in 2000, Williams referred to Ashcroft as a “conservative Missouri Republican Senator” and asserted the selection “calms the far right politically.” ABC: McCain 'Distorted' Obama, Palin an 'Empty Designer Suit'
“If Barack Obama was driving the Cadillac of campaigns,” World News anchor Charles Gibson quipped, “John McCain was driving one that seemed in constant need of a tune-up and by the end it simply ran out of gas.” Wright fretted that after McCain won the GOP nomination “he started to change” and cut off media access, as if that led to his defeat: “The free-wheeling exchanges that put the Straight Talk Express on the map didn't last past the maiden voyage of Straight Talk Air.” Wright pointed out how “McCain had always promised to run a clean campaign on the issues,” but soon, Wright scolded, “McCain attacked Obama's associations....Obama's experience....and distorted Obama's policy positions.” 'America Matured by Choosing Obama,' Makes 'A More Perfect Union'
Pitts proceeded to cite anecdotes about several people, black and white, who saw vindication in Obama's victory, including two women at “a suburban home in Iowa. Iowa, the state that first bought into Obama's audacious hopes and where a life-long Democrat like Deb Tekippe and a life long Republican like Brenda Myer made a toast with champagne.” He concluded: “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union.” That's what the Constitution says. Last night, all across America for so many people, that's how it felt. A more perfect union. Drudge Notes Network News Nosedive
He reports that the numbers, even in a presidential election year, are down from last year:
Media Bistro's TV Newser confirms this (Oct. 13-19, 2008, Oct. 15-21, 2007). Nearly Halftime of Round Three of the MRC's Sweet-On-Obama Sixteen
Only the Infatuated Four remain. If you haven't yet voted, by all means do so now. And if you have, check back often to see how your selections are faring. And as biased as they all are, much like the 1980's cinematic classic says, "There can be only one." No, not that one. Of the MRC's Sweet-On-Obama Sixteen, Only the Infatuated Four Remain
Of the sixteen most pro-Obama journalists, you have determined the four that have been the sweetest on him. Your righteous indignation, and your votes, have solidified the Sweet-On-Obama Sixteen's Infatuated Four. So check the results, and vote again to pare the four down to two. All on the way to determining the Media's Most Valuable Partisan (MVP). The media have shown Obama their love. Now's your chance to show what you think of them. ABC News: Obama Holds 'A Double-Digit Lead in Most National Polls'
"Two weeks, five days to go, home stretch. Barack Obama and John McCain began today laying out their closing strategies. And while Obama continues to hold a double-digit lead in most national polls, it is the results in individual states that are all important." The emphasis on Obama's supposedly huge, possibly insurmountable lead is used by some in the mainstream media to suggest the inevitability of a Democratic win. But you have to wonder, at least in this instance, what polls ABC News is examining. Obama enjoys a lead in most opinion surveys, but it's not as large as Gibson claimed. As Campaign’s Intensity Peaks, Interest in Big 3's Evening News Continues to Wane
Wrong. In the past two weeks, Big 3 evening newscast viewership has actually declined by 360,000, or 1.6%. What's more, in percentage terms, viewership among "The Demo" of ages 25-54 has declined even further (220,000, down 3.1%). Here are the rest of the gory details for total viewers (Source: MediaBistro's TV Newser - week of Oct. 6; week of Sept. 29; week of Sept. 22; Year Ended Sept. 2008): Gibson Cues Up Obama Refutation on Ayers But Demands McCain Justify Topic
With Obama in Indianapolis on Wednesday, Gibson noted how “John McCain has unloaded on you in the last 72, 96 hours, as has Sarah Palin” about how “we don't know who Barack Obama is,” but “were you surprised that he didn't bring it up last night at the debate and use that line of attack?” Gibson next cued up Obama, as if it's an unfair burden for Obama to “again” have to address Ayers: “Sarah Palin has come at you because of the Bill Ayers connection. Are you going to have to address that again?” Talking to McCain on Thursday in Milwaukee, Gibson raised the obvious (“Does this almost monolithic focus on the economy, in the news, and in people's minds in recent weeks, hurt your campaign?”) before then treating McCain's efforts to change the subject as odd: “Why...have you focused so in what you've had to say on Senator Obama's character?” When McCain brought up Obama's level of “knowledge and judgment,” a befuddled Gibson pressed: “You don't think he's been thoroughly vetted, having gone through all the primaries he did, all the campaigning, running for President as long as you have -- two years?” As for Ayers, Gibson pushed McCain to show his own better judgment, posing the question cited above about being “comfortable” with making Obama's character an issue. ABC: McCain ‘Nasty & Bitter’; CBS: He’s Going Negative to Depress Turnout
We turn to presidential politics and what is becoming an increasingly nasty and bitter contest. On the eve of the second presidential debate, the McCain campaign has unleashed a blistering barrage on Obama, attacking him not only for what he says, but for who he is and who he knows. Reporter Ron Claiborne proceeded to describe a McCain speech as “by far McCain's fiercest, most sustained, harshest attack on Barack Obama of the entire campaign” which included “even questioning Obama's honesty.” After noting the “new offensive includes running mate Sarah Palin accusing Obama of associating with Bill Ayers,” Claiborne was less condemnatory of Obama, describing “a slick 13-minute Web video about the Keating Five banking scandal.” ABC Leads with Palin Unready, Biden's 'Dilemma' is How to Answer Palin's 'Attacks'
So there's the early media line: Biden will be the victim of attacks from Palin and must figure out how to counter those unfair attacks. In the lead story, reporter Kate Snow did not cite any poll number about how “most Americans don't think” Palin is ready to be President, but she did highlight how “our new ABC News poll finds the public souring on Palin. One-third of registered voters now say her selection makes them less likely to support John McCain for President.” Big Three Nets' Evening News Programs Still in Collective DeclineYou might think that a presidential election year might give the Big Three networks' evening newscasts a shot in the arm. You would be wrong. Full-year figures released last week and available MediaBistro's TVNewser showed yet another audience decline. The comparisons that follow are of the 2007-2008 ratings year just ended (each ratings year begins of fall season premieres) to 2006-2007: National Journal Columnist Hits ‘Media Double Standard’Over the next 46 days, as the candidates trade charges and counter-charges, the self-appointed media umpires will act as if they are the ultimate fact-finders in Campaign ’08. Writing for tomorrow’s National Journal, columnist Stuart Taylor says that the media’s track rec | |