Convention Watch
CBS: Sarah Palin ‘Double Standard’ vs. ‘Fair Questions’ About
September 5th, 2008 1:09 PM
On Friday’s CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith talked to a panel of working moms about the media questioning Sarah Palin’s duel role as a mother and a vice presidential candidate: "Why is it that every time a woman starts ascending up a certain part of the food chain, we have this conversation all over again?...Now, if Sarah Palin's husband were in her spot, would we have asked that question in…
Blogger: RNC Organizer Said Protesters Had MSNBC Badges
September 5th, 2008 12:14 PM
Update | 9-6 6:50 AM EDT: Booker Rising Blogger Stands By His StatementI informed Shay Riley of Booker Rising of the statement by Ms. Russo of MSNBC, immediately below. Here is his response [emphasis added]:I relayed what I overheard on the shuttle bus from the convention center in St. Paul back to Minneapolis, which was packed with RNC staffers because their host hotel was the Hyatt. I stand by…
CNN’s Gergen: ‘Liberal Establishment Doesn’t Exist Anymore
September 5th, 2008 11:49 AM
Just before 9:00 last night during CNN's Republican convention coverage, CNN political analyst David Gergen asserted that the liberal establishment "doesn't exist anymore," leading Republican strategist Alex Castellanos to poke back with, "I think if David Gergen thinks the liberal establishment does not exist anymore, I think he has become a part of it." Gergen responded to Castellanos, "First…
Always a Spinmeister: ABC’s Stephanopoulos Offers Democratic Spin Tw
September 5th, 2008 11:14 AM
One week ago, former Clinton campaign spinner George Stephanopoulos found nothing to criticize when he reviewed Barack Obama’s speech and the overall Democratic convention for Good Morning America. But on Friday, the ABC host relayed the Obama campaign’s negative take on McCain and stressed how voters don’t think Sarah Palin has as much experience as Joe Biden, and that she doesn’t help her…
On CNN, WaPo's Quinn Questions Palin's Ability to 'Put Country First
September 5th, 2008 10:48 AM
Appearing on Friday's "American Morning," Washington Post faith columnist Sally Quinn again attacked the choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as Senator John McCain's vice presidential pick. During her interview with co-host Kiran Chetry, Quinn suggested Palin would not be able to balance her five children along with the duties of the vice presidency and potentially the presidency. Chetry first…
What About Williams? Vieira Claims Only Blogs Went After Palin Family
September 5th, 2008 8:31 AM
Hard to believe, but Meredith Vieira is apparently not a regular NewsBusters reader. The Today co-anchor would otherwise have avoided an embarrassing lapse. On Today this morning, Vieira claimed that it was only "blogs" that went after Sarah Palin's family matters. That left her vulnerable to McCain senior adviser Steve Schmidt's zinger, pointing out that one of her own network's anchors had…
Stephanopoulos Corrects McCain But Last Week Defended Obama
September 5th, 2008 6:20 AM
Assessing Barack Obama's speech last Thursday, for the “Nightline Report Card,” ABC's George Stephanopoulos awarded Obama A's as he dismissed Republican complaints about his “red meat” attacks on John McCain, declaring they allowed Obama to affirmatively answer “the commander-in-chief question” and hailed how he addressed social issues “in a way that a majority of Americans” will embrace. But…
Schieffer Pleased McCain Speech 'More Inclusive' Than Palin's
September 5th, 2008 4:01 AM
CBS's Bob Schieffer on Thursday night praised John McCain's acceptance speech at the Republican convention, especially compared to VP nominee Sarah Palin's address from the night before. He was pleased that McCain appealed to “our better angels” with a speech that was “much more inclusive” than what Palin delivered: I thought this was a fine speech tonight that appeals to our better angels,…
Blitzer: 9/11 Video at GOP ‘Provocative,’ Brown Asks About ‘Fea
September 5th, 2008 2:52 AM
Just after the bottom half of the 8 pm Eastern hour of CNN’s coverage of the Republican convention, as Oklahoma Congresswoman Mary Fallin began an introduction of a video presentation about Islamist attacks on the U.S. over the past decades, host Wolf Blitzer gave a bit of a warning about the content of the video: "Let's listen to Congresswoman Mary Fallin of Oklahoma. She's going to make the…
Matthews & Olbermann Deny Media Doubted Palin's Maternal Fitness
September 5th, 2008 2:29 AM
Apparently fed up of hearing what they believe was a phony line being delivered by GOP spokesmen – that women across the country were offended by the media questioning Sarah Palin's fitness as a mother – Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann defied critics to find examples of any news outlets making that charge. Matthews and Olbermann, spurred on by criticism from Hawaii's Republican governor Linda…
CNN’s Gloria Borger to Giuliani: Has the GOP Gotten ‘Narrower
September 5th, 2008 1:40 AM
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani faced liberal lines of questioning from CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and Gloria Borger during the 6 PM EDT hour of The Situation Room before the network’s Thursday night coverage of the Republican convention. In particular, Borger pressed Giuliani on his differences with Sarah Palin on social issues: "Last night, you spoke before Sarah Palin, a woman who -- with…
Olbermann Has Angry Breakdown Over 9/11 Video Tribute
September 4th, 2008 8:55 PM
Just moments after MSNBC aired the Republican convention's video tribute to victims of 9/11, shown at about 8:40pm EDT Thursday night (September 4), Keith Olbermann offered this angry rebuke of his own network for doing so (CNN and PBS also aired it):I'm sorry, it's necessary to say this and I wanted to separate myself from the others on the air about this. If at this late date, any television…
Rasmussen: By 10-to-1 Public Says Reporters 'Trying to Hurt Palin
September 4th, 2008 7:20 PM
“Over half of U.S. voters (51%) think reporters are trying to hurt Sarah Palin with their news coverage, and 24% say those stories make them more likely to vote for Republican presidential candidate John McCain in November,” Rasmussen Reports announced Thursday in posting survey results which determined “just five percent (5%) think reporters are trying to help her with their coverage, while 35…
Tom DeLay: Media Attacks on Palin Show Hypocrisy of the Left
September 4th, 2008 6:57 PM
ST. PAUL, Minn. - On Thursday, NewsBusters had a quick chat with former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay about the media's coverage of Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin. After praising Palin for being the "answer for what we've been begging for for over two years," he then spoke both frankly and optimistically about how the press have been attacking the Alaska governor since John…