All this week, NewsBusters is recounting the most obnoxious liberal bias of 2017. Monday, we presented the most outrageous examples of journalists fawning over liberal or left-wing icons; on Tuesday, we showcased some of this year’s nastiest attacks on Republicans or conservatives; and yesterday, we highlighted the media’s year-long freak-out over President Donald Trump.
Today, a look at the stupidest quotes of the year. Included in this package are Chris Matthews warning Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner that he might be executed, claims that the National Anthem is “racist,” and The New York Times celebrating socialism as really “sexy.”
STUPIDEST QUOTES
Stelter Sermonizes: “We’re Pro-Truth”
“We’re not anti-Trump...We’re pro-truth. We’re pro-honesty. We’re pro-decency, and this is a tough moment in American history for people that support facts and decency.”
— Host Brian Stelter to Presidential Counselor Kellyanne Conway on CNN’s Reliable Sources, November 5.
Watch Out Jared!
Host Rachel Maddow: “Interesting portrait of power in the new — in the new White House. Jared Kushner is the son-in-law of the President....A lot of people felt like the anti-nepotism laws would prevent a hire like that but they believe that they’re on firm ground. Jared Kushner will be a senior adviser to his father-in-law.”...
Chris Matthews: “It’s hard to – Rachel – it’s hard to fire your son-in-law....but Mussolini had a great solution to that. He had him executed. So, it’s – ”
Maddow: “Jesus, Chris!
Matthews: “So, if I were Jared, I’d be a little careful.”
— During MSNBC’s live coverage of Trump’s inauguration, January 20.
It Will Be Slow But Trump Could “Kill Us All”
“There are a variety of ways that Trump could kill us all. The slowest, surest and most likely way he’ll do it is via climate change.”
— March 21 tweet by MTV News Senior National correspondent Jamil Smith.
“Historians in the near future will mark today, March 28, 2017, as the day the extinction of human life on earth began, thanks 2 Donald Trump.”
— March 28 tweet from filmmaker Michael Moore.
A White Woman Lost Election Because Country is Racist?
“What cost her the election is FBI Director Comey, what cost her the election, in my humble opinion is Russia’s hacking and what cost her the election is if you look at the stats, people – this was – I agree with Van Jones in a sense, this was a ‘white-lash.’ There’ve been studies. Twenty percent of people voted because of racism, and I think after eight years of a black president there was no way that this woman was going to win. There was no way....She was the most qualified candidate for president that we have ever had!”
— Co-host Sunny Hostin on ABC’s The View, May 3.
Wouldn’t We Be Better Off If Hillary Won?
“In terms of protecting democracy, protecting respect for the Office of the Presidency and protecting our image abroad, is it possible in your mind to consider that it would have been better if Hillary Clinton won this election?”
— Co-host Matt Lauer’s question to Sen. Jeff Flake on NBC’s Today, October 25.
Respecting Anthem = Racism
“Some of the words of the National Anthem are white supremacist....I think this is a country whose history is racist, whose history is steeped in white supremacy, and the anthem reflects that in its very words.”
— Detroit Free Press writer Stephen Henderson on NBC’s Meet the Press, September 24.
Only a “White Nationalist” Would Condemn Communism?
“‘Victims of Communism’ is a white nationalist talking point. Trump just made Nov 7 Natl Day for Vics of Communism.”
— November 7 tweet by Buzzfeed writer Blake Montgomery. Montgomery later deleted the tweet and apologized. Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation tweeted in response “Wow. Tell that to the 100+ Million people killed by communist regimes.”
America Founded by “Theocratic Cult of Religious Nuts”
Author/public radio host Kurt Andersen: “America is exceptionally religious, has always been exceptionally religious compared to the rest – ”
Host Charlie Rose: “Founded by people who were seeking religious freedom.”
Andersen: “Well that’s one – that’s a charitable way of putting it. Founded also by a theocratic cult of religious nuts.”
Rose: “Okay. Right, right.”
— PBS’s Charlie Rose show, August 7.
They Didn’t Know How Lucky They Were, Living In the USSR
“The government last year said nearly twenty million Russians lived below the poverty line on less than a $139 a month. It wasn’t always like this. In the Soviet era, most villagers worked on huge collective farms. Life wasn’t easy but the government provided for the people. All of that came to an end when the Soviet Union collapsed. Areas like this never recovered. Nadezhda, whose name translates to hope, has little of it left. ‘It would be so good to live like before,’ she tells me, ‘Under communism, there were plenty of jobs and plenty to eat.’ Today, she collects cranberries to sell on the side of the road. There are few customers and many hungry nights.”
— Correspondent Lucy Kafanov on NBC Nightly News, June 11.
Hideous Headlines
“Why Women Had Better Sex Under Socialism”
— New York Times headline for August 12 article by University of Pennsylvania Professor Kristin Ghodsee.
“Unmasking the leftist Antifa movement: Activists seek peace through violence”
— Headline to August 18 CNN.com article by reporters Sara Ganim and Chris Welch. The headline was later changed to “Unmasking the leftist Antifa movement.”
