Lauer Begs Barack to Say Economy's Headed to Recession
November 2nd, 2007 9:50 AM
Talk about talking down the economy! No fewer than three times today, Matt Lauer invited Barack Obama to declare that the U.S. economy is headed into recession. At the end of a "Today" interview that focused largely on Hillary-related issues and Iran, Lauer turned to the economy and pressed Obama to predict the worst.View video here.
Shocker: Former Clinton-boosting U.S. Newser Takes Dem PR Job
October 31st, 2007 11:13 PM
Back in the days of our MediaWatch newsletter, we used to have a feature called "Revolving Door" to note reporters swapping their jobs for political appointments or political appointees swapping their jobs for reporting gigs. (See the NB Revolving Door topic for more recent updates.) The Minneapolis Star Tribune announced that its editorial writer Dave Hage is leaving "to become communications…
Brokaw Laments Too-Low Taxes on Rich: 'A Fundamental Injustice
October 30th, 2007 9:58 AM
A billionaire and a receptionist walk into an IRS bar. They each order a beer. The IRS bartender charges the receptionist $2.50 and the billionaire $2,260. Who got undercharged? If you're Warren Buffett or Tom Brokaw, the answer is . . . the billionaire.As NB Editor Brent Baker has noted, the NBC Nightly News "decided Monday night to base a story on a four-year-old contention by a professor…
NBC Frets Over Income Gap, Touts Advocate for Higher Taxes on Rich
October 30th, 2007 4:00 AM
Without a peg to anything in the news, NBC decided Monday night to base a story on a four-year-old contention by a professor that the middle class is worse off now than in the 1970s, followed by a piece promoting Warren Buffett's claim the rich don't pay enough in taxes. In fact, the federal income tax system remains quite progressive. “Not fair,” Brian Williams teased with matching text on…
CNN Calls Rangel’s $3.5 Trillion Tax Hike a ‘Reform
October 26th, 2007 4:49 PM
Despite CNN “American Morning” anchor John Roberts asking tough questions about tax increases from liberal Democrat Rep. Charles Rangel’s tax bill, but an onscreen graphic read “Major Tax Reform,” suggesting the network viewed it differently. Rangel appeared on the October 26 “American Morning” to defend his so-called “tax reform proposal,” but he dodged questions when pressured to admit it…
AP, Not DNC, Describes Dem Tax Hike as 'Asking' Rich to Pay More
October 25th, 2007 4:32 PM
Notice Norah O'Donnell glancing down? Although the screen graphic refers to the Lewinsky scandal, the MSNBC anchor was at that moment discussing the Democrats's $1 trillion tax proposal with Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY). As Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rangel is the key mover behind the tax plan.O'Donnell, obviously reading from a document, described the proposal as a plan "to…
NYT Talks Around Charlie Rangel's Big Tax Hike
October 25th, 2007 4:21 PM
A big individual income tax hike is being pushed by Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel, chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, but New York Times economics reporter Edmund Andrews failed to capture the import in a slanted front-page business section story Thursday.The Times manages not to spell out precisely where Rangel's tax-hike proposal would begin to bite on "the wealthy." "The House'…
Bill Maher Uses Mexico's Vicente Fox to Insult President Bush
October 13th, 2007 4:12 PM
In reality, there were a lot of disgraceful moments during Friday's "Real Time" on HBO, like "The View's" Joy Behar saying "the Republican [presidential] candidates are a bunch of pussies," and calling Michelle Malkin "a selfish bitch." Despite such lowlights, the most deplorable moment of the evening -- and maybe the most despicable thing Bill Maher has done his entire entertainment career --…
