Lauer Fearmongers On Stimulus: 'Draconian Cuts' In 'Jobs, Teachers, Co
February 9th, 2009 11:52 AM
Matt Lauer invited on two Senate supporters and no opponents of Barack Obama's stimulus bill, on Monday's "Today" show and asked pro-stimulus bill questions to his guests, even chiding those who opposed it, when he asked Republican Senator Susan Collins about two of her GOP colleagues who are against it: "So what do you get that those two are not getting?" Lauer, also depicted a gloomy picture…
White House Press Briefing Live-blog [5 Feb
February 5th, 2009 2:16 PM
Update: The highlight thus far is the testy exchange between Gibbs and Tapper. Checking the tape again it appears he did answer Tapper's second question, albeit tersely muttering the response, before turning to Chuck Todd of NBC. Gibbs starting press conference about 10 minutes late, at 2:10. Says was late getting started due to news about Associate Justice Ginsburg's pancreatic cancer surgery.…
White House Press Briefing Live-blog [2 February
February 2nd, 2009 1:53 PM
Update (14:33): News conference just ended. Gibbs faced numerous questions on Tom Daschle, including one from each major broadcast network's correspondents. [audio excerpt available here]Live blogging the press briefing. Official WH ranscript available here.13:47 CNN cuts to Brady briefing room, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs making opening announcements before questions. Announces Obama event to…
Network News Embraces Obama's Wall Street-Bashing
January 30th, 2009 9:25 AM
After years of agitation over what they saw as President George W. Bush's self-righteous moral certitude, journalists on Thursday night embraced President Barack Obama's vilification of those working for Wall Street firms who got a bonus last year. “Shameful,” NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams teased his newscast, “that's how President Obama labels those Wall Street types paying themselves…
NBC Commiserates with 'Hard Realities' Obama 'Up Against
January 7th, 2009 9:23 PM
Prompted by the CBO's forecast of a $1.2 trillion annual federal budget deficit, the NBC Nightly News on Wednesday commiserated with the challenge ahead for the incoming President. “On our broadcast tonight, facing facts,” Brian Williams teased, “President-elect Obama confronts the hard realities he's up against, deficits as far as the eye can see.” A dire Williams proceeded to lead with how…
Chuck Todd Named NBC Chief White House Correspondent
December 18th, 2008 4:22 PM
Chuck Todd, who once favorably compared Obama chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel to World War II heros Gens. Patton and MacArthur will soon be perched close to Field Marshal Rahm in the West Wing. That's right, NBC News has named Todd as the new chief White House correspondent, replacing the outgoing David Gregory:WASHINGTON - NBC News announced today that Political Director Chuck Todd has been named…
Gregory and 'MTP' Guests Defend Blago: It's 'How the World Works
December 14th, 2008 1:32 PM
The media defense of disgraced Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and corruption in politics continued Sunday morning as new "Meet the Press" host David Gregory, along with his guests, actually defended Blago's actions as "pay to play" business as usual that's just "part of the system" and "how the world works." Such seems an astounding about face from the press's disgust and incessant focus on…
Only ABC's 'World News' Questions Obama's Relationship with Blago
December 10th, 2008 12:59 PM
The three broadcast networks started their evening newscasts on Tuesday with stories on Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's arrest and corruption charges. All of the newscasts mentioned Blagojevich's Democratic affiliation, but only in passing. And, only ABC's World News questioned the details about the Illinois Governor's relationship with President-elect Barack Obama, while NBC and CBS brushed…
Blago: Morning Shows Dance Around D-Word
December 10th, 2008 8:48 AM
If Rod Blagojevich were a Republican, what's the over-under on the number of times the network morning shows would have mentioned that fact in their coverage today?But Blago is a Democrat. So how often did Today, Good Morning America and the Early Show explicitly identify him as such during their opening half-hours today? Not once. The closest any came were references at Today and Early Show…
Sounding Too Much Like Michael Moore, Chuck Todd Cites NewsBusters
December 4th, 2008 12:34 PM
On Thursday's "Morning Joe," after being told that a critique of his on the auto industry bailout sounded very similar to one made by liberal filmmaker Michael Moore, MSNBC political director Chuck Todd told co-host Willie Geist that he dreaded what the people at NewsBusters would say: "By the way, I can't wait 'til our friends at NewsBusters, you know, compare, compare me to Michael Moore. I…