For First Time, All Three Networks Cover Gosnell

“In Philadelphia today,” anchor Scott Pelley said on the May 13 CBS “Evening News,” there was a verdict in a murder trial that got national attention.” He was talking about the murder trial of Kermit Gosnell, and whatever “national attention” it received was given grudgingly by the media – including Pelley’s own network.  In fact, it took 56 days, multiple letters from members of the House of…
Katie Yoder
May 14th, 2013 11:09 AM

NY Times Public Editor: Soft IRS, Benghazi Coverage Lends Credence to

The New York Times did some damage control for the Obama administration in its lead editorial Tuesday, defending in part, the IRS's politically motivated audits against fledgling Tea Party nonprofits during the last campaign cycle. The paper ridiculously portrayed the White House as just as outraged as conservatives in a headline: "White House Under Fire: It Condemns I.R.S. Audits of Political…
Clay Waters
May 14th, 2013 11:03 AM

CNN Covered Arias Trial More In One Day Than the Gosnell Trial In Eigh

CNN gave more coverage to the Jodi Arias trial in one day than it did to the entire Kermit Gosnell trial over the span of eight weeks. NewsBusters already reported how the congressional hearings on the Benghazi attacks disappeared amidst CNN's incessant live coverage of tabloid crime stories. When the verdict was reached in the Arias trial last Wednesday, CNN's coverage for the day totaled…
Matt Hadro
May 14th, 2013 10:44 AM

Pelosi: 'If Boehner Were a Woman They'd be Calling Him the Weakest Spe

"If he were a woman, they'd be calling him the weakest speaker in history." So said Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) about John Boehner (R-Oh.) on MSNBC's All In Monday.
Noel Sheppard
May 14th, 2013 10:30 AM

Andrea Mitchell: IRS, AP Scandals Among 'Most Outrageous Excesses I've

President Obama knows he's in trouble when Andrea Mitchell—Andrea Mitchell!—proclaims the IRS and AP scandals to be among "the most outrageous excesses I've seen" in all her years in journalism [which pre-date Watergate].  The strength of Mitchell's statement drew gasps from Scarborough and Brzezinski. Then Ron Fournier, former AP editor now with the National Journal, darkly described the White…
Mark Finkelstein
May 14th, 2013 9:20 AM

Mark Levin Scolds GOP: IRS Scandal Should Have Erupted in

Susan Jones at CNSNews.com noted that on Monday night, conservative lawyer and radio host Mark Levin told Fox News's Sean Hannity that the emerging scandal over politics at the IRS exposes "the passivity and timidity of Congress." "The fact is, a year ago Congress should have been calling witnesses before their committees, should have placed them under oath, should have been pursuing…
Tim Graham
May 14th, 2013 8:45 AM

Daily Beast Implores Obama White House to Fend Off 'Industrial-Strengt

When the Obama scandals pile up and Obama's image of integrity starts to enter the shredder, what do the most partisan reporters do to fend off the bad publicity? Try to portray the conservatives as "nutso" impeachers. At The Daily Beast, there was this headline Monday: "The Coming Attempt to Impeach Obama: The idea of impeaching Obama is industrial-strength insane. Republicans will probably…
Tim Graham
May 14th, 2013 7:53 AM

NPR Anchor Tries to Describe First Obama Term as 'Remarkably Scandal-f

On Monday, NPR Morning Edition anchor Steve Inskeep expressed -- in the face of all the evidence of Fast and Furious, Solyndra, MF Global, and so on -- that the first term of Obama's presidency was "remarkably scandal-free." When I challenged him on the factual inaccuracy of this, he tweeted in reply , "Hm, did I say it was scandal-free or that it 'has been described' as such?" However…
Tim Graham
May 13th, 2013 10:44 PM

Abuse of Power: Obama/Holder DOJ Admits It Obtained Two Months of AP J

In a move which appears conveniently timed to coincide with a wave of other arguably more damaging bad news for the administration, the Associated Press has reported that the Department of Justice informed the wire service on Friday that it had secretly obtained two months of reporters' and editors' telephone records. In the words of AP's Mark Sherman, in coverage late this afternoon, "the…
Tom Blumer
May 13th, 2013 8:45 PM

WashPost Notes 'Small-Business Owners Dread' ObamaCare Tax; Paper Buri

"Many small-business owners worry that a new tax on insurance providers in the health-care law will mean higher premiums for them, undermining the law's capacity to lower their health-care costs," Washington Post staff writer J.D. Harrison opened his 15-paragraph May 13 story, "Small-business owners dread impact of health insurance tax." The website headline was even starker: "Health insurance…
Ken Shepherd
May 13th, 2013 7:57 PM

Finally: 56 Days Later, ABC Ends Blackout and Covers Gosnell 'House of

 Fifty six days after the grisly trial of abortionist Kermit Gosnell began, ABC broke its self-imposed blackout and finally offered coverage. World News anchor Diane Sawyer belatedly told viewers that Gosnell was convicted on three counts of first degree murder against newborn babies, as well as on a slew of other charges. Terry Moran explained, "For two months, jurors heard often shocking,…
Scott Whitlock
May 13th, 2013 6:56 PM

MSNBC's Hayes: GOP Pursuing 'Fake' 'Witch Hunt' Benghazi Over 'Big, Ba

On Friday's All In show, MSNBC host Chris Hayes led the show by recounting the news of the "big, bad, scary" scandal of President Obama's IRS targeting conservative groups, but also chided Republicans for continuing to push Benghazi, which he referred to as a "witch hunt" and a "fake, ginned up scandal." After reading a quote from a Tea Party group which brought up Benghazi in reacting to the…
Brad Wilmouth
May 13th, 2013 6:37 PM

MSNBC's Sharpton Slams Benghazi Scandal As 'Cheap Stunt' and 'Phony Co

On Friday's Politics Nation on MSNBC, which was dominated by coverage of the kidnappings in Cleveland, Ohio, host Al Sharpton took a moment to note the Benghazi scandal as he accused Republicans of a conducting a "cheap stunt" and of pushing a "phony conspiracy theory." Sharpton:
Brad Wilmouth
May 13th, 2013 6:21 PM

Chris Matthews Frets: IRS Scandal Will Rile Conservatives Worried Abou

Liberal MSNBC host Chris Matthews on Monday expressed "outrage" over the growing IRS scandal involving targeted audits of conservative groups. At the same time, he fretted that such a controversy would strengthen conservatives who believe the federal government will soon take them to "concentration camps." Worrying about the President's political future, Matthews lectured Obama: "Find a way to…
Scott Whitlock
May 13th, 2013 6:04 PM