Open Thread

For general discussion and debate. Possible talking point: Palin's new book shaping up to be a bestseller.Forty-eight days before the release and she’s already topped Dan Brown’s latest conspiracy-theory casserole at both [Barnes and Noble and Amazon]. To put that in perspective, note that the book doesn’t even have a cover yet.Will the MSM ignore, as they did with Levin, Beck, and Malkin?
NB Staff

'Today's' Matt Lauer Discusses Positive Aspects of Smoking Marijuana

What do you do to unwind at the end of the day? Read a book? Take a bath? Watch some TV? Well, maybe you should think about smoking some pot. At least that's the latest advice from NBC's "Today" show. On Sept. 30 an entire segment was devoted to discussing the positive aspects of pot smoking and included a pitch for legalization. "Today's" Matt Lauer interviewed Joanna Coles, the editor-in-chief…
Carolyn Plocher

NPR's Gross Explores (and Laughs at) 'Strange' Fox News

The folks at National Public Radio really don’t like Fox News. They don’t like NPR people on Fox News. When the NPR talk show Fresh Air with Terry Gross wanted to discuss Fox News and its role in nurturing tea-party protests, they gave 40 minutes to David Weigel of the left-wing site The Washington Independent. It had the usual tone of exploring the dark side of the moon. Gross led off the show…
Tim Graham

Behar’s Beck Obsession -- Maher: 'We’re Going to Find Glenn Beck D

Perhaps this is going to be a common theme of CNN Headline News "The Joy Behar Show." For the second night in a row, two out of two shows - Behar went after the former CNN Headline News host, now Fox News host Glenn Beck as a head of the conservative movement. On her Sept. 30 show, Behar guests included HBO "Real Time" host Bill Maher and conservative author and columnist Ann Coulter. One had a…
Jeff Poor

FNC Shows Polish Prez Not Happy After Obama Reneged on Missile Plan on

On Thursday, FNC viewers got to learn of a little known diplomatic faux pas on the part of President Obama, as the administration announced on the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland that America would back out of the plan for a missile defense shield previously worked out with Polish President Lech Kaczynski. On Special Report with Bret Baier, host Baier showed an interview with…
Brad Wilmouth

Networks Flip Flop on Jobs

Identical Unemployment Numbers Good News for Obama, But All Bad under Reagan.
Julia A. Seymour

Networks Flip Flop on Jobs: Executive Summary

Identical Unemployment Numbers Good News for Obama, But All Bad under Reagan.
Julia A. Seymour

Behar's Obsession: Second Show, More Glenn Beck Bashing

Guest Bill Maher: 'Not that long before we're going to find Glenn Beck dressed as a woman or playing with his feces'; Ann Coulter defends.
Jeff Poor

Couric Champions Obama-Obama-Oprah Olympic Quest 'Dream Team

With First Lady Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey now in Copenhagen, CBS anchor Katie Couric on Wednesday night declared “the 'Dream Team' pushing Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympic summer games is nearly complete” and is now just awaiting “the team captain” -- that would be President Barack Obama, who “arrives Friday ahead of the final vote.” On ABC, reporter Yunji de Nies marveled at her…
Brent Baker

Brian Williams Highlights 'Incendiary' Attack on GOP by Dem Congressma

Uniquely among the broadcast network evening newscasts, NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams gave attention to "incendiary" comments made by Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson of Florida, who charged that the Republican plan for health care is that people should "die quickly" if they get sick, prompting Republicans to demand an apology.Williams seemed to signal his own disapproval of Grayson’s…
Brad Wilmouth

CNBC's Cramer: Blame Congress for Obama's Diminishing Popularity

Karl Rove, David Axelrod - look out. CNBC "Mad Money" host Jim Cramer has the political climate figured out. Since inauguration, President Barack Obama has seen his approval ratings fall by almost every poll and that's historically a normal reaction as the newness wears off a new president. During his Sept. 30 "Stop Trading" segment on CNBC's "Street Signs," Cramer pointed out that although…
Jeff Poor

CNN Endorses Thomas Friedman’s Scaremongering About Conservatives

CNN’s Jack Cafferty and Wolf Blitzer endorsed Thomas Friedman’s “scary and sobering column” in the New York Times on Wednesday’s Situation Room, where the liberal writer compared the current American political climate to that of Israel in 1995 prior to Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination. After Cafferty remarked that “Friedman’s right,” Blitzer labeled the column “powerful.”The CNN commentator began…
Matthew Balan

NBC’s Lauer Fails to Challenge Claim Polanski ‘Did Not Forcibly Ha

NBC's Matt Lauer gave a "Today" show guest a free pass when she insisted  that director/criminal/former fugitive Roman Polanski did not rape a 13-year-old girl in 1977. Debra Tate, sister of Polanski's late wife Sharon Tate, told Lauer, "There is, as I said, rape and there is rape. It was determined Roman did not forcibly have sex with this young woman. It was a consensual matter." Lauer's…
Colleen Raezler

Why We Shouldn't Listen to Overpaid Celebrities About Healthcare

By now you've likely seen Will Ferrell's hysterical public service announcement concerning healthcare reform.In response, an as of yet unknown organization has created a fabulous video mocking Ferrell's efforts:Something terrible is happening... Overpaid celebrities don't have a big enough voice when it comes to Healthcare Reform.  Without further ado (video embedded below the fold, h/t Hot Air…
Noel Sheppard