Bill Maher: Reagan Is ‘The Man Most Responsible For Our Decline

HBO’s Bill Maher went on another irrational, nonsensical rant against Ronald Reagan Friday. After calling arguably one of the best presidents in American history “the original, official pitchman for bats—t,” the Real Time host said Reagan was “the man most responsible for our decline” (video follows with transcribed lowlights and commentary):
Noel Sheppard
June 8th, 2013 10:06 AM

‘The Purge’ Exploits American Icons to Bash America, NRA

There’s nothing like a movie that uses tons of American imagery to criticize … America. The American flag, the bald eagle, even “God Bless America” all form the backdrop for the new thriller “The Purge.” The film asks the question: What would America look like if all crime was legalized for one night a year? The trailer opens with inspiring images of “America – A nation reborn,” in the year…
Kristine Marsh
June 8th, 2013 9:04 AM

Bozell Column: Guns and Grade School Panic

The specter of school shootings has brought a too-typical staple to local newspaper sections: the boys disciplined at (or suspended from) grade school for bringing a toy gun or anything resembling a gun. The Washington Post just found the latest wild overreaction, from Calvert County, Maryland, a blue state that’s cracked down on gun rights. “A kindergartner who brought a cowboy-style cap gun…
Brent Bozell
June 8th, 2013 8:22 AM

KosKooks Zap-pa Reagan's Berlin Wall Legacy

Earlier this week, a blogger argued that inspiring words from a famous Californian had much to do with the eventual dismantling of the Berlin Wall. Since the blogger was writing for Daily Kos, however, it's unsurprising that the Golden Stater he had in mind was not Ronald Reagan, but rather musician-composer Frank Zappa.  The Kossack who goes by "toncuz" devoted most of his piece to trashing…
Tom Johnson
June 8th, 2013 6:26 AM

Weekend Open Thread

For general purpose discussion of news, sports, or whatever else you'd like...
NB Staff
June 8th, 2013 6:20 AM

Maher: ‘I’m Giving Away All of My Money – Not to Obama This Time

In February 2012, NewsBusters reported Bill Maher contributed $1 million to a Super PAC devoted to getting Barack Obama reelected. On HBO's Real Time Friday, Maher said, "I’m giving away all of my money – not to Obama this time though" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
Noel Sheppard
June 8th, 2013 1:45 AM

On PBS, Jonathan Alter Lauds ‘Centrist’ Obama Who Has ‘Defended

Jonathan Alter showed up on PBS’s Charlie Rose Wednesday to promote the new book in which he celebrates Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection. The Bloomberg columnist doesn’t seem to understand the irony of his book’s title – The Center Holds. He really does believe President Obama is a centrist, and he attempted to explain the title from the comfort of Rose’s dark studio: “So the reason I call the…
Paul Bremmer
June 7th, 2013 9:45 PM

PBS Washington Week Panel Prattles for Six Minutes on Susan Rice; Seve

On Friday night’s Washington Week on PBS, they turned to Susan Rice’s nomination to be National Security Adviser at the 15-minute mark. Host Gwen Ifill and New York Times reporter David Sanger discussed the matter for a little more than six minutes, but when did Benghazi come up? Answer: twenty seconds before the segment’s end, when Sanger mentioned in passing that Rice and Obama may have…
Tim Graham
June 7th, 2013 9:18 PM

Piers Morgan Now Claims Obama 'Worse' Than George W. Bush

During Thursday night's edition of CNN's “Piers Morgan Tonight,” the liberal host harshly criticized President Barack Obama and his administration for allowing the National Security Agency to secretly obtain the telephone records of millions of Americans. While interviewing Senator Bernie Sanders, Morgan asked the socialist from Vermont if he believed Obama's actions on surveillance are  “…
Randy Hall
June 7th, 2013 8:12 PM

Chris Matthews Ignorantly Proclaims ‘We Don’t Have Any’ Black Se

During the Wednesday edition of his show Hardball, MSNBC host Chris Matthews, who once called former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin “profoundly stupid,” appeared not to know that there are two current U.S. senators who are of African descent. “We don’t have any African Americans in the United States Senate, which I think is a disgrace,” Matthews said before being corrected by a…
Matthew Sheffield
June 7th, 2013 4:24 PM

MSNBC's O'Donnell Slams Back on Benghazi By Claiming al-Qaeda 'Accompl

Twitchy, among others noticed this odious tweet from Lawrence O’Donnell last night: “Giuliani attacked POTUS last night for Benghazi so I am forced to remind Giuliani how many firefighters were killed on 9/11 because of him.” Fox host Eric Bolling demanded O'Donnell be fired. But O’Donnell performed a longer version on his Last Word show on MSNBC last night: “And the urban legend, Rudy…
Tim Graham
June 7th, 2013 4:18 PM

Flashback Video: Uncomfortable Journalists Being Asked If They Committ

  In case you haven't heard, the Media Research Center is moving. Starting June 10, the MRC (which publishes NewsBusters) will be located in Reston, Virginia. As we prepare for the move, we've discovered old, unseen gems. During the 1992 presidential campaign, George H.W. Bush was asked whether he had ever been unfaithful to Mrs. Bush. Tom Sherwood, a local journalist for NBC's Washington…
Scott Whitlock
June 7th, 2013 2:00 PM

WashPost Skips Reporting On Pro-life Baltimore Raven Who Boycotted Oba

Baltimore Ravens starting center Matt Birk skipped the White House reception for the Super Bowl champs on Wednesday due to his pro-life beliefs, taking special exception to President Obama's recent prayer "God bless Planned Parenthood." But The Washington Post didn't find that worth reporting. Instead, in Friday's paper, the Post's "Reliable Source" gossip column celebrated former Ravens…
Tim Graham
June 7th, 2013 1:38 PM

Stephen Colbert: ‘Obama Is a Tyrannical Despot Who Ignores All the R

On the day Barack Obama lost the New York Times, it appears he also lost Comedy Central’s Stephen Colbert. On Thursday’s Colbert Report, the host actually said, “Obama is a tyrannical despot who ignores all the rules” (video follows with transcribed highlights and commentary):
Noel Sheppard
June 7th, 2013 12:06 PM