In First Year, Obama Presides Over 4.1 Million Jobs Lost, Most Since

Unemployment shot up in 2009 from 7.7 percent in January to 10.1 percent in October before settling at 10 percent in December. Behind those percentages were more than 4.1 million people who lost their jobs during the year. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, that's the most job losses in a year since 1940. (BLS could only provide data from 1940-2009) But don't expect…
Julia A. Seymour
January 8th, 2010 11:01 AM

Open Thread

NB Staff
January 8th, 2010 9:55 AM

Letterman and Homer Simpson: Widescreen TVs Invented To Accommodate Ol

The folks at CBS's "Late Show" took a shot at Keith Olbermann Thursday with the help of cartoon character Homer Simpson.Commemorating 20 years of "The Simpsons" being on air, Homer was asked to give Thursday's Top Ten list.The topic: "Top Ten Things I've Learned From The Last 20 Years of Television." At number seven was "Widesceen televisions were invented to accommodate Keith Olbermann's…
Noel Sheppard
January 8th, 2010 9:32 AM

GMA: 'No Proof' Lawyered-Up Mutallab Would Talk Less

Chris Cuomo says there's no proof Mutallab will talk less as a lawyered-up criminal defendant than as an enemy combatant.  Suggestions to the contrary are just politics. George Stephanopolous manifests the same problem his old boss did: he doesn't know what the meaning of "is," is.  Steph claims Mutallab "is" singing.  But reports are that the would-be mass-murderer was singing—but isn't any more…
Mark Finkelstein
January 8th, 2010 9:12 AM

December Job Losses Worse Than Expected, Healthcare Gains

The economy shed far more jobs in December than economists had expected.The Labor Department announced moments ago that nonfarm payrolls declined by a surprising 85,000 workers last month. Economists had been expecting no change or maybe a small decline.One bright spot was healthcare which added another 22,000 jobs. Despite efforts by Democrats to "reform" this industry, it remains one of the few…
Noel Sheppard
January 8th, 2010 8:47 AM

Maddow: Obama 1st Yr 'Most Accomplished in Generation,' Cold Winter Si

Appearing as a guest on the Thursday, January 7, Late Show with David Letterman on CBS, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow praised President Obama claiming that "he’s kind of quietly put together the most legislatively accomplished first year of any President in a generation," right after she referred to Obama’s "opposition" like Sarah Palin and the Tea Party activists as being "crazy." Maddow went on to…
Brad Wilmouth
January 8th, 2010 8:10 AM

ABC Profiles Tea Party & Cites Fmr Obama Supporters, Finds Moderates

On Thursday’s World News, ABC correspondent Kate Snow filed a report that avoided portraying Tea Party activists as extremists, instead conveying the movement’s growing appeal and the fact that even some former Barack Obama supporters have signed on. Snow: "The majority of supporters are long-time Republicans like Danita, but there are growing numbers of independents, and even some former Obama…
Brad Wilmouth
January 8th, 2010 6:11 AM

Ed Koch Dismisses Obama’s Mideast Popularity: ‘Did They Stop Tryin

Appearing as a guest on Thursday’s Your World with Neil Cavuto on FNC, former New York City Mayor Ed Koch – known for being a relatively centrist Democrat – chided President Obama for being reluctant to use terms like "war on terrorism" or "Islamic extremists," and, when host Cavuto pointed out that Obama had managed to improve attitudes toward America in the Muslim world, Koch sarcastically shot…
Brad Wilmouth
January 8th, 2010 4:56 AM

CBS Portrays Israel as Starving Gazans While Giving Less Attention to

Brad Wilmouth
January 8th, 2010 4:12 AM

ABC’s Sawyer Hails Obama: ‘Buck Stops Here’ an ‘Echo of Anothe

Two quick items from Thursday’s World News. ABC anchor Diane Sawyer heard “an echo of another young President in another time” in President Obama’s “the buck stops here” taking of responsibility for the failed Christmas Day terrorist plot as George Stephanopoulos explained her reference: “John Kennedy after the Bay of Pigs....The President took responsibility, his popularity shot up. The White…
Brent Baker
January 8th, 2010 2:24 AM

CNN Trots out Jihad Teaching Extremist, Calls Him Instructor of Islam

As has been noted here in the recent past, it isn't just government entities that are a little slow on the uptake when it comes to identifying radical Muslim preachers as accessories to terrorism - it's also the media.  Consider the case of Anwar al-Awlaki, a man who has consistently shown ties to terrorist attacks, yet who had gone predominantly under the media radar as nothing more than a…
Rusty Weiss
January 8th, 2010 2:03 AM

Jay Leno: NBC Stands For 'Never Believe Your Contract

NBC's Jay Leno on Thursday mocked his employers over rumors that his new program is about to be canceled.During the opening monologue of "The Jay Leno Show," the comedian joked about having spoken to CBS "Evening News" host Katie Couric: "You know, she left NBC for another network. I gotta give her a call, see how that's working out."The former "Tonight Show" host then suggested that if he does…
Noel Sheppard
January 8th, 2010 12:51 AM

Texas' Colt McCoy: 'I Always Give God the Glory

Longhorn quarterback expresses his Christian faith after a disappointing loss.
Colleen Raezler
January 8th, 2010 12:00 AM

Better Late Than Never BCS Championship Game Open Thread

Suddenly it's a game. Those still watching should chat away.
NB Staff
January 7th, 2010 11:37 PM