CBS 'Early Show' Ignores Accusations of Bias Against Judge Behind Prop
While Thursday reports on both ABC's Good Morning America and NBC's Today featured Proposition 8 supporters questioning the impartiality of California Federal Judge Vaughn Walker's decision to strike down the state's referendum defending traditional marriage, CBS's Early Show failed to provide any such arguments. On Good Morning America, correspondent Terry Moran explained: "Opponents of same-sex…
No Balance on ABC: Network Features Liberals When Prop 8 Was Passed an
On Thursday's Good Morning America, George Stephanopoulos sought out the reaction of liberal Slate correspondent Dahlia Lithwick to discuss Proposition 8. No conservative guest appeared in opposition. Back in November of 2008, in the days after the legislation banning gay marriage passed, GMA also brought on supporters of gay marriage. Stephanopoulos asked Lithwick, the legal correspondent for…
ABC Shoves Back at Shales, Insists Amanpour's Memoriam for 'All Who Di
ABC is fighting back against Washington Post critic Tom Shales asking if ABC's new Sunday show host Christian Amanpour meant to send flowers and regrets to members of the Taliban in her overbroad eulogy on her debut as This Week host. Justin Elliott of Salon's War Room blog found remarks from Jeffrey Schneider, senior vice president at ABC, that Shales' criticism here is "utterly fabricated." He…
George Stephanopoulos Defends Ground Zero Mosque: What Better Way to S
Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos on Wednesday Defended the building of a mosque near Ground Zero as a monument to tolerance. Talking to conservative radio host Laura Ingraham, he proclaimed, "This is a country founded on the notion of religious freedom. What better way to say they [the terrorists] haven't won?"Ingraham decried the plan for being so close to the site of 9/11 terrorist…
CBS and ABC Wish Obama Happy Birthday: Still 'Full of Energy,' But Fee
Playing Stevie Wonder's version of 'Happy Birthday' at the end of Wednesday's CBS Early Show, co-host Erica Hill reported: "The Obamas, of course, big Stevie Wonder fans. And President Obama, 49 years old today." After she observed that Obama looked a little grayer, co-host Harry Smith, who interviewed the President on Friday, chimed in: "He came bounding into the interview area full of energy."…
ABC Highlights Stimulus Waste: Funding Cocaine for Monkeys; Will Other
Good Morning America's Jon Karl on Tuesday highlighted a new report by two Republican senators on extreme examples of waste in the stimulus bill. Karl rattled off some eye catching data: "$71,000 for researchers at Wake Forest University to see how monkeys react under the influence of cocaine." The ABC journalist informed viewers that Senators John McCain and Tom Coburn released their new report…
ABC, CBS Extol Chelsea's Wedding as a Happy Reminder of the 'Rosy' Cli
ABC and CBS's morning shows on Monday hyped Chelsea Clinton's wedding as happy reminder of the '90s. Daily Beast editor Tina Brown appeared on Good Morning America and enthused, "Well, I really felt that this wedding came in for the real rosy glow, Clinton, sort of back-lit feeling, because people are really very depressed right now." [MP3 audio here.]Co-host Robin Roberts prompted the former…
ABC's George Stephanopoulos Touts Possible Gloom for GOP
In the midst of bad news for Democrats, Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos on Monday continued to search for a silver lining. Talking to ex-House Speaker Newt Gingrich, he quizzed, "But, I wonder what makes you nervous? Because some other polls show some warning signs at least for the Republican Party." The former Democratic operative turned journalist added, "Going back to 1994 when…
George Will Rips Paul Krugman's Call for Even More Stimulus Spending
George Will and Paul Krugman had another showdown about fiscal policy on Sunday, and the ABC contributor made it crystal clear to viewers that he doesn't agree with the perilously liberal New York Times columnist.As the Roundtable segment of "This Week" moved to a discussion of whether more economic stimulus is needed versus deficit reduction, Krugman made his predictable request for the former.…
6.5 Million People Watched Obama On 'The View
Over 6.5 million people watched President Obama on Thursday surrounded by gushing females sitting on a couch.Tells you a lot about the state of the union, doesn't it?Of course, the bigger question is whether folks were tuning in to ABC's "The View" that day to watch Joy Behar faint in His presence or to see if the lone conservative Elisabeth Hasselbeck was actually going to ask the President a…
Only Fox News Hits Gibbs With Questions on Possible Plans to Bypass Co
Robert Gibbs on Friday appeared on all three network morning shows, as well as Fox News, MSNBC and CNN, but only FNC quizzed the White House press secretary about whether the White House would try and force immigration reform without Congress. Co-host Steve Doocy challenged, "There are some memos circulating...up on Capitol Hill, and probably at the White House as well, about how the…
ABC's Bill Weir on AZ Immigration Ruling: 'From Rage to Relief,' Hits
Good Morning America's Bill Weir on Thursday touted a court ruling that removed key portions of Arizona's immigration law. He announced the judge's decision as one spanning "from rage to relief." He derided the possible implementation of the legislation as "the day when reasonable suspicion would take on a whole new meaning." Weir, who will soon take over as the new co-host of Nightline, chided…
CBS's Plante: Obama's 'View' Appearance An Example of Reaching 'Beyond
On Thursday's CBS Early Show, senior White House correspondent Bill Plante praised President Obama taping an appearance on ABC's 'The View' on Wednesday: "...the President is trying to reach people who may not normally pay attention to politics....It's not the first time [he] has reached out to audiences beyond the Washington Beltway." Plante went further, explaining: "...it is the beginning of…
View Co-Hosts Fawn Over Obama With Questions on 'Right-Wing' Fox News
Barack Obama on Thursday mostly breezed through an appearance on The View, enjoying questions about his iPod, Lindsay Lohan and the Jersey Shore. Liberal co-host Joy Behar railed against Fox News and "the right-wing." She complained, "...They seem to be hijacking the narrative. Where, on your side, is the narrative?" [MP3 audio here.]The comedienne seriously asserted, "Where is your attack dog to…
