ABC Touts Robert Byrd's Dedication to 'Health Care Champion' Kennedy
On Thursday's World News, ABC anchor Diane Sawyer took the time to devote an entire story to 92-year-old Democratic Senator Robert Byrd’s vote for the Democratic health care bill, which the West Virginia Democrat dedicated to former Senator Ted Kennedy, whom the ABC anchor described as "health care champion Ted Kennedy." Sawyer recounted that Byrd had to be brought into the Senate chamber in a…
Stephanopoulos to McCain: Is There Any Issue You'll be 'Joined at the
In an interview in which he hit the 2008 Republican presidential nominee repeatedly from the left, George Stephanopoulos pleaded with Sen. John McCain to "name an issue next year where you are going to be joined at the hip with President Obama." [audio available here]The live interview via satellite occurred six hours after McCain joined the other 39 Senate Republicans in voting against cloture…
MRC Announces Awards for the Worst Media Performance of
The Media Research Center today announced its Best Notable Quotables of 2009: The 22nd Annual Awards for the Year’s Worst Reporting, and Discover magazine’s Melissa Lafsky has won the dis-honor of “Quote of the Year.” On August 27, a few days after Senator Edward Kennedy's death, Lafsky posted the following on the Huffington Post blog:Mary Jo wasn’t a right-wing talking point or a negative…
Sam Donaldson: Passing Healthcare 'Terrible Mistake' For Democrats
Sam Donaldson said Sunday that if the Democrats pass the current version of the Senate's healthcare reform bill, it probably would be a terrible mistake.Such was surprisingly said during the Roundtable segment of Sunday's "This Week."After George Will shared polling numbers indicating how few people are actually in favor of what's currently on the table in Congress, Donaldson agreed saying, "[Y]…
ABC Plays Video of Al Franken’s Snub of Joe Lieberman, But Ignores S
All three morning shows on Friday skipped Senator Al Franken’s disrespectful snub of Joe Lieberman during a health care debate. Good Morning America, bizarrely, played video of the incident over a news brief, but never once mentioned what happened. While presiding over debate in the Senate on Thursday, Franken cut off Lieberman and then denied him an opportunity to finish his remarks. A surprised…
Network Shows Ignore Copenhagen's Warm Reception for Anti-Capitalist R
Earlier this week, NewsBusters Editor at Large Brent Baker noted how the broadcast networks seemed oblivious to communist protesters outside the Copenhagen global warming summit. But the Red-friendly red meat slogans are not just being tossed about by violent demonstrators outside the conference. Today NewsBusters sister site CNSNews.com noted how dissent-oppressing, private-land seizing…
ABC's George Stephanopoulos Can't Stop Giggling at Sarah Palin
New Good Morning America co-host George Stephanopoulos and the rest of the morning show crew couldn’t help laughing at Sarah Palin on Thursday. News anchor Juju Chang highlighted a story broken by the tabloid TMZ that the former vice presidential candidate was seen at a Hawaii beach wearing a blacked out McCain visor. [Audio available here.] After Chang noted that Palin said she was simply…
Dan Rather: Glenn Beck ‘Controversial;’ ‘Loves’ Keith Olberman
In the third part of an interview on MediaBistro.com’s Media Beat, ex-CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather shared some thoughts on various media personalities. He labeled Fox News host Glenn Beck “controversial,” while hailing MSNBC Countdown host Keith Olbermann: “Love him, as a person, as a journalist. Don’t always understand what he’s trying to do on his program, but I like Keith.”Rather…
George Stephanopoulos Repeatedly Warns Dean: Opposing ObamaCare Could
Former Democratic operative turned journalist George Stephanopoulos on Wednesday pleaded with Howard Dean, warning that his opposition to the current health care bill could harm Barack Obama. The new Good Morning America co-host fretted, "The President's poll numbers at new lows. And a lot of leading Democrats believe that if this bill goes down, it will cripple the Obama presidency." [Audio…
GMA Pushes Pregnancy Prevention, Doesn’t Mention Abstinence
"About half of the pregnancies in this country are unplanned," reported Richard Besser, ABC's senior Health and Medical Director, on "Good Morning America" Dec. 15. Talking specifically about teens, Besser said that "even though there's so much information on prevention available - literally at your fingertips - it seems like it's not always getting through." So, to help parents initiate the "…
ABC’s Martin Bashir Attacks ‘Brutal Regime’ of Sheriff Joe Arpai
On Monday’s Nightline, co-host Martin Bashir conducted a one-sided, hostile profile of Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s "brutal regime" and attacked his crackdown on illegal immigration as "racial profiling." The 11 minute investigation of the Maricopa County law enforcement official was almost totally negative. [Audio available here.] After the Arizona sheriff asserted that his critics don’t like him…
George Stephanopoulos Panned By 'Good Morning America' Viewers
ABC's George Stephanopoulos may have gotten a warm reception from his new co-hosts on "Good Morning America," but fans of the show appear very displeased.In fact, judging from the comments piling up at the network's news website, the former Clinton administration official's debut is getting similar reviews as film disasters "Heaven's Gate" and "Ishtar."Maybe worse. On the other hand, with almost…
ABC’s Charles Gibson Swears: ‘I Carry No Water for Obama,’ Highl
World News anchor Charles Gibson appeared on Monday’s edition of The View to tout his own objectivity and to swear, "I'm very fond of John McCain. I carry no water for Obama." Speaking of the 2008 election, he marveled, "It was an amazing moment to say to the country that we have elected and African American as the 44th president of the United States.... It was just an amazing moment for the- for…
