Obama's 'Teaching Moments,' 'Message' to Ideologues, Fret Not Tougher
Some quick takes on the very brief presidential press conference wrap-ups on ABC, CBS and NBC before each returned to entertainment shows a bit after 9 PM EST: - ABC anchor Charles Gibson lauded how President Obama treated “each question almost as a teaching moment with long and expansive answers.” - CBS anchor Katie Couric cited how Obama talked “about 'ideological blockage'” against the “…
Is Rahm Emanuel Criticizing Obama Via ABC's George Stephanopoulos
On Sunday's "Good Morning America," journalist George Stephanopoulos asserted that "some White House officials I've talked to concede" that Barack Obama has placed too much emphasis on gathering Republican support for the stimulus bill now before Congress. Now, considering that the Politico claimed on January 27 that Stephanopoulos has been participating in daily phone calls with White House…
'Nobody Knows The Outcome, So The Most Important Thing Is Speed
Who cares if we're like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, careening in his pickup toward the brink of the rock quarry? At least we're moving fast!That seemed to be Claire Shipman's logic in urging speed in the implementation of the stimulus plan. The ABC correspondent made her curious comment today during the roundtable segment of This Week.CLAIRE SHIPMAN: Don't you think that, I mean as George […
Only Fox News Concerned With Obama's Census Bureau Coup
The Obama administration revealed Thursday that whoever ends up being director of the Census Bureau, a position yet to be filled, he or she will be required to work closely with the White House.This is a departure from the autonomy the Bureau had under President Bush, and is worrisome given the census which will be taken next year.Despite this revelation by Congressional Quarterly on Thursday the…
George Stephanopoulos Links Obama's Islamo Dictatorship Metaphor to GO
On Friday's "Good Morning America," George Stephanopoulos turned a statement that Barack Obama made about corrupt Islamic dictatorships and made it into a metaphor on congressional Republican opposition to the President's stimulus bill. Speaking of the difficulty Obama has had with passing his multi-billion dollar spending bill, Stephanopoulos instructed, "And to borrow a metaphor from the…
ABC's Diane Sawyer Offers One Sided Take on Assisted Suicide
"Good Morning America's" Diane Sawyer on Wednesday interviewed a man who helped both his parents kill themselves. While talking to John West, the author of "The Last Goodnights," the GMA co-host mostly ignored the right to life angle of assisted suicide, instead focusing on West's actions in aiding, on seperate occasions, the deaths of his cancer-ridden father and Alzheimer's-suffering mother.…
ABC's Sam Champion Touts Living With Filth, Worm Composting
Extreme environmentalist and "Good Morning America" weatherman Sam Champion on Thursday admiringly recounted the story of a Los Angeles resident, Dave Chameides, who has been living with his garbage for the last year. The liberal meteorologist also extoled the benefits of Chameides' unorthodox methods of disposing waste, including the worm composting program he has set up in the basement of his…
New Day, New Democratic Spin from ABC's George Stephanopoulos
Appearing on Wednesday's "Good Morning America," former top Democratic aide-turned journalist George Stephanopoulos assured viewers that Barack Obama can now move on from his multiple failed cabinet officials. Referring to individuals such the (now) former Health and Human Services nominee Tom Daschle, who resigned on Tuesday due to tax problems, Stephanopoulos asserted that "the good news is,…
Bozell to ABC's Westin: Address Stephanopoulos' Conflict of Interest
Media Research Center President Brent Bozell took to MRC's state-of-the-art studio earlier to record a video statement accompanying his open letter to ABC News President David Westin. The complaint: "This Week" host George Stephanopoulos's reported ongoing communication strategy phone calls with Obama chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel. [audio available here]Calling the development, if true, "a clear…
Stop the Presses! ABC Explores Notion of Not Passing Obama’s Giant
It hardly balances all of the airtime given to liberal proponents of President Obama’s plans for massive government spending as “stimulus,” but an actual network news program actually presented a single story outlining the conservative free-market approach to today’s economic problems. On Saturday’s Good Morning America, ABC correspondent John Hendren examined what he termed “a growing movement…
MRC's Bozell Urges Action on Stephanopoulos
Last week, Media Research Center President and NewsBusters Publisher Brent Bozell issued a statement expressing displeasure with "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos, who, reported the January 27 edition of Politico, has daily message and strategy chats with Obama chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel and fellow Clinton administration alumni James Carville and Paul Begala. [click here] The Media…
ABC Warns That Cutting Food Costs Can Lead to Obesity
ABC's "World News Sunday" found a new twist on the obesity crisis Feb. 1. Apparently, recession can "lead to a spike in obesity." Anchor Dan Harris introduced the "counterintuitive" report saying, "Americans are cutting back on food spending which could actually lead to a spike in obesity." Why? Because "eating healthy can cost more," ABC's Stephanie Sy reported.Sy worried about "cheap treats" "…
ABC Gives Disgraced Pastor Platform to Bash Religious Right
ABC has apparently never heard that phrase, "There are two sides to every story." On Feb. 1, "World News Sunday" helped shamed former-pastor Ted Haggard take shots at the Christian conservatives who he says "shunned him." Reporter Dan Harris introduced the piece by qualifying Haggard as a former "insider, a powerful pastor at the highest levels of the Christian conservative movement."…
