CBS Highlights Murkowski’s Criticism of Tea Party ‘Purity Test
November 16th, 2010 8:07 AM
On Monday’s CBS Evening News, anchor Katie Couric filed a report on Senator Lisa Murkowski in which she highlighted the Alaska Republican’s criticism of the Tea Party movement requiring a "purity test," and of Sarah Palin being "not worldly enough" to be President. After describing Murkowski as "one of a dying breed of moderate Republicans," without noting that Tea Party Republican Joe Miller…
On CBS, Laura Bush Calls Out Media for Liberal Bias
November 15th, 2010 12:36 PM
During an interview with former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush on CBS's Sunday Morning, correspondent Jim Axelrod wondered: "In terms of how you understand how you are perceived is there a liberal bias in the media?" Mrs. Bush quickly replied: "Yes. He doesn't have to answer, but I will."
Axelrod seemed surprised by her response: "Why do you jump in so quickly?" Mrs. Bush laughed…
CBS’s Andy Rooney: Obama Is ‘Doing the Best Job He Knows How and I
November 15th, 2010 8:34 AM
As he devoted his regular 60 Minutes segment on Sunday to complaining about surveys, CBS’s Andy Rooney declared his belief that President Obama is "doing the best job he knows how, and it’s good enough for me." Rooney, who has a history of openly admitting that his political views are liberal, also gave viewers some insight into his social circle as having like-minded views on politics as he…
Bob Schieffer: For Obama 'When it Rains it Just Seems to Pour and Keep
November 14th, 2010 8:26 PM
Bob Schieffer concluded Sunday's "Face the Nation" with a weather metaphor-filled comment about today's politics.
With his final observation, the viewer was left with the impression the long-time host feels everything that's happened to President Obama is just bad luck (video follows with transcript and commentary):
CBS’s Greenberg Blames America for Mexican Drug Cartels, Claims All
November 14th, 2010 5:34 PM
On Friday’s CBS Evening News, travel editor Peter Greenberg filed a report in which, without challenge, he passed on Mexican President Felipe Calderon’s charge that America is "the key part of the problem" of drug cartels in his country. And, even though the overwhelming majority of guns seized from Mexican drug cartels are known to originate from countries outside the U.S., Greenberg seemed…
Chuck Schumer: Ten Million Jobs Saved By Stimulus and TARP
November 14th, 2010 5:02 PM
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Sunday claimed the President's stimulus plan combined with 2008's Troubled Assets Relief Program resulted in ten million jobs being saved.
Such was actually said on CBS's "Face the Nation" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
Big 3 Nets' Evening News Election and Pre-Election Week Audiences Down
November 12th, 2010 10:11 PM
Along with the cheerful news that Fox News trounced its cable news competitors on Election Night (at NewsBusters; at BizzyBlog), those longing for more fairness and balance in television news coverage can take some comfort in the fact that the Big Three Networks' evening news shows came in with audiences almost 20% lower during the week before and the week of the 2010 midterm elections compared…
CBS: 'Polarizing' Palin Speaks At 'Anti-Abortion Rights Rally
November 11th, 2010 11:52 AM
On Thursday's CBS Early Show, news reader Erica Hill used loaded liberal terms to describe a Texas pro-life event that Sarah Palin attended on Wednesday: "Palin shared the stage in an anti-abortion rights rally with Texas Governor Rick Perry."
Hill touted how despite making no announcement to make a 2012 presidential run, Palin "was looking an awful lot like a candidate," adding that the…
CBS's Dickerson: Obama Will Make GOP 'Own' Spending Cuts to 'Pay For
November 8th, 2010 5:57 PM
On Monday's CBS Early Show, political analyst John Dickerson discussed President Obama's strategy against Republicans in Congress, particularly on tax cuts: "[He] said there's got to be a way to pay for it, again trying to put pressure on Republicans to say if you want to spend $700 billion, you've got to find the cuts, make them own those cuts, which are painful and might be quite unpopular…
CBS 'Early Show' Touted Softest Part of Obama '60 Minutes' Interview
November 8th, 2010 1:21 PM
On Friday, CBS's Early Show previewed President Obama's upcoming 60 Minutes interview by showing a clip of the softest moment of the exchange and skipping over a series of more challenging questions from correspondent Steve Kroft.
While the preview featured Kroft sympathetically asking the President if he hadn't "sold his successes well enough," the 60 Minutes correspondent began the…
Sneak Peek: CBS's Kroft Sympathizes With Obama in Soft '60 Minutes' In
November 5th, 2010 11:47 AM
In a preview of President Obama's upcoming 60 Minutes interview on Friday's CBS Early Show, correspondent Steve Kroft is shown commiserating with the commander-in-chief over midterm election losses: "People have made the argument you lost control of the narrative, you've let other people define you, that you haven't sold your successes well enough."
Kroft was understanding as he lamented…
CBS's Smith: How Can Government 'Unleash the Economy And Not Spend Any
November 4th, 2010 1:35 PM
On Thursday's CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith saw Republican goals to limit government spending as antithetical to improving the economy: "How do you unleash the economy and not spend any money, oh, by the way, because that's the other mandate, is don't increase the deficit and don't – don't – 'I don't want one more cent of tax on me.'"
Smith put the question to Time magazine Washington…
Brian Williams Bizarrely Fixates on Portrait of Bill Clinton During Ob
November 3rd, 2010 3:30 PM
Nightly News host Brian Williams on Wednesday oddly obsessed over a portrait of Bill Clinton that could barely be seen in the background as Barack Obama finished his first post-election press conference.
During live coverage, as Obama walked away from the podium, Williams apparently spotted the Clinton portrait and pontificated, "Interesting bit there at the end, with Bill Clinton literally…
CBS Affiliate Fires Two After Joe Miller Voicemail Controversy
November 2nd, 2010 10:43 PM
Reporters from a CBS affiliate in Alaska recently left an accidental voicemail message for an aide to Senate candidate Joe Miller, in which producers are heard discussing the possibility of reporting on the appearance of a child molester at a Miller rally. Essentially, they could be heard conspiring to create or fabricate stories. The incident was so outrageous, it prompted Sarah Palin to…