Late Show Update: Letterman Calls O'Reilly A Goon -- To His Face
One would think it's bad host etiquette to call your guest a goon.Yet, David Letterman on Tuesday's "Late Show" did exactly that to Fox News's Bill O'Reilly.He also told the "Factor" host, "You're too smart to believe what you say." All in all, it was a friendlier encounter than we've seen in the past with the following notable lowlights (video part I embedded right, part II below the fold):
Democratic President Goes to Europe, So ABC Touts Past GOP Goofs
"Good Morning America" reporter Yunji de Nies on Tuesday touted supposed gaffes of past Republican presidents in a segment on Barack Obama's trip abroad. De Nies intoned, "But one unlucky misstep and everyone remembers." As she said this, video of George W. Bush's 2005 trip to Beijing appeared onscreen. (In the footage, the then-President can be seen trying to go out the wrong door.) More…
CBS ‘Early Show’: Obamas ‘Have An Extra Je Ne Sais Quoi
In the 8:00AM EST hour of Tuesday’s CBS Early Show correspondent Elizabeth Palmer gave a gushing report on Barack and Michelle Obama’s upcoming trip to Europe, particularly focusing on the popularity of the new First Lady: "In 1961 when Jacqueline Kennedy came to Europe, she enchanted even the crustiest of world leaders. And she's remained a tough act to follow for every First Lady since. But…
CBS’s Rooney Dismisses Viewers Criticizing His Pro-Obama Bias
On Sunday’s CBS 60 Minutes, commentator Andy Rooney read from some viewer letters: "It's always fun to read the letters people send, I get a lot of them, although, to be honest, if I took all the letters seriously I wouldn't ever say anything again. I get quite a few bad letters and, of course, I pay least attention to those. I don't want you to see me cry."Some of those "bad letters" came from…
CBS: Embryonic Stem Cells Could Provide ‘An Unlimited Supply of Bloo
Monday’s CBS Early Show promoted embryonic stem cell research as co-host Julie Chen declared: "And blood shortages at hospitals could become a thing of the past. We're going to tell you how stem cells could hold the key to creating artificial blood." She later teased the story: "Up next, a doctor's dream, an unlimited supply of blood. We're going to tell you how one researcher thinks it can…
CBS’s Smith: GM CEO’s ‘Head Went Rolling Off The Guillotine
While reporting on President Obama forcing General Motors CEO Richard Wagoner to resign, on Monday’s CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith happily declared: "It's the end of the road for GM's CEO, Rick Wagoner, ousted by President Obama as the White House demands more from the U.S. auto industry...we saw Bob Schieffer's interview with Barack Obama Sunday Morning and he said we need more from the…
CBS’s Smith Gives Glowing Review of Book By Soldier/Obama Volunteer
On Friday’s CBS Early Show co-host Harry Smith interviewed Afghanistan war veteran and Obama campaign volunteer Craig Mullaney, author of "The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier’s Education," and praised the book: "What a wonderful story, the arc, blue-collar kid decides to go to West Point, even ends up in Oxford before he ends up in Afghanistan. Ranger school...And look at you, receiving your…
Post-Obamamania, Big 3 Nets’ Evening News Viewership Decline Resumes
All that cheerleading for Obama-Biden, and all they got was a continuation of their lousy long-term ratings drop. Perhaps one reason why Big 3 network coverage of the 2008 presidential election was so heavy on fawning favoritism towards Barack Obama and Joe Biden combined with all-out attacks on John McCain and Sarah Palin was that the belief that an Obama presidency might revive interest in…
CBS’s Rodriguez: ‘What Good’ Is GOP Criticism of Obama
On Wednesday’s CBS Early Show, co-host Maggie Rodriguez discussed President Obama’s Tuesday night press conference with Republican Senator Richard Shelby and asked: "The President will head to Capitol Hill today to sell his budget and last night he wondered why Republicans who have been critical of it haven't come up with an alternative budget. What's the answer?"After Shelby explained that…
Mark Levin Takes On Media Bias in New Book
In his newly released book ‘Liberty and Tyranny’ author Mark Levin criticizes the mainstream media for its systematic support of left-wing causes. In chapter 8, entitled "On Enviro-Statism," Levin focuses on the media’s slanted coverage of global warming and points out its confusion on the subject:In 1975, scientists again raised the specter of global cooling. A famous article appearing in…
CBS’s Smith: Stock Rally ‘Vindication’ for Obama Administration
On Tuesday’s CBS Early Show co-host Harry Smith talked to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs about Monday’s stock market rally and wondered: "What was the reaction at the White House yesterday when the stock market closed?...There's been a lot of heat, though, aimed at the White House, aimed at the Treasury Secretary. Was there some degree of vindication?" Gibbs claimed that the…
Whoops! Howard Kurtz Neglects to Mention CBS Hawking DVD of Steve Krof
Washington Post media reporter Howard Kurtz performed one of his periodic "beat sweeteners," playing up the network TV stars and pleasing network publicity departments. The sugar cube on Monday was handed out to CBS reporter Steve Kroft, now acknowledged as the top on-air dog of 60 Minutes. But Kurtz left something out about Kroft’s series of interviews with Obama: CBS News sells them on a DVD…
CBS’s Wragge: Obama ‘Overexposed’ After Tonight Show Gaffe
At the top of the Saturday Early Show, co-host Chris Wragge took a critical look at President Obama's recent media tour: "The Obama blitz, the President’s appearing everywhere but is his media tour taking attention away from his message?" In a later report, correspondent Kimberly Dozier highlighted Obama’s Tonight Show Special Olympics gaffe as evidence: "It can and did go a little bit wrong with…
ABC Actually Examines Economic Effects of Ending CEO Bonuses
On Saturday's "Good Morning America," co-anchor Bill Weir and reporter Gigi Stone actually took a look at whether or not it's a good idea to tax CEO bonuses and what effect it could have on Wall Street. While much of the mainstream media have been playing off populist anger over bonuses, Weir teased the segment by wondering, "With tempers flaring over executive payouts, Congress considers cutting…
