CBS ‘Early Show’ Fact Checks Obama Press Conference
On Tuesday’s CBS Early Show, co-host Julie Chen took an unusually critical tone toward President Obama’s first press conference on Monday night: "President Obama takes to prime time to pitch his nearly trillion-dollar rescue plan...But does the president have his facts straight? And what does a trillion dollars really buy you? We'll tell you." In a later report on the press conference…
Networks Silent on White House Grab of 2010 Census
The Obama administration’s decision to have the White House supervise the 2010 Census -- a response to left-wing complaints that the Census was too important to leave under the authority of Republican Judd Gregg, the nominee for Commerce Secretary -- has thus far (as of Tuesday morning) drawn absolutely no attention from the three broadcast networks, with not a single mention on the ABC, CBS or…
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 “…
Bush's First Press Conference vs. Obama's: Will They Be as Tough
With Barack Obama’s first press conference as president scheduled on Monday night, one obvious question that comes up is what kind of questions he will receive from the White House press corps. His predecessor, George W. Bush, faced some pressing questions during his first press conference on February 22, 2001. Liberal firebrand Helen Thomas offered the most politically-charged question: “Mr.…
51st Grammys: Another Obama Lovefest
The 51st Annual Grammy Awards was an occasion to celebrate great musicians and … our president. Viewers were treated to more Obama love, as they learned he has received two Grammys for reading his own books on tape.The president of the Grammys, Neil Portnow, made sure to let viewers know how much he loves the new commander-in-chief by spending his three minutes on stage chanting President Obama’s…
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…
CBS Poll Claims Obama More Bipartisan Than Republicans
On Thursday’s CBS Evening News, correspondent Chip Reid touted a new CBS News poll that portrayed Barack Obama as being more bipartisan on the current "stimulus" spending bill being debated in Congress, than Republicans: "The new CBS News poll shows 81 percent of Americans think the president is trying for bipartisanship, but less than half say congressional Republicans and Democrats are doing…
CBS’s Kroft Denies ‘Cheerleading’ for Obama in Fawning Documenta
Appearing on Wednesday’s O’Reilly Factor on FNC, CBS 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft discussed his campaign interviews with Barack Obama that have been spliced together to create a CBS News DVD, ‘Obama: All Access,’: "Well, they were dying to have somebody come out, especially '60 Minutes,' very early on to kind of explain their campaign...we developed a nice rapport." Host Bill O’Reilly…
CBS VP & London Bureau Chief: 'Just Another Typical Liberal Reporter
If you were to construct, from everything you know about the species, a stereotypical, liberal member of the MSM, Jennifer Siebens would be it. Recently, Ms. Siebens gave an interview to the student newspaper--the Oberlin Review--at her alma mater, Oberlin College. In it, she revealed her admiration for the radical movements of the '60's and current infatuation with President Barack Obama. Yes, I…
CBS’s Couric Praises Barack Obama as the ‘Anti-Bush
Appearing on Wednesday’s CBS Early Show, Evening News anchor Katie Couric discussed her White House interview with President Obama regarding the withdrawal of recent cabinet nominees: "He is surprisingly relaxed...extremely comfortable, very focused. It’s very different than sort of the buttoned-up Bush White House...he said to every person who interviewed him...that he ‘screwed up,’ he ‘messed…
CBS Pundit Defends Daschle But Slammed Tom Delay
On Tuesday’s CBS Early Show, correspondent Bill Plante reported on Health and Human Services Secretary nominee, Tom Daschle, failing to pay taxes and working as a health care lobbyist: "Daschle's problem shines a light on something that usually stays in the shadows around here, and that is how connections work in Washington. When is a lobbyist not a lobbyist, and how does a power player, like the…
CBS on Phelps Smoking Pot: ‘Should There Be Outrage
On Tuesday’s CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith teased a segment on Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps caught smoking marijuana: "Also, so far there seems to be little fallout for Michael Phelps following publication of that photo showing him inhaling -- what looks like to be inhaling from a marijuana pipe. Should there be outrage?" When he later introduced the segment, Smith argued: "So far there…