Networks Gush Over 'Rock Star' Bill Clinton's Birthday Bash With Lady

October 17th, 2011 12:35 PM
The network newscasts over the weekend proved that no occasion is too small to fawn over "rock star" Bill Clinton. Over the course of three days, the morning shows and evening newscasts donated six segments to hyping Clinton's birthday celebration and the "sultry" serenade he received from Lady Gaga. On Sunday's Today, reporter Richard Liu could barely restrain himself, lauding, "It was Bill…

Big Three Nets Trumpet Wall Street Protesters 'Proclaiming Victory

October 14th, 2011 3:04 PM
The Big Three networks' seeming desperation to report on "Occupy Wall Street" reached a new level on Friday, after they led their morning shows with New York City's decision to not clear the park where the protesters are camped. NBC touted how the demonstrators were "proclaiming victory" in response to the move. ABC highlighted the "celebratory" atmosphere, while CBS played up the "mood of…

Networks Grill Rick Perry on Religious 'Can of Worms' Opened on Campai

October 14th, 2011 1:33 PM
Texas Governor Rick Perry conducted interviews with all three network morning shows on Friday and all used controversial comments made by Dallas pastor Robert Jeffress as a line of attack. This despite Perry having already distanced himself from the pastor's remarks labeling Mormonism a "cult." On NBC's Today, co-host Matt Lauer led the charge by leveling this accusation against the Perry…

ABC's GMA Welcomes Cain to Top Tier With Embarrassing Video

October 13th, 2011 12:33 PM
ABC's Good Morning America welcomed Herman Cain to the top tier of the Republican presidential field on Thursday with a video of him being stumped by a New Hampshire voter over whether or not there was a sales tax in the state. Co-host George Stephanopoulos reported that "Pizza mogul Herman Cain" was "now at the top of the pack," according to a new poll, and ABC News White House…

A Tale of Two Protests: Media Cheer Wall Street Occupiers But Jeered T

October 13th, 2011 10:41 AM
The Occupy Wall Street protestors have received overwhelmingly positive coverage from the Big Three (ABC, CBS, NBC) news networks, as they used their airtime to publicize and promote the aggressively leftist movement. In just the first eleven days of October, ABC, CBS and NBC flooded their morning and evening newscasts with a whopping 33 full stories or interview segments on the protesters.…

Another GOP Debate, Another Chance for ABC's Stephanopoulos to Feature

October 11th, 2011 12:34 PM
Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos on Tuesday continued his streak of having a top Obama operative discuss a Republican presidential debate. Rather than talk to any of the contenders, Stephanopoulos turned to top White House strategist David Plouffe. Speaking of the Occupy Wall Street protest, Stephanopoulos indicated that the rallies seem to "be growing every day." He blandly…

FNC Notes Democrats 'Least Tolerant' of Mormons While Nets Focus on GO

October 11th, 2011 5:32 AM
While morning and evening newscasts from all three broadcast networks in the last few days have focused on anti-Mormon sentiment within the Republican Party that may hinder Mitt Romney's bid for the presidency, FNC's Special Report with Bret Baier on Monday noted that self-identified Republican voters are substantially more willing to accept a Mormon President compared to Democrats. FNC…

Networks Touted 'Edgy' Anti-Mormon Play, Now Fret About 'Ugly' Anti-Ro

October 10th, 2011 4:48 PM
Good Morning America and the Today show on Monday fretted about the "ugly turn" the 2012 presidential race has taken in the wake of a pastor at a conservative conference decrying Mitt Romney's Mormonism as a "cult." Yet, these same programs promoted the "edgy" Book of Mormon play back in the spring. On Monday, GMA's correspondent Jon Karl asserted, "The race for the Republican nomination has…

ABC's Roberts Tosses Softballs to Anita Hill, Touts 'Legacy' of Thomas

October 10th, 2011 11:44 AM
ABC's Robin Roberts tossed softballs to Anita Hill on Monday, wondering what the "legacy" will be for the "quiet" law professor who accused Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment 20 years ago. The Good Morning America co-host only once challenged Hill about skepticism of her charges. Although co-host George Stephanopoulos teased the segment by calling the 1991 Supreme Court nomination hearings…

ABC Hits 'Billionaire Boosters' of Tea Party, Uses Liberal Film to Sla

October 7th, 2011 11:46 AM
ABC's Brian Ross on Friday investigated the alleged misdeeds of "billionaire boosters" to the Tea Party and even used a liberal documentary to attack the conservative group. Appearing on "Good Morning America," Ross touted a Bloomberg report hitting the "secret sins" of Koch Industries and whether the corporation traded with Iran. An ABC graphic linked, "Billionaire Boosters of the Tea Party…

Democratic Obstruction of Obama's Jobs Bill Elicits Yawns From the Net

October 6th, 2011 12:17 PM
The network newscasts on Wednesday downplayed Democratic obstruction of Barack Obama's jobs bill, offering only minor coverage. Good Morning America and Early Show allowed brief mentions. In an otherwise unrelated segment, GMA's Jon Karl admitted that the President "has a problem with [congressional] Democrats." Karl added, "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said yesterday, he does not plan…

While WaPo Notes Obama's Sinking Approval Numbers, GMA Touts His Lead

October 5th, 2011 2:38 PM
The Washington Post and ABC News may have co-sponsored the same poll, but they spun the results differently on Wednesday morning. The Post, in its story "Opposition to Obama Grows – Strongly," focused on the President's low job approval, reporting that 40 percent of Americans "strongly disapprove" of the job Obama has done. Meanwhile, ABC's Good Morning America touted the President's "15…

Recent Veterans More Likely to Support Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, But

October 5th, 2011 10:09 AM
Both ABC and NBC on Wednesday used a new Pew Research Center poll of military veterans to claim that, as ABC news reader Josh Elliot put it, “one-third of those who’ve served in Afghanistan and Iraq now say the wars were not worth fighting,” while NBC’s Tamron Hall told viewers “one-third of U.S. veterans believe the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not worth fighting.” But that’s not…

CNN's Cafferty Suggets a 'Fat Tax

October 4th, 2011 6:30 PM
Decrying the rise of obesity in America, CNN's Jack Cafferty on Tuesday all but argued for a "Fat Tax" in the U.S., on foods high in saturated fat.  The CNN commentator, during the 4 p.m. hour of The Situation Room, pointed to Denmark's record of taxing fatty foods, sweets, alcohol and tobacco, and lauded the health of their citizenry. "Whatever Denmark's approach, it works," sounded…