Nets Yawn at Obama's Patriot Act Renewal; Hyped Bush's 'Broad Powers
May 27th, 2011 7:31 PM
On Friday, the morning shows of the Big Three networks barely touched on President Obama approving the renewal of key provisions in the Patriot Act, avoiding the kind of criticism they launched during the terms of former President George W. Bush. During that time, the networks often expressed "concern...that civil liberties are threatened as never before" by the law, as CBS Evening News put it…
Morning Shows Tout White House Claim that 'Distraction' Sarah Palin Is
May 27th, 2011 12:49 PM
Covering the growing buzz that Sarah Palin might mount a 2012 presidential campaign, the morning shows on Friday repeated liberal talking points proclaiming that it would be a disaster. Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos insisted that the White House looks "at Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann as, basically, re-election insurance." CBS's Chris Wragge hinted that Palin…
Networks Skip Ed Schultz's Smearing of Laura Ingraham as a 'Right-Wing
May 26th, 2011 12:09 PM
The network evening news programs on Wednesday and morning shows on Thursday skipped covering the suspension of MSNBC host Ed Shultz for trashing Laura Ingraham as a "right-wing slut." Yet, these same networks eagerly jumped all over the story of Don Imus referring to college basketball players as "hos."
On Wednesday, ABC's World News, CBS's Evening News and NBC's Nightly News avoided…
CBS Omits Party ID of Blagojevich, Emanuel in Trial Brief; ABC, NBC Pu
May 25th, 2011 2:51 PM
CBS's Jeff Glor failed to mention the Democratic Party affiliation of Rod Blagojevich, as well as Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., during a news brief on Wednesday's Early Show. Glor's report was the only mention on the Big Three network morning shows of the former Illinois governor's lawyers calling the former Obama aide and the congressman to testify in his retrial for…
Networks Skip Democrat Label While Covering John Edwards Indictment, T
May 25th, 2011 1:40 PM
The network morning shows on Wednesday all avoided party labels for Democrat John Edwards in the wake of the announcement that the former presidential candidate will be indicted by the Justice Department. In February, however, the same programs could not wait to highlight a disgraced conservative and tout his party ID.
ABC's Good Morning America, NBC's Today and CBS's Early Show simply…
Nets Claim GOP Plan for 'Deep Cuts' in Medicare Led to 'Seismic' Dem W
May 25th, 2011 11:53 AM
All three network morning shows on Wednesday cheered Democrat Kathy Hochul winning the special election in New York's 26th congressional district and framed the outcome as a rejection of Republican plans to reform Medicare. On NBC's Today, news reporter Ann Curry proclaimed: "The race hinged on Hochul's opposition to a Republican-led plan to make deep cuts in Medicare." [Audio available here…
NBC Skips Supreme Court Ruling Freeing Thousands of Criminals and Scal
May 24th, 2011 12:37 PM
NBC's Nightly News on Monday and the Today show on Tuesday ignored a controversial, ideologically divided Supreme Court ruling that ordered California to release at least 38,000 prisoners. ABC, over two days, allowed a scant 11 seconds. Only CBS provided a full report.
In a blistering dissent, Justice Antonin Scalia warned that "terrible things are sure to happen" if the action is…
Science Fiction: 5 Years After, Networks Celebrate Al Gore's 'Inconven
May 24th, 2011 10:26 AM
The cause for the end of the world has been imagined by screenwriters to include everything from giant insects and malevolent robots to asteroids the size of Texas. But five year ago in May 2006, Hollywood found a new menace: carbon dioxide. This scenario was different in another respect. It was supposedly true.
The documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" wasn't intended to be the blockbuster…
Morning Shows Bombard Pawlenty With Attacks From a Liberal 'Republican
May 23rd, 2011 12:16 PM
All three morning shows on Monday bombarded Tim Pawlenty with a variety of liberal complaints and demands. ABC and NBC singled out an Obama-supporting "Republican" who slammed the presidential candidate's fiscal management of Minnesota. CBS repeatedly lobbied Pawlenty to raise taxes.
Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos identified ex-Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson as "one of your…
George Stephanopoulos Badgers GOP Candidate; Four Years Ago, ABC Was G
May 20th, 2011 12:19 PM
Good Morning America co-anchor George Stephanopoulos conducted a confrontational interview with possible Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman on Friday, challenging the moderate governor from the right on spending and on the former Utah governor's praise of Barack Obama.
Stephanopoulos highlighted Huntsman's work for the Obama administration as ambassador to China: "The President…
Big Three Nets Trumpet Homosexual Activist's Glitter Attack on Gingric
May 18th, 2011 6:11 PM
On Wednesday, all three major broadcast networks' morning shows played up a homosexual activist throwing glitter at Newt Gingrich during a book signing in Minneapolis. Both CBS's Early Show and NBC's Today show played footage of the attack on the Republican presidential hopeful at the top of their programs, while ABC's Good Morning initially failed to mention the left wing cause of the…
Flashback: In '03, George Stephanopoulos Touted Maria Shriver's Clinto
May 17th, 2011 4:24 PM
An irony-deprived George Stephanopoulos on Tuesday expressed amazement that Arnold Schwarzenegger involved himself in politics despite such a messy personal life. Yet, back in 2003, the former Clinton operative touted Maria Shriver's "stand by your man" defense of her "A+" husband.
Appearing on the October 6, 2003 Good Morning America, he marveled how it was "very similar to what Hillary…
Irony Alert! Clinton Spinners Carville and Stephanopoulos Slam Schwarz
May 17th, 2011 11:37 AM
With a supreme lack of irony or self-awareness, former Clinton operatives George Stephanopoulos and James Carville on Tuesday chided the "amazing" revelation that Arnold Schwarzenegger had an affair and a love child.
Appearing on Good Morning America, Carville said of the former California governor: "...He put himself out here, knowing there was all this scrutiny on his personal life. That…
ABC's Jon Karl Belittles 'Problem'-Filled GOP Field, 'Boring' Tim Pawl
May 16th, 2011 4:18 PM
The 2012 GOP field is filled with an unimpressive bunch, according to ABC's Jon Karl. Reporting on the race for Monday's Good Morning America, the correspondent said of Mike Huckabee's announcement not to run: "His decision leaves a Republican field crowded with candidates and problems."
Karl condescendingly summarized, "Newt Gingrich with loads of political and personal baggage and Tim…