ABC Grills Trump With Tough Questions, Provided Softballs for Dem Cand

April 19th, 2011 12:14 PM
George Stephanopoulos on Tuesday lectured potential Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, indignantly telling him that he was only after "the facts." Four years ago, however, Good Morning America had few tough questions for the 2008 Democratic contenders. At one point during the nine minute interview, Stephanopoulos pressed Trump 16 straight times on the so-called birther issue.…

Low Class ABC Giggles About Donald Trump's 'Big' 'Enormous,' 'Size

April 18th, 2011 12:04 PM
A winking John Berman on Monday used only a little subtlety as he mocked Donald Trump for his "enormous" "size." The Good Morning America reporter turned financial comments by the businessman into something more suggestive: "We know he has a big ego, but he swears he has big ideas and also an enormous, well, see for yourself."  He then played a clip of Trump boasting about himself: "Much…

Avlon On GMA: Obama's Hot Mic Rap 'Heightens His Reputation For Leader

April 16th, 2011 8:18 AM
Call me a cynic, but I've been dubious about just how accidental were President Obama's supposedly "hot mic" remarks about his budget negotations with the Republicans. Does a president who has been frequently criticized for a lack of toughness really mind being "caught" sounding muy macho? My skepticism was sharpened by GMA's report on the matter this morning.   The graphic referred to…

George Stephanopoulos: Obama 'Loves' the Birther Issue; So Does ABC

April 15th, 2011 12:09 PM
According to Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos, Barack Obama "loves" talking about the birther issue, thinking it will help his reelection bid. Journalists on the ABC program seem to share this fondness, having repeatedly highlighted the issue. Stephanopoulos introduced an interview on Friday by marveling to co-host Robin Roberts: "I thought he'd take a pass, but [Obama] seemed to…

Like a Broken Record, George Stephanopoulos Lobbies for Yet More Taxes

April 13th, 2011 12:09 PM
If there has been one constant in George Stephanopoulos' journalistic career, it's repeatedly calling for higher taxes. So, it's not surprising that while talking to Paul Ryan on Wednesday about the debt, he lobbied the Republican Congressman, "And if you're not willing to at least discuss new revenues, aren't these negotiations dead before they're even born?" Not getting the answer he was…

ABC Slams 'Bizarre,' 'Non-Reality-Based' Birtherism, Didn't Debunk

April 12th, 2011 1:10 PM
On Tuesday's Good Morning America, reporter Jake Tapper attacked the "bizarre," "non-reality-based" conspiracy theory about President Obama's birth certificate. Yet, the ABC program has not done a similar expose on the belief that the government was involved with, or knew of, the 9/11 terror plot. Speaking of the false idea that the President was born somewhere other than Honolulu, Tapper…

CBS, NBC Highlight Energetic Obama 'Barely Pausing' as He Looks for De

April 11th, 2011 12:49 PM
Both NBC and CBS on Monday highlighted footage of Barack Obama at the Lincoln memorial on Saturday as they portrayed a President ready to cut the deficit. In the wake of an averted government shutdown, NBC's Chuck Todd on Today enthused, "Barely pausing to consider the $38.5 billion in budget cuts he and congressional leaders had just agreed to...Mr. Obama is already looking forward" with plans…

ABC’s Amanpour Warns GOP’s ‘Wind in Their Sail’ from Budget

April 11th, 2011 8:17 AM
 Appearing on Sunday’s Good Morning America on ABC, This Week host Christiane Amanpour suggested that Republican House Speaker John Boehner’s perceived victory in recent budget negotiations with President Obama could be harmful in the long run as it will "give Republicans a lot more wind in their sail" and make it more difficult for both sides to compromise on the larger portions of the budget…

ABC Still Gushing Over Kennedys, Including 'Senate Lion' Teddy, 'Obvio

April 8th, 2011 12:51 PM
Good Morning America on Friday continued to demonstrate a fascination with the Kennedy family, highlighting Ted Kennedy and his "critical" role as a "politician and a leader." Co-host George Stephanopoulos introduced the piece by recycling, "They called Ted Kennedy the lion of the Senate." Correspondent Claire Shipman caught up with Vicki Kennedy and recapped the current status of the famous…

ABC Grills Boehner, a 'Hostage' to the Tea Party, on Whether He Can Av

April 7th, 2011 5:12 PM
According to World News' Diane Sawyer, House Speaker John Boehner is being "held hostage" by the Tea Party. Over two days and two shows, Sawyer and interviewer George Stephanopoulos hit the Republican as captive to an unreasonable base who want to shut down the government. On Thursday's Good Morning America, after Boehner asserted that taxpayer dollars shouldn't fund abortions,…

Media Dust Off 1995 Shutdown Playbook of Cliches to Cover Current Budg

April 7th, 2011 12:26 PM
As a potential government shutdown looms the liberal media are filling their programs with stories about dire consequences of deep cuts that will lead to troops not getting paid, closed national parks, and late tax refunds. However, a review of MRC's coverage of the 1995 budget fight reveals the media are simply rerunning their tired old arguments from the last shutdown. On this Wednesday's…

ABC Locates Victims of Shutdown That Hasn't Happened Yet, Pleases Pres

April 7th, 2011 12:04 PM
An ABC report that preemptively identified possible victims of a government shutdown was so close to White House spin that Barack Obama touted it at a news conference, Wednesday. The President focused on J.T. Henderson, an American whose tax refund could be delayed, a story first highlighted on ABC, April 6. Good Morning America's Jon Karl on Thursday proudly recounted, "President Obama saw…

ABC Allows a Scant 65 Seconds of Coverage for Obama's Reversal on

April 5th, 2011 4:19 PM
Over two programs totaling two and half hours of air time, ABC allowed only 65 seconds of coverage for Barack Obama's decision to break a campaign promise and try 9/11 terror suspects at Guantanamo and not in a civilian court. In contrast, all the other network evening shows on Monday and morning shows on Tuesday provided full reports. On Tuesday's Good Morning America on ABC, Juju Chang…

ABC Preemptively Hits GOP for 'Steep Price' of Possible Government Shu

April 5th, 2011 12:39 PM
Although a government shutdown hasn't occurred yet, ABC's Good Morning America has already begun showcasing the possible dire impacts of such a budget impasse.  Reporter Jake Tapper highlighted White House worries about "figuring out what this will mean in terms of parks that are closed, museums that are closed, veterans that are not able to get assistance for their benefits..."…