Lack of Congressional Approval for Libyan Strike Doesn't Bother CBS, N

March 22nd, 2011 12:29 PM
Of the three morning shows, only ABC's Good Morning America on Tuesday highlighted anger and dismay on Capitol Hill that Barack Obama did not seek congressional approval for air strikes against Libya. Reporter Jake Tapper pointed out the "real disappointment" felt by "all the Republicans I spoke to and the liberal Democrats." An ABC graphic asserted, "Obama faces critics on Libya." Yet,…

Networks Stressed Importance of Congressional Approval Before Iraq War

March 22nd, 2011 11:58 AM
The Obama administration launched its air war against Moammar Qaddafi’s Libya after a vote of the UN Security Council, but without any congressional authorization — and apparently not even very much consultation with congressional leaders. A review of the ABC, CBS and NBC evening newscasts from Friday night through Monday night finds virtually no network interest in Obama’s bypassing of…

Networks Ignore Faith-Based Groups in Japan Disaster Aid Coverage

March 17th, 2011 2:58 PM
An 8.9 magnitude earthquake hit Japan March 11 and the ensuing Tsunami wave delivered a devastating blow to the people, resources and economy of the U.S. ally. At this writing, a nuclear power plant there is on the verge of meltdown. As can be expected, it took a few days for the world and the American media to comprehend the complexity and gravity of the situation. But two things were very…

Chris Matthews Rips GOP 2012 Candidates on Leno, Then Claims: 'I Want

March 16th, 2011 12:25 PM
On Monday's Tonight Show with Jay Leno on NBC, MSNBC Hardball host Chris Matthews slammed the potential crop of 2012 Republican presidential contenders as "the weakest list of candidates I have ever seen." Matthews bashed Mitt Romney as someone who "gives a bad name to empty suits." He claimed Mike Huckabee was being "racist" by mistakenly saying President Obama spent part of his childhood…

Wanda Sykes Asks Leno 'Has Obama Had One Relaxing Day Since He's Been

March 16th, 2011 2:22 AM
As strife continued in Libya, and Japan dug out from an epic earthquake and tsunamis leaving one of our largest trading partners in the midst of a nuclear crisis, Barack Obama went golfing this past Saturday. Obviously clueless about the President's numerous golf outings and vacations since Inauguration Day, comedienne Wanda Sykes actually asked Jay Leno on Tuesday's "Tonight Show," "Has…

Elton John Wants to Guest Star on 'Glee' and Sleep With 16-Year-Old Ga

March 15th, 2011 11:28 AM
63-year-old aging rock star Elton John wants to be a guest star on the hit TV series "Glee" with the storyline that he's the lover of the overbearing coach of the cheerleaders, but he ends up in bed with the show's 16-year-old gay virgin. This was revealed by the Emmy Award-winning co-star of the program Jane Lynch on Monday's "Tonight Show" (video follows with transcript and commentary):

Chuck Todd Bashes Mitch Daniels for Indiana Having Same Unemployment R

March 13th, 2011 6:16 PM
Chuck Todd on Sunday bashed Republican governor Mitch Daniels for his state having a 9.1 percent unemployment rate. The substitute host of NBC's "Meet the Press" must not be aware that this is lower than most of Indiana's neighbors and is basically the same as the national rate (video follows with transcript and commentary):

ABC, CBS, MSNBC, NBC and NPR Ignore Death Threats to Wisconsin Republi

March 13th, 2011 11:54 AM
Numerous death threats were made against Wisconsin Republican lawmakers last week, but you wouldn't know about it if your only news sources were ABC, CBS, MSNBC, NBC, and NPR. Bucking the boycott was Fox News's Bill O'Reilly Friday (video follows with transcript and commentary):

CBS Proclaims 'War in Wisconsin;' Did Gov. Walker 'Trick' Democrats Wi

March 10th, 2011 5:25 PM
At the top of Thursday's CBS Early Show, co-host Chris Wragge declared: "War in Wisconsin. Democrats cry foul as Republicans break a three-week deadlock over the budget battle with a surprise late-night vote." Minutes later, he remarked that the "long standoff over a plan to roll back union rights for state workers is suddenly just about over."   In the report that followed, correspondent…

CBS Gives Zero Coverage to NPR Scandal

March 10th, 2011 12:10 PM
Since an undercover sting video was released on Tuesday showing National Public Radio executive Ron Schiller calling conservatives "seriously racist people" – for which he resigned – CBS News has failed to utter a single word about the controversy on its broadcasts. That despite NPR President and CEO Vivian Schiller (no relation to Ron) also being forced out on Wednesday. In contrast, ABC…

Today Show Calls GOP 'Surprise' Vote in Wisconsin an 'Outrage

March 10th, 2011 10:51 AM
NBC's Meredith Vieira opened Thursday's Today show alerting viewers that Republicans in Wisconsin had caused a "capitol chaos" with a "surprise maneuver" to pass a "controversial budget proposal without Democrats" and her colleague Ann Curry, in teasing a John Yang story, did her one better calling the vote an "outrage." In the ensuing Yang piece, headlined: "Outrage In Wisconsin, Senate…

Networks Frame Congressional Hearings on Radical Islam as 'Witch Hunt

March 9th, 2011 4:13 PM
On ABC's Good Morning America on Wednesday, co-host George Stephanopoulos fretted over congressional hearings on the radicalization of American Muslims being "potentially explosive" and that "Critics are already calling this a witch hunt." The headline on screen throughout the segment read: "Hearings on Islamic Radicals: Witch Hunt or Reality Check?" ABC was not alone in touting the "witch…

CBS Ignores, NBC Downplays Sting Tape of NPR Exec Slamming 'Racist' Te

March 9th, 2011 10:32 AM
Only ABC's Good Morning America on Wednesday highlighted claims by a NPR executive, caught in an undercover sting operation, that Tea Party members are "seriously racist" people. CBS's Early Show completely skipped the subject. NBC's Today allowed a brief mention during a news read. GMA's Jake Tapper extensively highlighted quotes by the outgoing Ron Schiller: "The current Republican Party,…

Networks Allow Scant Coverage of Obama's 'Stunning Reversal' on Guanta

March 8th, 2011 12:47 PM
The three evening newscasts on Monday and the morning shows on Tuesday mostly ignored Barack Obama's abandonment of a campaign pledge to close Guantanamo Bay and end trials of detainees there. NBC's Today, CBS's Early Show and ABC's Good Morning America all covered the story only in news briefs. Yet, when President Bush was in the White House, the networks obsessed over the issue. Today's…