Network Morning Shows Downplay Burris Perjury Allegations
February 16th, 2009 1:52 PM
Monday morning show coverage of allegations that Illinois Senator Roland Burris may have perjured himself with respect to connections to impeached Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich minimized calls for investigation or Burris’s resignation. On the CBS Early Show, correspondent Thailia Assuras explained: "State Republican lawmakers are calling for Senator Roland Burris to resign and be investigated…
NYT Editor Denies Reporters Fell 'In Love' With Obama
February 16th, 2009 1:33 PM
NBC's "Today" show invited, on Monday, New York Times executive editor Bill Keller to promote a new book featuring photos from the campaign called, Obama: The Historic Journey, and in his interview with Keller, substitute anchor David Gregory actually asked if the book adds to the, "criticism of the news media that we're somehow cheerleaders for Barack Obama," to which Keller admitted it was "a…
Ann Curry Lofts Softballs to Bill Clinton on 'Today
February 16th, 2009 10:49 AM
NBC's Ann Curry traveled down to Texas to speak with former President Bill Clinton, on Monday's "Today" show to talk to him about his Global Initiative but never asked Clinton about all the troubles his Initiative, and his foreign ties, caused and could potentially still cause his wife in her role as Secretary of State. Instead Curry asked Clinton mostly softball questions about how Barack Obama…
Disgraceful Obama Lovefest on Meet the Press -- 'But Wow
February 15th, 2009 2:34 PM
Americans expecting a serious discussion about the soon to be enacted stimulus plan certainly didn't find it on Sunday's "Meet the Press" which instead was sixty minutes of some of the most disgraceful Obama sycophancy since Chris Matthews bragged about getting a thrill up his leg when the Democrat presidential candidate spoke.Virtually every time host David Gregory or any of his guests opened…
Network Morning Shows Mostly Ignore Gregg Withdrawal; Census Grab
February 13th, 2009 4:21 PM
CBS's "Early Show" and ABC's "Good Morning America" on Friday almost entirely ignored the embarrassing departure of yet another of Barack Obama's cabinet nominees, with only NBC's "Today" providing any real information on the event. GMA devoted a scant 15 seconds to the withdrawal of Republican Senator Judd Gregg as the President's second nominee for Commerce Secretary. (Previous choice Bill…
CBS Praises Obama Tax Cuts, Slammed Bush’s
February 13th, 2009 1:41 PM
On Thursday’s CBS Evening News, anchor Katie Couric introduced a report on the Democrats’ so-called "stimulus" plan about to pass Congress: "And we'll tell you what's in it for you, including tax breaks...It's designed, in part, to get you spending again by giving you the money to do it." However, in July of 2001, when President Bush was trying to get tax cut legislation passed, then Evening News…
NBC Relays Ahmadinejad’s Call for ‘Mutual Respect,’ Skips Anti-A
February 11th, 2009 6:47 PM
Tuesday’s NBC Nightly News presented a more whitewashed view of prospects for better relations with Iran compared to ABC’s World News with Charles Gibson as NBC’s Brian Williams portrayed Iranians as receptive to Barack Obama’s recent call for talks between the two nations as long as there was "mutual respect." Williams: "President Obama called on Iran to send a signal that it was ready to talk,…
Networks Silent on White House Grab of 2010 Census
February 10th, 2009 11:17 AM
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
February 9th, 2009 10:26 PM
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
February 9th, 2009 4:21 PM
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.…
Lauer Fearmongers On Stimulus: 'Draconian Cuts' In 'Jobs, Teachers, Co
February 9th, 2009 11:52 AM
Matt Lauer invited on two Senate supporters and no opponents of Barack Obama's stimulus bill, on Monday's "Today" show and asked pro-stimulus bill questions to his guests, even chiding those who opposed it, when he asked Republican Senator Susan Collins about two of her GOP colleagues who are against it: "So what do you get that those two are not getting?" Lauer, also depicted a gloomy picture…
Only Fox News Concerned With Obama's Census Bureau Coup
February 7th, 2009 3:24 PM
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…
NBC Thrills Over 'Brand Obama': 'The Messiah of Madison Avenue
February 6th, 2009 4:33 PM
On a day when Barack Obama was struggling to push through a stimulus bill in Congress, journalists on Friday's "Today" show decided to fawn over the branding of the new President, even referring to the Commander in Chief as the "messiah of Madison Avenue." NBC correspondent Jamie Gangel highlighted a batch of new Obama merchandise and enthused, "And the whole world is apparently going Obama."…