Neal Gabler called Media Research Center "liars" on this evening's Fox News Watch. The accusation against NewsBusters' parent organization came in the course of a discussion of media coverage of Mitt Romney's announcement of his presidential candidacy.
View video here.
Conservative columnist Jim Pinkerton observed: "I don't think [the media] like Romney. I don't think they really want a Republican to win, and they're using his Mormonism as one way to get at him."
Gabler: "Who's this 'they' you're talking about? This strange 'they' that doesn't want Romney to win?"
Gabler, interrupting: "A conservative organization?"
Pinkerton: "Yes. They counted up the minutes that CBS News had devoted to Barack Obama's announcement and to Romney's. And the ratio was 54:1. Fifty-four Obama. One Romney."
Gabler: "Figures don't lie, as my father used to say. Liars do figure."
Pinkerton was referring to this MRC CyberAlert which in turn cited this NewsBusters item by Michael Rule. As per the MRC item, the CBS Early show gave Romney's candidacy:
"exactly ten seconds worth of coverage Tuesday, following stories on a Utah mall shooting, winter storms, and the ongoing soap opera of Anna Nicole Smith's demise. However, on Saturday, when Illinois Senator Barack Obama announced his candidacy as a Democrat, CBS's Saturday Early Show previewed it by devoting 9 minutes and 9 seconds (549 seconds) to his decision -- a greater than 54:1 advantage."
Gabler should retract and apologize for his baseless slur.
Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net
