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Media Loved Interviewing Trump's 2020 Rivals, But Not Biden's in 2024

Alex Christy
March 21st, 2024 12:00 PM

In 2020 and 2024 respectively, GOP President Donald Trump and Democratic President Joe Biden each faced three longshot primary challengers, but the media coverage of these campaigns was vastly different, a NewsBusters study has found.

 
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Tapper Docs Include 14 Party Labels For Sanford, 0 For Blagojevich

Alex Christy
February 20th, 2024 3:00 PM

CNN’s new documentary series, United States of Scandal, hosted by Jake Tapper, debuted on Sunday with two episodes. One detailed the extramarital affair of former Republican South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and the other involved former Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s scheme to sell the Senate seat that would be vacated by Barack Obama. However, only Sanford got the party…

 
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NewsNation Congratulates NewsNation's Outstanding GOP Debate Coverage

Jorge Bonilla
December 7th, 2023 1:40 AM

Tonight was NewsNation’s first foray into hosting a presidential primary debate, and then running a post-debate analysis special. No small feat for what amounts to a brand new network. And with that, comes the opportunity for self-congratulation. Which, unfortunately, did not happen off-air.

 
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MSNBC Panel Refuses to Denounce Weld Insisting Trump Be Executed

Curtis Houck
September 23rd, 2019 1:50 PM

MSNBC’s Morning Joe stooped to a new low on Monday morning when the assembled panel refused to condemn 2020 Republican presidential candidate Bill Weld’s insistence that President Donald Trump should be put to death because, in his mind, he’s committed treason for his conversations with the Ukrainian president. Not only that, but Weld twice made this case while panelists Mike Barnicle, Mika…

 

Sudden Media Respect for Mark Sanford as He Loses in S.C. GOP Primary

Tom Blumer
June 13th, 2018 7:47 PM
The press is simplistically treating South Carolina Congressman Mark Sanford's Tuesday Republican primary loss as exemplifying the price one pays if one doesn't learn, per the Associated Press, "not to cross (President Donald) Trump." A closer look at Sanford's history illustrates that this is a classic case of sudden media respect which ignores why Sanford was so vulnerable.
 

Stephen Colbert Whines About Sister's Loss to Sanford: ‘This Scares

Jeffrey Meyer
May 9th, 2013 5:01 PM
Ever since liberal comedian Stephen Colbert’s sister, Elizabeth Colbert Busch announced her candidacy for to fill the vacant First Congressional District in South Carolina, the media has been on overdrive pushing her candidacy against former Governor Mark Sanford (R-S.C.). On Tuesday May 7, Sanford recaptured his old House seat, defeating Colbert Busch by a comfortable nine percentage points…
 

Current TV's Press Brings On Disgraced N.Y. Governor Eliot Spitzer To

Jeffrey Meyer
May 8th, 2013 6:51 PM
Current TV’s Bill Press is visibly distraught over the loss of Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch to former Governor Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) in the South Carolina First Congressional District special election.  The liberal commentator was clearly a sore loser on May 8, and took to the radio to openly mock Sanford and the voters of South Carolina.  Press’ main attack against Sanford was his…
 

On NBC, HuffPo's Huntsman Turns GOP Win Into Dem Hope: Anthony Weiner

Kyle Drennen
May 8th, 2013 1:25 PM
Appearing on Wednesday's NBC Today, Huffington Post contributor Abby Huntsman proclaimed that following Mark Sanford's win in Tuesday's special congressional election in South Carolina, disgraced ex-Congressman Anthony Weiner "probably slept well last night knowing that he can potentially come back, too." Co-host Willie Geist agreed: "Absolutely, absolutely." News reader Natalie Morales…
 

Mark Sanford Wins, Washington Post 'He's Toast' Bias Loses

Tim Graham
May 8th, 2013 8:53 AM
The Washington Post reported Mark Sanford’s “easy victory” in a special-election vote for Congress to replace now-Sen. Tim Scott. This had to be disappointing for columnist Dana Milbank, who predicted just last Thursday that “South Carolinians, asked to cross the line with Sanford on Tuesday, are likely to tell him to take a hike.” The Post tried to paint Sanford as a goner. The only time…
 

Imagine That: Establishment Press Failed to Find or Report Colbert Bus

Tom Blumer
May 7th, 2013 10:18 PM
In the race to the bottom event known as South Carolina's First Congressional District special election, Mark Sanford has defeated Elizabeth Colbert Busch. Not that the establishment press didn't try to help Ms. Busch, to whose background they gave little or no scrutiny. And when two forms of scrutiny did arrive from independent quarters, first of her actual beliefs expressed in tweets before…
 

Except for 'Morning Joe,' MSNBC Ignores S.C. Dem’s Racist Attack On

Jeffrey Meyer
May 7th, 2013 11:43 AM

We here at NewsBusters are often extremely critical of MSNBC’s Morning Joe as it often sets the agenda for the daily bias on the cable network. There are a few times, such as the Gosnell infanticide trial, when Morning Joe will actually prompt the rest of the liberal network to begin covering a story that it had previously ignored. Unfortunately that's not the case with Dick Harpootlian's…

 

Chris Matthews: Biden Predicting Democrat Win in South Carolina Tuesda

Noel Sheppard
May 6th, 2013 6:22 PM
It’s not often that people on MSNBC have anything bad to say about a Democrat, especially a member of the Obama administration. That’s why it was odd to see Hardball’s Chris Matthews Monday wonder if Vice President Joe Biden predicting Elizabeth Colbert Busch will win Tuesday’s special Congressional election in South Carolina is a jinx.
 

Democrats Run Ad Slamming Mark Sanford for Adultery: Media Mum on Clin

Tim Graham
May 1st, 2013 7:33 AM
A Democrat Super PAC is displaying epic hypocrisy by running a new ad in South Carolina's special election for Congress that slams Mark Sanford for adultery in office. This -- from the party that lined up almost unanimously behind Bill Clinton's adultery in office with an intern? This -- from the party that never wanted to know what John Edwards was doing visiting his mistress in a hotel,…
 

AP Ignores South Carolina Dem Calling ObamaCare 'Extremely Problematic

Tom Blumer
April 30th, 2013 10:43 PM
How do you know when a Democratic politician's or candidate's quote will either hurt that person or hurt President Obama (in this case, it's the latter)? When the Politico reports it, and the Associated Press avoids it. Elizabeth Colbert Busch, who is running against former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford for the congressional seat opened up when Tim Scott was appointed to replace Jim…