In reporting on White House's defense of Pelosi, AP, SF Chronicle articles ignored RNC hit piece
On February 8, an Associated Press article and a San Francisco Chronicle article reported, in the words of the AP, that "[t]he White House on Thursday defended House Speaker Nancy Pelosi [D-CA] against Republican criticism that her desire to fly in an Air Force transport plane is an extravagance," without noting that the Republican National Committee (RNC) had nearly simultaneously issued a press release attacking Pelosi. Read more
CBS uncritically reported GOP claim that Pelosi wants military plane for fundraising
In a February 7 report on the uproar surrounding the issue of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) access to a military airplane that can fly nonstop to her home district in California, the CBS Evening News aired a clip of House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) suggesting that Pelosi may use the plane as an "incredible fundraising tool." In fact, Pelosi's staff has explicitly stated she "will not use the plane for political travel." Read more
Imus: "[I]t was Bernard who said, 'Besa mi culo' ... not me"
On the February 8 edition of MSNBC's Imus in the Morning, during a discussion with Newsweek magazine chief political correspondent Howard Fineman, host Don Imus falsely claimed that "it was [executive producer] Bernard [McGuirk] who said, 'Besa mi culo ... Gordo, [to New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson] not me." The phrase loosely translates to "kiss my ass, fat one," in Spanish. As Media Matters for America noted at the time, however, Imus echoed McGuirk -- labeled by Media Matters as "unidentified" -- saying "besa mi culo" at least twice himself on the February 1 edition of Imus. Richardson's mother is Mexican. Read more
Politico's Allen on Edwards controversy: Isn't it normally "the left-wing bloggers ... going after people?"
On the February 8 edition of Fox News Live, Mike Allen, chief political correspondent for The Politico, described the controversy surrounding two bloggers on the presidential campaign staff of former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) as "revenge of the right-wing bloggers," adding: "Don't we normally hear about the left-wing bloggers and them going after people?" Allen was referring to right-wing bloggers such as Michelle Malkin, who first highlighted what she called the "foul-mouthed nutroots diatribes" of the Edwards campaign bloggers -- Pandagon's Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan of Shakespeare's Sister. Read more
MSNBC anchor promised to talk about Pelosi plane story "all day long"*
MSNBC News Live host Chris Jansing asserted on February 8, without evidence, that the Republican accusation that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) requested a much larger military aircraft to fly her between her home district and Washington, D.C., than prior Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) had used, "is something that will resonate with the American people" and promised that the network would "talk about this all day long." Less than 35 minutes later, NBC News correspondent Mike Viqueira reported that the "recommendation to Pelosi is that she have a plane that can get her to San Francisco nonstop," but that there is "no evidence" Pelosi had actually requested a "757" or a "C-32" as Republicans have reportedly alleged. Viqueira added that Pelosi said that, if she could not get a nonstop plane, she would "rather fly commercial ... without all the security." But Jansing replied that the story "isn't going to go away" and stated that she had "just got[ten] an email ... from RNC [the Republican National Committee] ... [a]nd the big headline is 'Pelosi's Power Trip.' So, more to come."* Read more
On Today, Lauer and Gregory discussed Pelosi's "PR" problem over plane, not that media, GOP are causing it
Referring to the Republican accusation that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has requested a much larger military aircraft to fly her between her home district and Washington, D.C., than prior Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) had used, co-host Matt Lauer suggested on the February 8 edition of NBC's Today that both Pelosi and Republicans are "spin[ning]" on the issue but then asked NBC chief White House correspondent David Gregory: "[D]oes it just look bad [for Pelosi] from a PR standpoint?" Apparently ignoring the media's role in reporting baseless, often anonymous GOP allegations on the subject, Gregory responded: "Well, I think that's the problem." Then, without offering any examples of impropriety on the part of Pelosi, Gregory added: "This is a Democratic leader who is promising to clean up Washington." Read more
CNN did not challenge unsubstantiated GOP claim that Pelosi specifically requested "one of the most luxurious planes"
During a report on the February 7 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, contributor Carol Costello repeated recent Republican allegations that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has specifically requested a large and lavish military jet to fly between her home in San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Costello reported Republicans' charges that Pelosi "desires a luxury taxpayer-funded Pelosi One to ferry her family and friends" and "want[s] not only a military plane that could fly coast to coast without refueling, but one of the most luxurious planes in the Air Force's fleet." Earlier, host Wolf Blitzer had introduced the report by noting that GOP critics "accuse her of first-class ambitions." Costello reported that the information about Pelosi's supposed request "came from the conservative Washington Times through unnamed congressional sources." But neither Costello nor Blitzer provided independent evidence of Pelosi's request. By contrast, several other media reports on the controversy have stated that there is no evidence Pelosi ever asked for a specific plane and noted that her staff has explicitly denied she ever made such a request. Indeed, Pelosi herself has repeatedly explained she merely wants an aircraft that can travel nonstop to California. Read more
KSFO hosts repeat, embellish Soros Nazi smear: "[H]e, apparently very cheerfully and willingly, went to work for the Nazis" to "further his own career"
On February 8, KSFO Morning Show hosts Melanie Morgan, Lee Rodgers, and Tom Benner, known on the show as Officer Vic, repeated and expanded upon the false accusation that billionaire philanthropist and progressive financier George Soros collaborated with the Nazis as a 14-year-old boy in Hungary. Rodgers claimed that Soros "apparently very cheerfully and willingly went to work for the Nazis," and Officer Vic added that "he just kind of complied willingly," while Morgan alleged -- without explanation -- that Soros did so "[i]n order to further his own career." Morgan went on to claim that Soros' "left-wing political protégés," as Rodgers described them, take money from Soros "even though that money may be tainted." Morgan has previously referred to Media Matters for America as "an organization that is aligned with George Soros." Read more
Time online article mangled facts about campaign bloggers
In a February 7 Time.com article by Massimo Calabresi on the controversy surrounding two bloggers hired by the presidential campaign of former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC), Time.com reported that Patrick Hynes, a conservative blogger working for Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), "bounced back" from an earlier controversy in which he failed to disclose his relationship to the McCain campaign. However, Time.com's claim that Hynes "bounced back" gave the false impression that the media gave significant coverage to Hynes' earlier controversy. The article was also rife with basic factual errors -- including, claiming that, in "2005, John Thune" was "the Democratic candidate for Senate in South Dakota" and that he ran against "then Senate majority leader Tom Daschle." The year was 2004 and, during that time, the Democrats, whom Daschle led in the Senate, were in the minority; Thune was -- and is -- a Republican. Read more
Fox's Cameron relayed Giuliani's implausible explanation of "partial-birth" abortion flip-flop
On the February 6 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume, chief political correspondent Carl Cameron uncritically reported Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani's explanation of why he changed his position and now supports a ban on so-called "partial birth" abortions. Cameron said the former New York mayor "opposed a ban on partial-birth abortion in 2000, saying, quote, 'I would vote to preserve the option for women.' Now, he says, because the current law banning partial-birth abortion contains an exception to save the mother's life, he supports it." However, Giuliani's explanation of his change of position is not credible because both the current federal ban and several federal bans proposed in 1997 through 2000 -- including the one vetoed in 1997 by then-President Clinton -- have "an exception to save the mother's life." Read more
Moran disavowed "hatred" spewed by Coulter and Limbaugh -- what about the rest of ABC?
In a February 7 ABCNews.com weblog post, Nightline co-host Terry Moran followed up on his earlier post on the controversy surrounding two bloggers hired by John Edwards' presidential campaign by asserting that one of Edwards' bloggers had expressed "pure hatred" on her blog, and added, "There are plenty of examples of this tactic across the airwaves." After citing Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh as examples of those who spew "hate speech," Moran wrote that "we expect our leaders to disavow hate." But the network Moran works for has given Limbaugh and Coulter platforms on its own news programs. Also, ABC's Good Morning America hired conservative talk show host Glenn Beck as a "regular commentator" despite his inflammatory comments regarding Muslims, Arabs, Mexicans, and other minorities. Read more
Angle baselessly claimed that Wilson told the CIA that Iraq "tried, but failed" to get uranium from Niger
Jim Angle baselessly claimed that Joe Wilson had reported to the CIA that "the Iraqis had indeed tried, but failed" to obtain uranium from Niger. According to a CIA report, a former Nigerien prime minister had "interpreted" an offer to meet with Iraqis on "expanding commercial relations" to mean that "Iraq wanted to discuss uranium yellowcake sales." But the report indicates only that Wilson told the CIA of the former prime minister's interpretation and provides no evidence that Wilson endorsed that view himself. Read more
CNN identifies Lieberman on-screen with a "D" as he bashes anti-escalation resolution
On the February 7 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, onscreen graphics identified Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman as "Sen. Joe Lieberman: (D) Connecticut," even though Lieberman himself has reportedly said he prefers to be identified as an "Independent" rather than as a "Democrat." Blitzer and Lieberman were discussing Lieberman's support for President Bush's position on the war in Iraq and his proposal to raise taxes to fund the fight against terrorism. Lieberman stated that he "thought it was so important that we stop that nonbinding Warner-Levin resolution" because it was "inconsistent, vague, and ultimately meaningless." Read more
Despite campaign flip-flop, Blitzer declared Lieberman "very consistent from day one" on Iraq
On the February 7 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, host Wolf Blitzer stated that Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (CT) has "been very consistent from day one" on Iraq. In response to Blitzer's assertion, which he made after airing a clip of his earlier interview with Lieberman, CNN anchor Jack Cafferty responded, "Indeed he has." In fact, Lieberman has not been "very consistent" on Iraq: as Media Matters for America has repeatedly noted, after his August 2006 primary loss to challenger Ned Lamont, Lieberman, who had been a strong supporter of the war, distanced himself from his earlier rhetoric. During his subsequent (and successful) general election campaign, Lieberman emphasized his intent to end the war and to bring U.S. forces home in a television ad and at various campaign events. Read more
Savage said Rice was "pushed up the ladder ... because of social engineering"
On the February 7 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Michael Savage claimed that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice "was chosen by George Bush as part of an affirmative action program in order to make his Cabinet look like America" and called her "a schoolmarm who has been pushed up the ladder all of her life because of social engineering." Savage also stated that President Bush's secretary of state "should have been a man because he would have more respect in the Middle East than does a woman to begin with." Read more
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