Monday, March 24, 2008

Media Matters Daily Summary 03-24-08

Chris Matthews asserted "[t]here's only one way to read" Bill Clinton's comments on McCain-Hillary Clinton match-up
Chris Matthews asserted that "[t]here's only one way to read" Bill Clinton's statement -- "I think it'd be a great thing if we had an election year where you had two people who loved this country and were devoted to the interest of this country ... instead of all this other stuff that always seems to intrude itself on our politics": "He's saying that if you pick these two people, you get two people who love their country. If you don't, you don't get two people who love their country." But others have in fact offered an explanation of Clinton's comments that differs from Matthews', demonstrating that, contrary to his claim, there is more than one way "to read that." Read More

PolitiFact repeated mischaracterization of "maverick" McCain's misstatements on Al Qaeda and Iran
Echoing claims made by John McCain's campaign, PolitiFact.com again characterized as a momentary lapse McCain's admittedly false claim that "[i]t's common knowledge and has been reported in the media that Al Qaeda is going back into Iran and is receiving training and are coming back into Iraq from Iran." PolitiFact repeated its earlier claim that "McCain recovered quickly" but failed to note that McCain made the misstatement more than once during a press conference and did so as well the day before in a radio interview. Read More

Today cropped Clinton's quote that "some interpreted as questioning Obama's patriotism," did not note Clinton's response
NBC's John Yang claimed that "Bill Clinton made comments that some interpreted as questioning [Sen. Barack] Obama's patriotism" but played only a portion of Clinton's statement. Yang also failed to provide the Clinton campaign's explanation of the quote, in which it denied "questioning any candidate's patriotism." Read More

NY Times' Nagourney ignores McCain reversal on immigration
The New York Times' Adam Nagourney stated in a March 24 online piece that aides to Sen. John McCain "are beginning to see a general election upside ... to the problems that Mr. McCain's support of immigration legislation caused him in the primaries." However, Nagourney did not mention that McCain reacted to those perceived "problems" by abandoning his own comprehensive immigration reform plan. Read More

Fox News panel ponders significance of Richardson's beard
While discussing on Fox News' The Live Desk New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama, Philadelphia radio host Dom Giordano said of Richardson's beard: "I don't know if it's playing into the ethnic card, or whatever." Host Martha MacCallum stated, "[Richardson] said, you know, 'It's hard for me,' he said to me once, 'people don't even know I'm Hispanic,' " and then asked, "So is that part of what he is ... cultivating here?" Giordano replied, "I think so." Read More

Matthews: "4,000 people are dead now because of decisions made by politicians like the Clintons"
On Morning Joe, Chris Matthews asserted: "We're stuck in Iraq; 4,000 people are dead now because of decisions made by politicians like the Clintons." Matthews did not explain how "politicians like the Clintons" were responsible for the deaths of "4,000 people" in Iraq, nor did he mention President Bush, who actually made the decision to send U.S. troops to invade Iraq. Read More

CNN's Todd claimed Dem contributions from securities and investment industry "dwarf" McCain's -- but a greater proportion of McCain's donations came from Wall Street
CNN's John King said of campaign donations from the securities and investment industry, "It appears Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are getting the lion's share, but some wonder if that might make them too cozy with the financial services sector should either of them become president." Brian Todd asserted: "Senator Clinton got nearly $6.3 million from donors in the securities and investment industry. ... Senator Obama got just over $6 million. Both dwarf Senator John McCain's take of over $2.5 million." However, Todd ignored the fact that McCain's "take" from the securities and investment industry represents a larger portion of the total contributions he received than Clinton's or Obama's over the same time period. Read More

Dobbs asked if Obama is "pandering to ethnocentric special interests again" by accepting Richardson's endorsement
Lou Dobbs introduced the March 21 edition of CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight by announcing: "Tonight, Senator [Barack] Obama wins the endorsement of the nation's only Hispanic governor, Bill Richardson. Is Obama pandering to ethnocentric special interests again? We'll have complete coverage." The subsequent report included no discussion of whether Obama is "pandering to ethnocentric special interests." Read More

Limbaugh on Richardson's endorsement: "The lesson for you superdelegates is that you can vote against Hillary Clinton, and for at least four days, you can survive"
On his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh suggested that Sen. Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton would react violently to New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama, stating: "Governor Richardson is alive and well. ... The lesson for you superdelegates is that you can vote against Hillary Clinton, and for at least four days, you can survive." Read More

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