Thursday, September 25, 2008

Media Matters Daily Summary 09-25-08

NBC's Mitchell repeated falsehood that McCain campaign manager "has not been at all involved in anything involving Fannie or Freddie"
NBC News' Andrea Mitchell falsely asserted that McCain campaign manager Rick Davis "has not been at all involved in anything involving Fannie or Freddie." In fact, Davis reportedly served as president of the Homeownership Alliance, a Washington-based advocacy group whose founding members included Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Read More

After Vieira claimed "political advertising suspended" for McCain campaign, dozens of NBC affiliates ran McCain ads during Today
On NBC's Today, Meredith Vieira said of Sen. John McCain: "His campaign on hold, political advertising suspended, and he's asking his rival to postpone tomorrow night's debate." However, according to a Media Matters search of the TVEyes.com database, dozens of NBC affiliates ran McCain ads during the hour prior to, or following, her statement on Today. Read More

Morning Joe hosts did not ask McCain adviser to reconcile her attack on Obama with her claim that "our campaign is suspended"
On Morning Joe, Nicolle Wallace, senior adviser to Sen. John McCain's campaign, stated that "our campaign is suspended" pending agreement on legislation to address the country's current financial situation, and later accused Sen. Barack Obama of having "done exactly zero" to produce bipartisan legislation. Hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski did not ask Wallace to reconcile her appearance and her attack on Obama with her claim that McCain's campaign is "suspended." Read More

Fox's Kelly doesn't challenge McCain aide to reconcile her criticism of Obama with her claim that McCain is "put[ting] politics on hold"
Fox News co-host Megyn Kelly did not challenge McCain campaign senior adviser Nancy Pfotenhauer to reconcile her criticism of Sen. Barack Obama during the segment with her assertion that Sen. John McCain said, 'I'm going to put politics on hold 40 days out from an election, withdraw some $12 million in paid media and advertising off the airs in order to do what's right and put the country first.' " Read More

WSJ blog reported that Rep. Feeney "re-paid the $5,643 cost" of Abramoff trip, but court docs say trip cost much more
A Wall Street Journal Washington Wire blog post reported that Rep. Tom Feeney, who, in a new ad, apologizes for a 2003 trip he took to Scotland financed by Jack Abramoff, "re-paid the $5,643 cost of the trip to the U.S. Treasury." But the blog post did not note that, according to a plea agreement by another trip attendee, the trip had "costs exceeding $160,000" for Abramoff and the seven other participants, or at least $20,000 per person. Read More

KSFO's Rodgers, Sussman repeated false claim that Gorelick prevented FBI and CIA from coordinating to prevent 9-11 attacks
KSFO radio hosts Lee Rodgers and Brian Sussman repeated the falsehood that a 1995 memo written by then-deputy attorney general Jamie Gorelick prohibited intelligence-sharing between the FBI and the CIA, thereby causing the intelligence failures that led to the 9-11 attacks. In fact, the Gorelick memo merely clarified long-unwritten restrictions on the sharing of information between the FBI's intelligence arm and the Justice Department's criminal division, and had no impact on communications between the FBI and the CIA, Department of Defense, or any other agencies. Read More

Rick Roberts claimed of immigrants: "[P]eople are collecting SSI checks that have never paid into it" -- but law bars undocumented immigrants from getting SSI
Savage Nation guest host Rick Roberts claimed of immigrants: "[P]eople are collecting SSI [Supplemental Security Income] checks that have never paid into it." However, according to the Social Security Administration website, only people legally present in the United States can receive SSI, and most legal immigrants must earn $42,000 before becoming eligible. Read More

While McCain campaign attacks continue, Fox News, CNN asserted as fact that McCain "suspended" or "suspends" his campaign
Fox News and CNN news anchors continue to assert that Sen. John McCain has "suspended" his campaign, even though McCain campaign surrogates continue to appear on cable news networks attacking Sen. Barack Obama. Read More

O'Reilly on Rep. Frank, Sen. Dodd: "I swear to God, if they were in this room right now, I would hit them"
Discussing the current financial situation on his radio program, Bill O'Reilly said of Rep. Barney Frank and Sen. Chris Dodd, "I swear to God, if they were in this room right now, I would hit them. Dodd and Frank -- the House Finance and Senate Finance. They knew. Don't point a finger at anybody, I'll break that finger off." Read More

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