Thursday, August 06, 2009

Media Matters Daily Summary 08-06-09

O'Reilly ignores conservatives' digs to blame "the left" for perception that Palin "is dumb"
Bill O'Reilly claimed, "The perception that [Sarah Palin] is dumb comes almost exclusively from the left"; however, members of the McCain campaign, numerous conservative commentators, and a Republican senator criticized Palin's intellect and ability to assume the presidency. Indeed, Fox News itself reported: "There was great concern in the McCain campaign that Sarah Palin lacked a degree of knowledgeability necessary to be a running mate." Read More

"Mr. Independent" Dobbs repeatedly smears Obama, progressives as "socialist"
CNN's Lou Dobbs has touted himself as politically "independent," and CNN president Jonathan Klein has reportedly referred to Dobbs' CNN show as "a relatively straight newscast." But echoing others in the conservative media, Dobbs has repeatedly used his radio and CNN programs to attack President Obama and other progressives, claiming or suggesting that they or their policies are "socialist," "fascist" or "un-American." Read More

AP reported on town hall disruptions, ignored conservative strategy
The Associated Press cited an Arkansas town hall meeting hosted by two Democratic congressmen that was disrupted by protestors as an example of how "[l]awmakers across the country are encountering growing public doubts" about health care reform. But the AP did not note that conservative organizations opposed to the Democrats' proposals are conducting a campaign to pack those events with their supporters. Read More

Ignoring polling, Wash. Post redefines "center" as excluding public plan
The Washington Post described an "emerging" bipartisan health care reform bill that would "abandon the government insurance option that President Obama is seeking" as a "move toward" the "center," but in fact, several recent polls show that a majority of Americans support a public plan option. The media have repeatedly cast the public plan option as a far-left proposal, skewing the health care debate. Read More

Lou Dobbs' right-wing war on health care reform
Lou Dobbs has advanced discredited right-wing smears about health care reform efforts, including the notions that end-of-life counseling could lead to "euthanasia" and that President Obama said he "doesn't even know what's in" the House health care bill. Dobbs has also touted GOP Sen. John Barrasso as "one of the leading experts on ... health care" and has provided a forum for serial misinformer Betsy McCaughey to falsely claim that the economic recovery package would allow the federal government to eliminate "whatever" it deems to be "unnecessary" health care. Read More

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