Media Matters Daily Summary 06-23-10

Fox News' Crowley falsely suggests McChrystal criticized Afghanistan war strategy
Fox News' Monica Crowley falsely suggested that Gen. Stanley McChrystal criticized "the Afghan war strategy and the leadership coming out of this administration" in a recent profile in Rolling Stone. In fact, McChrystal offered no criticism of President Obama's war strategy, a strategy endorsed by McChrystal himself. Read More

Fox still making blatantly false claim that U.S. has "not accepted" international help in Gulf
Fox News' Gretchen Carlson falsely claimed that "international help has been offered, but not accepted" for the Gulf oil spill response, citing the Jones Act, which she speculated that President Obama has not waived because of union pressure. In fact, the National Incident Commander has repeatedly stated that foreign vessels are operating in the Gulf, that they have not yet "seen any need to waive the Jones Act," and that they are prepared to process case-by-case waivers if needed. Read More

Carlson twists McChrystal's interview to falsely suggest Obama doesn't support war in Afghanistan
Fox & Friends co-host Gretchen Carlson urged President Obama to "support this war," and suggested that Gen. Stanley McChrystal claimed in his Rolling Stone interview that he wasn't getting support from the administration. In fact, McChrystal offered no such criticism in the article and has repeatedly expressed support for Obama's war strategy. Read More

Right-wing media launches absurd attack on Chu for praising BP grant in 2007
Right-wing media are absurdly attacking Energy Secretary Steven Chu's past praise of BP for awarding UC Berkley an alternative energy grant which Chu said would help "save the world." But the grant had bipartisan support, and scientists and university professors praised the grant's importance for alternative energy research aimed at weaning the world off of oil. Read More

Witch Hunt: Hannity smears Obama nominee as "display[ing] empathy for a convicted serial killer"
Sean Hannity distorted Obama appeals court nominee Robert Chatigny's record to smear him as someone who "displays empathy for a convicted serial killer", Michael Ross, and suggested that Chatigny acted improperly in his role as a judge in Ross's case. However, an appeals court panel -- which included former Bush Attorney General Michael Mukasey -- found that Chatigny's actions were "reasonable" and "not motivated by any bias," a fact not reported by Hannity. Read More

Out-of-mainstream Bork attempts to paint Kagan as outside the mainstream
Robert Bork -- Reagan's failed 1987 Supreme Court nominee -- announced his opposition to current nominee Elena Kagan using the discredited argument that Kagan's praise of Israeli Justice Aharon Barak puts her outside of the mainstream. In fact, it is Bork himself who is outside the mainstream. Read More

Limbaugh falsely claimed McChrystal "didn't get the rules of engagement" or troops he wanted
Rush Limbaugh falsely claimed that Gen. Stanley McChrystal "didn't get the rules of engagement" or "boots on the ground" he wanted in Afghanistan. In fact, McChrystal has stated that the rules of engagement are based in part on his "experience," and agreed that President Obama provided the "right number" of additional troops. Read More

Hannity deceptively edited Obama to falsely accuse him of "attacking General Petraeus"
Sean Hannity deceptively edited comments President Obama made during a 2007 Senate hearing to falsely accuse Obama of "attacking General [David] Petraeus." In fact, in comments cropped out of the video, Obama made clear his criticism was directed at President Bush and was "not a criticism" of Petraeus. Read More