Media Matters Daily Summary 07-14-10

Doocy misrepresents report on voucher program to attack teachers' union
On Fox & Friends, Steve Doocy falsely claimed that a government report found students enrolled in Washington, D.C.'s Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP), which awards vouchers to students to attend private schools, "performed better academically than students in the public schools" and claimed that Congress' defunding of the program is evidence that "the teachers union has a stranglehold on the Democratic Party." In fact, the report to which Doocy is presumably referring "found no conclusive evidence that the OSP affected student achievement overall." Read More

In latest softball interview, Kilmeade provides platform for Issa's misinformation
On Fox & Friends, Brian Kilmeade hosted Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) to discuss how The New York Times came to dub him "annoyer-in-chief" by allowing him, without challenge, to rehash old attacks on the Obama administration. These attacks included false or misleading claims about ACORN, alleged "backroom deals" during the health care debate, and dubious claims that the administration offered jobs to political candidates in order to influence elections. Read More

Memo to media: Pamela Geller does not belong on national television
Numerous mainstream media outlets have recently hosted right-wing "Atlas Shrugs" blogger Pamela Geller to discuss the controversy surrounding a proposed Islamic community center set to be built blocks away from Ground Zero. However, Geller's history of outrageous, inflammatory and false claims, particularly when it comes to issues related to Islam, demonstrate that she cannot be expected to make accurate statements and should not be rewarded with a platform on national television. Read More