Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Media Matters Daily Summary 07-20-10

Beck distorts Obama administration's language on terrorism
Glenn Beck made a series of false claims regarding language the Obama administration uses to describe terrorism, painting it as weak in fighting terrorists by suggesting that the administration avoids using terms like "terrorism" and "war on terror." Read More

Why is Fox pushing a falsehood to fuel outrage over NYC Muslim community center?
Following right-wing media who pushed the claim without providing evidence, Fox News falsely reported that the Muslim community center and mosque set to be built near Ground Zero will open on the anniversary of 9-11. However, Daisy Khan, executive director of one of the organizations leading the project, told Media Matters that the allegation is "absolutely false" and that "the timeline has yet to be determined." Read More

UPDATED: Myths and falsehoods about Elena Kagan's Supreme Court nomination
Media Matters for America has compiled an updated list of 45 myths and falsehoods about Solicitor General Elena Kagan's Supreme Court nomination. Read More

The right wing's convenient Mark Williams amnesia
On Larry King Live, The Nationwide Tea Party Coalition organizer Dana Loesch and conservative strategist Michael Reagan attempted to paint recently embattled Tea Party Express leader Mark Williams as an obscure, unimportant tea party member. But as NY Daily News points out, Williams' Tea Party Express--of which Williams served as the organization's public face--"is one of the most influential in the conservative movement," and has raised "$2.3 million this year." Read More

Breitbart's Sherrod narrative unravels
Based on what appears to be selectively edited footage, Andrew Breitbart falsely suggested that Shirley Sherrod said that, in her former position with the USDA, she had discriminated against a white farmer. In fact, Sherrod's statements in the video corroborate her statement that the story she was discussing is 24 years old. Moreover, Sherrod says that the video took her remarks out of context to omit that she was actually telling story about her work to get "beyond the issue of race."
Read More

Wash Times pairs Islamophobic column with image of Kagan in turban
In a Washington Times column accompanied by an image of Elena Kagan in a turban, Frank Gaffney attacked Kagan for allowing Harvard Law School to sponsor an Islamic Finance Project during her deanship. However, sponsorship of Islamic finance programs is not extreme; the Bush administration sponsored such programs, as have major banks. Read More

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