Media Matters Daily Summary 03-08-11

Fox Cheerleads For King's Anti-Muslim Hearings
Fox News has aggressively promoted Rep. Peter King's (R-NY) upcoming hearings on "the extent of the radicalization of American Muslims," including hosting King to promote his hearings while dismissing the concerns of protesters. In fact, many mainstream groups, both Muslim and non-Muslim, have expressed deep concerns with King's agenda, and experts say the hearings may be "counterproductive." Read More

Energy Experts Refute Eric Bolling's Oil Price Fable
In at least six instances over the past three months, Fox's Eric Bolling has claimed that President Bush's July 2008 decision to lift the presidential moratorium on offshore drilling caused oil prices to drop from "$147 straight down to $33 a barrel in six months." Energy experts tell Media Matters that Bolling's analysis is wrong. Read More

Fox's Hyping Of King's Hearings Follows A Long History Of Anti-Muslim Rhetoric
As Fox aggressively promotes Rep. Peter King's controversial hearings on Muslim radicalization, Media Matters looks at the long history of anti-Muslim rhetoric on Fox and from Fox personalities. Read More

Conservatives Cherry-Pick Bush's Best Year To Attack Obama Over Deficits
Conservative media have compared the federal budget deficit for the month of February to that of fiscal year 2007 in order to dishonestly attack President Obama for the rising national debt. However, critics are comparing current deficits to the year before the recession with record federal revenue, and experts agree that Bush policies are largely to blame for the growing deficit. Read More

Fox Figures Dismiss Effects Of Oil Speculators To Push Drill, Baby, Drill
Fox News figures have dismissed concerns that speculators are helping to fuel increases in the cost of oil, instead using those higher costs to push for increased oil drilling. But speculators currently hold record bets on oil futures, and experts have said those bets are driving up the cost of oil. Read More

Media Baselessly Suggest Americans View Public Employees "As Public Enemies In Some Ways"
The media have repeatedly targeted public employees by suggesting that the public dislikes their supposed generous pay and benefits. However, polls reveal that many in the public believe that public employees do not receive too much compensation and, in any event, believe state employees should not have their collective bargaining rights taken away.
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