Media Matters Daily Summary 04-20-10

Limbaugh responds to Clinton with torrent of incendiary rhetoric
In recent days, President Bill Clinton has warned that incendiary rhetoric and "demonizing the government" incited domestic terrorism during his presidency and threatened to do so again. On his April 19 broadcast, Rush Limbaugh responded by unleashing a torrent of incendiary rhetoric, claiming that the Obama administration is "ripp[ing] apart" and "overthrow[ing]" the country and blaming Clinton for the Oklahoma City bombing and the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. Read More

Fox & Friends misrepresents financial reform bill
Fox & Friends and guest Glenn Beck falsely suggested that a $50 billion liquidation fund in Sen. Chris Dodd's financial regulation reform bill would "save" failing financial institutions and "keep them in business." In fact, the fund, which would be paid for by financial institutions, would be used to dismantle a failing firm and "is anything but a bailout," in the words of Republican Sen. Bob Corker. Read More

Memo to right-wing media: Clinton did not compare tea party movement to Oklahoma City terrorists
Right-wing media are falsely claiming that, in recent interviews and speeches, former President Bill Clinton compared the tea party movement to the domestic terrorists who carried out the Oklahoma City bombing. In fact, Clinton did no such thing; rather, he stressed the importance of citizens' ability to criticize the government, and in drawing "parallels" to the rhetoric leading to the bombing and the rhetoric today, he specifically limited his criticism to those currently advocating or encouraging violence. Read More

Fox's purported business expert gets financial reform provision wrong
Pushing a false Republican talking point, Fox Business Network's Eric Bolling claimed that Democrats' financial reform bill includes "a $50 billion slush fund so that if a firm, company is too big to fail, maybe they can tap into that and maybe not allow it to fail." In fact, the "orderly liquidation fund," which would be paid for by financial institutions, would be used to dismantle a failing firm and "is anything but a bailout," in the words of Republican Sen. Bob Corker. Read More

Limbaugh runs with Dick Morris' dubious Clinton-Reno-Waco story
Rush Limbaugh joined other right-wing media in promoting Fox News analyst Dick Morris' dubious claim that in 1997, President Clinton told Morris that Clinton had reappointed then-Attorney General Janet Reno because she threatened to "tell the truth about Waco." However, Morris' story contradicts his previous account of a conversation he had with Clinton about reappointing Reno. In that account, Morris gave no indication that Clinton had confided to him about any alleged threats from Reno. Read More

Quick Fact: Dana Perino falsely claims Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac caused the economic crisis
On Hannity, Dana Perino falsely blamed the economic crisis on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In fact, economist Dean Baker has stated that holding Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac responsible for the financial disaster is "absurd on its face." Read More