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Media Matters Daily Summary 09-23-10

Beck distorts regulations to smear "Sunstein and the choice architects"
Glenn Beck cited a litany of cases as examples of how "choice architects have changed your life" through supposedly excessive regulation. But Beck misleadingly or falsely described the nature of many of the examples he cited. Read More

Don't blame me, I "vote[d]" for the unqualified "flake" with the "checkered background"
Right-wing media figures have called GOP senatorial candidate Christine O'Donnell "a bit of a flake," not "qualified as [a] leader," and someone with a "checkered background" who does not "evince the characteristics of rectitude and truthfulness and sincerity and character." Nevertheless, these media figures have endorsed O'Donnell because, in the words of Karl Rove: "I'm for the Republicans in each and every case." Read More

Memo to right-wing media: Military brass supports Obama's Afghanistan strategy
Right-wing media outlets have seized on leaked excerpts of Bob Woodward's upcoming book to suggest that President Obama has followed a strategy in Afghanistan that his generals think is folly. In fact, top Pentagon personnel, including Gen. David Petraeus, Adm. Mike Mullen, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, have stated that they agree with Obama's Afghanistan strategy. Read More

Fox & Friends' "Pledge to America" reporting: A great pledge or the greatest pledge?
Despite vowing to report both sides of the story "and let you decide," Fox & Friends' coverage of the GOP "Pledge to America" consisted almost entirely of conservatives who love the pledge and Republicans who want to promote it. However, Fox ignored that several conservatives have panned the "Pledge to America."
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"A true member of the team": Coates' testimony used to revive phony DOJ scandal
Right-wing media are citing the testimony of Justice Department attorney Christopher Coates before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to revive the phony New Black Panther Party scandal. But Coates reportedly became "a true member of the team" in the highly politicized Bush DOJ. Read More

Can't right-wing bloggers read a (lunar) calendar?
Right wing blogs were forced to issue humiliating updates after their most recent fake story -- that the Israeli delegation had rejected President Obama by "skip[ping]" his speech to the United Nations -- completely dissolved. In fact, the Israeli delegation was absent because they were observing the Jewish holiday Sukkot.
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Tea Time With Sarah Palin

Yep, They Did It

Sen. Chambliss's office has determined that yep, it was one of his staffers who posted the "All Fa--ots Must Die" comment on the Joe.My.God website just after Senate Republicans prevented a vote on repealing DADT.

--Josh Marshall

Media Matters Daily Summary 09-22-10

O'Reilly's wrong, Carter's right: Fox features race-baiting, birtherism, and religious smears
Bill O'Reilly attacked comments from former President Jimmy Carter about Fox News' race baiting and its role in promoting falsehoods about President Obama's citizenship and religion. But Carter was right: birtherism, race baiting attacks on Obama, and lies about his religion have all found a home on Fox News. Read More

Right-wing media attack Petraeus Obama for avoiding "talk of victory"
Right-wing media have seized on reports that, when reviewing the Afghanistan war's strategy, President Obama "avoided talk of victory." But many military leaders, including Gen. David Petraeus, agree with Obama and have said that Afghanistan is not a war "you win." Read More

Fox double standard: Obama needs to abide by military's requests, Bush does not
Fox News personalities have repeatedly attacked President Obama for purportedly not sending as many troops to Afghanistan as the military requested. However, when then-President Bush dismissed Gen. Shinseki's recommendation that "several hundred thousand troops" would be needed in Iraq, Fox virtually ignored the story and, when it did cover it, hosted a contributor to suggest that critics "shut up and let daddy drive."
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Right-wing attack Obama for having faith that America can "absorb" a terrorist attack and grow "stronger"
Right-wing media are attacking President Obama's reported comments that the United States can "absorb a terrorist attack" and that the country "absorbed [9-11] and we are stronger" by suggesting that Obama is "inviting another 9/11" and that he "doesn't care about Americans dying." However, conservatives have made similar comments -- including former President Bush. Read More

Media Matters Daily Summary 09-21-10

Right-wing media shocked to learn that DOJ attorneys send email to each other
Media conservatives claim that the existence of communication between Justice Department attorneys proves that department officials lied when they said that career attorneys and not political appointees decided not to pursue additional charges against members of the New Black Panther Party. In fact, DOJ officials have said repeatedly that political appointees were made aware of the decision-making process. Read More

Fox & Friends attack the DREAM Act
Fox & Friends attacked a bill establishing a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and who enroll in college or enlist in the military, and criticized its placement in a defense spending bill. However, military experts agree that it would strengthen the military, and Republicans have previously added non-military legislation to defense bills. Read More

Fox & Limbaugh: Bush deficits good, Obama deficits bad
Fox News and Rush Limbaugh have repeatedly criticized President Obama for supposedly being responsible for huge deficits. However, both recently attempted to defend former President Bush's policy of not paying for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars or his tax cuts. Read More

Fox twists joke from 1985 into false claim that Chris Coons is a "self-described Marxist"
Fox News has repeatedly attacked Delaware Democratic Senate candidate Chris Coons as "a self-described Marxist." But this false claim is entirely based on what Coons referred to as a "joke" in an article he wrote for his college newspaper in 1985. Read More

Media Matters Daily Summary 09-20-10

WSJ op-ed falsely claims Imam Rauf said Ground Zero isn't "hallowed ground"
A September 20 Wall Street Journal op-ed falsely claimed that Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf said "Ground Zero can't be hallowed ground because there is a strip joint and an off-track betting office nearby." In fact, Rauf was referring to the proposed site for the Islamic community center, which is not at Ground Zero. Read More

Wash. Times op-ed falsely claims Defense bill provides "taxpayer dollars" for "elective abortions"
The Washington Times published an op-ed by anti-abortion activist Denise Burke which repeatedly claimed that Sen. Roland Burris' amendment to the Defense Authorization bill authorizes "taxpayer dollars to be used for elective abortions." In fact, while the Burris amendment would allow abortions to be performed in Defense Department facilities, patients would be responsible for covering the cost of the procedures. Read More

Toronto Sun corrects Soros-Nazi smear
The Toronto Sun issued a correction to a column they recently published claiming that George Soros, as a child, "collaborated with the Nazis." This smear has long been popular among conservatives attacking Soros for his support of progressive causes. Read More