Free Republic

If you want to understand why the mainstream media is so in love with the Obama administration, this can in part be explained by the fact that a number of big shots who control levers of media power actually do love high-placed officials within the Obama administration. By blood and through marriage, there is more than just a shared belief in left-wing politics that ensured the American media became a mouthpiece for the Obama administration. David Rhoades, the current president of CBS News, is the brother of Ben Rhoades, a White House national security advisor. If Ben’s name sounds familiar,...

Since Monday, April 14, ABC's Claire Shipman has been touring the network and cable news networks to promote her new book that she co-wrote with Katty Kay entitled "The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self Assurance-What Women Should Know." Despite the eight television appearances Shipman has made since last Monday, only two interviews openly acknowledged her marriage to White House Press Secretary Jay Carney.

Here Are The Two Soviet Propaganda Posters Hanging In The White House Press Secretary's Home Washingtonian MOM magazine's spring issue has a profile of White House Press Secretary Jay Carney's wife, ABC News contributor Claire Shipman, that features a picture taken inside their home. In the background of the photo, you can see two framed Soviet-era propaganda posters. One of Carney's posters is a version of this iconic design by artist Dmitry Moor with a soldier pointing his finger alongside text that says "Have YOU Enlisted?" in Russian: The other poster features a female factory worker. According to this eBay...

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney and his family are featured in a worshipful profile in this month's Washingtonian magazine. It's the sort of adoring journalistic exercise reserved for only the most handsome of the power elite. In it you can find out details about the Carney dog (a cousin to presidential pooch Sonny!), and how much the press secretary's tie costs ($135). But keen observers may notice the kitchen decor in the photo: Soviet propaganda posters. They really are the perfect pop of color whether you are the dour and sincere Nikita Khrushchev or the cheeky press-wrangler for a...

WARNING: Viewing the accompanying video could cause a dangerous rise in blood-sugar levels. When Clarence Thomas was approaching his confirmation hearings, we all remember the touching, sentimental segments the networks ran on his challenging childhood. Or not. On today's GMA ABC's Claire Shipman took a sentimental stroll down memory lane with Juan Sotomayor, Sonia's likable younger brother. At one point, viewing a display about his sister in their old high school in the Bronx, Juan gets choked up. And there's Claire, shown not once but twice reaching out a comforting arm to console the Sotomayor sibling. View video here.

Who cares if we're like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, careening in his pickup toward the brink of the rock quarry? At least we're moving fast! That seemed to be Claire Shipman's logic in urging speed in the implementation of the stimulus plan. The ABC correspondent made her curious comment today during the roundtable segment of This Week. CLAIRE SHIPMAN: I think that, I mean as George [Will] said, given that nobody knows the outcome, it seems as though the most important thing is speed here. Will made the logical response. View video.

Thanks to Sarah Palin, the culture war has now become a civil war—on the left. Mika Brzezinski bravely opened a new front in the conflict during today's Morning Joe, repeatedly going after two women MSMers for their column suggesting Palin is taking the working-mom thing too far. And, mirabile dictu, Mika even admitted to sensing MSM unfairness to Republicans. View video here.

Worst job in America this morning: Clinton campaign staffer assigned to inform Hillary of her treatment at the hands of ABC's "This Week" panel. From moderator George Stephanopoulos to former Gore campaign manager Donna Brazile, to the husband-wife duo of Jay Carney of Time and Elaine Shipman of ABC, to conservative sage George Will, it was a decidedly downbeat take on Hillary's fortunes. View video here.

Wait a second. Isn't the rap on Hillary that she succeeds despite her weak communication skills? That she's substance over a decided lack of style? But GMA managed this morning to find two body language and communication experts to declare that Hillary is particularly gifted in non-verbal communication. In a segment beginning at 7:40 A.M. EDT today, ABC's Claire Shipman first interviewed body-language expert Janine Driver. Shipman rolled tape of Hillary giving her classic head nod.View video here. ABC CORRESPONDENT CLAIRE SHIPMAN: What's the nodding?BODY LANGUAGE EXPERT JANINE DRIVER: It's a non-verbal clue that says "I'm listening, I'm paying attention."...

Don't ever play poker against Claire Shipman. Anyone who can keep a straight face while claiming, as she did, that 'Women's Voices. Women Vote' is "non-partisan," can surely bluff you out of a pot while sitting on a busted flush.On this morning's Good Morning America, ABC's Shipman narrated a segment spotlighting WVWV's efforts to get single women voters to the polls. Since it is obvious that single women lean heavily Dem, voting for Democrats by a more than 2/3 margin as Dem pollster Celinda Lake acknowledged, my BS-detector started screeching when I heard Shipman slip in her "non-partisan" claim. I...

by Mark Finkelstein September 20, 2006 - 10:07 Far be it from ABC to take sides in the fight against nuclear terrorism. As portrayed by Good Morning America today, yesterday's UN speeches by Pres. Bush and Iran's Ahmadinejad were simply a battle of equals. And if anything, the guy who wants to wipe Israel off the map came off looking better. Host Chris Cuomo [son of Mario, brother of current New York AG candidate Andrew] set the tone: "We begin with the showdown at the United Nations, pitting President Bush against Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The philosophical battlefield: Iran's nuclear...

by Mark Finkelstein September 2, 2006 - 14:36 Republican? Want to make a "remarkable political comeback"? Become the functional equivalent of a Democrat. At least that would seem to be Good Morning America's advice. A segment of the ABC show focused this morning on the transmogrification of Arnold Schwarzenegger from a Republican who muscularly confronted the Democrats in Sacramento to one working hand-in-glove with them. The spark for the segment was the deal Arnold has worked out with the Dem-dominated legislature to cut carbon emissions 25% over the next 15 years. Co-host Kate Snow hailed it as "a bold move...

Been Dreamin' 'Bout Bin Laden 03/18/2002 Last Monday morning, President Bush gave a somber speech on the South Lawn. He explained that the war on terrorism was far from over and warned of the serious consequences of nuclear weapons getting into the hands of terrorists and terrorist states. He told the nation that more sacrifice lay ahead. The networks reported the story just that way with one exception - ABC. On World News Tonight, March 11, Claire Shipman focused her report on what didn't come up in the speech - Osama bin Laden: "The President offered a progress report...