Media: Treats for Liberals, Tricks for GOP

Seven Days Before Election, TV Networks Give Good Press to Democrats, Smack GOP With Bad Press

Appearing on FNC’s The O’Reilly Factor last week, ABC News Political Director Mark Halperin admitted that the media elite have a bias problem. Citing this year’s adulatory coverage of liberal Democrat Nancy Pelosi compared to the mean-spirited coverage the networks dumped on Newt Gingrich back in 1994, Halperin confessed: "If I were a conservative, I understand why I would feel suspicious that I was not going to get a fair break at the end of an election."

A new study released today by the non-partisan Center for Media and Public Affairs (CMPA) confirms the bias: more than three fourths (77%) of ABC, CBS and NBC evening news references to Democrats this fall have been favorable, while 88% of the coverage given GOP candidates has been negative, an unprecedented disparity. Consider a few recent examples of how the big networks are aiding Democrats during the final days of Campaign ‘06:

■ All voters "disgusted" with the Republicans. On Monday’s Good Morning America, ABC’s Jake Tapper went to a diner in Columbus, Ohio to take the pulse of the "real-life actual voters," but his focus group only included those with an anti-GOP attitude: a Republican voter who’s voting for the Democrats; a Democratic Navy veteran who’s against the war; a conservative Christian who stressed "I'm not pro-war;" a new citizen who thinks illegal immigrants are being treated unfairly; and a cynic who believes that the whole political system is corrupt.

Hours later on ABC’s World News with Charles Gibson, reporter Dean Reynolds interviewed Indiana Republicans who expressed how they are "frustrated," "confused," "concerned" and have "disgust" for the way Republicans have governed. Halfway through his report, Reynolds admitted the obvious: "It all sounds practically like a commercial for the Democrats." Exactly.

■ Liberal policies are wonderful. On Monday’s CBS Evening News, Katie Couric in Los Angeles trumpeted how "states, starting with California, are flexing their political muscle, telling Uncle Sam, ‘If you won't tackle the tough issues, we will.'" But the report by correspondent Sandra Hughes made clear that the slate of California innovations that so impressed Couric are all liberal: government funding for embryonic stem cell research, raising the minimum wage, taxpayer subsidies for prescription drugs, and "the nation’s most restrictive law on greenhouse gas emissions."

■ No scrutiny of Democrats. In his report on the Pennsylvania Senate race for Monday’s NBC Nightly News, reporter Chip Reid had no scrutiny for frontrunner Bob Casey, whom he described using Democratic talking points: The "son of a popular former governor and an abortion opponent like [incumbent GOP Senator Rick] Santorum." Reid’s closer hinted at Casey’s weakness — "In the final days, Casey's expected to stay out of the spotlight" — but nothing further. Would NBC say nothing if Republicans felt they had to hide their candidate in a pivotal Senate race during the campaign’s final week?

■ Nancy Pelosi’s victory lap. In 1994, the networks tried to bruise Newt Gingrich (CBS smeared him as "bombastic" and "ruthless"), but this year the media are paving the way for "Speaker Pelosi." The latest gush: on his Chris Matthews Show on Sunday, the MSNBC anchor compared Pelosi to a Hall of Famer: "Pelosi at the bat. Not since DiMaggio has San Francisco offered such a stylish player."

Reporters’ open desire for GOP defeat is further tarring their already soiled reputation for fairness. Discussing Lynne Cheney’s on-air upbraiding of CNN for its tilt, FNC host Bill O’Reilly last night asked NPR liberal Juan Williams if he’d say CNN was "in the tank for the Democrats." Reluctantly, Williams agreed: "I think that's true....It looks to me though like they are becoming more and more partisan." Unfortunately, it’s not just CNN. — Rich Noyes

The fact that conservatism can nonetheless survive in this kind of climate is a testament to its awesomeness.

Mark Halperin "gets it". Thanks Mark for telling truth to power... not the way liberals talk about it, but really telling truth to power.

4 posted on 10/31/2006 2:10:15 PM PST by GOPJ (In the War with radical Islam, it's not "for" or "against"-- it's victory or ruin.)

NPR liberal Juan Williams if he’d say CNN was "in the tank for the Democrats." Reluctantly, Williams agreed: "I think that's true....It looks to me though like they are becoming more and more partisan."

Liberals who do not suffer from BDS know that in the end, this hurts them more than it helps them. Juan may be wrong 99% of the time, but I do respect his honesty, especially given the grief he's gotten over his last book.

"This will of course be the lead story on all the network news tonight."

It doesn't matter. Even my parents notice the obvious liberal slant in media. They (the media) don't even try to hide it anymore.

This is why I stopped watching CNN/MSNBC/NBC/ABC/CBS/CNN Headline News a very long time ago and no longer subscribe to Cox Cable.

The Liberals are so trite and mean spirited in their continued efforts to sand bag the Bush Administration and the Republican Party, especially during campaign season. You could actually set your watch to it.

...At least we do, however have a rather nice consolation prize: Sen. John Kerry opening his mouth and sticking his Gucci loafer into it at a California campaign speech yesterday.

Williams also defended Clarence Thomas during the Anita Hill nonsense. He was suspended from the WaPo editorial page for several months because of his views.

Williams is liberal, but at least he recognizes and comments on an obvious injustice.

At least we do, however have a rather nice consolation prize: Sen. John Kerry opening his mouth and sticking his Gucci loafer into it at a California campaign speech yesterday.

How much MSM coverage do you think that that will get?

Not a great deal of course, but it definitely is making the rounds on Talk Radio and the Blogs. And don't forget word of mouth also works, too.

I'll be the first to say Kerry's remarks were reprehensible, and unlike some who believe (like Bill O'Reilly on Hugh Hewitt's show earlier this evening)the senator meant to get in a swipe at Bush and it somehow got mangled, or (like ABC News' Political president Mark Halprin) who think those of us among the unwashed masses just don't understand John Kerry's kind of humor, that it was just how he felt, and is the true face of the Democrat Party: Anti war and anti military to the bone.

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