Free Republic

The grand purpose of Newsbusters is to present examples of provable factual bias in the mainstream media (MSM). This article does not do that. Instead, it presents an example of the MSM, specifically MSNBC, running a program on illegal immigration, which is scrupulously honest, fair and balanced. I almost did not watch “Crossing the Line? The Battle at America’s Borders” because I thought this documentary, hosted by Lester Holt, would be the usual “pity the (illegal) immigrants and let them all in because they just want jobs” pabulum that the press usually generates. Five minutes in, it was clearly no...

Momentum in politics often shifts when a political leader or party overplays their hand. When Republicans rushed to pass legislation to prolong the life of brain-damaged Terri Schiavo earlier this year, I noted that much of the public saw it as grandstanding. I also wrote that the beginning of current GOP woes started with the party's Schiavo strategy. Now the Democrats may be having their turn at costly misjudgment. Their closed-door meeting of Democrats-only in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday of this week was designed with drama in mind. They wanted to bring renewed attention to their claim that the...

Sen. Mary Landrieu threatened the president of the United States with physical violence on Sunday, saying that if he or any other government official criticizes New Orleans police for failing to keep civil order in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina - "I might likely have to punch him - literally." "If one person criticizes [our sheriffs], or says one more thing, including the president of the United States, he will hear from me - one more word about it after this show airs and I - I might likely have to punch him - literally," Landrieu railed on "ABC's "This...

Occasionally I write about myself in this space when knowing a little about my biases or background is helpful in understanding how I've reached a conclusion. But does anybody really want to hear all about how arduous the job is --- from a woman calling me a "prissy little queen" via email for daring to insult Clay Aiken, to network execs thinking I was overly harsh or unfair? Didn't think so. Yet that's exactly what's happening in the media world, as talk personalities such as Howard Stern and Bill O'Reilly increasingly segue from host to vein-opener, making their particular platforms...

'Catholic' Democratic Contender Kerry Accuses Pope of "Crossing the Line" With Recent Document on Same-Sex Unions BOSTON, August 6, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Democratic presidential contender John Kerry, a senator from Massachusetts and a self-described Catholic, accused Pope John Paul II of "crossing the line" by publishing the Vatican's "Considerations" for Catholic legislators regarding same-sex unions. "It is important not to have the church instructing politicians," Kerry said. "That is an inappropriate crossing of the line in this country. ... President Kennedy drew that line very clearly in 1960 and I believe we need to stand up for that line today....