A daily compilation edited by Brent H. Baker, CyberAlert items are drawn from daily BiasAlert posts and distributed by the Media Research Center's News Analysis Division, the leader since 1987 in documenting, exposing and neutralizing liberal media bias.MRC Alert: NYT's Kate Zernike Thinks Tea Party Blew Greater Gains By Fostering 'Concerns of...Extremism' Tracking Liberal Media Bias Since 1996
Thursday November 04, 2010 @ 10:33 AM EDT
1. NYT's Kate Zernike Thinks Tea Party Blew Greater Gains By Fostering 'Concerns of...Extremism'
The New York Times' Tea Party reporter went to great lengths to argue that the public is not on their side on taxes, spending, or Obama-care: "While Tea Party energy powered some victories, concerns about Tea Party extremism also cost them what could have been easy gains....And just as Tea Party supporters do not always agree on what the agenda is, most Americans disagree with many of the goals proclaimed by Tea Party candidates."
2. CBS's Rodriguez: Will Tea Party Drive Out GOP Moderates or 'Fade Away'?
On Wednesday's CBS Early Show, co-host Maggie Rodriguez painted a grim picture of the future of the tea party: "...they could either stay in the Republican Party and the more moderate Republicans will either have to adjust or maybe do what Charlie Crist did down in Florida and become independents or the tea party could become its own political party or the tea party could just fade away." She made the assessment while discussing the midterm election results with political analyst John Dickerson, who responded: "Well, I think that we can agree the latter is not going to happen, they are incredibly energized. Last night's results make the tea party a real force."
3. George Stephanopoulos Hits Rand Paul: You Willing to be a One-Term Senator?
Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos on Wednesday used a post-election interview to harangue Rand Paul as to whether the newly elected was willing to be a "one-termer" in pursuit of spending cuts. Stephanopoulos pressed, "So, even if it means you're going to be a one-term senator, you're willing to say, we're going to cut Medicare. We are going to cut Social Security in order to balance the budget?" The GMA host tried to stir up trouble, questioning, "If that means taking on your party's own leaders, are you going to do it?"
4. Matt Lauer: Senator-Elect Rand Paul Bringing Anger to Washington
NBC's Matt Lauer characterized Kentucky Senator-Elect Rand Paul's victory as a "wave of anger and energy" on Wednesday's Today show. Lauer asked the Tea Party candidate, "We know you can win an election with anger- can you govern in Washington with anger?" The anchor conducted a short interview of the Kentucky Republican nine minutes into the 7 am Eastern hour. Lauer led with his stereotype of Tea Party/conservative voters: "You rode a wave of anger and energy to Washington." He then asked his question about winning and governing with "anger."
5. Dan Rather on MSNBC: Mitch McConnell 'Wants to Cut Out Obama's Heart and Feed His Liver to the Dogs'
During live MSNBC coverage leading up to President Obama's Wednesday 1PM ET press conference, former CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather urged the President to aggressively take on Republicans in the wake of the midterm elections: "[Obama] has to realize that Mitch McConnell has virtually said so that politically he wants to cut out his heart and throw his liver to the dogs." Rather declared that the President should "take the Harry Truman, who lost big in1946 and said 'I'm going to fight them. I'm going to fight them.'...He has to be a fighter."
6. CBS's Smith Frets Over 'No Compromise' Republicans Who Will 'Dismantle Health Care'
In an interview with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Wednesday's Early Show, co-host Harry Smith lamented possible gridlock following big Republican electoral gains: "...will there be that old-fashioned word we used to use once in a while, comity?...the Republicans say over and over and over again for the last two months, no compromise, no compromise, no compromise." Reid responded by claiming he was all about compromise: "I'm a consensus builder, that's what my reputation is, I'm going to continue to do that....legislation is the art of compromise, consensus building. And I don't see why in the world we can't do that."
7. ABC Election Night: Admiring Nancy Pelosi; Claiming GOP Split on Taxes, ObamaCare and Stimulus
Shortly after ABC News projected the GOP House takeover, co-anchors George Stephanopoulos and Diane Sawyer, plus Democratic contributor Donna Brazile, waxed effusive of Nancy Pelosi, the object of so many voters’ ire. "President Obama called her a rock, the rock for the White House," Sawyer enthused. "She has been a phenomenal Speaker," Brazile championed. "I'm very sad." Earlier, contributor Matthew Dowd tried to suggest Republicans were fractured on issues such as the stimulus, repealing ObamaCare, and opposing a tax hike. "They're going to have some problems," Dowd warned.
8. Wash Post's Milbank Trashes Fox News 'Victory Party,' Ignores MSNBC's DNC Echoes
Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank attacked Fox News in Wednesday's paper for having a Republican "victory party" on air on Election Night. No where in this piece did he acknowledge his routine appearances on MSNBC, and whether it had a partisan sound on Election Night (and every other weeknight). He also avoided the idea that NBC-Universal was helpfully doling out large chunks of air time for Barack Obama this fall to stave off Democrat losses. His column began: "At Rupert Murdoch's cable network, the entity that birthed and nurtured the Tea Party movement, Election Day was the culmination of two years of hard work to bring down Barack Obama - and it was time for an on-air celebration of a job well done...."
*****
