Best of Notable Quotables -- Press Coverage

It’s Time Again for
Best Quotes of the Year

As printed in the December 28, 2001 edition

Column by Mike Rosen in the Denver Rocky Mountain News and Colorado Springs Gazette

It’s time once again for the Media Research Center’s 14th annual awards for the most biased, manipulative or downright goofy quotes from liberals in the "mainstream" news media. I’m honored to serve, once again, on MRC’s distinguished panel of conservatively biased judges. Here are some of the highlights from among the winners and runners-up of Best Notable Quotables of 2001:

Poisoning the Planet Award (for Portraying Bush as an Earth destroyer)

"Remember when Ronald Reagan tried to save a few pennies on the school lunch program by classifying ketchup as a vegetable? Last week the Bush administration went further, axing a regulation that forced the meat industry to test hamburgers served in school for salmonella. Imagine, Mad Cow Disease among children, K through 12. The day it hit the papers the proposal was quickly withdrawn. (If) the Bush administration keeps trying to kill health and safety regulations at this pace, soon we won’t be able to eat, drink or breathe."
-- Time Magazine’s Margaret Carlson, April 7 CNN Capital Gang.

Picking the Lockbox Award for Denouncing Bush’s Tax Cut

"Adios surplus. When retired boomers dine on dog food, will they say thanks for that $600?"
-- Newsweek’s "Conventional Wisdom," assigning President Bush a "down" arrow in its Sept. 3 issue.

"The Bushes held their first state dinner. The president served buffalo meat, wore cowboy boots and welcomed Clint Eastwood. Meanwhile, the rest of America priced horse meat."
-- Newsweek’s "Conventional Wisdom," Sept. 17.

Media Hero Award

"What an exhilarating moment it must have been for her — the first First Lady in history to be elected to public office. There, for all the nay-sayers to see, was the woman who had finally come into her own, free at last to be smart, outspoken, independent, and provocative, all qualities she had been forced as First Lady, to ‘hide under a bushel.’ Still she was voted one of America’s most admired women. Just wait. You ain’t seen nothin’ yet."
-- End of "On My Mind" ABCNews.com commentary by ABC anchor Carole Simpson, Jan. 7.

Carve Clinton Into Mount Rushmore Award

"Throughout his eight years in office, President Clinton warned us that the next great menace was international terrorism. He also brought unprecedented prosperity to our nation, and because of that, President (Bush) can use the surplus Mr. Clinton left behind to pay for many of the nation’s needs in this time of crisis. This lecture series is about the human spirit. To me and millions of others, President Clinton has always personified that. He is the man from Hope, and that is what he has given us, hope. We miss him. Thank you, Mr. President."
-- Former UPI White House reporter Helen Thomas introducing Bill Clinton at an Oct. 9 Greater Washington Society of Association Executives lecture shown on C-SPAN.

Good Morning Morons Award

"So, I’m getting less chips, paying the same amount of money. Is that legal for them to do this?"
-- CBS’s Julie Chen to Carol Foreman Tucker of the Consumer Federation of America, Jan. 3 Early Show interview about companies charging the same price for smaller packages of food.

"You and I are fortunate enough to be basically laughing about this right now, about pennies right now, but isn’t it somewhat elitist to claim pennies have outlived their usefulness when so many are struggling to make ends meet and we argue about pennies in the minimum wage?"
-- Bryant Gumbel to Republican Rep. Jim Kolbe, who has introduced a bill seeking to phase out the one cent coin, CBS’s Early Show, July 17.

If your stomach is strong enough to handle the complete awards list, you can get it by calling (800) 672-1423, or on-line at www.mediaresearch.org.

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Best NQ of 2001