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1. ABC's David Wright Urges Viewers to Feel Obama's Pain ABC reporter David Wright filed a report on Wednesday's Good Morning America in which he urged viewers to sympathize with how difficult it must have been for the Senator to finally break with his controversial pastor. The journalist mournfully announced: "For Obama, whose own father abandoned him as a child, this must have been another painful break." Rather than wonder why Obama repeatedly stood by the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, a man who absurdly claimed that the United States government created the AIDS virus, David Wright lobbied for Americans to realize what a "big deal" the break was for Obama: "Imagine having to publicly denounce the minister who married you, who baptized your kids, who prayed with you the day you announced your candidacy for President." 2. Michelle Obama on NBC: Focusing on Wright 'Doesn't Help Kids' The Obama campaign has chosen NBC's Today show as the venue to try to move beyond the Jeremiah Wright controversy and a preview aired on Wednesday's Nightly News, of the session to air Thursday morning, showcased Barack and Michelle Obama making their case. While Meredith Vieira apparently did ask Barack Obama why he had not denounced Wright sooner, Nightly News viewers heard Barack Obama boast in response that he had resisted doing the "politically expedient" and Michelle Obama resorting to a plea reminiscent of the Clinton era: "We got to move forward. You know, this conversation doesn't help my kids, you know. It doesn't help kids out there who are looking for us to make decisions and choices about how we're going to better fund education." Anchor Brian Williams set up the story by relating how "Barack and Michelle Obama sat down with Meredith Vieira from Today on NBC as they try to put the drama over their former pastor behind them." Andrea Mitchell explained Obama was "clearly trying to move past the controversy over the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, but when pressed, explaining why he didn't denounce his former pastor sooner." 3. Williams Puzzles Over Counter-Cultural Cornucopia of Sunday NYT A bemused Brian Williams, anchor of the NBC Nightly News, revealed a puckish sense of humor in his April 28 entry on his msnbc.com "Daily Nightly" blog, "What Times Is It?" in which he admitted his puzzlement over the counter-cultural cornucopia that is the Sunday New York Times, with subjects ranging from gay grilling aficionados to sex chairs. Williams declared: "It's tough to figure out exactly what readers the paper is speaking to, or seeking." But after commenters complained about his criticism of the paper (and his praise for Peggy Noonan), the next day Williams assured them the Times is "normally my first journalistic stop every morning" and "it is quoted here," on Nightly News, "more than any other publication, for good reason." 4. ABC Corrects Clinton's Tale Blaming Bush for Closed Factory ABC reporter Jake Tapper on Wednesday night undermined Hillary Clinton's campaign trail tale blaming the Bush administration for allowing a Valparaiso, Indiana manufacturer of magnets for smart-bombs to move to China, costing 200 jobs and giving the technology to the communist regime. Tapper, however, pointed out that the sale occurred in 1995 and was approved by....the Clinton administration. "Senator Clinton decries how the company Magnequench moved from Indiana to China in 2003," Tapper reported, "but there's one key part of the story Senator Clinton tends to leave out: Her husband's role." He elaborated: "Over and over again, Clinton blames President Bush for dropping the ball on a national security issue -- including in a new TV ad....What Clinton does not say is that her husband could have stopped it because the Chinese bought Magnequench in 1995 when he was President. And his administration approved the deal despite national security concerns..." 5. Behar: 'Reverend Wright Might Be Being Paid By the Republicans' Jeremiah Wright is on the Republican "payroll" according to View co-host Joy Behar. Discussing the Reverend Wright controversy on the ABC daytime show, Behar offered her conspiracy theory of a Republican dirty trick: "I think Reverend Wright might be being paid by the Republicans. That's what I think." She soon exclaimed: "He's on the payroll!"
Obama's Pain ABC reporter David Wright filed a report on Wednesday's Good Morning America in which he urged viewers to sympathize with how difficult it must have been for the Senator to finally break with his controversial pastor. The journalist mournfully announced: "For Obama, whose own father abandoned him as a child, this must have been another painful break." Rather than wonder why Obama repeatedly stood by the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, a man who absurdly claimed that the United States government created the AIDS virus, David Wright lobbied for Americans to realize what a "big deal" the break was for Obama: "Imagine having to publicly denounce the minister who married you, who baptized your kids, who prayed with you the day you announced your candidacy for President." [This item, by the MRC's Scott Whitlock, was posted Tuesday afternoon, with video, on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ] After being prompted by GMA guest host Charlie Gibson, Wright did acknowledge the obvious reason as to why Obama separated from his minister: "Well, cynically, you can say he slipped nine points in the polls. Hillary Clinton has surged and Obama is struggling to win over the white working class voters..." But David Wright also appeared to be following the template of spinning the controversy to Obama's benefit. He claimed the presidential candidate had "little choice" but to break with the reverend and pointed out some of Reverend Wright's extreme statements: "For instance, Wright suggested America had it coming on 9/11 and that AIDS was a genocidal plot." However, just last week, on April 25, the ABC correspondent portrayed Jeremiah Wright as "soft-spoken" and patriotic. He asserted that many of his comments were "taken out of context." Now that Obama has discarded his former preacher, it appears as though David Wright will be dropping his defensive reporting of the minister. For more on Wright's classification of the reverend as "soft-spoken," see an April 28 CyberAlert posting: www.mrc.org A transcript of the segment, which aired at 7:02am on April 30: CHARLES GIBSON: We're going to begin with the race for 2008 and this defining moment, or could be a defining moment, in his campaign, Senator Barack Obama's public denunciation yesterday of his longtime pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. And ABC's David Wright has the latest on that down in Washington. David, good morning.
DAVID WRIGHT: Morning, Charlie. Even for a generation that grew up believing that the personal is political, there's no precedent for this. Barack Obama has disowned his pastor, the man with whom he shared some of the most important moments of his life. And no matter what you think of the Reverend Wright, this is a big deal for the Obama campaign, but also you have to believe for Barack Obama as a person. Imagine having to publicly denounce the minister who married you, who baptized your kids, who prayed with you the day you announced your candidacy for President.
'Doesn't Help Kids' The Obama campaign has chosen NBC's Today show as the venue to try to move beyond the Jeremiah Wright controversy and a preview aired on Wednesday's Nightly News, of the session to air Thursday morning, showcased Barack and Michelle Obama making their case. While Meredith Vieira apparently did ask Barack Obama why he had not denounced Wright sooner, Nightly News viewers heard Barack Obama boast in response that he had resisted doing the "politically expedient" and Michelle Obama resorting to a plea reminiscent of the Clinton era: "We got to move forward. You know, this conversation doesn't help my kids, you know. It doesn't help kids out there who are looking for us to make decisions and choices about how we're going to better fund education." Anchor Brian Williams set up the story by relating how "Barack and Michelle Obama sat down with Meredith Vieira from Today on NBC as they try to put the drama over their former pastor behind them." Andrea Mitchell explained Obama was "clearly trying to move past the controversy over the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, but when pressed, explaining why he didn't denounce his former pastor sooner." Mitchell moved on to comments on Wright made by Senator Hillary Clinton, which came in what Williams had described as "an unusual setting" -- an interview with FNC's Bill O'Reilly. [This item, by the MRC's Brent Baker, was posted Wednesday night on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ] Transcript of most of the story on the Wednesday, April 30 NBC Nightly News: BRIAN WILLIAMS: We turn now to the presidential campaign. Barack and Michelle Obama sat down with Meredith Vieira from Today on NBC as they try to put the drama over their former pastor behind them. At the same time, Senator Hillary Clinton, in an unusual setting, repeated some of her criticism of the whole situation. Our report on politics tonight from NBC's Andrea Mitchell.
ANDREA MITCHELL: Barack and Michelle Obama today campaigning together in Indiana.
Cornucopia of Sunday NYT A bemused Brian Williams, anchor of the NBC Nightly News, revealed a puckish sense of humor in his April 28 entry on his msnbc.com "Daily Nightly" blog, "What Times Is It?" in which he admitted his puzzlement over the counter-cultural cornucopia that is the Sunday New York Times, with subjects ranging from gay grilling aficionados to sex chairs. Williams declared: "It's tough to figure out exactly what readers the paper is speaking to, or seeking." But after commenters complained about his criticism of the paper (and his praise for Peggy Noonan), the next day Williams assured them the Times is "normally my first journalistic stop every morning" and "it is quoted here," on Nightly News, "more than any other publication, for good reason." [This item, by the MRC's Clay Waters, was posted Wednesday on the MRC's TimesWatch site: www.timeswatch.org ] An excerpt from the April 28 post by Williams: I read that the New York Times Sunday (and weekday) circulation is down. I must admit that on Sundays it becomes a tough paper to figure out. While this week's paper featured an op-ed piece by Elizabeth Edwards bemoaning the lack of serious, in-depth coverage of the political race, it's tough to figure out exactly what readers the paper is speaking to, or seeking. Consider this: the Sunday Styles section lead story on April 13th was "Scavengers on the Urban Savannah" (people buy things at flea markets!), and promoted on Page One was "A Sex Chair Becomes A Battlefield." Alrighty then. This Sunday's lead story was "Through Sickness, Health, Sex Change..." in a section that included the essay, "Was I On A Date Or Baby-Sitting?," and "Let's Say You Want To Date A Hog Farmer" (and who among us hasn't?). The magazine cover story this week was "The Newlywed Gays!" (happy gay men in Massachusetts who are married outdoor grilling enthusiasts!), and another feature story profiled a man who "lives and paints" in New Mexico (one of those states west of New Jersey) and has an old-fashioned typewriter! SUSPEND Excerpt Williams was also bemused by the lead Travel story (nudist resorts) and a wedding where the groom wore "the obligatory sneakers with his tux." Perhaps most controversial for his blogs liberal readership, Williams praised iconoclastic conservative columnist Peggy Noonan: On the other hand, one sparkling piece of journalism (which touched on a lot of themes frequent readers of this space will recognize) was by Peggy Noonan in this weekend's Wall Street Journal . Curl up with this one and give it the quality time it deserves. I'll say it again: Peggy is doing the work of her career and must be considered an early favorite for next cycle's Pulitzer for commentary. END of Excerpt For the April 28 "Daily Nightly" page: dailynightly.msnbc.msn.com The majority of online commenters were either indignant at Williams's dissing of the Times, angry at his praise for Noonan, or both. (None of the rants did much to shatter the stereotype of humorless liberals.) Williams responded by assuring his angry left readers that he does indeed cherish the paper in an April 29 follow-up entry, "Different Times." So, in this space yesterday, I had a little fun with the New York Times . I hope it's obvious to our frequent readers that the Times's news pages are normally my first journalistic stop every morning -- for all the arguments over ideology, the paper's depth and breadth are often without parallel. In fact, it is quoted here more than any other publication, for good reason. For the April 29 "Daily Nightly" posting: dailynightly.msnbc.msn.com For the latest every weekday on bias in the New York Times, check: www.timeswatch.org
for Closed Factory ABC reporter Jake Tapper on Wednesday night undermined Hillary Clinton's campaign trail tale blaming the Bush administration for allowing a Valparaiso, Indiana manufacturer of magnets for smart-bombs to move to China, costing 200 jobs and giving the technology to the communist regime. Tapper, however, pointed out that the sale occurred in 1995 and was approved by....the Clinton administration. "Senator Clinton decries how the company Magnequench moved from Indiana to China in 2003," Tapper reported, "but there's one key part of the story Senator Clinton tends to leave out: Her husband's role." He elaborated: "Over and over again, Clinton blames President Bush for dropping the ball on a national security issue -- including in a new TV ad....What Clinton does not say is that her husband could have stopped it because the Chinese bought Magnequench in 1995 when he was President. And his administration approved the deal despite national security concerns..." As for "one of Senator Clinton's main arguments" -- that "the Chinese now know our secrets" -- Tapper relayed how "former Magnequench Vice President Andrew Albers says that's false. By the 2003 move, he says, the Chinese already knew everything" so no secrets or intellectual property were transferred to China. [This item, by the MRC's Brent Baker, was posted Wednesday night on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ] Tapper's ABCNews.com matching article, "Hoosier Responsible? Clinton Decries China's Acquisition of Indiana Company -- Ignoring Her Husband's Role in the Sale," provides a lot more information on the matter and Clinton's claims, plus video of Tapper's story as it aired: abcnews.go.com Transcript of the story on the Wednesday, April 30 World News: CHARLES GIBSON: And as Hillary Clinton cris-crosses Indiana, ahead of next Tuesday's primary, one economic story about lost jobs and foreign competition has become a staple of her campaign stops. But it turns out to be a story with some holes in it. Our senior political correspondent, Jake Tapper, has been looking at that story. Jake?
JAKE TAPPER: Good evening, Charlie. Well in Indiana, Senator Clinton decries how the company Magnequench moved from Indiana to China in 2003. Magnequench makes high-tech magnets with defense applications, including in smart bombs. And now, China has a monopoly on the technology. But there's one key part of the story Senator Clinton tends to leave out: Her husband's role.
Paid By the Republicans' Jeremiah Wright is on the Republican "payroll" according to View co-host Joy Behar. Discussing the Reverend Wright controversy on the ABC daytime show, Behar offered her conspiracy theory of a Republican dirty trick: "I think Reverend Wright might be being paid by the Republicans. That's what I think." She soon exclaimed: "He's on the payroll!" This wasn't the first time Behar has hypothesized on the evil genius of the right. The daytime diva accused Republicans of causing Democratic Senator Tim Johnson's stroke. See the December 15, 2006 CyberAlert: www.mrc.org And in February she wondered if the "right-wing" planted the bogus McCain/Iseman story: www.mrc.org [This item was adapted from the NewsBusters blog post, with video, by the MRC's Justin McCarthy: newsbusters.org ] The controversy created a huge late morning fight as Elisabeth Hasselbeck strongly denounced Obama's ties and felt he should have cut off ties to Wright a long time ago. What set Obama off, according to Hasselbeck, were not the anti-American sermons, but that Wright called Obama a "politician." Goldberg and Behar sought to justify Obama's connection to Wright by pointing to despicable rhetoric by other pastors loosely associated with some Republicans. Goldberg noted Jerry Falwell blaming 9-11 on those advocating a more libertine society. Joy Behar mentioned John Hagee, who endorsed McCain, and blamed hurricane Katrina on a gay pride parade. Although these comments are indefensible, it does not justify Wright's extremist remarks and neither of these men were McCain's pastor for 20 years. Elisabeth Hasselbeck noted "that has nothing to do with McCain. Someone supporting you is not the same as you choosing someone for 20 years time and time again, different." From the April 30 show:
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Obama was upset yesterday. He was upset. And he called Reverend Wright divisive and destructive. And Reverend Wright is not backing down of course. But why is Obama taking all of the heat while Hillary's mistakes and McCain's mistakes have been sort of- we all said "yes you made a mistake, okay, you're fine you're fine." He said "I was, I made an error in judgment. I got away from the man." Then he disappeared. Wait a minute.
-- Brent Baker
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