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1. Matthews: Palin an Empty 'Vessel' for the Right Like Thomas? You'd think Chris Matthews would learn his lesson. During the Democratic convention he insulted Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell as "showcase appointments," only to apologize for it later. Then, on Tuesday's Hardball, recalling how with Clarence Thomas "they wanted to pick an African-American for the Supreme Court so they picked the kind they wanted, which was in this case a guy who was very conservative," Matthews asserted now "they" have chosen Sarah Palin, an empty "vessel" with no "independent thinking" of her own who "they can fill up with all this neo-conservative thinking." 2. ABC: McCain Would Help 'Wealthiest,' Obama to Cut Taxes for '95%' ABC reporter David Wright on Tuesday night, forced to summarize the tax plans of John McCain and Barack Obama in 30 seconds, described them through a distorted liberal prism. Though McCain wishes to continue all the income tax rates from the Bush tax cuts, with no hike or decrease for any income level, Wright asserted: "He'd make permanent the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans." No, for all Americans. Obama, Wright proceeded to report, "would raise taxes on the wealthy, people who make more than $250,000 a year, but cut them for most households." The text on screen, however, stated an impossibility: "Cut taxes on most households (95%)." That 95 percent is impossible since one-third of those who file with the IRS are "non-payers," people who end up paying no tax or get money back which exceeds their payments. Obama plans to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and create other credits. For those for whom the credits surpass their tax obligation, those are not tax cuts, but spending hikes or federal giveaways akin to welfare. 3. To McCain, CNN's Chetry Forwards Canard Obama Cuts Taxes for 90% CNN pressed Senators John McCain and Joe Biden about their campaigns' respective tax plans on Tuesday's American Morning during back-to-back interviews. Co-host Kiran Chetry questioned McCain from the left, citing the supposedly "non-partisan" Tax Policy Center that is actually run by two liberal organizations, the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, while her colleague John Roberts asked Biden about the "income redistribution" that is part of the Obama/Biden campaign's tax proposal. Chetry counted a McCain point by claiming "most of our independent economists say that Barack Obama is actually cutting taxes for about 90 percent of Americans," which is not possible since one-third pay no income tax. 4. Smith Tells McCain Regulation Might've 'Helped Avert Crisis' On Tuesday's CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith interviewed John McCain about the recent collapse of Wall Street investment banks: "I want to make sure I have this straight now. Yesterday, on the campaign trail, you reiterated that you believe the fundamentals of the economy are strong. At the same time, we understand your campaign is issuing an ad that says the economy is in crisis. Which is it?" After McCain explained that he was referring to American workers, and that there is a crisis, Smith asked: "And the answer for which is what? Because throughout your campaign, you have said you are anti-regulation. Would not oversight have helped avert this crisis?" 5. NBC Presses McCain's Consistency, Questions Biden from Right In the midst of declaring the present economic troubles as comparable to the Great Depression, NBC's Today interviewed both John McCain and Joe Biden on Tuesday morning. Matt Lauer pressed against McCain's recent line that the economic fundamentals are strong: "But fundamentally speaking, isn't there something wrong with the fundamentals, right now, that's causing these nightmares that we're seeing?" Meredith Vieira asked Biden a tax question from the right: "You and Senator Obama are calling for tax increases on the wealthy and there are many economists who say that, that would hurt the economy even more." Biden objected as if the world never met a free-market economist: "I don't know any economist who is saying that." Vieira also asked why the Democrats aren't much further ahead with this gloomy economic outlook. 6. ABC Train Trip Day One: Liberal Guests Planned; Cuomo Hits Obama On day one of Good Morning America's five day train trip across America, host Diane Sawyer announced a slate of guests filled almost entirely of liberals. At the top of Monday's program, Sawyer touted a schedule that included Barack Obama on the 15th, Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, John and Cindy McCain together on Wednesday, Joe Biden on Thursday and Michelle Obama on Friday. For those keeping track, that's four liberal guests and one conservative duo. (Notice that Barack and Michelle Obama each get their own day, while the McCains appear jointly.) 7. CNN's Jack Cafferty Bashes Palin: 'Shades of President Bush' CNN commentator Jack Cafferty blasted Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on Tuesday's The Situation Room over her refusal to cooperate with the Alaska state legislature's investigation into the firing of Walt Monegan, the former Alaska public safety commissioner: "Palin is refusing to cooperate with the investigation -- shades of President Bush, right? Embarrassing investigation? Just refuse to cooperate and claim it's all someone else's fault." He later contended this move by the Alaska Governor "goes a long way toward explaining why Sarah Palin is reluctant to do interviews or hold news conferences." 8. CNN Features Student Who Mouths Stephanopoulos' Race Point CNN anchor Rich Sanchez, as part of his continuing interviews of first-time young voters, featured a Georgia Tech student on Monday's American Morning who made a liberal statement on race that was nearly identical to one made by George Stephanopoulos over a year ago. Ben Porter, who was identified on-screen as an Obama supporter, stated that "the people that can't accept a black man in the White House aren't the people who will vote for a liberal anyway in general. This is an almost-identical statement to one made by Stephanopoulos on May 13, 2007: "I guess I think that anyone who's not going to vote for Barack Obama because he is black isn't going to vote for a Democrat anyway." 9. Samuel L. Jackson Hopes U.S. Joins 'World Community' with Obama Actor Samuel L. Jackson came on Tuesday's edition of Live with Regis and Kelly to promote his latest movie, Lakeview Terrace, but couldn't resist getting in a plug for Barack Obama. The Pulp Fiction star told Regis Philbin that when he was at the Deauville Film Festival in France, nobody really wanted to talk showbiz, instead the festival goers asked him about the upcoming election: "They're all hoping that we come into the world community by electing, you know, Barack they say. So we hope so." The show went to an ad break before he could say any more.
the Right Like Thomas? You'd think Chris Matthews would learn his lesson. During the Democratic convention he insulted Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell as "showcase appointments," only to apologize for it later. Then, on Tuesday's Hardball, recalling how with Clarence Thomas "they wanted to pick an African-American for the Supreme Court so they picked the kind they wanted, which was in this case a guy who was very conservative," Matthews asserted now "they" have chosen Sarah Palin, an empty "vessel" with no "independent thinking" of her own who "they can fill up with all this neo-conservative thinking." [This item, by the MRC's Geoffrey Dickens, was posted Tuesday evening, with video, on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]
Matthews made the following charge during a discussion about Sarah Palin's readiness, on the September 16 Hardball on MSNBC: To read about Matthews insulting Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell, see the August 29 CyberAlert: www.mrc.org And for his apology: www.mrc.org
Obama to Cut Taxes for '95%' ABC reporter David Wright on Tuesday night, forced to summarize the tax plans of John McCain and Barack Obama in 30 seconds, described them through a distorted liberal prism. Though McCain wishes to continue all the income tax rates from the Bush tax cuts, with no hike or decrease for any income level, Wright asserted: "He'd make permanent the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans." No, for all Americans. Obama, Wright proceeded to report, "would raise taxes on the wealthy, people who make more than $250,000 a year, but cut them for most households." The text on screen, however, stated an impossibility: "Cut taxes on most households (95%)." That 95 percent is impossible since one-third of those who file with the IRS are "non-payers," people who end up paying no tax or get money back which exceeds their payments. Obama plans to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and create other credits. For those for whom the credits surpass their tax obligation, those are not tax cuts, but spending hikes or federal giveaways akin to welfare. A June report from the Tax Foundation listed 32.58 percent of IRS income tax returns for 2005 as "non-paying." See: www.taxfoundation.org In addition, Obama's plan calls for raising the 33 and 36 percent tax brackets. In 2008, those with an income as low as $100,150, not $250,000, paid at the 33 percent rate. See this Tax Foundation report from January. Tax Foundation report: www.taxfoundation.org [This item, by the MRC's Brent Baker, was posted Tuesday night on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ] Wright's September 16 story on how the two candidates approach the economy was the premiere of a new World News series: "What's the Difference"? Where Wright summarized their tax plans:
"Perhaps the sharpest difference between the two is on the taxes people pay. McCain believes cutting taxes across the board would promote economic growth. He'd make permanent the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, cut corporate taxes and double the personal exception for dependents. This is not the first time ABC has exaggerated how many would benefit from Obama's tax plan. The September 15 CyberAlert item, "Gibson Advanced to Palin What Hume Calls an Obama 'Dishonesty,'" recounted: Speaking of "dishonesty" in McCain's TV ads, on Fox News Sunday Brit Hume pointed out Barack "Obama goes around claiming he's going to cut the taxes of 95 percent of the public, which is literally impossible" since "40 percent of American taxpayers don't pay any income tax," but that hasn't stopped ABC (directly) and CBS (implicitly) in recent days from advancing that Obama claim as fact. Charles Gibson, in his third interview session with Sarah Palin excerpted on Friday's 20/20 and Nightline, stated that Obama will extend the "Bush tax cuts on everything but people who own or earn more than $250,000 a year -- cuts taxes on over 91 percent of the country." For the full previous CyberAlert article: www.mediaresearch.org CNN forwarded the same faulty exaggeration Tuesday morning as Kiran Chetry insisted to John McCain: "Most of our independent economists say that Barack Obama is actually cutting taxes for about 90 percent of Americans." (See CyberAlert item #3 below) Excerpts from a Tax Foundation summary of the McCain and Obama tax plans: McCain: - Continue the lower rates enacted in the 2001-03 tax cuts. - Increase the dependent exemption each year until it reaches $7,000 in 2016 (the 2016 level would be twice the level in 2009) - Phase out the AMT. - Maintain the 15% rate on capital gains and dividends. Obama: - Maintain the current 10, 15, 25, and 28 percent rates from the 2001-03 tax cuts, but allow the top two rates to expire (the 33 percent rate would rise to 36 percent; the 35 percent would rise to 39.6 percent). Eliminate all income taxation of seniors making less than $50,000 per year. - Create a new "Making Work Pay" refundable income tax credit of up to $500 per person or $1,000 per family. It would offset the payroll tax on the first $8,100 of earnings. - Create a 10 percent mortgage credit worth up to $800. - Give full-time workers making minimum wage an Earned Income Tax Credit benefit up to $555. If the workers are "responsibly supporting their children on child support," give those workers a benefit of $1,110. - Extend AMT patch. - Raise capital gains and dividends rates to somewhere between 20% and 28%, keeping them equal. PDF of the Tax Foundation's summary: taxfoundation.org
Obama Cuts Taxes for 90% CNN pressed Senators John McCain and Joe Biden about their campaigns' respective tax plans on Tuesday's American Morning during back-to-back interviews. Co-host Kiran Chetry questioned McCain from the left, citing the supposedly "non-partisan" Tax Policy Center that is actually run by two liberal organizations, the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, while her colleague John Roberts asked Biden about the "income redistribution" that is part of the Obama/Biden campaign's tax proposal. Chetry counted a McCain point by claiming "most of our independent economists say that Barack Obama is actually cutting taxes for about 90 percent of Americans," which is not possible since one-third pay no income tax. [This item, by Matthew Balan, was posted Tuesday afternoon on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ] For more on how the mainstream media loves citing the "non-partisan" Tax Policy Center, see the July 15, 2008 Worst of the Week item by MRC's Rich Noyes, "Obama's Liberal Buddies = 'Non-Partisan' Experts?" at: www.mrc.org Chetry interviewed McCain first, and asked the Arizona Senator to explain what he meant by saying that "the fundamentals of the economy are strong" and about regulation of businesses. She then brought up the issue of taxes: "I want to ask you about this, though, when it comes to tax policy -- the non-partisan Tax Policy Center calculated the middle class would actually save significantly more under Barack Obama's tax plan than yours. How will your tax cuts, as it breaks down on income level, benefit the working class and the middle class?" McCain didn't submit to the premise of the question, and answered that Obama actually wants to raise taxes and that he "has plans for increasing government spending dramatically." The CNN co-host then followed-up by citing that "most of our independent economists say that Barack Obama is actually cutting taxes for about 90 percent of Americans. Do you agree with that?" Obama plans to cut the taxes for about 90 percent of Americans? That figure sounds remarkably similar to the 95 percent figure Fox News Channel host Brit Hume shot down on Sunday's Fox News Sunday program: "Obama goes around claiming he's going to cut the taxes of 95 percent of the public, which is literally impossible" since "40 percent of American taxpayers don't pay any income tax." For more on Hume shooting down Obama's tax claim, see the September 15 CyberAlert item, "Gibson Advanced to Palin What Hume Calls an Obama 'Dishonesty'" at: www.mrc.org And for more on the same topic, check #2 above. During his interview of Biden, Roberts, after asking the Delaware Senator what he would to in response to the current financial trouble, asked about his campaign's proposed tax hikes on those who make more than $250,000. Biden first denied that this was the case, but when Roberts brought up the figure again, and Biden corrected himself. The CNN co-host then pressed Biden on the timing of such a raise: "With the economy the way it is right now, is this anytime to be raising taxes on anyone?" Biden answered, "We are transferring the tax cut. We're raising the tax on them by letting this tax expire and flipping that tax and giving it to the people who need it." Roberts shot back, "Right, and some people would say that's income redistribution." The Senator replied: "Well, I don't care what you call it -- the middle class is dying. John talks about the strength of the American worker. The American worker's been left out in the cold."
'Helped Avert Crisis' On Tuesday's CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith interviewed John McCain about the recent collapse of Wall Street investment banks: "I want to make sure I have this straight now. Yesterday, on the campaign trail, you reiterated that you believe the fundamentals of the economy are strong. At the same time, we understand your campaign is issuing an ad that says the economy is in crisis. Which is it?" After McCain explained that he was referring to American workers, and that there is a crisis, Smith asked: "And the answer for which is what? Because throughout your campaign, you have said you are anti-regulation. Would not oversight have helped avert this crisis?" Later, Smith asked: "Let me ask you this. Earlier this year on the campaign trail, you said -- or you admitted that you didn't know a lot about the economy. Why should voters trust you in these perilous times with the economy of the United States?" McCain responded: "You know, that's one of the interesting things about having long conversations. The point is, I was chairman of the Commerce Committee. Every part of America's economy, I oversighted. I have a long record, certainly far more extensive of being involved in our economy than Senator Obama does. I understand the economy. I know the issues-" At that point Smith interrupted: "Well, if that's the case, wouldn't you bear more responsibility for some of the crisis we're in then?" [This item, by the MRC's Kyle Drennen, was posted Tuesday afternoon on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ] Apparently Smith was skeptical of McCain having been the Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee for four years, from 1997 - 2001. As far as responsibility for the financial crisis, McCain had pointed out earlier in the interview: "Actually, a little -- two years ago, I warned that the oversight of Fannie and Freddie was, was terrible, that we were facing a crisis because of it, or certainly serious problems...But the influence that Fannie and Freddie had in the inside the beltway, old boy network, which led to this kind of corruption is unacceptable and I warned about it a couple of years ago." In fact, it was Democrats who blocked Bush administration proposals to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2003. 2003 New York Times article that detailed efforts by Democrats to block reforms: query.nytimes.com Following Smith's interview with McCain, co-host Maggie Rodriguez interviewed Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden: "Senator McCain just named some of the same culprits that you and Senator Obama blamed for this crisis yesterday, Wall Street greed and excess. And he called for a restructuring of oversight and regulation. You seem to be on the same page." Biden replied: "Well, it seems like John's had an epiphany. 9:00 yesterday morning John thought the economy was going great guns and the Bush Administration is doing well, and today he thinks it's in crisis." Rodriguez clarified McCain's statements: "But he said that the American worker is what's strong. That's what he meant and that's what he believes will dig us out. Do you disagree?" Biden then declared: "The American worker is not strong." He quickly added: "The American worker is strong, they've been betrayed. They've been betrayed by a tax policy that absolutely screws them, that, in fact, gives the money to the very wealthiest among us." Rodriguez later challenged Biden: " I think that this morning, Senator, people don't want to look back, they want to look ahead to the next four years...Will you take this opportunity to say specifically and clearly what you and Senator Obama will do to fix this? Give me two or three solutions, I know you've been working on them." Rodriguez even questioned Barack Obama's experience in being able to handle an economic crisis: "Let me ask you, finally, Senator Biden, what do you say to voters who wonder if, given the severity of this crisis right now, whether it's the right time to put their faith in a president that has no executive experience and just a handful of years in the Senate?" Biden again lashed out: "I'd say take a look at who they put there -- who, in fact, has had their hand on the wheel the last eight years. Take a look at that. You want four more years of George W. Bush and the laissez faire policies of John McCain...Who got us in this hole? Whose policies? This has been a Republican philosophy of letting Wall Street do what they want and the middle class be dammed...If I sounds like I'm angry, I am fighting mad for the middle class people who have been the scapegoat of this economy because of the policies of the McCains and the Bushes."
Biden from Right In the midst of declaring the present economic troubles as comparable to the Great Depression, NBC's Today interviewed both John McCain and Joe Biden on Tuesday morning. Matt Lauer pressed against McCain's recent line that the economic fundamentals are strong: "But fundamentally speaking, isn't there something wrong with the fundamentals, right now, that's causing these nightmares that we're seeing?" Meredith Vieira asked Biden a tax question from the right: "You and Senator Obama are calling for tax increases on the wealthy and there are many economists who say that, that would hurt the economy even more." Biden objected as if the world never met a free-market economist: "I don't know any economist who is saying that." Vieira also asked why the Democrats aren't much further ahead with this gloomy economic outlook. [MRC's Tim Graham summarized the coverage as monitored by analyst Geoff Dickens. This was first posted on the MRC's blog, Newsbusters.org: newsbusters.org ] After the show's introductory sequence, Lauer declared himself the paperboy for a moment, relaying the New York newspaper headlines including: "The Daily News likes shorter and snappier. They simply say: 'Shock Market.' They're calling this the biggest shakeup in financial markets since The Great Depression." A few minutes later, NBC turned to reporter Andrea Mitchell for a summary of the current political state of play, and she included a freebie clip of the latest Obama ad mocking McCain for saying the fundamentals are strong. She stressed: "Traditionally, voters turn to Democrats on pocketbook issues, but so far not this year." That's a weird sentence just two years after twelve years of Republican majorities in the House and (for most of that time) Senate. It's also weird if you remember the Carter administration. Matt Lauer interviewed John McCain, and like the other networks, questioned how McCain could say the economic fundamentals are strong, and also say the economy's in crisis. McCain said the fundamentals were the American worker, to which Lauer replied: It sounds like a populist tone you're taking on here. "Workers are great," obviously you want them to vote for you. "It's all the problem of the fat cats." But fundamentally speaking isn't there something wrong with the fundamentals, right now, that's causing these nightmares that we're seeing?
McCain blamed the problem squarely on Washington, for an outmoded regulatory system from the 1930s. Lauer also asked another question about McCain's policy consistency: That's a reasonable question, politely phrased. McCain then sounded less than libertarian, referring to himself as a Teddy Roosevelt Republican: "Teddy Roosevelt believed that we needed a government that can function, an economy can function without government interference, but he also said, 'Unfettered capitalism can breed corruption.' We're seeing Teddy Roosevelt's words come true. If Lauer were asking questions from the right, he would ask how the current situation, with failing government-sponsored enterprises like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are "unfettered capitalism," but Lauer didn't drag out Democratic talking points and suggest this was all the fault of Bush or Republicans. NBC also didn't use Republican talking points about reforms being blocked by Democratic overseers like Chris Dodd and Barney Frank. Vieira interviewed Biden. She asked several neutral questions about whether he favored an AIG bailout, then asked this:
VIEIRA: Meanwhile, Senator, you and Senator Obama are calling for tax increases on the wealthy and there are many economists who say that, that would hurt the economy even more. So what specifically-
VIEIRA: Senator we've had eight years of Republicans in the White House, now we have an economic crisis. You would think that the Democrats would be, people would be rushing over to the Democrats. But if you look at the Gallup poll before the conventions, Obama campaign had a 16 point lead over the McCain campaign on economic issues, that has just dropped to three points in the past week Why do you think that is?
Planned; Cuomo Hits Obama On day one of Good Morning America's five day train trip across America, host Diane Sawyer announced a slate of guests filled almost entirely of liberals. At the top of Monday's program, Sawyer touted a schedule that included Barack Obama on the 15th, Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, John and Cindy McCain together on Wednesday, Joe Biden on Thursday and Michelle Obama on Friday. For those keeping track, that's four liberal guests and one conservative duo. (Notice that Barack and Michelle Obama each get their own day, while the McCains appear jointly.) The journey on the rails, which GMA has dubbed the "Whistle-Stop Tour '08," began in several towns in Massachusetts. Three segments revolved around Sawyer and fellow co-hosts Chris Cuomo and Robin Roberts talking with either residents or patrons of various restaurants. And while many of the Americans highlighted expressed concerns that no one would disagree, the ABC program also included a number of liberal perspectives and only one that could be called vaguely conservative. (Massachusetts resident Richard Bonito mentioned security and the need for a strong defense.) Resident Frank Algerio called for a "cap" on high gas prices. One Nicky Vaughn hoped the next president would pull troops from Iraq. No anchor or host pointed out the extremely left-wing make-up of the state either. [This item, by the MRC's Scott Whitlock, was posted Monday afternoon on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ] While there has certainly been a share of bad economic news lately, GMA's Sawyer talked to an older man who remembered FDR. She hyperbolically asserted that he had lived through "another time of economic crisis." On the positive side, co-host Cuomo should be credited for actually conducting a somewhat tough interview with Democrat Barack Obama. For that interview, Cuomo first hit the Illinois Senator for not meeting John McCain in a series of town hall meetings: "Why don't you pick up the phone to him and say, what are you doing next week? How about Tuesday?" He then forcefully critiqued the candidate on a new ad which seems to portray McCain as elderly and out of touch:, "Now, we see these new ads coming out calling McCain an old man. Saying he can't use a computer." Not getting a clear answer, Cuomo followed up twice. First he pointed out: "But the ad is a negative ad. You paint him as an old man. You say he can't use a computer. He's never sent an e-mail. What does that all mean?" Then, the journalist then queried: "So, no apologies for that ad?" A follow-up interview included questions about whether or not Hillary Clinton would have been a stronger vice presidential candidate for Obama. Overall, GMA should be commended for using the first day of its road trip to challenge Barack Obama. But, its announced line-up of guests for the week is decidedly liberal. Barack and Michelle Obama on different days? Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden? Couldn't the producers find more GOP representation than just one appearance by John and Cindy McCain? If primary challenger Clinton will be appearing, why not have on Republican Rudy Giuliani or Mitt Romney? A transcript of the September 15 Barack Obama interview, which aired at 7:13am: 7:01am tease DIANE SAWYER: This morning, we bring you Barack Obama. This week, John and Cindy McCain, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and more [Graphic reads: Barack Obama, Monday. Hillary Clinton, Tuesday. John and Cindy McCain, Wednesday. Joe Biden, Thursday. Michelle Obama, Friday.] As we begin our Whistle Stop Tour, 2008.
7:14
of President Bush' CNN commentator Jack Cafferty blasted Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on Tuesday's The Situation Room over her refusal to cooperate with the Alaska state legislature's investigation into the firing of Walt Monegan, the former Alaska public safety commissioner: "Palin is refusing to cooperate with the investigation -- shades of President Bush, right? Embarrassing investigation? Just refuse to cooperate and claim it's all someone else's fault." He later contended this move by the Alaska Governor "goes a long way toward explaining why Sarah Palin is reluctant to do interviews or hold news conferences." [This item, by The MRC's Matthew Balan, was posted Tuesday evening on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ] Cafferty then gave some details over this refusal: "Palin says the probe has been hijacked by the Obama campaign for political gain. But Monegan was fired and this investigation began long before Palin was ever named to the Republican ticket, clear back in July. The Obama campaign denies the accusation. McCain's people say that Palin will not cooperate with the investigation because it is 'tainted.' They insist Monegan was fired because of insubordination." The McCain/Palin campaign might have a point about the investigation being "tainted," since the Democratic state senator heading the so-called Troopergate investigation, Hollis French, officially endorsed Obama in July, the same month as the beginning of the investigation. He is also pictured on the Obama campaign website in front of Obama '08 signs and behind a podium with the Obama logo on it. When Alaska State Representative John Coghill, a Republican, petitioned the Legislative Council of the Alaska legislature which appointed French to remove the Democrat from the probe, his request was turned down. For more on French's endorsement of Obama and the picture of him from the Obama campaign website, see "Troopergate: Meet the Investigators" off the "Health Care BS" blog: www.healthcarebs.com For more on Coghill's request that was turned down, see the September 8, 2008 unsigned Associated Press article, "Alaska senator to retain oversight of Palin probe," at: ap.google.com On Monday, Palin's lawyer, Thomas Van Flein, released a 19-page brief, as reported by the Anchorage Daily News. In this brief, Van Flein revealed that Monegan had participated in a press conference with the same Senator French, in which the two pushed an alternative budget plan to the governor's proposed state budget. This is one of several cases in which Monegan display insubordination on budget manners, according to Van Flein, and what Cafferty was probably referring to in his monologue. For more on Van Flein's brief, see the September 15, 2008 from the Anchorage Daily News by Wesley Loy, "Palin accuses Monegan of insubordination," at: www.adn.com After giving his "Sarah Palin is reluctant to do interviews or hold news conferences" statement, Cafferty asked his Question of the Hour: "What does it mean that Governor Sarah Palin is refusing to cooperate with the investigation into the firing of her public safety commissioner?" At the end of the hour, he read some of the responses to the question, and all but one of the slammed Palin in this manner, except the last, which cynically quipped that the governor "is better prepared to be vice president than any of us thought," since she has apparently been "taught the values of 'executive privilege,' and is apparently a quick learner." The full transcript of Cafferty's monologue, which began 8 minutes into the 4 pm Eastern of Tuesday's The Situation Room, and the viewer's responses to his question, which came just before the top of the 5 pm Eastern hour:
JACK CAFFERTY: Governor Sarah Palin is being investigated by lawmakers in her home state of Alaska. At issue -- Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan and whether he was fired because he refused to pink-slip a state trooper who divorced Palin's sister. But Palin is refusing to cooperate with the investigation -- shades of President Bush, right? Embarrassing investigation? Just refuse to cooperate and claim it's all someone else's fault.
JACK CAFFERTY: Marie in Minnesota writes, 'The woman is ridiculous. She won't answer questions from the media. She won't answer questions from the voters, and she won't answer questions related to this investigation. It's obvious she is not prepared to be vice president. At some point, the American public deserves to have their questions answered.'
Race Point CNN anchor Rich Sanchez, as part of his continuing interviews of first-time young voters, featured a Georgia Tech student on Monday's American Morning who made a liberal statement on race that was nearly identical to one made by George Stephanopoulos over a year ago. Ben Porter, who was identified on-screen as an Obama supporter, stated that "the people that can't accept a black man in the White House aren't the people who will vote for a liberal anyway in general. This is an almost-identical statement to one made by Stephanopoulos on May 13, 2007: "I guess I think that anyone who's not going to vote for Barack Obama because he is black isn't going to vote for a Democrat anyway." [This item, by the MRC's Matthew Balan, was posted Monday afternoon on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ] For more on Stephanopoulos' statement on Obama, see the May 14, 2007 CyberAlert item, "Stephanopoulos: Only Republicans Against Obama Because He's Black," at: www.mrc.org The panel of Georgia Tech students interviewed by Sanchez all had positive views of Obama, even the one identified McCain supporter and those who were merely identified as "first-time voters" or independents. Pat Swelgin, the lone student identified as a McCain supporter, had a glowing statement about Democratic candidate's oratory: "Barack Obama is such an eloquent speaker and very powerful, and if you see him live, you'll almost like, you want to be his best friend." On the other hand, Porter wondered about how little has been mentioned of Obama's time as a community organizer: "You know, we've heard since he became a major national candidate that he was a community organizer in Chicago.... I haven't seen any tangible piece of what that created. You know, what did he organize?...What did he do for a long time?" Later, Sanchez first hinted at the issue of race in the campaign: "Barack Obama doesn't look like the guy that central casting would send over if you asked them for someone to play a presidential role -- right? Everybody agree?" After a few quick responses in agreement, Swelgin became more overt about the race factor: "And still, you get a lot of older people in the South that will throw out the 'N' word all the time." Sanchez then cut to Porter's "black man in the White House" statement. There were actually two Obama supporters on the panel of students, but the other, Amechi Okoh, was only identified as a "first-time voter." She followed Porter's liberal talking point by playing up the excitement factor over the Democrat: "Barack Obama has earned a lot of the young people's vote. We don't really feel that way as far as McCain....I'm excited because of Barack Obama..." While Porter was identified by an on-screen graphic as an Obama supporter, it only appeared on-screen for four seconds, and he was identified only seven seconds later as merely a "first-time voter." The same thing happened when McCain supporter Swelgin was first identified on-screen. Earlier in April 2008, in one of his earlier "League of First-Time Voters" segments, Sanchez asked a series of leading questions to a group of Muslim students. The same month, NewsBusters blogger Warner Todd Huston recounted how Sanchez took a confrontational stance towards conservative Penn State students he interviewed for his series. For more on Sanchez's segment with Muslim college students, see the April 29 CyberAlert item, "CNN's Sanchez Asks Leading Questions of Young Muslims Voters," at: www.mrc.org The full transcript of Rick Sanchez's panel discussion with Georgia Tech students, which aired 19 minutes into the 6 am Eastern hour of Monday's American Morning program:
KIRAN CHETRY: First-time voters could have a major impact on the presidential race. CNN's Rick Sanchez has been following this group in his ongoing series, and this morning he talks to Georgia Tech students who are paying close attention to each of the candidate's strengths and weaknesses.
Community' with Obama Actor Samuel L. Jackson came on Tuesday's edition of Live with Regis and Kelly to promote his latest movie, Lakeview Terrace, but couldn't resist getting in a plug for Barack Obama. The Pulp Fiction star told Regis Philbin that when he was at the Deauville Film Festival in France, nobody really wanted to talk showbiz, instead the festival goers asked him about the upcoming election: "They're all hoping that we come into the world community by electing, you know, Barack they say. So we hope so." The show went to an ad break before he could say any more. [This item, by the MRC's Geoffrey Dickens, was posted Tuesday afternoon on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ] The following exchange occurred on the September 16 edition of Live with Regis and Kelly:
REGIS PHILBIN: And it seems there's another Samuel L. Jackson movie coming out every, you know, every six months. You just got back from the Deauville Film Festival. IMDB's rundown of Jackson's film career: www.imdb.com
-- Brent Baker
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