Tag Archives: Breaking News

Susan Powell update missing body

Posted on September 14, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

The latest report that kept Susan Powell#39;s family on an emotional roller-coaster was that the body “generally matches” her description: a woman in her 30s about 5 feet tall with short, brown hair, according to the Albany County (Wyo.) Sheriff#39;s Office. For Susan Cox Powell#39;s family, the discovery of a woman#39;s body of about the same age and size of the missing Utah woman offered neither comfort nor hope of closure. “We have been through this process several times with other bodies a

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Susan Powell update missing body

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Center for Responsive Politics: Journalists Give to Dems Over GOP By Nearly 2 to 1 Margin

Posted on September 14, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Outrage over political donations by Fox News’s parent company News Corp. always seemed like a bit of a stretch when it implied that those contributions affected Fox’s political coverage. Many news media outlets are owned by larger companies. Those companies’ activities don’t ipso facto affect news coverage at their media subsidiaries. So when NewsBusters pointed out that 88 percent of political donations from employees of the three TV news networks went to Democrats, it was really just to note the double standard at work (surely, numerous employees have nothing to do with the news operations). New data revealed by the Center for Responsive Politics, however, suggests a real bias at play. According to Meghan Wilson, who writes for the Center’s site OpenSecrets.org, 65 percent of donations from 235 self-identified journalists have gone to Democrats this cycle. Wilson reported (h/t ): Hayes is one of 235 people who identified themselves on government documents as journalists, or as working for news organizations, who together have donated more than $469,900 to federal political candidates, committees and parties during the 2010 election cycle, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis indicates. People identifying themselves as working for hard news outlets such as the Washington Post, the New York Times, the New York Post, News Corp., Vanity Fair and Reuters are among the listed donors. Also listed are employees from outlets offering lighter fare — ESPN, Vogue — or community news. Some have donated thousands of dollars. The average contribution per person identified is eight times Hayes’ amount, and because of some big-spending media professionals, that number is slightly skewed upwards — with the median amount donated coming in at $500. Sixty-five percent of all identified donations went to Democrats, the Center’s research indicates. Unlike either the News Corp. “controversy” or the numbers concerning network employees, these donation figures demonstrate a clear political slant among those who actually report the news. In other words, if you “follow the money,” as many Fox-haters are wont to do, it leads to a clear liberal bias among the nation’s most prominent journalists.

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George Stephanopoulos: Should Threat of Koran Burning Make Us Rethink First Amendment?

Posted on September 14, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on Tuesday wondered if a Florida pastor’s threat to burn a Koran could “change” and “challenge” the meaning of the First Amendment. [MP3 audio here .] Talking to Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, the Good Morning America host speculated, “When you think about the internet and when you think about the possibility that, you know, a pastor in Florida with a flock of 30, can threaten to burn the Koran and that leads to riots and killings in Afghanistan, does that pose a challenge to the First Amendment, to how you interpret it?” Stephanopoulos followed-up, ” Does [the threat of the Koran burning] change the nature of what we can allow and protect?” The ABC host didn’t explain expand on how the First Amendment “changes” in light of an unpopular action such as a Koran burning. Stephanopoulos, a former top aide to Bill Clinton, fawned over Breyer, a judge selected for the Supreme Court by the same Democratic President. The justice was appearing on the show to promote his new book on democracy. Stephanopoulos gushed, “I love the title of this new book, Making Our Democracy Work. And that’s not only the title of the book, but it’s also your mission. And you believe for that to happen, people have to understand our institutions and be engaged with them.” A transcript of the segment, which aired at 8:41am EDT, follows: GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: The national and international debate over that Florida pastor who threatened to burn the Koran hit a boiling point last week. And for now, the issue is being batted around the court of public opinion. But it could end up in a court of law. Perhaps, even, the Supreme Court. That’s one of the topics I discussed with Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, when he stopped by to discuss his new book, Making our Democracy Work. I love the title of this new book, Making Our Democracy Work. And that’s not only the title of the book, but it’s also your mission. And you believe for that to happen, people have to understand our institutions and be engaged with them. SUPREME COURT JUSTICE STEPHEN BREYER: Yes. STEPHANOPOULOS: How do they do it? BREYER: Well, the first step is to know what it is that we do, know how your legislature works, how your governor works, how your mayors work, how your courts work. STEPHANOPOULOS: You also in this book plumb, I guess what you call something of a mystery, because it didn’t have to turn out that way, that we built up in our tradition, the norm that when the Supreme Court decides something, the public tends to follow. BREYER: There’s a history in this country, of bad events and marvelous events. And over time, it’s led to a general acceptance of the court, of having the last word on most constitutional issues, even when they are wrong. STEPHANOPOULOS: That was really tested that idea, when you were sitting on Bush V. Gore, the 2000 election, you wrote at the time, you were against it. BREYER: Yes, I was. STEPHANOPOULOS: You said it was a self-inflicted wound that hurt the court. BREYER: Yes. STEPHANOPOULOS: But, you also point out, and you’re write about this in your book, that one of the most remarkable things about this divisive case that decided, in many ways, a presidential election, was that the people accepted that. BREYER: I heard Senator Reid say that. STEPHANOPOULOS: The Democratic leader in the Senate. BREYER: Yes. He said one of the most remarkable about that case is one of the things least remarked. Nobody remarks it because it’s so natural. Here is a case that’s very unpopular, that in my opinion, as a dissenter, was wrong . And yet, the public did not start shooting each other. STEPHANOPOULOS: How do you explain that? BREYER: I explain that. That’s a really good question. You have to learn about history in the United States. We had a Civil War. We’ve had 80 years of legal segregation. We’ve had many ups and downs. But over time, the public has come to accept the need to have an institution that will protect minority rights. STEPHANOPOULOS: One of the tangible symbols that expresses this idea that the institutions have to work together, is the idea that every year, you all, members of the court, go to the President’s State of the Union address. It became a remarkable moment, when President Obama criticized the Citizens United case, where you were actually on the same side as President Obama. You were in the minority. But, he criticized the case. And Justice Alito got visibly upset. It provoked this reaction from chief Justice Roberts. I want to show you this. SUPREME COURT JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS: The image of having the members of one branch of government, standing up, literally surrounding the Supreme Court, cheering and hollering, while the court, according to the requirements of protocol, has to sit there expressionless, I find troubling. STEPHANOPOULOS: Did you find it troubling? BREYER: I’ve been there for a while. [Laughs] As you have in your job, people say all kinds of things about someone in public life. Sometimes they agree. Sometimes they disagree. My job is not to say things that criticize me or others on our court. My job is to do it as best I can. STEPHANOPOULOS: But, he’s walked away from that saying, perhaps he won’t go in the future. Justice O’Connor when I talked to her about it in the future says she would rethink her attendance. Does it make you rethink your tradition of going? BREYER: No, no. STEPHANOPOULOS: Why not? BREYER: Because I think the reason that I want to go, and I think that the reason we should be there, is because, particularly today, where for better or for worse, people get lots of their information visually. It shows in that room, this is your federal government. The President is there. The cabinet is there. The, the Congress is there. The Joint Chiefs are there. And I’d like some of the judges to be there, too, because the judges have a role in this government. STEPHANOPOULOS: Even if you’re the only one there. BREYER: Even if I’m the only one, I’ll be the only one. But, I’ll do that because I believe very, very strongly in this. STEPHANOPOULOS: You know, when we spoke several years ago, you talked about how the process of globalization was changing our understanding of the law. When you think about the internet and when you think about the possibility that, you know, a pastor in Florida with a flock of 30, can threaten to burn the Koran and that leads to riots and killings in Afghanistan, does that pose a challenge to the First Amendment, to how you interpret it? Does it change the nature of what we can allow and protect? BREYER: Well, in a sense, yes. In a sense, no. People can express their views in debate. No matter how awful those views are. In debate. A conversation. People exchanging ideas. That’s the model. So that, in fact, we are better informed when we cast that ballot. Those core values remain. How they apply can- STEPHANOPOULOS: The conversation is now global. BREYER: Indeed. And you can say, with the internet, you can say this. Holmes said, it doesn’t mean you can shout fire in a crowded theater. Well, what is it? Why? Well people will be trampled to death. What is the crowded theater today? What is- STEPHANOPOULOS: That’s exactly my question. BREYER: Yes. Well, perhaps that will be answered by- if it’s answered, by our court. It will be answered over time, in a series of cases, which force people to think carefully. That’s the virtue of cases. STEPHANOPOULOS: When we last spoke, when you wrote your last book, you had been on the court for about ten years. Yet, you were still the junior justice. BREYER: I was. STEPHANOPOULOS: That’s no longer true. You now have Justice Sotomayor. Soon, Justice Kagan is going to be joining you as well. You talked about how before your first session of court, you were nervous. I was just wondering if you have advice for Justice Kagan as she prepares for that. BREYER: She will be nervous. But, don’t worry about it. There’s no way not to be nervous. For quite a while, the cases- now, they will be final. There’s no one to appeal to. And there is an instinct of everyone to be a little uncertain. To be a little unsure about whether my views, in my case, will I be able to answer these decently? Will I make some terrible mistake? I surely hope not. And that lasts for a while. It takes a while to adjust. STEPHANOPOULOS: Justice Breyer, thanks very much.

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CBS Analyst Marks 9/11 By Hoping For ‘Backlash’ Against Ground Zero Mosque Opponents

Posted on September 14, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

On the September 11th Saturday Early Show, CBS News Middle East analyst Reza Aslan slammed opponents of the Ground Zero mosque as having “unapologetically politicized” 9/11 and being part of a “whole wave of anti-Muslim sentiment.” While he denounced others for trying to “take advantage of this symbol for their own political purposes,” Aslan made his comments only seconds after live coverage of the first moment of silence for victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks. Co-host Chris Wragge accepted Aslan’s characterization of the controversy and responded: “…this is not an opportunity to add controversy into the mix. If there’s one day, you know what, to keep our mouths quiet and let’s just reflect on the lives lost, today is it, you don’t mess with that.” Aslan followed up by admitting: “I’ll be honest with you, I hope that there is kind of a backlash against what’s going on right now. As you know, at 1pm today there’ll be a rally in support of the so-called Park 51 project, at 3pm there’ll be this international rally against it. So, I’m hoping that Americans all over the country see these images and think we’ve gone too far.” He later specifically condemned mosque opponents: “…particularly in the case of this sort of international anti-Islam rally that’s being brought by this group called Stop Islamization of America. And they’re inviting all these European anti-Muslim politicians in to speak. I mean, that’s really now taking this to a whole other level.”    Wragge also brought up Florida Pastor Terry Jones’s initial plans to burn the Koran on Saturday which were later cancelled: “It just seems as though we’re kind of, I don’t know, exacerbating some negative stereotypes that exist out there. I mean, can Muslims look at what’s going on here and say we can take – we can maybe hopefully take a positive away from this at some point?” Aslan replied: “I think Muslims in the United States can….Now, if you’re in Egypt or Syria, you don’t see that part. As far as you’re concerned, this isn’t about a crazy pastor, this is about America and anti-Islam fervor in the United States.” At the top of the broadcast, Wragge interviewed Dr. Zuhdi Jassar, a Muslim scholar opposed to the Ground Zero mosque. Jasser proposed a very different course of action from Aslan: “…it’s time for Muslims to look less about promoting ourselves, less about victimology, and more about feeling the pain of the families of 9/11 and understanding what we have to do to repair the house of Islam.” Wragge still attempted to mischaracterize mosque opposition: “Do you feel that – that since 9/11 America has become Islamophobic, so to speak?” Jasser replied: “I have to tell you absolutely not. I do think that we’re becoming – we’re getting a crash course on Islam and I we think we Muslims have to do more work to separate spiritual Islam of the faith that we love from political Islam that creates the Nidal Hasans, the Faisal Shahzads and has a continuum from moderate to radical…. It’s a fight within the house of Islam that we need to focus in and not just focus on victimology.” Here is a full transcript of Aslan’s rant: 8:46AM SEGMENT: CHRIS WRAGGE: You’re looking at live pictures of Ground Zero. Nine years ago today, American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center right there. Every year on September 11th at this time we pause to reflect those who lost their lives at Ground Zero, this is the first of four moments of silence. The next will be at 9:03, when the second tower was struck and then again, the two later moments of silence will correspond with the times that the towers fell. Reza Aslan is with us right now, our Middle East expert here at CBS, to talk a bit about the way the world has changed here the last nine years with what’s been going on, especially here the last few weeks, with this controversy of the Islamic center downtown. And let’s begin with that. Your thoughts on what’s transpired and how now, you know, with this Pastor Jones, how it’s really kind of taken on a life of its own here. REZA ASLAN: Well, I think the thing that’s most surprising to a lot of Americans is the way in which 9/11, and particularly Ground Zero, has become so unapologetically politicized in a way that, I think, is surprising to a lot of Americans. That would have been surprising even a year ago. Now, what is the cause for that? Some might say that the Islamic community center, you know, sparked this whole wave of anti-Muslim sentiment but I think maybe we’re far enough away, nine years now, where people do feel like they can take advantage of this symbol for their own political purposes. WRAGGE: You think, though, that’s a big chance to take? Because the one thing that I’m hearing, especially talking from a lot of people not only down in the area, living here in the city, but also family members that say, you know, this is a day of remembrance, reflection, this is a day that changed the world as we know it now, this is not an opportunity to add controversy into the mix. If there’s one day, you know what, to keep our mouths quiet and let’s just reflect on the lives lost, today is it, you don’t mess with that.   ASLAN: And you know I’ll be honest with you, I hope that there is kind of a backlash against what’s going on right now. As you know, at 1pm today there’ll be a rally in support of the so-called Park 51 project, at 3pm there’ll be this international rally against it. So, I’m hoping that Americans all over the country see these images and think we’ve gone too far. This is just too far now. No matter where you fit on this controversy. REBECCA JARVIS: And what’s the end game, then? ASLAN: Well, I think, you know, people are just going to continue to use this to fuel their own political or economic, you know, ideologies, as it is. And I do believe that Mayor Bloomberg said something very interesting. He said that by this time next year, we’ll have the memorial finished. And I do think that once that’s done, then there will no longer be this void, this vacuum, this space that can be filled up with other people’s notions and other people’s ideas. Let’s hope so, anyway. WRAGGE: Today, with these protests that will be going on, those in support, those that are not in favor of this Islamic center downtown at 51 Park, do you think it takes away from what we’re really supposed to be focusing our attention on here? ASLAN: Most definitely. And, you know, particularly in the case of this sort of international anti-Islam rally that’s being brought by this group called Stop Islamization of America. And they’re inviting all these European anti-Muslim politicians in to speak. I mean, that’s really now taking this to a whole other level. The point of this is remembrance, mourning, if anything, we should be coming together as different religions and different ethnicities. JARVIS: I- WRAGGE: I’m sorry. It just seems as though we’re kind of, I don’t know, exacerbating some negative stereotypes that exist out there. I mean, can Muslims look at what’s going on here and say we can take – we can maybe hopefully take a positive away from this at some point? ASLAN: I think Muslims in the United States can. In fact, one of the things that’s most remarkable about this stunt with the Koran burning in Florida, is the enormous response of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian leaders that have come together and really wanted to use this as a way of promoting interfaith cooperation. Now, if you’re in Egypt or Syria, you don’t see that part. As far as you’re concerned, this isn’t about a crazy pastor, this is about America and anti-Islam fervor in the United States. That’s a real problem, we’re engaged in two wars. JARVIS: Reza, thank you. We appreciate you being with us and we will be right back. Here is a full transcript of Wragge’s interview with Jasser: 7:06AM ET SEGMENT: CHRIS WRAGGE: One Muslim scholar is sharply critical of the planned Islamic Community Center and prayer room near Ground Zero. Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser is president of the Islamic Forum for Democracy in Phoenix. Dr. Jasser, thank you for joining us this morning. We appreciate it. ZUHDI JASSER [PRESIDENT, AMERICAN ISLAMIC FORUM FOR DEMOCRACY]: Thanks for having me. It’s a pleasure. WRAGGE: Let me ask you if you heard a second ago, in Elaine Quijano’s piece, there are two competing rallies at Ground Zero today adding controversy to this – this sacred day. How do you feel that this situation can be calmed, if at all? [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Ground Zero Divided; Rallies Planned For And Against Islamic Center] JASSER: Yeah, I think today is – especially a day as we remember and reflect upon 9/11 and –  and looking over that pit of devastation there and feeling that – and today, we look through that lens as Americans, not as a Muslim, not as of any faith. I – I don’t look through this lens of trying to repair my – trying to promote Islam. It’s about fighting the forces that caused this. And I think if we’re able to unite under that. That’s why 71% of Americans are against this. It’s not because they don’t want mosques there, there’s even other mosques closer. Many of us have built over 2,000 mosques in the United States with very little problem. And – but I think what unites us is the freedoms and liberties that our Constitution gives us and it’s time for Muslims to look less about promoting ourselves, less about victimology, and more about feeling the pain of the families of 9/11 and understanding what we have to do to repair the house of Islam. WRAGGE: You’re a Muslim. You’ve seen this controversy. Do you feel that – that since 9/11 America has become Islamophobic, so to speak? JASSER: I have to tell you absolutely not. I do think that we’re becoming – we’re getting a crash course on Islam and I we think we Muslims have to do more work to separate spiritual Islam of the faith that we love from political Islam that creates the Nidal Hasans, the Faisal Shahzads and has a continuum from moderate to radical. That’s what we have to do to separate them. And there’s some confusion there, understandably, because it’s not a binary equation of good Muslim non-violent, bad Muslim violent. There’s a continuum that’s confusing. But that is some part of the educational process, part of the war of ideas that we have to fight within. This isn’t a fight between Islam and Christianity or Islam and the West. It’s a fight within the house of Islam that we need to focus in and not just focus on victimology. WRAGGE: Can I ask you your – your thoughts on why there was such a visceral reaction to – to Pastor Jones? JASSER: Well, because, book burning has never been anything that’s been followed by anything good in history. Book burning is something that is clearly against the Constitution and the First Amendment and shows a complete disrespect and he’s a speck of humanity of just thirty congregants and doesn’t represent America. But yet, he feeds into the Islamist narrative overseas, across the world, that America is against Islam, America is against Muslims. So he used it to have his fifteen minutes of fame- WRAGGE: Yeah. JASSER: -and it fed into that narrative. WRAGGE: Alright. Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, thank you very much for taking the time. We appreciate it. JASSER: Thank you for having me. WRAGGE: Alright.

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ABC News Exec Joins Left Wing Firm Which Boasts ‘Far-Reaching Role’ in Electing Obama

Posted on September 14, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Emily Lenzner, Executive Director of Communications at ABC News for its DC-based shows, who spent eight months in 2007-2008 as editorial producer for This Week with George Stephanopoulos (for whom she also toiled inside the Clinton White House) , has left ABC News for Anita Dunn ‘s “strategic communications firm.” SKDKnickerbocker announced Monday she’ll be a Managing Director with the firm led by Dunn, the Obama administration’s Communications Director in 2009. SKDKnickerbocker’s “About” page boasts: We helped Barack Obama by being the only firm in America to do direct mail and television advertising for his 2008 presidential victory. We helped SEIU fight to stave off millions of dollars of healthcare cuts. Their “ Case Studies” page , which touts work for a bunch of liberal candidates, highlights “FAR-REACHING ROLE IN ELECTION: Obama for America.” That page trumpets : “No other firm had as far-reaching a role in President Obama’s election…with Anita Dunn serving as one of the top officials of the campaign and the firm producing both television advertising and direct mail for the campaign.” The firm’s press release on Lenzner hailed her revolving door spins: “A Washington native, Lenzner’s career has spanned the worlds of politics and media from the Clinton White House and New York politics to broadcast news and the entertainment and digital media industries.” Lenzner’s revolving comes a month after Jennifer Loven , an 18-year AP veteran and the wire service’s chief White House correspondent, decided to put her communications talents to work for The Glover Park Group, a DC-based “strategic communications firm” founded in 2001 by a bunch of Clinton and Gore staffers, most prominently Joe Lockhart, who found themselves unemployed after the 2000 election. (Obama-media revolving door list: Complete list, now up to 17 . Loven and Lenzner, however, are not on the list since neither worked in the Obama administration or campaign, though both are now working for firms advancing his agenda.) Lenzner’s resume, as recounted in the press release: Emily Lenzner has spent most of her career in media and politics with an expertise in strategic communications and media affairs. Most recently Emily served as the Executive Director of Media Relations for ABC News in Washington, where she was responsible for all public relations and communications for This Week with Christiane Amanpour, Nightline, and ABC’s Washington Bureau. In this role, she managed all PR for Ms. Amanpour and previously Jake Tapper and George Stephanopoulos; Nightline’s current anchors and previously Ted Koppel; as well as ABC News’ political and DC-based on-air talent. Emily took a year off from ABC to run media relations for National Public Radio in Washington, where as the number two communications executive for the network, she established new procedures to make the company’s media relations efforts more streamlined and effective. Emily returned to ABC In 2007 to serve as George Stephanopoulos’ editorial producer on This Week for eight months in 2007 and 2008 before returning to ABC’s communications department. Prior to her first tour at ABC, Emily was an account director at Fenton Communications in New York, where she managed clients, including off-shore wind power company BlueWaterWind and Russell Simmons and Andrew Cuomo’s partnership to repeal the Rockefeller Drug Laws. She was the press secretary for Tom Golisano during his 2002 campaign for New York Governor… From 1995 to 1997, Emily was the associate producer for the News at Noon at KIRO TV in Seattle. Before that she served as a White House staff assistant to George Stephanopoulos, when he was senior advisor to President Bill Clinton… In 2007, the MRC’s Tim Graham tipped me, Lenzner married Peter Cherukuri , Vice President and general manager of Huffington Post’s Washington, D.C. office .

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Vanessa Hudgens Can’t Hide Her Little Booty

Posted on September 13, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Here’s Vanessa Hudgens doing her best to hide herself from us so that she can sneak around in her tiny little short shorts without anyone noticing. Come on. Actually, I don’t really mind that she always tries to cover her face, it’s not like it’s her best feature, I’d be more annoyed if her kept covering up her ass or little breasts, this I can handle. Anyhow, breaking news, Hollywood hottie trying not to be recognized in short shorts and a retarded hat. Enjoy.

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Lady Gaga VMA outfit 2010

Posted on September 13, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Lady Gaga, wearing an outfit made of meat, poses in the photo room after winning eight awards at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles, California September 12, 2010. Lady Gaga said the controversial “meat” dress she wore at the MTV Video Music Awards was intended to make a statement. Winning eight prizes at Sunday#39;s ceremony, the glam pop performance artist chose to accept one of her statuettes wearing nothing but a raw, red meat dress with a matching purse, that became one of th

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Jealous? Al Sharpton Complains Media’s ‘Imbalanced and Unfair’ When Terry Jones Steals Spotlight

Posted on September 13, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Rev. Al Sharpton, last seen leading a small leftist counter-protest of Glenn Beck’s rally in Washington on August 28, complained on his radio show Friday that Rev. Terry Jones shouldn’t have gotten media attention because he’s doing “nothing but hatemongering.” (Al Sharpton, by contrast, is the Apostle of Love.) A lot of people wonder why we in civil rights get attention. Now we can produce our following and our members, tens of thousands of people at marches, all kind of stuff and we project an issue that helps people and they say we get too much media coverage. This guy in Florida is doing nothing but hatemongering, has fifty members on a good Sunday and the whole world is standing still. And y’all wonder why I say the media is imbalanced and unfair. Turning to Smokey Fontaine of the black website NewsOne.com, Sharpton complained that even Barack Obama was forced to address Jones at his press conference: But as everyone knows he has had to deal with this question of the Islamic Center that is being proposed in lower Manhattan and the threat by this Minister in Florida who I think has gotten unparalleled media attention globally. I mean now, I lead a national organization, have a national syndicated show, TV and radio and they ask why do I get press attention? This man has fifty followers and only because he’s going to burn some Bibles — I mean some Korans, which is the Bible in Islam — on hate, he gets world attention and the media doesn’t see a contradiction there. Many Americans would agree that Rev. Terry Jones didn’t deserve national attention for his stunt — and many of the same Americans would wish the same obscurity on the antics of the Rev. Al Sharpton.

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Jealous? Al Sharpton Complains Media’s ‘Imbalanced and Unfair’ When Terry Jones Steals Spotlight

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GOP Strategist Schools Ed Schultz and Former Air America Host

Posted on September 13, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Republican strategist Ron Christie on Monday demonstrated why Keith Olbermann is smart to not have conservatives on his program, for most MSNBC hosts are just not up to the challenge. Appearing on the “Ed Show” to address some comments Newt Gingrich recently made about President Obama, Christie refuted former Air America host Jack Rice’s contention that Gingrich was being racist. “I disagree with what he had to say this past weekend, but to suggest that the former Speaker of the House is trying to say, ‘Oh the President of the United States is black and and I’m white’ I think is so far out of bounds and so untrue,” scolded Christie. “This has to stop.”  Minutes later, when the host asked his Republican guest what the “con” was that Gingrich accused Obama of perpetrating on the American people, Christie hit the ball so far out of the park that by the end of the segment, his liberal antagonists were left laughing in astonishment (video follows with transcript and commentary):   JACK RICE, FORMER AIR AMERICA HOST: You don`t have to be a racist and disagree with this president, but when you start bringing up the question of him being born in Mombassa, Kenya, again and again and again, when all of the facts are clear, it seems to me, there`s only one reason that you would do that, it`s synonymous with racism, it just is. RON CHRISTIE, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I totally disagree with you. Look, I`ve known Speaker Gingrich for almost 20 years now. I know him to be a man of character and principle. I disagreed with what he say this past weekend, but to suggest that the former Speaker of the House is trying to say, oh the President of the United States is black and I’m white, I think is so far out of bounds and so untrue. This has to stop. You could disagree with the man on policy. (CROSSTALK) ED SCHULTZ, HOST: I`m curious. CHRISTIE: But has to stop. SCHULTZ: Gentlemen, I`m curious, Newt Gingrich calls President Obama a conman in an interview with “The National Review.” He says, “This is a person who is fundamentally out of touch with how the world works, who happened to have played a wonderful con, as a result, which he is now president.” What con? What are we talking about — what`s he talking about here, Ron? CHRISTIE: Well, the President of the United States said that he was going to change the tone of Washington and he was going to bring civility back. We’re at the most polarized I think we`ve been in the country. The President said that his stimulus package. SCHULTZ: That`s his fault? That`s President Obama`s fault. CHRISTIE: Yes, actually, I do think that it`s President Obama`s fault. SCHULTZ: Is that before or after the health care meeting? Come on now, Ron, you`re being a little tough on the president. He has reached out time and time again. CHRISTIE: Let me answer your question, Ed. SCHULTZ: All right, all right. CHRISTIE: The fact of the matter is a President of the United States can change the tone, the way that leaders on both sides of the aisle deal with civic disagreements. I think if you look at President Bush and what we did with No Child Left Behind, he brought Ted Kennedy, a very liberal former senator. He brought George Miller, a former liberal congressman. (CROSSTALK) SCHULTZ: I got what you`re saying. So, how should President Obama have responded to Senator DeMint`s comment over a year ago that if this is his waterloo, if we could break him? How was the president supposed to — he should have cut off all of the olive branches right there and he didn`t, you know. CHRISTIE: I would have ignored it. SCHULTZ: You would have ignored it but it was said on the right, Ron. It was said on the right, no doubt about it. CHRISTIE: So what, Ed? So, what? SCHULTZ: Are you talking about a dialogue in Washington? I want to know, where is the con? Where was the con? What was the big con that was committed by President Obama?  And you`re saying. CHRISTIE: The big con was perpetuated — Jack, let me say one thing. RICE: Yes. CHRISTIE: The big con that was perpetuated was this President and his economic team, unemployment when he came on office was 6.7 percent. He said, if he spent nearly a trillion dollars, he`ll keep it beneath eight percent, now it`s at 9.6 percent. That is a con, that`s disingenuous. SCHULTZ: That`s not a con. That`s a mis-projection. And the Bush people did it all of the time and you know it. Jack, you got final comment. RICE: Yes, you`re absolutely right. At the end of the day, you turned around and blame President Obama for this. Was it his fault too that people were marching up and down in Washington with pictures of President Obama, with mustaches? That was his problem too, that was his fault? CHRISTIE: They did it to Bush. RICE: Yes, he is the one who changed all this. CHRISTIE: Well, all I have to say is both sides need to cut it out. He`s an American citizen. Let`s finally get to work for the American people. That`s what we elected these people to do. SCHULTZ: All right. Let`s talk about the Pelosi ad. Here it is, this is her opponent putting up an ad claiming that she`s a wicked witch. Here it is. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANNOUNCER: I wish there was a political party they could vote for with a. UNIDENTIFIED MAN: More courage. UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: I don`t care about political parties. I just want a home that isn`t blown away by debt. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Hello, my pretty. I will say you from those evil republicans. But first, pay $18,000 for my downtown office and go into massive debt. The Wall Street bailouts and here are my monkeys to make you pay for it all. UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Step back, everyone. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Oh, I`m melting. UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: Thank you for saving us, who are you? UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I`m John Dennis, I`m running for Congress. (END VIDEO CLIP) SCHULTZ: Jack Rice, your thoughts on that. RICE: Thank you for saving us. Yes that`s right, it was President Obama`s fault that he didn`t change the tone in Washington. Yes, this is reminiscent of what we have seen in the past. Again, this is that standard personality attack, a character attack that we`ve seen, rather than saying OK, let`s dig down to the facts. Now if that`s what we`re talking about, notice that this ad does none of that. Instead, it goes back to the things we heard before and I guess they`re pulling them out again because the midterms are here and that`s what they do. SCHULTZ: Ron is that ad demeaning to women? CHRISTIE: Oh, I don`t think that ad is demeaning to women. I just think it`s kind of dumb. I mean, it`s funny but I think that you should be campaigning for what you are for rather for what you`re against. You should be laying out a positive vision. SCHULTZ: Wait a second. That`s what the republicans have been doing for the last three years is basically saying no. CHRISTIE: Give me a break. I`m so tired of all the effigies that President Bush that were burned. That we never heard about anything from the left. They did it to Dick Cheney, they did it to Dr. Condoleezza Rice. I`m saying, the president of the United States needs to lead by example. His going around in Ohio and saying, people threat him like a dog. That`s not presidential. People want to hear the president talk in very confident tones and he sounds like a very thin-skinned individual. SCHULTZ: Ron, you`re amazing, sir. CHRISTIE: I`m sorry. He is. (LAUGHTER) SCHULTZ: You definitely got it down, Ron. I`ll give you credit.   Marvelously played, Mr. Christie. In fairness to Schultz, unlike the cowardly Olbermann, he does bring on conservative guests. Christie is a frequent contributor to the “Ed Show,” and is normally an oasis in the middle of a liberal desert.  Maybe if all the MSNBC hosts were required to have at least one conservative guest on each evening, the network’s ratings would improve. On the other hand, as Christie demonstrated, all it takes is one intelligent, right-thinking person on the set to expose the fallacies being conveyed by most of the anchors on this pathetic network. 

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GOP Strategist Schools Ed Schultz and Former Air America Host

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CBS: Eric Holder ‘Ignoring Political Pressure;’ Given ‘Hero’s Welcome’ After Bush ‘Cronyism’

Posted on September 13, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

In a puff piece on Attorney General Eric Holder on CBS’s Sunday Morning, correspondent Rita Braver praised his professionalism: “…ignoring political pressure is Holder’s constant message as he talks to Justice Department lawyers…. Though he was a key advisor to the Obama campaign and considers the President a friend, Holder says he now keeps it purely professional.” [Audio available here ] Throughout the interview, Braver portrayed Holder as lacking any political agenda: “And when he took office last February, he got a hero’s welcome. It was in part, he believes, a reaction to cronyism and questionable policies advocated in the Bush-era Justice Department.” As Braver mentioned Bush “cronyism,” a photo of former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales appeared on screen. Holder proclaimed: “Waterboarding, things like that, from my perspective, inconsistent with the great traditions of this department.” Braver began with some gentle criticism of Holder: “And with controversies over everything –  from his pushing to quickly close the U.S. prison at Guantanamo to his very public condemnation of the new Arizona law that cracks down on undocumented immigrants – even some Holder fans are saying, ‘he’s honest, he’s smart but sometimes he can be a little tone deaf about how things play out in public.'” That gave Holder the opportunity to declare: “I don’t have the same latitude that other politicians might have to put my finger up to the wind and figure out what’s going to be popular….So it’s not tone deafness. It’s a commitment to justice and a commitment to the law.” Braver then touted Holder “ignoring political pressure.” Near the end of the segment, Braver noted how “Holder raised a lot of eyebrows with his own comments on race last year.” After playing the clip of Holder calling America a “nation of cowards” on racial matters, Braver announced: “But he says he stands by those remarks.” Holder argued: “I mean that comment was really urging people to get out of what I call their – the safety of their cocoons.” Braver never questioned the offensive and unprofessional nature of the comment nor did she ever bring up the Justice Department’s refusal to prosecute members of the Black Panthers for voter intimidation during the 2008 election. Instead, she continued with a more sympathetic tone: “Because you’re the first African-American attorney general, do you put any extra pressure on yourself?” Braver concluded the interview by wondering: “And as for Eric Holder’s legacy? Is there one thing that you kind of keep in mind about how you see this job all the time?” Holder replied: “It’s what I tell the people in this department all the time. Do the right thing.” Here is a full transcript of Braver’s interview with Holder, aired on September 12: 9:33AM ET SEGMENT: CHARLES OSGOOD: This weekend’s anniversary of the 9/11 attacks focuses our attention once more on America’s war against terrorism. Attorney General Eric Holder plays a key role in that fight. And this past week he fielded questions from our Rita Braver. ERIC HOLDER: It’s something that I start my day with. It’s something that I end my day with. It’s the thing that I spend most of my time on. RITA BRAVER: For Attorney General Eric Holder, it’s not just ceremonies like this one- HOLDER: Today as we read the names of these fallen heros- BRAVER: Honoring law enforcement officials who died on September 11. Every day for him is a reminder of terrorist threats. So this is where you meet with your staff and what else here? HOLDER: We have a meeting every morning. BRAVER: But outside the confines of the Justice Department, Holder has been subject to criticism for his handling of trials of accused terrorists. JEFF SESSIONS: I believe this decision is dangerous. I believe it’s misguided. LINDSEY GRAHAM: I think you’ve made a fundamental mistake here. BRAVER: Especially for the decision he announced – and then had to retract after it provoked an outcry – that Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four other alleged September 11 plotters would be tried in New York City. HOLDER: I’m not scared of what Khalid Sheik Mohammed has to say at trial. BRAVER: The trial date and place are now in limbo. And with controversies over everything –  from his pushing to quickly close the U.S. prison at Guantanamo to his very public condemnation of the new Arizona law that cracks down on undocumented immigrants – even some Holder fans are saying, ‘he’s honest, he’s smart but sometimes he can be a little tone deaf about how things play out in public.’ HOLDER: No, I’m not tone deaf. But I understand what the nature of being attorney general is. I don’t have the same latitude that other politicians might have to put my finger up to the wind and figure out what’s going to be popular. BRAVER: Does the criticism- HOLDER: So it’s not tone deafness. It’s a commitment to justice and a commitment to the law. It is not tone deafness. BRAVER: That got you. HOLDER: Yeah, it does. Because I think that is a criticism that is fundamentally unfair and is political in nature. We want to make sure that this department of justice is true to its great traditions. BRAVER: In fact, ignoring political pressure is Holder’s constant message as he talks to Justice Department lawyers in places like Mobile, Alabama. HOLDER: The only thing that I want you to do is to make sure that you do justice. BRAVER: At 59, Eric Himpton Holder Jr. is the first U.S. attorney general to spend most of his career at the Justice Department. Starting just out of Columbia Law School. HOLDER: I mean, this Department of Justice formed me as a lawyer. BRAVER: And when he took office last February, [cheering crowd] he got a hero’s welcome. It was in part, he believes, a reaction to cronyism and questionable policies advocated in the Bush-era Justice Department. [ON-SCREEN: PICTURES OF ALBERTO GONZALES] HOLDER: Waterboarding, things like that, from my perspective, inconsistent with the great traditions of this department. And when I say traditions, I really want to stress under Republican as well as Democratic attorneys general. Let’s go look. BRAVER: May we go see? So in Holder’s personal office- HOLDER: As you can see, it’s not very large. BRAVER: -there’s a portrait of Attorney General Janet Reno, the Democrat for whom he served as deputy. HOLDER: He is the ultimate symbol of independence. BRAVER: But in his conference room, Holder has a portrait of Republican Elliott Richardson, fired by President Nixon when he refused to stop the Watergate investigation.                                              HOLDER: There are times when you have to do what Elliott Richardson did, which is too simply to say, no. And resign. BRAVER: Though he was a key advisor to the Obama campaign and considers the President a friend, Holder says he now keeps it purely professional. Do you and the President ever get into it? HOLDER: Without characterizing what they are, I will say we have heated conversations. BRAVER: Holder says the person who keeps him on an even keel is his wife, Dr. Sharon Malone, an OBGYN. And he cheerfully admits that she made a lot more money than he did for many years. HOLDER: You know, I’m a 21st century guy, secure in who I am. And so I was more than happy to have these great government jobs while she was bringing in all the money that she made and was giving birth to three children. BRAVER: Holder says his sense of what is right comes from his parents, immigrants from Barbados. You have said that your father faced discrimination. How so? HOLDER: While he was in the service in the South and in Oklahoma, he was refused service at a couple of places where he was in uniform and was told that African-Americans, blacks, negros, were not served. And in spite of that, I have never known a man who loved this country more than my father did. BRAVER: Holder raised a lot of eyebrows with his own comments on race last year. HOLDER: In things racial, we have always been and we, I believe, continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards. BRAVER: But he says he stands by those remarks. HOLDER: I mean that comment was really urging people to get out of what I call their – the safety of their cocoons. BRAVER: Because you’re the first African-American attorney general, do you put any extra pressure on yourself? HOLDER: Yeah, I certainly feel that. I feel there’s a certain responsibility I have, a pressure that I feel that I think is not something that’s been imposed on me as much as it is internal. BRAVER: And as for Eric Holder’s legacy? Is there one thing that you kind of keep in mind about how you see this job all the time? HOLDER: It’s what I tell the people in this department all the time. Do the right thing.

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CBS: Eric Holder ‘Ignoring Political Pressure;’ Given ‘Hero’s Welcome’ After Bush ‘Cronyism’

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