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CBS ‘Early Show’: Pope’s Visit to UK Source of ‘Criticism’ and ‘Controversy’

Posted on September 16, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

At the top of Thursday’s CBS Early Show, fill-in co-host Erica Hill teased a report on Pope Benedict’s visit to Scotland: “…it’s a rather controversial visit for a number of reasons.” Later, correspondent Richard Roth proclaimed the state visit “has more pomp and potentially more problems” and would “bound to be shadowed by controversy along with ceremony.” Roth went on to tout a gaffe made by a Papal aide prior to the trip and noted how the Pope “courts criticism on a range of issues , from the visit’s cost – figured at around $20 million – to the cover-up of sex abuse among Catholic clergyman.” He also highlighted predictions of low turnouts at Papal events during the visit: “[Benedict’s] welcome will be measured, in part, by the size of his crowds. Some Church officials this morning were already lowering expectations, saying seats were still unsold for several outdoor events.” In fact, about 125,00 people lined the streets of Edinburgh to see the Pope’s motorcade, with 65,000 attending a later outdoor mass. The only positive comment about the Papal visit was a sound bite of Queen Elizabeth welcoming the Pontiff: “On behalf of the people of the United Kingdom, I wish you a most fruitful and memorable visit.” Roth concluded his report this way: “This is a country with a strong anti-clerical streak and a critical press. But, one leading paper’s comment here that Benedict’s ‘entering the lion’s den,’ may also reflect a flare for dramatic overstatement.” The Early Show has a history of depicting the Pope and the Catholic Church as controversial. On March 19 , correspondent Allen Pizzey pronounced that allegations of child sexual abuse within the Church amounted to “a scandal that’s threatening to become a plague of biblical proportions.” Ahead of Pope Benedict’s first visit to the United States in April of 2008 , co-host Harry Smith claimed that Americans were “unsure and fearful” of the new Pontiff because of his commitment to traditional Catholic values. Here is a full transcript of Roth’s September 16 report: 7:01AM ET TEASE: ERICA HILL: We’re going to take a look, too, coming up in the broadcast, at the Pope’s visit to the UK, arriving there today. And really it’s a rather controversial visit for a number of reasons. But he’s also been speaking out more about the alleged sex abuse within the Catholic Church, really making some of his most pointed comments yet, saying the Church failed to act decisively or quickly enough to deal with priests who raped and molest children. And that, understandably, getting attention. 7:02AM ET SEGMENT: JEFF GLOR: We begin with the Pope’s visit. Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Scotland this morning. The first ever state visit by a pope to the UK. CBS News correspondent Richard Roth is in London this morning with more on that. Richard, good morning. RICHARD ROTH: Good morning, Jeff. Well, the last Papal trip here, by John Paul 28 years ago, was a pastoral visit. As an official state affair, Benedict’s trip has more pomp and potentially more problems. [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Papal Pilgrimage; First State Visit to UK By A Pope] Greeted by the Queen’s husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and by an honor guard of the royal regiment of Scotland, Pope Benedict began a state visit that was bound to be shadowed by controversy along with ceremony. One Papal aide, a German cardinal, had to drop off the entourage, after likening Britain to a third world country, referring to its ethnic mix. The Vatican said the Cardinal had suddenly gotten sick. Benedict’s trip to Britain, which broke with the Vatican almost 500 years ago, courts criticism on a range of issues, from the visit’s cost – figured at around $20 million – to the cover-up of sex abuse among Catholic clergyman. Before arriving at the Queen Elizabeth’s Scottish palace, the Pope told Vatican reporters the scandal had been a shock to him, ‘a perversion in the priestly ministry,’ he called it. QUEEN ELIZABETH: On behalf of the people of the United Kingdom, I wish you a most fruitful and memorable visit. ROTH: The Queen is Benedict’s official host here, but his welcome will be measured, in part, by the size of his crowds. Some Church officials this morning were already lowering expectations, saying seats were still unsold for several outdoor events. This is a country with a strong anti-clerical streak and a critical press. But, one leading paper’s comment here that Benedict’s ‘entering the lion’s den,’ may also reflect a flare for dramatic overstatement. Jeff. GLOR: Alright, Richard Roth in London this morning. Richard, thank you.  

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Are Both Parties Equally Vulnerable in November, Like the New York Times Says? Hardly

Posted on September 16, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

New York Times reporters Jeff Zeleny and Megan Thee-Brenan examined the findings of the latest CBS/New York Times poll. As November elections approach, things look pretty bleak for Democrats and President Obama especially, who earned a record low approval rating and bad marks on his handling of the economy. But Zeleny whispered a little between-round encouragement into the ear of the battered Democrats, suggesting both sides were equally vulnerable in Thursday’s front page ” Poll Finds Hazards and Opportunities for Both Parties .” The original online headline, “Poll Suggests Big Opening for G.O.P. Going Into Midterms,” was far more accurate. Republicans are heading into the general election phase of the midterm campaign backed by two powerful currents: the highest proportion of voters in two decades say it is time for their own member of Congress to be replaced, and Americans are expressing widespread dissatisfaction with President Obama’s leadership. But the latest New York Times/CBS News poll also finds that while voters rate the performance of Democrats negatively, they view Republicans as even worse, providing a potential opening for Democrats to make a last-ditch case for keeping their hold on power. The poll represents a snapshot of the country’s political mood as the campaign pivots from primary contests that have revealed deep divisions among Republicans into the general election, where the parties deliver their competing arguments to a wider audience. The findings suggest that there are opportunities and vulnerabilities for both parties as they proceed into the final seven weeks of the campaign. But the Times (albeit burying the news at the end of the last sentence of paragraph seven) apparently thinks at least one house of Congress may fall into Republican hands. Voters have a darker view of Congressional Republicans than of Democrats, with 63 percent disapproving of Democrats and 73 percent disapproving of Republicans. But with less than two months remaining until Election Day, there are few signs that Democrats have made gains persuading Americans that they should keep control of Congress. Not until paragraph 18 did the Times mention Obama’s record low approval rating, of 45 approval-disapproval. The paper didn’t mention it’s Obama’s lowest-ever approval rating in a New York Times poll (the last joint Times/CBS poll, in June, had Obama 47 approval-disapproval). The president’s overall job approval rating is 45 percent, with 47 percent disapproving. On the economy, his rating is worse, with 41 percent approving and 51 percent disapproving. When asked whether Mr. Obama has a clear plan for solving the nation’s problems, 57 percent responded that he did not, yet twice as many give him more credit than Republicans for having a plan. The Times pushed for higher taxes in a short sidebar article by Megan Thee-Brenan, ” Support for Higher Tax on Wealthiest .” Amid heated debate in Washington over the fate of the Bush-era tax cuts, there is strong support for the Obama administration’s proposal to allow the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans to expire at the end of the year. However, the latest New York Times/CBS News poll finds the public does not expect that to happen if the Republicans win control of Congress in November. The poll found that 53 percent of Americans say Mr. Obama’s proposal to increase taxes on households earning $250,000 or more is a good idea, and 38 percent say it is a bad idea. But she didn’t mention that that’s less support then the last time the Times polled that question. Back in February, 62% thought it was a good idea, 31% a bad idea. That spread has since narrowed to 53. That was Question 63; you can read a .PDF version of the Times’ latest poll here .

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Are Both Parties Equally Vulnerable in November, Like the New York Times Says? Hardly

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Time Magazine Annoyed at Limited Reach of Class Warfare on Views on Tax Cuts

Posted on September 16, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

“Good News, Rich People: Poor People Don’t Want to Raise Your Taxes” That’s the snarky headline for Kayla Webley’s 5-paragraph NewsFeed item filed earlier today at Time.com. “Nearly half of the lowest earners among us want the rich to stay rich,” complained Webley, adding: As Congress debates whether to extend the Bush-era tax cuts, a new Associated Press-GfK poll shows the country is as divided as Washington when it comes to increasing taxes for the wealthiest Americans. According to the poll, 54% support raising taxes on the rich, while 44% are opposed. Meaning that while the tax increases proposed by President Obama would affect only a minority of Americans (Obama says just 2%), nearly half of Americans — despite being completely unaffected by the proposed increases — don’t want to see anyone’s taxes increased. To accompany the story, Time editors included a stock photo by Getty Images of a man wearing a gray blazer with crisp $20 bills tucked in his breast pocket (see screencap above, click image for full size). In her rush to complain about nearly half of “poor” Americans favoring tax cuts for the “rich,” Webley neglected to pass along an interesting quote from a Democrat featured in the AP story to which she linked. Noted reporter Alan Fram: While about three-fourths of Democrats favor raising taxes on the rich, about half of independents and nearly two-thirds of Republicans oppose the idea. Support for cutting everyone’s taxes exceeds four in 10 people in every region of the U.S. except the Midwest, where one-third back the proposal. Even among people earning under $50,000 a year — mainstays of the Democratic Party — 43 percent want to continue the tax cuts for all. “You shouldn’t be penalized for making a good living,” said Charles Ricotta, 55, a Democrat from Dunkirk, N.Y. “If you feel the government is cutting your throat, you might feel hesitant about hiring people.” Watching the government soak the rich may temporarily make you feel good by proxy, but in the long run it kills economic growth and the jobs that come from that.  That’s the sentiment some 43% of “poor” taxpayers seem to subscribe to. It’s a shame that Time magazine doesn’t, or worse, refuses to, get it.

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Bozell Discusses Media’s Persistent Attack on Tea Party Candidates with FBN’s Stuart Varney

Posted on September 16, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

“This is what we are to expect, and it’s going to get worse between now and November.” That’s how NewsBusters publisher and Media Research Center President Brent Bozell reacted this morning on Fox Business Network’s “Varney & Company” to the media’s drumbeat of criticism regarding Tea Party-backed Republican nominees for office this November. Bozell agreed with host Stuart Varney that the media are incessantly bashing Tea Party favorites like Delaware’s Christine O’Donnell because they have to change the subject from the demonstrable failures of Obamanomics [MP3 audio available here ; WMV video for download here ]: The other side can’t defend itself. They can’t defend their agenda. They haven’t been able to defend their principles for years, because their ideas have been tested, they’ve all failed. The Great Society has all failed. They can’t defend this lurch into socialism. And now the numbers are coming back and the numbers are horrific. So they can do one of two things: acknowledge that they’re wrong or demonize the opposition to the extent that the opposition will be seen less favorably than they [are].

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CBS: Americans Support Dem Economic Policies, Just Upset With Incumbents

Posted on September 16, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

While acknowledging bad news for Democrats in the latest CBS News/New York Times poll on Thursday’s CBS Early Show, White House correspondent Bill Plante worked to find a silver lining: “But when it comes to who’s at fault for the rotten economy there’s a disconnect. 37% say the Bush administration is most to blame. Only 5% blame the Obama administration.” Following Plante’s report, fill-in co-host Erica Hill spoke with political analyst John Dickerson and wondered: “37% of those in the poll said that fault for the bad economy lays with the Bush administration. 5% said it lays with the Obama administration. Does that mean that this Democratic message is getting through?” Dickerson explained: “People don’t blame the Obama administration and they also, in our poll, believe the Democrats have the better policies to deal with the economy and, also, they believe the Democratic position on tax cuts. Nevertheless, they want to throw out the people who are in power and the problem is there are just more Democrats in power.” One finding that was not highlighted was the fact that 53% of registered voters in the poll were in favor of smaller government providing fewer services.   Here is a full transcript of the September 16 segment: 7:00AM ET TEASE: ERICA HILL: The President’s problems. President Obama looks to rally his party before the midterm elections but faces a battle from the GOP over the economy and tax cuts. This as his approval ratings continue to sag, according to the latest CBS News poll. 7:05AM ET SEGMENT: HILL: We want to take a look now at politics and the problems facing President Obama. The latest CBS News/New York Times poll finds the President’s approval rating is now just 45%. And with an election coming, he is trying, of course, to turn that around. CBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante has the latest for us this morning. Bill, good morning. BILL PLANTE: Good morning, Erica. And his disapproval rating is 47%, so it’s an almost an even split. And with Congress back in session and things looking pretty bleak for the Democrats in November, the President went on the attack against Senate Republicans, whom he blames for holding up things that could – bills that could help the economy. [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Problems For The President; New CBS News Poll Shows Approval At Just 45%] BARACK OBAMA: We don’t have time for any more games. I understand there’s an election coming up. But, the American people didn’t send us here to just think about our jobs. They sent us here to think about theirs. PLANTE: The President has no bigger problem than the still sluggish economic outlook. In a CBS News/New York Times poll, 51% disapprove of his handling of the economy. Only 35% of Americans think Mr. Obama has made progress in fixing the economy. And 53% say he has no clear plan for creating jobs. But when it comes to who’s at fault for the rotten economy there’s a disconnect. 37% say the Bush administration is most to blame. Only 5% blame the Obama administration. And dissatisfaction with the performance of both Republicans and Democrats now drives 54% of people to say the country needs a third political party. At the top of the President’s agenda to help the economy, passing an extension of the Bush-era tax cuts for the middle class. Mr. Obama came to the Rose Garden following a cabinet meeting and attacked Republican leaders for not acting. OBAMA: They want to hold these middle class tax cuts hostage until they get an additional tax cut for the wealthiest 2% of Americans. We simply can’t afford that. PLANTE: Of course, the White House is not deaf to poll results like these, in fact their own internal polling shows much the same thing. So you can expect the President to continue the campaign-style rhetoric in the months leading up to the election, trying to connect his message to the public. Erica. HILL: Bill Plante at the White House this morning. Bill, thanks. Joining us now CBS News political analyst John Dickerson, who’s also in Washington this morning. John, good morning. Some really fascinating things to pull from this latest poll, including the fact that Americans really believe Congress isn’t performing well with their elected job. The approval rating really dipping for members of Congress. Clearly Americans are saying lawmakers need to step up here. JOHN DICKERSON: That’s right, Erica. I mean, the public does not like Congress at all and one of the interesting findings in the poll was there used to be a view where people would say that while they don’t like the institution of Congress but they like their local congressman or congresswoman. In our poll, it turns out that that’s not really so much the case anymore. HILL: They’re also, and Bill touched on this, but 54% of the country saying that this country needs a third political party. The Republican Party got a little bit of a wake-up call after the primaries, most recently, of course, Tuesday. But, in other ones that have come before that, who right now is seen as the face of the Republican Party? DICKERSON: Well, the wake-up call is under – is a matter of debate in the Republican Party right now. Some people think it was a wonderful wake-up call for insurgent populace, others think it was a big problem, electing people who can’t win in the general election but in our poll a huge number of people say there is no leader – above 60% say there is no leader to the Republican Party and that means Democrats, in their effort to tar the Republican Party, can try to find someone, make them the leader of the party. And they’ll choose, of course, the most unappealing character they can find. HILL: Both sides clearly have some calls for concern heading into November. How is that going to translate, though, when it comes to likely voters? DICKERSON: Likely voters are angry about the economy, they want something done. They don’t like either party and they are likely to just want to throw the ones who are in power out, and that hurts the Democrats the most. HILL: In terms of the economy, it’s interesting. Because the message from the Democrats, from the Obama administration, has been this is all sort of coming over from the Bush administration. 37% of those in the poll said that fault for the bad economy lays with the Bush administration. 5% said it lays with the Obama administration. Does that mean that this Democratic message is getting through? DICKERSON: No, it means there’s a disconnect in the polls. People don’t blame the Obama administration and they also, in our poll, believe the Democrats have the better policies to deal with the economy and, also, they believe the Democratic position on tax cuts. Nevertheless, they want to throw out the people who are in power and the problem is there are just more Democrats in power. HILL: Well, it certainly gives us a lot to talk about coming up on November. John Dickerson, great to have you here. Thanks. DICKERSON: Thanks.

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With Tax Hikes Coming, Cable News Uses ‘Tax Cut’ Phrasing 13 Times as Much

Posted on September 16, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

The largest tax hikes in history get closer every day, and the focus of the news cycle is finally on taxes . Tax cuts , that is. After portraying Obama as a tax cutter when he took office, journalists have recently been talking about the Bush tax cuts, whose expiration will amount to a huge tax increase on Americans. But most stories have failed to explain that the pending expiration will raise taxes on many people, including investors, small business owners and families, during an economic slowdown. While cable primetime shows criticized conservatives for wanting to “cut taxes” for the wealthy, a morning appearance by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was one of the few that put the debate in perspective of tax hikes. McConnell appeared on MSNBC’s “Daily Rundown” Sept. 14 and said, “This [Bush tax cuts] has been tax policy for 10 years now. This is not about tax cuts, this is about raising taxes in the middle of a recession.” According to Americans for Tax Reform, many tax increases are on the way. On Jan. 1, 2011, personal income taxes will rise, the “marriage penalty” will return, the child tax credit will be chopped in half, the “death tax” will return and capital gains and dividend tax rates will jump. But that is the opposite of the way the mainstream media have been telling the story. Primetime cable shows on MSNBC, CNN and Fox News Channel have focused on the fight over “tax cuts” more than 13 times as often as they discussed it in terms of tax hikes. On weekday evenings between Sept. 6 and Sept. 13, 27 of those primetime cable shows framed the debate around tax cuts, compared to just two that spoke solely in terms of tax increases. An additional 12 shows presented both tax cut and tax increase phrasing. FNC was the most balanced with nine of its primetime programs using both terms to cover the story. But MSNBC coverage was full of liberal talking points and spin. Keith Olbermann distorted the facts entirely on “Countdown” Sept. 13, claiming that “the gripping detail is this: Democrats want to cut everyone’s taxes, Republicans want to cut taxes on every dollar earned above a quarter-million.” That misrepresented the position of Republicans including McConnell, who told MSNBC the next day that “We should not be raising taxes on anyone during a recession.” McConnell said he is unwilling to raise taxes on anyone, even the wealthy. Obama’s so-called compromise solution has met resistance even from some Democrats , who agree with Republicans that that raising taxes on anyone in a bad economy is a bad idea. Former White House budget director Peter Orszag wrote a column calling for his own kind of compromise: extend the cuts for two years, then scrap them all. But the president insists he does not want to extend the tax cuts for top income earners. Obama campaigned on repealing the Bush Tax cuts for the “rich” setting the bar for wealth at $250,000 for families, $200,000 for individuals. The White House has mentioned extending those tax cuts for people making less, but also wants to spend more money on ” clean energy ” and infrastructure.   According to Jeffrey Miron of Cato Institute, the Bush tax cuts that are set to expire worked because they made the market more efficient . Writing specifically of dividend and capital gains taxes, Miron noted, “These taxes appear to hit wealthy capitalists, but in reality they fall partly on consumers via higher prices, and on workers, via lower demands for their services when corporations shut down or move overseas. So low taxation of dividends and capital gains helps both low and high income taxpayers.” White House Given Face Time on Broadcast Morning Shows, Boehner Gets None MSNBC and CNN weren’t the only ones spinning the tax cut/hike debate from the left. Rep. John Boehner created a political controversy after he said on “Face the Nation,” “If the only option I have is to vote for some of those tax reductions, I’ll vote for it.” Boehner had said he would “fight” against raising taxes on anyone, but his apparent compromise was fodder for journalists (and cheap shots from MSNBC about his “trademark tan”). All three broadcast network morning shows highlighted Boehner’s remarks Sept. 13 as they discussed Obama’s “compromise” bill, and they all made sure to give the Obama administration time to plead their case, while failing to interview Boehner. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was interviewed live on “The Early Show,” “Today” and “Good Morning America” following segments about the political fight over taxes. The shows aired a snippet of Boehner’s “Face the Nation” interview, but didn’t bring him on to elaborate or defend himself against left-wing attacks. In contrast, Gibbs was given 10 minutes and 55 seconds that morning to present Obama’s views and attack Boehner. Gibbs told CBS the U.S. shouldn’t “borrow” $700 billion to extend tax cuts “for folks quite frankly, that weren’t asking for them and don’t particularly need them.” On Sept. 8, Obama had accused Republicans and Boehner specifically of holding tax cuts “hostage .” In the same speech he called for Republicans to stop blocking the Senate’s small business bill, which he supports. One reason for conservative opposition of the small business bill is disagreement over a $30 billion Treasury-run ” lending facility ” for small businesses. The Hill reported on Aug. 31, that Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council President Karen Kerrigan has said the bill will not address the problems such businesses are facing . “The concerns and needs of most business owners go much deeper, and this legislation does not address broader issues related to taxes, regulations and excessive spending which threaten to aggravate currently poor economic conditions,” Kerrigan said. “At the end of the day, proposed tax hikes along with legislation and regulatory initiatives in the pipeline will drive business costs higher and drain more private capital from our economy.” Kerrigan specifically cited the expiring Bush-era tax cuts which will increase taxes on small businesses as one of the reasons for “stalled” small business expansion. Cannot ‘Afford’ Top 2-3 Percent Cuts? Obama’s primary argument has been that the U.S. cannot “afford” to extend the tax cuts to the rich. Many in the news media have echoed that claim, and perpetuated the liberal argument that tax cuts are a “cost.” That argument is one of five common ways the media spin tax stories in a liberal direction. Calling tax cuts a “cost” assumes that all money belongs to the government, rather than to the taxpayers who have worked hard for it. Olbermann pushed that liberal theme Sept. 13 when he blasted Boehner saying: “[He] wants to increase that deficit by $700 billion over ten years by extending those Bush tax cuts on income over a quarter-million.” MSNBC’s Savannah Guthrie also promoted that viewpoint in her interview with McConnell Sept. 13. Guthrie pressed McConnell to admit that tax cuts would increase the deficit. “You don’t dispute that it would require more debt for these tax cuts? You don’t dispute that?” Guthrie asked the senator. CNN’s Ali Velshi claimed tax cuts aren’t “free” and that extending the Bush tax cuts to the top 3 percent of earners would cost ” between 650 and 700 billion dollars. Extending it for the rest of us is going to cost a lot more, possibly $3 trillion.” The media have long attacked the tax cuts claiming that they were responsible for the deficit, instead of criticizing government spending. Conservatives argue that government spending is the real problem in Washington. According to Stephen Moore’s book “The End of Prosperity,” the 2003 tax cuts generated a huge increase in federal tax receipts. A $785 billion increase between 2004 and 2007, Ryan Dwyer told The Washington Times. That was after Bush had slashed dividend and capital gains rates to 15 percent in 2003. The economy also bounced back, according to Dwyer: “In three years, $15 trillion of new wealth was created. The U.S. economy added 8 million new jobs from mid-2003 to early 2007, and the median household increased its wealth by $20,000 in real terms.” Similarly, under President Ronald Reagan’s tax cuts federal revenues grew rapidly ( 33 percent cumulative growth ) according to a Congressional Economic Update from 1995. Instead of arguing that the U.S. can’t afford to cut taxes, Cato Institute Director of Tax Policy Chris Edwards argued that the U.S. can’t afford not to. He wrote that the average top tax rate for the top 30 OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) nations has fallen by 5 percentage points since 2000. So if the top rate tax cuts are not extended the U.S. will have the tenth highest rate among the 30 countries jeopardizing the nation’s competitiveness. Like this article? Then sign up for our newsletter, The Balance Sheet .

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With Tax Hikes Coming, Cable News Uses ‘Tax Cut’ Phrasing 13 Times as Much

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Crickets Chirp at Palm Beach Post Over Student Conservative Club Kicked Out of Local College Event

Posted on September 16, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

EEK! There is a conservative student group at our sacred campus club rush. Remove them immediately! Such was the attitude of Palm Beach State College administrator Olivia Ford-Morris at the sight of a Young Americans for Freedom table. You can see and hear the extreme urgency in the attitude and voice of Ms Ford-Morris accompanied by campus security guards in this video as she demands the students at the YAF table “Pull it up!” Although Ford-Morris claimed she didn’t remember receiving either an e-mail or a phone call from YAF about getting a table for club rush, evidence is now contradicting that claim (below the fold). So this is obviously a great story of campus censorship that the Palm Beach Post would love to cover since it happened locally? Wrong. The only comment from the Palm Beach Post on this incident is the sound of crickets chirping. To get information on what happened at Palm Beach State College you would need to check sites on the blogosphere such as Orlando Political Press : (Lake Worth, FL) On Tuesday September 7, 2010 at around 11:00am one Palm Beach State College (PBSC) student and two Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) members, state chairman Daniel P. Diaz and state vice chairman Eddie Shaffer, were shut down and had campus police called on them after tabling and recruiting during club rush at the College. The PBSC student, Christina Beattie, had received prior permission from college administrator Olivia Ford-Morris to promote her organization on campus via telephone and email communication. On the day of club rush, officials approached the group and after seeing information about the organization and its ideals criticizing Barack Obama’s economic policy. Ms. Ford-Morris was visibly disturbed by the material presented, published by the Heritage Foundation, criticizing President Obama’s administration. College officials then called the campus police to assure the group left campus. Ms. Ford-Morris denied having ever talked to Ms. Beattie about giving permission to the organization to be a part of PBSC club rush. “I was shocked and offended by her dishonesty. She outright denied giving me permission to table at Club Rush simply because she disagreed with my beliefs! The fact is, she was using her administrative power to silence the conservative opposition.” said Christina Beattie. And as the Palm Beach Post continues sleeping, more evidence has been revealed that college administrator Morris-Ford was somewhat less than honest (to put it politely) in her claim about receiving no communications from the YAF concerning attendance at campus rush. Here is the Heritage Foundation presenting the evidence contradicting Morris-Ford in this story which the snoozing Palm Beach Post neglects to cover in its own backyard: A conservative student in Florida says he has the evidence that implicates a public college administrator who last week ordered members of Young Americans for Freedom to leave a campus event after they displayed Heritage Foundation research papers. Palm Beach State College activities director Olivia Morris-Ford, a Facebook fan of President Barack Obama and filmmaker Michael Moore , booted the conservative students from a rush event. Morris-Ford claimed they didn’t have permission to be on campus. Her assertion stands in conflict with evidence YAF state chairman Daniel Diaz shared with Heritage. Diaz presented both a June 21 e-mail from student Christina Beattie to Morris-Ford requesting permission to be at the event and Beattie’s phone log from June 23, which shows a call from Morris-Ford. Beattie said Morris-Ford approved the request on that call. Meanwhile, as this story unfolds, the crickets continue to serenade the Palm Beach Post. Chirp! Chirp! Chirp

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Crickets Chirp at Palm Beach Post Over Student Conservative Club Kicked Out of Local College Event

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CBS Slams O’Donnell as ‘Ultra-Conservative’ and Sees Repeat of 1964, Touts Public Siding with Obama on Economy and Taxes

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

The night after a Tea Party candidate in Delaware stunned the GOP establishment, the CBS Evening News blamed voter “anger,” tried to marginalize Christine O’Donnell as an “ultra-conservative,” relayed the contention of establishment Republicans that Tea Party wins will lead to a re-run of the GOP’s 1964 debacle, and highlighted how more Americans blame George W. Bush over President Barack Obama for the economy followed by how most side with Obama on not extending the current tax rates for those earning $250,000 or more. All in a day’s work for Katie Couric. She led by declaring “American voters are in one angry mood” as “nearly three out of four registered voters say they’re dissatisfied with or angry about what’s going on in Washington,” though the new CBS News/New York Times poll actually found just as many “satisfied” as angry and twice as many “dissatisfied but not angry” over “angry.” In the lead story, Nancy Cordes described how Christine O’Donnell “beat a veteran moderate Congressman who was considered a general election shoo-in” while “polls show O’Donnell’s ultra-conservative social views make her a decided underdog in this blue-leaning state.” Her proof of O’Donnell’s “ultra-conservative” views: a vintage video clip in which O’Donnell sounded eerily like Jimmy Carter: “Lust in your heart is committing adultery.” Following a soundbite of a Delaware Republican saying he’ll vote for the Democrat, Cordes identified O’Donnell’s November opponent sans any ideological tag: “And that’s giving new life to the Democrat in the race, Chris Coons.” Up next, Bob Schieffer ruminated about another 1964-like debacle for Republicans. “It is very much like 1964,” Schieffer contended, when Republicans “threw out all the establishment candidates” and nominated Barry Goldwater who “was far to the right of most of the people in his party, and they lost in a landslide.” So that’s why, Schieffer insisted, “you have establishment Republicans worried about what’s going to happen now in November.” Looking at the public’s views on the economy, Dean Reynolds highlighted how “the country still blames the Bush administration [37%] for the condition of the economy followed by Wall Street [5% blame Obama], and only 27 percent believe congressional Republicans are doing more to improve things, compared to 49 percent who say that about the President.” Plus: “Nor, apparently, is the country with the Republicans on taxes. While the GOP favors extending tax cuts for all income brackets, 53 percent of Americans believe tax cuts should end for those with incomes above $250,000, as the President has proposed.” Unmentioned by Reynolds: The 53 percent level is down nine points since February when it stood at 62 percent. PDF of the survey results . CBSNews.com summary of the “anger” question . CBSNews.com look at the tax cut numbers . Portions of the Wednesday, September 15 CBS Evening News, gathered by the MRC’s Brad Wilmouth: KATIE COURIC: Good evening, everyone. American voters are in one angry mood. It’s evident at the polls and in the polls. Look at this: A CBS News/New York Times poll out tonight finds a record 55 percent of American voters say it’s time for their representative in Congress to go. They don’t like what the incumbents are doing – 58 percent disapprove of the Democrats; 68 percent disapprove of the Republicans. Nearly three out of four registered voters say they’re dissatisfied with or angry about what’s going on in Washington. And some of that feeling was reflected in yesterday’s primaries with victories by candidates supported by the Tea Party…. NANCY CORDES: …O’Donnell becomes the seventh Tea Party-affiliated candidate to defeat a more mainstream Republican in a Senate primary this season. Six Tea Partiers have won primaries for governor. Carl Paladino of New York joined their ranks last night. But Republican leaders are keeping their distance from him, too, after he named his dog his chief of staff and proposed that welfare recipients be housed in unused prisons. CARL PALADINO, NEW YORK REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL NOMINEE: New Yorkers are as mad as hell, and we’re not gonna take it anymore! CORDES: In Delaware, O’Donnell beat a veteran moderate Congressman who was considered a general election shoo-in. Polls show O’Donnell’s ultraconservative social views- CHRISTINE O’DONNELL, DELAWARE REPUBLICAN SENATE NOMINEE, IN OLD VIDEO: Lust in your heart is committing adultery. CORDES: -make her a decided underdog in this blue-leaning state. STEVEN DAVIS, DELAWARE REPUBLICAN RESIDENT: Given Christine O’Donnell’s background, I have a very difficult time supporting her. I think I’d be more likely to cross party lines in this situation. CORDES: And that’s giving new life to the Democrat in the race, Chris Coons. CHRIS COONS, DELAWARE DEMOCRATIC SENATE NOMINEE: Christine O’Donnell is a different sort of Republican in the general election than I expected. CORDES: Republicans have a narrow window to take back the Senate, and it involves picking up 10 seats. If they don’t win in Delaware, that window is all but closed, Katie.  … COURIC: And, Bob, as Robert Gibbs said, and other people have asked, is this going to be a fight for the heart and soul of the Republican party? BOB SCHIEFFER: Oh, I think it very much is just that. I mean, it is very much like 1964. In 1960, Republicans lost narrowly with an establishment candidate, Richard Nixon. They got to 1964, they threw out all the establishment candidates, they threw out their party leaders and they nominated Barry Goldwater who – fine man – but he was far to the right of most of the people in his party, and they lost in a landslide. And that’s why you have establishment Republicans worried about what’s going to happen now in November. … DEAN REYNOLDS: …Other sobering findings for the White House: Only 38 percent think the President has a clear plan for creating jobs, and some 46 percent think the Obama stimulus package has had no impact – 20 percent think it made matters worse. But 63 percent say Mr. Obama is doing about as well as they expected. DOLORES CLARK, POLL PARTICIPANT: It’s too soon to make any final assessment of his presidency. I think he will be better and better as time passes. REYNOLDS: Actually, the country still blames the Bush administration for the condition of the economy followed by Wall Street, and only 27 percent believe congressional Republicans are doing more to improve things, compared to 49 percent who say that about the President. Sam Greco is a retired Chicago detective. Do you think the Republicans have a plan? SAM GRECO, RETIRED DETECTIVE: Nothing that comes to the forefront. And this is what bothers me. REYNOLDS: Nor, apparently, is the country with the Republicans on taxes. While the GOP favors extending tax cuts for all income brackets, 53 percent of Americans believe tax cuts should end for those with incomes above $250,000, as the President has proposed. A mixed report card with the midterms approaching. Dean Reynolds, CBS News, Chicago.

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CBS Slams O’Donnell as ‘Ultra-Conservative’ and Sees Repeat of 1964, Touts Public Siding with Obama on Economy and Taxes

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Chris Matthews Bets Lib Guest Christine O’Donnell Will Win in November

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Chris Matthews on Wednesday departed from the liberal media conventional wisdom that Tea Party candidate Christine O’Donnell’s defeat of Republican favorite Mike Castle was good news for Democrats and President Obama. Quite the contrary, the “Hardball” host has become extremely pessimistic about Democrat chances to retain Congress in the upcoming midterm elections, so much so that he likened his Party to the Titanic. “The boat is sinking,” he told fellow liberal David Corn. “The establishment is sinking.” When Corn tried to push back on Matthews’ view, the devout liberal said, “I take O`Donnell. How many points are you going to give me?” (videos follow with transcripts and commentary):  DAVID CORN, MOTHER JONES: Two points. First, you have — we have to see how these Tea Partiers do with a general election audience. And the second point — CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: Oh, you`re taking the – CORN: No, no, no. MATTHEWS: You are trying to deny — (CROSSTALK) CORN: See what happens. MATTHEWS: You`re still denying it. CORN: I was on last night. You know I`m not denying it. I think they`re major threats to the Democrats. But we got to see what happens. MATTHEWS: Well, let me get this straight. As the Titanic sinks and it`s all the way up to the top decks, and it`s already up to the top decks, well, let`s see how it affects the first class passengers. The boat is sinking. The establishment is sinking. CORN: Listen, Leonardo is still holding on tight. And we see how — what happens to him. (LAUGHTER) CORN: But the other point is, you know that presidential primaries are like family holiday gatherings. All of the internal dysfunctions get played out. And so, really what happens right now, whether the establishment comes and supports people like Christine O`Donnell or not, those passions are going to be really stirred up and if you see Karl Rove continuing to battle with the Tea Party forces, then I think it will put more pressure and create more anger on the far right that will turn into explosive. MATTHEWS: OK. CORN: You know — it will be explosive. MATTHEWS: You`re using a lot of words, David. Usually, you`re much more punchy. The reason you`re taking a lot of words — CORN: I`ll make it simple — (CROSSTALK) CORN: I think it`s still hard for the Republicans. MATTHEWS: I look at Rand Paul, that the guy is going to win. I look at Pat Toomey now and I hate to say, this is a guy who`s going to win. I think the right has got the upper hand now going into this general election. And I`m looking at these numbers — CORN: But they always — they always did. MATTHEWS: They have the upper hand. Your thoughts. Wow! Matthews now thinks Paul and Toomey are going to win. But it gets better: MICHELLE BERNARD, MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST: But if you look at the people who have been basically sent running from the Republican Party this year, we`ve got Crist, Arlen Specter, Lisa Murkowski — there is definitely a lot of dissension within the Republican Party, and, quote-unquote, “establishment people,” could literally see themselves completely knocked out of Republican politics by the time we get to 2012. CORN: But at the same time — but at the same — MATTHEWS: So, the establishment lost every one of these races, they`re at the bottom of the league. The people that are winning are all the challengers. And I just — every night it happens, I say, this can`t happen. Castle can`t lose. Specter can`t lose. They all lose. The establishment of the politics of America is playing defense now and they`re losing. CORN: The Republican establishment — all those Republicans who are beaten, most of them would probably have done very well in general election. What we`re worrying about now, what some people are worrying about is that — is that Castle would have done better than Christine O`Donnell. I mean, Murkowski would have an easy walk to re-election, right? Joe Miller probably will win, but he has a smaller chance of winning, at least that`s the constitution wisdom at the moment. MATTHEWS: I take O`Donnell. How many points are you going to give me? CORN: How many points will I give you? MATTHEWS: Yes, how many you give. Because you keep acting like this is all over, that she`s going to lose. CORN: No, but I don`t believe it`s all over. MATTHEWS: Right. CORN: But I do believe that the Republicans have this internal split — MATTHEWS: OK. OK. I get back to this. CORN: — that they still haven`t dealt with. MATTHEWS: I can`t see the Republican convention meeting, wherever they`re going to meet, in Tampa, right? They`re down there and they`re thundering in there with delegates, one of these Tea Partiers after another, storming the gates, all excited about they`re going to get rid of the 14th Amendment, get rid of, what, the 17th Amendment, energize the 10th Amendment, love the Second Amendment, and then they go pick Romney, Tim Pawlenty. CORN: But who`s the Tea Party candidate? MATTHEWS: I don`t see how it happens. CORN: But who`s the Tea Party candidate? Sarah Palin? Who else? MATTHEWS: Yes. CORN: Well, what if she doesn`t run? MATTHEWS: Well, I don`t know what happens. CORN: What happens to them? MATTHEWS: I don`t see what — I`m asking the question. BERNARD: I don`t — I don`t think this is the death now for, quote- unquote, “establishment people,” like Mitt Romney. He`s a good guy. I think — we just don`t know. I know you think it`s funny — (CROSSTALK) MATTHEWS: I think you like establishment-type Republicans. BERNARD: I do. CORN: He also knows — he knows how to change his skin. He already sent money to Christine O`Donnell. BERNARD: But he`s also never going to campaign like Christine O`Donnell. We are never going to see that type of a flip-flop, I hope, from Mitt Romney or others, I hope. (CROSSTALK) BERNARD: We`re not going to see someone like Christine O`Donnell — MATTHEWS: — abortion rights. CORN: These guys run the way they run and then they look to the vice president to sort of send that message. BERNARD: We will not see a Christine O`Donnell on the Republican ticket in 2012. (CROSSTALK) MATTHEWS: The tea point is boiling and steaming and it`s going to make that whistle sound when it`s ready to coffee. BERNARD: Absolutely. MATTHEWS: The whistle is making that sound. (CROSSTALK) MATTHEWS: You try to put a lid on that (INAUDIBLE). In the final segment of “Hardball,” Matthews really drove this point home: MATTHEWS: Let me finish tonight with a question. Just where do you think this explosion of voter anger we saw last night in Delaware and have seen growing in voters in Pennsylvania, Florida, Utah, Nevada, Kentucky, Colorado and in just about every poll across the country is going to take us? Last night, as the dust began to clear, I heard progressive glee that the anger was on the verge of burning itself out, that the victory of Christine O`Donnell in Delaware like that of Sharron Angle in Nevada, was throwing away the election. How could voters in the general election go so far as to elect one of these candidates the angry primary voters have kicked pup? I supposed I had my eyes on something different. While others were seeing dead people, the defeated Mike Castle, who was supposed to be strong this November, I saw the strength of the flames that consumed him and will consume many others this rapidly approaching election night. I have waited all my adult life for an election in which voters have the fire to reach up and burn those who have been running the show for decades. But I didn`t know it would come from the right and center. 2010 could be the first year in modern times when being in office in Washington and part of Washington is the worst possible credential when facing voters. I don`t know how far the fire will burn. Based upon last night`s returns, I expect it has a long way to go. It could topple the House and, yes, the U.S. Senate. It could bring the defeat of people who feel even now they are not endangered. It could produce an election night spectacle of name brand politicians standing before stance supporters saying their careers are kaput. Why is this happening? Because this economic system is failing to produce the security and opportunity people have come to expect in this country. In this middle-class country, the middle class are scared and when people are scared, they get angry. They sense a rot at the top and are ready to chop it off. If the plan of those in power to raise a ton of cash and run nasty TV ads saying you can`t vote for this new person, that he or she is flawed — I expect the voter will say, “Are you telling me I have no choice but to vote for you? Are you saying that I, this little voter out there, dare not take a chance on someone who has not yet let me down as you have? If that is what you`re telling me, that I have no choice, well, Mr. Big Stuff, you just have to wait — stay up late election night and see what I have done.” Wow! It appears Mr. Matthews is starting to understand just how strong this anti-Democrat, anti-big government movement is. The only question remaining is when will the rest of his liberal colleagues in the media? Will they get it before Election Day? Stay tuned. 

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Chris Matthews Bets Lib Guest Christine O’Donnell Will Win in November

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Kanye West Pens XXL Article — About Himself

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘At the end of the day, it’s your show, Taylor. It’s your show, MTV,’ an apologetic Yeezy writes about 2009 VMA outburst. By Jayson Rodriguez Kanye West on the cover of the October XXL Photo: Harris Publications Kanye West says he often feels slighted by the media, claiming that journalists either twist his words or miss the humor in his responses. Well, the outspoken rapper will have only himself to blame if he doesn’t enjoy the October issue of XXL. ‘Ye graces the cover of the magazine and penned the story himself, a first-person narrative in which he opens up about the aftermath of his 2009 MTV Video Music Awards stunt where he interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech. “In a way, I had thrown a Molotov cocktail at my own career, and it gave me an opportunity, for the first time, to go away and find out who I was,” he wrote. “Because I felt very alone. “I stress that the incident wasn’t about Taylor personally,” he explained. “And it definitely wasn’t about race. Where I messed up is, at the end of the day, it’s your show, Taylor. It’s your show, MTV.” After the incident, ‘Ye was vilified by the public and became a punching bag for comics, critics and even President Barack Obama. He also lost onetime fans who had had enough of the superstar’s stage-crashing antics. West said an apology — to everyone — was necessary. “The relationship with the public and with your fans is like the relationship with your girlfriend,” he wrote. “How could I not, at a certain point, be like, ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been at the awards show. I’m sorry’? Not that I don’t deserve to get beat up or change who I am inside, to make sure that that doesn’t happen again. “I knew I wasn’t in a great spot publicly after the incident, but I would just block it out and work as hard as possible and let my work be my saving grace,” he added. In addition to penning a story about himself, West also curates the magazine’s special 40-page section, temporarily taking the title of “creative director.” The issue arrives on newsstands September 28 and will also features stories on Kid Cudi, Wiz Khalifa and a package on producers-turned-rappers a la West. Now that he’s survived the 2010 VMAs without incident, what should Kanye do next? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists Kanye West

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Kanye West Pens XXL Article — About Himself

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