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CBS ‘Early Show’ Promotes Levi Johnston Pitch for Reality Show

Posted on August 10, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Teasing an upcoming story in the 7:30AM ET half hour on Tuesday’s CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith cheerfully promoted Levi Johnston’s pitch for a reality show in Alaska: “He’s going to star in a new reality show and it’s all about him running for mayor of Wasilla. That’s right, he’s gunning for his would-have-been mother-in-law’s old job.” Later, Smith further teased: “Johnston’s quest to follow in Sarah Palin’s foot steps and hold political office.” Introducing the report, fill-in co-host Erica Hill remarked how Johnston would “be chasing Sarah Palin’s legacy.” Correspondent Priya David-Clemens discussed the show as if it was about to go on the air: “He’s inked a reality show deal that will be all Levi and no Bristol. The new show, called ‘Loving Levi: The Road to the Mayor’s Office,’ will follow the young father as he campaigns for the top job in his hometown of Wasilla, Alaska.” In fact, as the New York Times reported , the show is simply an idea being pitched by Johnston and producers but has not been picked up any network yet. David-Clemens touted a description of the proposed show: “In a statement to ‘Us Weekly,’ the show’s executive producer said, quote, ‘he’ll give us a real inside look into who he is as a father, a skilled hunter, an avid dirt biker, and, of course, his journey down the road of small town politics, right after he gets his high school diploma.'” Following the story, Hill noted: “And he [Johnston] was asked at one point what his ideas for Wasilla are. The answer, ‘you’ll have to wait for the show.'” Smith remarked: “I wonder where his – where his politics are? Left, center, Right?” Hill responded: ” I am absolutely intrigued.” In contrast to the Early Show, ABC’s Good Morning America only offered a 15-second news brief to the topic in the 8:00AM ET hour, instead of a three-minute segment. GMA news reader JuJu Chang reported: “And finally, looking to extend his moment in the spotlight, Palin family nemesis Levi Johnston is jumping into politics. Johnston’s manager says he’s planning to run for city council or mayor in his hometown of Wasilla. All that for a new reality show.” NBC’s Today skipped the story. Here is a full transcript of the August 10 Early Show segment: 7:30AM TEASE HARRY SMITH: And on a much lighter note, Levi Johnston isn’t letting his second breakup with – in case anybody’s keeping score – with Bristol Palin slow him down. He’s going to star in a new reality show and it’s all about him running for mayor of Wasilla. That’s right, he’s gunning for his would-have-been mother-in-law’s old job. Did I get that right? ERICA HILL: Which came first, the show or the campaign? SMITH: Oh, I wonder? 7:41AM TEASE SMITH: Coming up next, Levi Johnston’s quest to follow in Sarah Palin’s foot steps and hold political office. 7:45AM SEGMENT ERICA HILL: Just one week after Bristol Palin dumped Levi Johnston because, as she said, he was obsessed with the limelight, it turns out, well, he’s got his own reality show. Only this one has a Wasilla twist. He’ll be chasing Sarah Palin’s legacy. Correspondent Priya David-Clemens has more. [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: “Loving Levi;” Johnston Runs for Mayor, Gets Reality Show] PRIYA DAVID-CLEMENS: When Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston announced their engagement- BRISTOL PALIN: He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. DAVID-CLEMENS: -rumors of a reality show quickly followed suit. BONNIE FULLER [EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, HOLLWOODLIFE.COM]: Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston are a perfect example of new reality stars. They already have a little fame as a result of being related to Sarah Palin. DAVID-CLEMENS: The two recently went their separate ways. Bristol says Levi’s hunger for the spotlight was partly to blame. Now he’s inked a reality show deal that will be all Levi and no Bristol. The new show, called ‘Loving Levi: The Road to the Mayor’s Office,’ will follow the young father as he campaigns for the top job in his hometown of Wasilla, Alaska. In a statement to ‘Us Weekly,’ the show’s executive producer said, quote, ‘he’ll give us a real inside look into who he is as a father, a skilled hunter, an avid dirt biker, and, of course, his journey down the road of small town politics, right after he gets his high school diploma.’ He’s part of the latest reality in reality TV. People trying to cash in and create industries based solely on their stints on these shows. The most successful example, Kim Kardashian. She’s built a brand that earns more than $5 million a year. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Like what is the point of this? KIM KARDASHIAN: What do you mean what is the point of this? You want to know what your boyfriend’s up to. DAVID-CLEMENS: But if Levi hopes to replicate Kardashian, he’ll have to make small town politics into big time TV. FULLER: The new reality stars are like ‘come on in, come take my picture, come in my house. See what I look like without my clothes on.’ DAVID-CLEMENS: Given his track record of photo shoots, that’s something Levi may not have a problem with. Priya David-Clemens, CBS News, Los Angeles. HILL: There’s a lot going on in this story. Two of my favorite tidbits. HARRY SMITH: Yes? HILL: They approached him with the idea. So at first he said ‘I don’t really know about this’ and then he thought ‘maybe I’ve got something here.’ SMITH: Okay, right. HILL: And he was asked at one point what his ideas for Wasilla are. The answer, ‘you’ll have to wait for the show.’ SMITH: I wonder where his – where his politics are? HILL: I am absolutely intrigued. SMITH: Left, center, Right? HILL: Well, he calls himself half Hollywood, half redneck, so I don’t know what of marriage that gets you. SMITH: And avid dirt biking. HILL: Avid, not just a dirt biker. SMITH: That’s right, that was what jumped out at me. Because if you’re putting in a political resume, if it just said dirt biking, I mean, why would you vote for a guy like that? HILL: But if it’s avid- SMITH: I think that’s- JEFF GLOR: When you’re avid about it- HILL: I think there is more to Levi Johnston than meets the eye. We’ve seen just about all we can. [LAUGHTER] SMITH: No mas.

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CBS ‘Early Show’ Promotes Levi Johnston Pitch for Reality Show

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Media Mocks Palin Over ‘Refudiate,’ But Obama Given Pass For Gaffes

Posted on July 20, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

George W. Bush’s linguistic difficulties , such as “Is our children learning,” “If the terriers and barrifs are torn down, this economy will grow” and “They misunderestimated me” made him the butt of many a joke back in the day, especially since they used to be played on cable news channels. Yet the current occupant of the White House—not to mention his vice president—does not seem to have found the media’s funnybone. Even Barack Obama’s teleprompter problems never got that kind of coverage, neither did that fact that his speeches are written at two grade levels below Bush. Then there was the time in Februrary, when Obama mispronuncicated “corpsman” as “corpse-man” and the media ignored it, or when he said he had been to 57 states and they excused it, the media has jumped all over Sarah Palin’s invention of the word “refudiate.” The word was coined on Fox News July 14, in response to the proposed Cordoba Center in New York City, a $100 million community center and Mosque three blocks from the World Trade Center site, but developed into a full-blown meme Sunday when she posted to Twitter: “Ground Zero Mosque supporters, doesn’t it stab you in the heart as it does ours throughout the heartland? Peaceful Muslims, pls refudiate.” The Los Angeles Times noted that the tweet was quickly edited to say “refute” instead of “refudiate,” writing “While not correct, ‘refute’ was a step up—it can actually be found in the dictionary.”  “Fergalicious,” “truthiness,” “blatherscythe,” “bloviate,” and “sternutation” can also be found in the dictionary—although one might need the unabridged Oxford English Dictionary for that last one. The merciless mocking of Palin by the mainstream media, which began when John McCain selected to be his running mate in 2008, has led to Keith Olbermann almost constantly calling her an “idiot” and a false item from a blog claiming she thought that Africa is a country. The same media outlets which have suddenly become such ardent defenders of the English language and attacked Palin with verbal vorpal blades, have never cared whenever Obama erred in his oratory, rarely bothering to post it in their blogs like they have done with “refudiate.” Jacob Heilbrun at The Huffington Post wrote “Palin isn’t simply trying to bring down big government, but the English language as well.” Liberals, of course, have never tried to coin new words, they just change the definitions of existing ones.

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Today Show Highlights Sarah Palin’s ‘Refudiate,’ Skipped Biden Gaffe

Posted on July 20, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

NBC’s Peter Alexander, on Tuesday’s Today show, mocked Sarah Palin for making up a word, ‘refudiate’ in her tweets about the Ground Zero mosque controversy. However when Joe Biden, the gaffe machine that he can be, made an arguably much more embarrassing mistake back in March, of falsely asserting that the Irish prime minister’s mother was dead, the Today show, as Newsbusters’ Scott Whitlock reported then , ignored it. Alexander, after initially reporting about the former Alaska governor wading into the controversy surrounding the building of a mosque at the Ground Zero site, then poked fun at Palin combining two words: PETER ALEXANDER: The former vice presidential candidate is, herself, coming under fire for both her substance and style. Palin tweeted “Ground Zero mosque supporters, doesn’t it stab you in the heart, as it does ours, throughout the heartland? Peaceful Muslims, please refudiate. But, of course, “refudiate” isn’t an actual word, more like a blend of two words with similar meanings: refute and repudiate. Bloggers quickly pounced. “If Republicans can demand that immigrants speak English,” one tweeted “can’t we demand same for Sarah Palin?” For what it’s worth, Palin has refudiated before. CLIP OF PALIN ON FOX NEWS: They have power in their words. They could refudiate what it is, that this group is saying. Alexander, then went on to remind viewers of another Republican who got “creative with words.” ALEXANDER: The former Alaska governor isn’t the first politician to get creative with words. CLIP OF GEORGE W. BUSH: They misunderestimated what our campaign is about. However, back on March 19, Alexander, nor any one else on the Today show, highlighted the following quip from Biden during a St. Patrick’s Day event at the White House: JOE BIDEN SPEAKING ABOUT IRELAND’S PRIME MINISTER: His mom lived in Long Island for ten years or so. God rest her soul. And- although, she’s- wait- your mom’s still- your mom’s still alive. Your dad passed. God bless her soul.” The following is the full Alexander segment as it was aired on the July 20 Today show: MATT LAUER: Sarah Palin is wading into the controversy surrounding a proposed mosque near the World Trade Center site. And it’s the language she used on Twitter to express her opinion that’s getting the most attention. NBC’s Peter Alexander is in lower Manhattan. Peter, good morning to you. [On screen headline: “Controversial Comments, Palin Asks Muslims To Reject Ground Zero Mosque”] PETER ALEXANDER: Matt, good morning to you. This is what the battle is all about. A proposed 13-story building to go right here with a gym, an auditorium and a mosque. But as we spin the camera around, let me show you what the problem for many people is. It’s the proximity to what many Americans view as sacred ground, at Ground Zero, just blocks away. Add Sarah Palin to the mix, and it’s a full-blown controversy. She is America’s self-proclaimed “Mama Grizzly” and now Sarah Palin is dipping her paws into another polarizing debate, criticizing a proposal to build a mosque near the World Trade Center site in New York City. Palin tweeted: “Peace-seeking Muslims, please understand Ground Zero mosque is unnecessary provocation; it stabs hearts. Please reject it, in interest of healing.” This latest controversy has unleashed a wave of strong opinions from visitors. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: She does not need to be saying anything about anything that’s over here. She doesn’t even live over here. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN#2: It’s her personal opinion. I don’t think she’s speaking for, you know, speaking for New York or for Alaska or for America. I think she is speaking out of her own, her own thoughts and opinions. ALEXANDER: Developers of the planned $100 million community center and mosque had this response. SHARIF EL-GAMAL, PARK 51 DEVELOPER: I wish she would pick up the phone and come down and say hello to us. Where we are today is all about healing. Is all about building bridges. Is all about outreach. Is all about reaching out to the community, to let them know that there is a moderate Muslim, that there is a voice for the moderate Muslim. ALEXANDER: The former vice presidential candidate is, herself, coming under fire for both her substance and style. Palin tweeted “Ground Zero mosque supporters, doesn’t it stab you in the heart, as it does ours, throughout the heartland? Peaceful Muslims, please refudiate. But, of course, “refudiate” isn’t an actual word, more like a blend of two words with similar meanings: refute and repudiate. Bloggers quickly pounced. “If Republicans can demand that immigrants speak English,” one tweeted “can’t we demand same for Sarah Palin?” For what it’s worth, Palin has refudiated before. CLIP OF PALIN ON FOX NEWS: They have power in their words. They could refudiate what it is, that this group is saying. ALEXANDER: The former Alaska governor isn’t the first politician to get creative with words. GEORGE W. BUSH: They misunderestimated what our campaign is about. ALEXANDER: As she reminded followers, in yet another tweet, “‘Refudiate, ‘misunderestimate,’ ‘wee-wee’d up.’ English is a living language. Shakespeare liked to coin new words, too. Got to celebrate it! And Sarah Palin will have plenty of time to coin some new words going forward Matt. The scheduled groundbreaking of the site is still years away. LAUER: Alright. Peter Alexander in lower Manhattan for us this morning. Peter, thank you very much.

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As Laura Ingraham Sells New Book, NBC’s Lauer Sells Idea That Dems, GOP Equally Hated

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

Laura Ingraham was invited on Tuesday’s Today show, to plug her new book The Obama Diaries , and predict how the midterm elections will go but she couldn’t get out of the segment without Today co-anchor Matt Lauer suggesting Republicans are just as unpopular as the Democrats. During the segment Lauer read from a Washington Post poll that stated 6 in 10 Americans don’t have faith in President Obama and 7 in 10 don’t have faith in Congressional Democrats but then also pointed out that 7 in 10 Americans don’t have much confidence in Republicans either as he asked Ingraham: “So what’s the message here? A pox on all their houses.” Ingraham agreed there’s “a lot of cynicism out there,” but went on to point out the folly of assuming Democrats are somehow safe as she retorted to Lauer: “I think that’s a little facile to say, ‘Oh everyone who’s in power is just a disaster and no one trusts anyone.’ I don’t think that’s true. I think what people are seeing, that the nation is in debt. We have a lack of focus on things like the Gulf Coast.” In fact Lauer completely glossed over the fact that the Washington Post poll article he read from clearly stated that “Those most likely to vote in the midterms prefer the GOP over continued Democratic rule by a sizable margin of 56 percent to 41 percent.” After the poll question, Ingraham went on to poke fun at the First Lady’s appearance in the Gulf Coast: I mean I know the First Lady dropped by the Gulf Coast. That was a beautiful image. She went to an ice cream shop. I thought dessert was not a right. But she had a, you know, a chocolate hurricane yesterday. That was a nice image. But we’re losing part of the country, Matt. We’re losing the Gulf Coast day by day by day. I hope the cap works. We’ll see if it does. Ingraham actually had a lot of fun at not only the Obamas’ expense, but also cheekily mocked Lauer’s colleague Brian Williams as seen in the following interview as it was aired on the July 13 Today show: MATT LAUER: Let me ask you about midterm elections. You heard in Chuck’s piece that, that a lot of people are now talking about the possibility Republicans could regain control of the House and the Senate, likelihood of it happening is what? INGRAHAM: Pretty likely in the House, not sure about the Senate. I should say that — this is actually breaking news today – Barack Obama in his diaries actually predicts gaining seats in both the House and the Senate, the bravado is quite something. LAUER: That’s because you write them as fictional entries in his diary. INGRAHAM: Well what’s fiction? What do you mean fiction? LAUER: Let, let me ask you this. INGRAHAM: Fiction?! LAUER: If they do, if Republicans do regain control of the House and make substantial gains in the Senate, will it be a general dissatisfaction voters are showing with Democrats in Congress or the administration or would you point to a specific tipping point? INGRAHAM: Well, who’s in charge? I mean we were promised hope and change. We were promised turning the page. A transparent White House. These are, are regular people but they have a new vision for America. Well a vision is unfolding and it’s not working out so well. That, that’s not political. That’s not ideological. That’s factual. I think people are seeing that jobs are not the focus. We’re doing a lot of, you know, fun partying at the White House, which is also cataloged in The Obama Diaries. There’s a lot of partying. A beautiful family, wonderful image. But the image for the country is not a comedy, Matt, it’s a tragedy. LAUER: If you look, if you look at the front page of the Washington Post there’s a poll and it kind of tells two stories. INGRAHAM: Yeah. LAUER: One it says, about 6 in 10 Americans are, do not have faith in President Obama. Almost 7 in 10 Americans don’t have faith in Democrats in Congress. But it also says- INGRAHAM: But? What’s the but? LAUER: -it also says that just slightly more than 7 in 10 Americans don’t have faith in Republicans in Congress. So what’s the message here? A pox on all their houses? INGRAHAM: Well I think there’s, yeah, there’s, there’s a lot of cynicism out there. But I think that’s a little facile to say, “Oh everyone who’s in power is just a disaster and no one trusts anyone.” I don’t think that’s true. I think what people are seeing, that the nation is in debt. We have a lack of focus on things like the Gulf Coast. I mean I know the First Lady dropped by the Gulf Coast. That was a beautiful image. She went to an ice cream shop. I thought dessert was not a right. But she had a, you know, a chocolate hurricane yesterday. That was a nice image. But we’re losing part of the country, Matt. We’re losing the Gulf Coast day by day by day. I hope the cap works. We’ll see if it does. LAUER: So, so- INGRAHAM: There’s been a failure in leadership. That’s why the polls are where they are. A failure in leadership. LAUER: Let me put you in charge. So if I put you in charge of the campaigns- INGRAHAM: Oh gosh, that’d be fun. LAUER: -campaigns of all the Republicans running in the midterm elections, what’s your bumper sticker? Is it, “We’re not Democrats” or is it something more? INGRAHAM: Well it might be “America First.” It might be focus on American families and American jobs. Period. America. Reignite a love affair with our country! We don’t need someone apologizing for America. We don’t need someone saying, “Well, American exceptionalism yes but there’s also Greek exceptionalism and British exceptionalism.” We need to reignite a love affair with America. That’s what I write about in The Obama Diaries. That’s the, that’s the comedy, the tragedy that’s kind of unfolding today. … LAUER: The Obama Diaries. Fictional entries in Obama’s diary. INGRAHAM: First of all is it fictional to say that the, the President with the burger runs. Remember last, last year Matt, last June when Brian Williams was in the backseat. Now that was funny. In the burger run with Obama? I love Brian Williams at that moment. You know, petting Bo the dog. That was comedy. The Obama Diaries? It’s revealing. LAUER: But, but what, four months or three-and-a-half months before midterm elections- INGRAHAM: Yeah. LAUER: -what do you want people to take away from this? Is this a fun romp? Is this? INGRAHAM: The book is revealing arrogance, incompetence, horror, and, Matt, Barack Obama and Joe Biden. You didn’t know this, they’re two of the funniest people on the face of the planet. You add Marian Robinson, Michelle Obama’s mother? She is, this woman is one of the best people, funniest, common sense. And she wants those daughters to eat junk food when they want to eat it, okay? LAUER: The book is The Obama Diaries. Laura it’s nice to have you. INGRAHAM: It’s great to see you Matt, as always. LAUER: Good to see you as well.

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As Laura Ingraham Sells New Book, NBC’s Lauer Sells Idea That Dems, GOP Equally Hated

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‘Today’ Declares Itself a Gay ‘Ally,’ Will Permit Same-Sex Couples in Wedding Contest

Posted on July 9, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

NBC proved that it will respond quickly to charges of bias – at least if the charges come from a left-wing activist group. When NBC announced the “Today” show’s annual summer wedding contest, the network made it clear homosexual couples would not be eligible since New York does not license same-sex marriages. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation issued a press release condemning the decision and urged its members to complain to the network. After a meeting between GLAAD and NBC officials Thursday, the network announced it was reversing its decision . The “Today” show said its intention was neither “discriminatory” nor “exclusive.” NBC reminded viewers of its inclusion of same-sex couples in 2005, noting that “Today” is a “longtime supporter” and “ally” of the LGBT community. Appeased, GLAAD praised NBC for “living up to its own high standard of fairness.” To further accommodate its allies in the gay community, NBC extended the contest application deadline to Monday, July 12, and promised that future wedding contests “will be inclusive of all couples.” The contest, which has aired for 11 years on “Today,” gives viewers the chance to vote for one couple to have a wedding celebration professionally planned for them and broadcast live on “Today.” This is not the first time NBC has proven itself biased in covering the gay lifestyle. In August 2008, NBC Universal took out a full page ad in the program for the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association convention declaring, ” Your Victories are Our Victories .” When the California Supreme Court rules laws banning same-sex marriage were unconstitutional, NBC’s Pete Williams declared on the May 15, 2008, “Nightly News” that it was a “huge victory for advocates of gay rights.” Most recently, in April 2010, NBC announced a partnership with gay magazine The Advocate. 

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TV Bites: Lee Pace Finds Life After Daisies

Posted on July 9, 2010 by | Leave a comment

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ABC, NBC and CBS Mostly Ignore Obama’s Recess Appointment of Pro-Health Care Rationing Doctor to Head Medicare

Posted on July 7, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Barack Obama’s decision to make a recess appointment of Dr. Donald Berwick to run Medicare has been vastly ignored by the mainstream news media, despite the fact Berwick has made controversial statements favoring rationing of medical care. As CNSNews.com’s Terry Jeffrey reported Dr. Berwick, at a talk celebrating the 60th birthday of Great Britain’s National Health Service, told the audience to be wary of returning to a free enterprise based system as he warned: “Please, don’t put your faith in market forces,” and urged them “I hope you will never, ever give up on what you have begun” and rallied the crowd: “I hope you realize and affirm how badly you need–how badly the world needs–an example at scale of a health care system that is universal, accessible, excellent and free at the point of care–a health system that, at its core is like the world we wish we had: generous, hopeful, confident, joyous and just.” Berwick even ominously told his audience at Biotechnology Healthcare, “The decision is not whether or not we will ration care, the decision is whether we will ration with our eyes open.” So given Berwick’s rather outspoken faith in socialized medicine the news that Obama is planning to circumvent Congress with a recess appointment, to have him head Medicare, had to be big news, right? Well not according to NBC, CBS and ABC news, as there was no mention of the President’s decision to make the recess appointment on Tuesday night’s NBC Nightly News, CBS Evening News or ABC’s World News. In fact the embargo on the information continued through Wednesday morning as there were zero mentions on ABC’s Good Morning America and CBS’s The Early Show. Only NBC’s Today show mentioned the news as Lester Holt, in an 8am EST news brief on the July 7 show, told viewers the following: President Obama is expected to appoint his choice to oversee Medicare and Medicaid today, while Congress is in recess. This means Dr. Donald Berwick won’t have to undergo Senate confirmation hearings. Republicans had wanted to question the Harvard professor and healthcare policy expert about comments he made on rationing medical care. A scant 20 seconds from the NBC’s Today show, as of Wednesday morning, is all the three major broadcast news networks have devoted to the news that Obama has just named a health care rationing doctor to run this country’s Medicare system. To read more about Berwick please read CNSNews.com’s coverage.

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Network Morning Shows Laud the Comedy of ‘Lively,’ SNL-worthy Kagan

Posted on June 30, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

All three morning shows on Wednesday made sure to tout the “lively” sense of humor of Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan, this as ABC continued to ignore the hearings. Over two days, Good Morning America has devoted a scant 67 seconds to Barack Obama’s nominee. After a news brief featuring Kagan cracking jokes at her hearings, former Democratic operative George Stephanopoulos gushed, “… If this Supreme Court thing doesn’t work out, she’s got another career in stand-up .” [Audio available here .]  Guest host Elizabeth Vargas hyperbolically asserted that Saturday Night Live couldn’t “be as funny as Elena Kagan was!” Today’s Kelly O’Donnell prefaced clips of Kagan’s humor by fawning, “But the real surprise has been that both Democrats and Republicans found something to smile about.” She added, “And there were actually a number of other of those kinds of personable, humorous exchanges and maybe some of that came out because it was such a grind, more than 10 hours.” Over on CBS’s Early Show, reporter Jan Crawford warned that “aggressive” Republicans were on the “attack.” She observed, “But Kagan was blunt and didn’t hide her background.” Crawford, too, highlighted Kagan’s comedy: “And while the day was dominated by tough questions, there were moments of levity.” The journalist enthused, “On one point, both sides agreed.” She then played a clip of Senator Arlen Specter touting the nominee’s “admirable sense of humor.” Crawford did note that Kagan wasn’t entirely forthcoming. Referencing the fact that the potential judge has previously called such hearings a charade, the reporter concluded, “…So she really did that dance that we’ve seen from nominees year after year after year up here.” Due to the almost non-existent nature of ABC’s coverage, the program skipped any mention of Kagan’s testimony on Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell. The Early Show reported her statement of opposition to it. Today’s O’Donnell featured this exchange: KELLY O’DONNELL: In the most intense exchange, the committee’s top Republican, Jeff Sessions, pounded Kagan for restricting where on campus where the military could recruit when she was dean at Harvard Law. SEN. JEFF SESSIONS: You were punishing the military. O’DONNELL: Kagan insisted recruiters had access to students. She said the military ban on gays serving openly conflicted with Harvard’s anti-discrimination policy. KAGAN: I have repeatedly said that I believe that the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy is unwise and unjust. I believed it then and I believe it now. SESSIONS: I know you were an outspoken leader against the military policy. For a recap of Tuesday’s morning show coverage of Kagan, see an earlier NewsBusters post. A transcript of ABC’s brief segment, which aired at 7:14am, follows: JUJU CHANG: Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan faces what is likely her final round of questioning from senators today. Her first day of confirmation testimony was long and, at times, tense. But, Kagan proves she has a lively sense of humor. SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Where are you at on Christmas day? ELENA KAGAN: You know, like all Jews, I was probably in a Chinese restaurant. SENATOR ARLEN SPECTER: You’ve already said you’re in favor of televising the court. KAGAN: It means I would have to get my hair done more often, Senator Specter. SENATOR ORRIN HATCH: We have to have a back and forth every once in a while. Or this place would be boring as hell, I’ll tell you. KAGAN: And it gets the spotlight off me. CHANG [Laughs]: That’s the news at 7:15. Excellent ad-libs. But the real question, George and Elizabeth, is who is going to play her in the SNL skit? ELIZABETH VARGAS: Oh, it’s ripe for it, isn’t it? Although, I don’t think they could be as funny as Elena Kagan was! GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Yeah, if this Supreme Court thing doesn’t work out, she’s got another career in stand-up. VARGAS: Absolutely.

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NBC and ABC Barely Touch Kagan Hearings, CBS Promotes Her As ‘Very Agile’

Posted on June 29, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

While ABC’s Good Morning America and NBC’s Today spent little time on the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan on Tuesday, the CBS Early Show featured a report from legal correspondent Jan Crawford, who cheered Kagan finally being able respond to Republican “attacks” in a “very agile” way. Good Morning America devoted only a single news brief early in the 7AM ET hour to the hearings as news reader JuJu Chang noted how Kagan “will be questioned by Republicans who say she is too liberal and too political.” Chang added: “Kagan promised to take a modest approach to judging.”   On Today, correspondent Kelly O’Donnell offered only a brief 7:09AM report on the hearings: “Weeks after her nomination, seated in silence for hours, finally Elena Kagan gets to make her case….[she] describes herself as a daughter of the American dream.” O’Donnell described the arguments from both sides of the aisle: “No surprise, Democrats praised her intellect and the chance to broaden the Supreme Court….Saying they would be respectful, Republicans did not hesitate to get tough. From abortion rights to immigration, they found various ways to call her liberal.” In an 8:04AM news brief, news reader Natalie Morales declared: “Republicans portrayed Kagan as a liberal activist with no judicial experience. Kagan promised an even-handed approach to the law.” In contrast, the Early Show devoted a full 7:10AM segment to Kagan, as fill-in co-host Chris Wragge proclaimed: “Day two of Elena Kagan’s Senate confirmation hearings get underway this morning and the gloves are expected to come off.” Crawford began the report that followed by observing: “After nearly two months of public silence while Republicans attacked her, Elena Kagan was sworn in and answered back. She vowed to uphold the law fairly.” Crawford previewed Tuesday’s hearings: “…today the questions and the fireworks begin. Republicans say the questions won’t be easy, as they try to paint her as a liberal activist.” Wragge asked about the tone of the hearings: “…every word yesterday from Elena was just so measured and so deliberate. Can we expect more of that today with every response from the questions she’ll be fielding?” Crawford replied: “No, it’s going to have a very different tone today….they’re really going to start pressing her on all these issues….what we’ll see today is how agile and how effective she is at answering those and responding to those, engaging these senators without saying anything that can be held against her.” Wragge concluded the segment by asking Crawford to predict Kagan’s performance. Crawford responded by gushing: “I think she’s going to do, actually, very, very well. I’ve seen her argue before the Supreme Court. She’s very agile , she spars with those conservative justices very well, so I don’t think these Republicans are going to have too much of an easy time, you know, pressing her on some of these issues.” Here is a full transcript of Crawford’s June 29 report: 7:10AM CHRIS WRAGGE: Day two of Elena Kagan’s Senate confirmation hearings get underway this morning and the gloves are expected to come off. CBS News chief legal correspondent Jan Crawford is on Capitol Hill with a look at today’s session. Jan, good morning. JAN CRAWFORD: Good morning, Chris. Well, you know Elena Kagan really stayed out of the public eye for two months and Americans finally got a glimpse of her, but today, she’s going to face a lot of questions from the Republicans on this side of the aisle and they’re going to see if she can handle the heat. After nearly two months of public silence while Republicans attacked her, Elena Kagan was sworn in and answered back. She vowed to uphold the law fairly. ELENA KAGAN: I will listen hard to every party before the court and to each of my colleagues. CRAWFORD: And she told a bit of her life story. KAGAN: My parents lived the American dream. They grew up in immigrant communities. My mother didn’t speak a word of English until she went to school. But she became a legendary teacher and my father a valued lawyer. CRAWFORD: Kagan sat stoically for hours while senators gave their opening statements, but today the questions and the fireworks begin. Republicans say the questions won’t be easy, as they try to paint her as a liberal activist. JEFF SESSIONS: It’s not a coronation, as I’ve said, but a confirmation process. Serious and substantive questions will be asked. CRAWFORD: But Democrats will be ready to come to her defense. CHARLES SCHUMER: She is brilliant, she is thoughtful, and I think she is straight out of central casting for this job. SESSIONS: But proving that to the senators is what Elena Kagan is going to have to do and it all starts, Chris, in just a couple of hours. WRAGGE: Jan, the last thing I would ever do is sit here and say this has got to be pretty easy on someone, but every word yesterday from Elena was just so measured and so deliberate. Can we expect more of that today with every response from the questions she’ll be fielding? CRAWFORD: No, it’s going to have a very different tone today, Chris. You know, yesterday, her face – I mean, she really showed no expression all day, she just sat there and listened to these senators deliver these long opening statements. So today they’re really going to start pressing her on all these issues that they’ve got ready. So what we’ll see today is how agile and how effective she is at answering those and responding to those, engaging these senators without saying anything that can be held against her. WRAGGE: And quickly, on a separate note here, I want to talk about this Supreme Court ruling. They ruled that had state and local governments cannot ban guns. Now what’s the importance, if you can just tell us quickly, of this 5-4 decision? CRAWFORD: Chris, this was a huge ruling that basically extended gun rights nationwide. It said cities and states across the country cannot flatly outright ban handguns, that you have a fundamental right to own a gun in your own home to protect yourself. WRAGGE: Can I ask you real quickly, you know Elena Kagan very well. How do you think she’ll perform today? CRAWFORD: I think she’s going to do, actually, very, very well. I’ve seen her argue before the Supreme Court. She’s very agile, she spars with those conservative justices very well, so I don’t think these Republicans are going to have too much of an easy time, you know, pressing her on some of these issues. WRAGGE: Alright, Jan Crawford, thank you very much. We look forward to your report later on today. CRAWFORD: Thanks, Chris.

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NBC and ABC Barely Touch Kagan Hearings, CBS Promotes Her As ‘Very Agile’

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Chicago Tribune: Supreme Court ‘Extends Gun Rights’

Posted on June 28, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

“Supreme Court extends gun rights” a headline on the Web site for the Chicago Tribune erroneously claims today. The link on the page brought readers to a story entitled “Supreme Court extends gun rights in Chicago case.” Here’s the opening paragraph: WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court reversed a ruling upholding Chicago ‘s ban today and extended the reach of the 2nd Amendment as a nationwide protection against laws that infringe the “right to keep and bear arms.” But that language suggests that the Court invented a right out of whole cloth rather than grounded its decision in the Constitution itself. In truth, what the Supreme Court found in McDonald v. City of Chicago was that the 2nd Amendment’s guarantee of the individual’s right to firearm ownership is incorporated to the states via the 14th Amendment’s Due Process Clause. “The right to keep and bear arms must be regarded as a substantive guarantee, not a prohibition that could be ignored so long as the States legislated in an even handed manner,” Justice Alito wrote for the Court.  The bottom line: The Supreme Court recognized that the City of Chicago was in violation of the the 2nd and 14th Amendments to the federal Constitution. A more accurate headline would have been “Supreme Court finds Chicago gun ban violates Constitution.” Of course, that presupposes the liberal media in Chicago are interested in shooting straight when it comes to reporting developments with which they have an ideological disagreement.

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Chicago Tribune: Supreme Court ‘Extends Gun Rights’

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