News Hounds

Rep. Weiner To Investigate Beck's Sponsor, Goldline

Reported by Ellen - Fri 11:50 PM

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) announced yesterday that a hearing will take place next week to discuss legislation to regulate gold-selling companies, such as Goldline, a sponsor of Glenn Beck and other Fox News personalities such as Mike Huckabee and Laura Ingraham.

Gretchen Carlson Disses Helena Montana Sex Ed – Again!

Reported by Priscilla - Fri 6:24 PM

As America’s conservative, morning chat show, the weekday morning crew on Fox & Friends provided warm support, in their “Texas Textbook War” series, for conservative Texans who support a biblically based, whitewashed (literally) version of social studies. Nary was heard a discouraging word from those who opposed having Texas curriculum designed by Glenn Beck pal and bogus historian, David Barton. Fox & Friends also felt it was their duty, as the mouthpiece for the anti-sex education right wing, to vociferously spin what was a local issue in Helena, Montana, into a national debate about a degenerate sex-ed curriculum which will send innocent, heartland youth down the road to sexual perdition and decadent gay sex (First graders would be taught that people can be attracted to members of the same sex and we know that never happens to godly conservatives!) Fox fiend (whoops “friend”) Gretchen Carlson, who is so scared of the “gay agenda” that she doesn’t let her kids listen to “I Kissed a Girl,” seems to be spearheading this anti sex education jihad. (Whoops, crusade). She’s just so upset about this evil, librul Helena MT curriculum that she kvetched, with Bill O’Reilly, about how Montana is supposed to be a conservative place where this kind of librul nonsense isn’t tolerated. She provided anti- Helena sex-ed talking points (school nurse teaching kindergarten kids proper names for body parts = SEX ED BEGINS IN KINDERGARTEN!!!) during a segment where she also provided affirmation for two parents opposed to the curriculum. Recently she interviewed a chastity advocate to make the case against the curriculum. But in an attempt to be “fair & balanced,” Gretch actually interviewed the superintendent of Helena schools. But Gretch is so imbued with right wing outrage about dirty sex ed that she couldn’t help but articulate the requisite right wing talking points, underscored by biased chyrons, as she gave Dr. Messinger a piece of her mind- without the benefit of Gretch’s glowing smile that is bestowed on those who support conservative purity of mind and body.

Fox News Suing Democratic Missouri Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan

Reported by Ellen - Fri 2:27 PM

Fox News and host Chris Wallace have filed a lawsuit against Democratic Missouri Senate candidate Robin Carnahan for using a clip from Fox News Sunday in a campaign ad targeting Carnahan's Republican opponent, Roy Blunt. I'm not an attorney but this sentence from the Hollywood Reporter's coverage of the case caught my eye: "The Rupert Murdoch-controlled company is breaking new ground, filing a lawsuit against a prominent Democratic politician targeting a practice that has long been common in the political world."

Megyn Kelly Defends Christine O’Donnell From Biased Mainstream Media?

Reported by Priscilla - Fri 11:42 AM

Christian O’Donnell is now the Republican teabagging candidate for US Senate from Delaware. As such, Fox “News” feels that they have a sacred duty to defend this erstwhile, young, anti-masturbation, GOP candidate from the slings and arrows of the evil, librul media. That O’Donnell was criticized by her fellow Republicans, including Fox “News” employee Karl Rove, doesn’t seem to be an issue for Fox “News” which considers factual reporting, by the mainstream media, to be part of their ongoing meme of the evil, librul media attacking virtuous Republicans. Fox “news” anchor, Megyn Kelly is a reliable go to gal for defense of right wing causes and people that Fox has given its seal of approval to and now that Christine O’Donnell is part of the Fox right wing protected class, you betcha Megyn Kelly is doing her best to rehabilitate the image of this Sarah Palin mini me. Maybe it’s some kind of right wing sisterhood is powerful thing. But the thing is that when Hillary Clinton was being routinely eviscerated by Sean Hannity, who suggested that Vince Foster’s death was not a suicide and that Ms. Clinton had a role in a “cover-up”(“The Clinton Chapters”), Ms. Megyn didn’t mount the kind of staunch defense that she seems to be doing for Christine O’Donnell who does seem to have some unfortunate baggage – including a statement that she wouldn’t lie to Nazis. But Christine shouldn’t worry as Fox has her back so it’s all good.

Brent Bozell And Sean Hannity Want Christiane Amanpour To Just Shut Up!

Reported by Ellen - Fri 1:43 AM

Sean Hannity’s regular “media mash” segment with Brent Bozell – in which the two conservatives spend about 7 minutes whining about (liberal) media bias – is always an exercise in jaw-dropping hypocrisy. But the two reached new heights – or lows – last night (9/16/10) as the conservatives whined about bias against tea party candidates, while ignoring their very real flaws. Then, for the piece de resistance, Bozell ordained that ABC’s Christiane Amanpour should just shut up! So how did our host feel about someone suggesting that another media host should be silenced? Hannity was gleeful. That’s fair and balanced, Fox style, for you.

Now That The GOP Backs O’Donnell, So Does Cavuto

Reported by Ellen - Thu 11:40 PM

Co-authored by Brian

Remember how dismissive Neil Cavuto was of GOP senate candidate Christine O’Donnell a few weeks ago? Well, that was when the Republican Party was against her. Now that they’re for her, so is Cavuto.

Why Isn’t Fox News Vociferously Defending Karl Rove’s Independent Views On O'Donnell?

Reported by Ellen - Thu 3:27 PM

There was an interesting discussion on America’s Newsroom this morning during which host Martha MacCallum put Karl Rove on the hot seat for being critical of Tea Party-backed Christine O’Donnell’s candidacy for the U.S. Senate. Rove was obviously taken aback by all the attacks on him since his on-air criticisms of O’Donnell the night she won the primary. And he clearly tried to show more support for O'Donnell and the Tea Party during the interview. The Republican Party’s intolerance for disagreement from one of their most stalwart, effective operatives is their own business. But why hasn’t Fox News leapt to defend the right of one of their analysts to offer what was presumably legitimate analysis without being branded as a turncoat?

“Democrat” Van Susteren Sticks Up For O’Donnell To Rove

Reported by Ellen - Thu 4:01 AM

As the GOP rifts continued last night (9/15/10), On The Record hosted Karl Rove to discuss “the tornado” in the party over the upset victory of Tea Party candidate Christine O’Donnell in the Republican Senate primary the night before. Rove, of course, has been at odds with the Palin wing of his party for criticizing O’Donnell and calling her unelectable. But “Democrat” Greta Van Susteren was on hand to argue on behalf of O’Donnell - because, apparently, there’s just never enough advocacy for conservative candidates on Fox. Although Van Susteren repeatedly insisted she was neutral on O’Donnell and her electability, Van Susteren nevertheless dismissed O’Donnell’s financial and ethical problems, offered up talking points for O’Donnell to use against her detractors and further described her as someone who feels the voters’ pain. Yet Van Susteren completely overlooked O’Donnell’s extremist views on evolution, masturbation and equating a lack of school prayer with school shootings.

Sarah Palin Advises Christine O’Donnell To Go Rogue From Her Own Campaign, Reveals Clandestine Calls In 2008

Reported by Ellen - Thu 2:23 AM

The GOP civil war continued on Fox News prime time Wednesday night (9/15/10) as Sarah Palin threw some jabs at Karl Rove for not supporting Delaware’s Palin-blessed, Republican Senate primary winner, Christine O’Donnell. Palin, obviously feeling like a queen maker who had just unseated King Rove, went on to offer O’Donnell advice to ignore her handlers and “speak to the American people… through Fox News.” Then, recounting the bad old days of the 2008 campaign, Palin said to O'Reilly, “Remember I used to have to sneak in my phone calls to you?” O’Reilly did not point out that while the 2008 campaign may have been a boon for Palin, personally, Palin going rogue did nothing to help McCain actually get elected.

Media Matters Ad About News Corp Runs On O'Reilly

Reported by Ellen - Wed 7:21 PM

Not long ago, we posted about Media Matters' efforts to purchase advertising on The O'Reilly Factor in order to report to Fox News viewers what Fox News mostly did not - that its parent company, News Corporation, donated $1 million to the Republican Governors Association. The ad finally ran on The Factor last night (9/14/10). Congrats to Media Matters!

Gretchen Carlson Rails Against Republican Party, Calls Tea Party Victories “A Referendum On President Obama”

Reported by Ellen - Wed 2:25 PM

Was Gretchen Carlson up too late last night? Obviously in a bit of a mood, Carlson first declared that the Tea Party victories in the REPUBLICAN primaries were a “referendum on President Obama” and then in her next breath, she railed against the Republican Party for their lack of support of Tea Party candidate Christine O’Donnell in Delaware, saying, “If you want the Democrat to win, then go ahead and let her flounder by herself.” Carlson later ranted, “it's crazy! ...This is suicide for the Party!” Then, in a supreme lack of self-awareness, insisted, “I don’t have anything in this race.”

GOP In Disarray! Hannity vs. Rove on O’Donnell Win In DE

Reported by Ellen - Wed 1:57 PM

Sean Hannity squared off against Karl Rove last night (9/14/10) in a discussion about the upset primary victory of tea party candidate Christine O’Donnell in Delaware. Hannity was obviously thrilled she had won, Rove argued that she’s unelectable. The debate was respectful but reflected deep, heartfelt divisions in the Republican Party. You could tell from the music playing that the segment was due to end long before it actually did. If Rove had just a little more decency, I might have felt for him.

UPDATE 9/15/10: Think Progress points out how Rove hypocritically attacked O'Donnell for some of the exact same political tactics Rove has endorsed.

O’Reilly Admits That Ground Zero Imam’s Association With A Truther Means Nothing

Reported by Ellen - Wed 3:12 AM

One day after Bill O’Reilly acted as though he had uncovered earth-shakingly incriminating information – that the so-called “ground zero imam” has a truther associate – O’Reilly admitted, perhaps inadvertently, that it meant nothing.

Jon Stewart Probes Fox News' "Concern" That Imam Rauf Was Threatening America

Reported by Ellen - Wed 1:10 AM

Jon Stewart exposes Fox News hypocrisy like nobody else. On Monday night (9/13/10), Stewart revealed why the "fair and balanced" network's concern that "Ground Zero Imam" Rauf may have been threatening America was nothing but a load of partisan bull.

Fox News' America Live Snubs Obama Speech

Reported by Ellen - Tue 5:15 PM

A few days after Neil Cavuto interrupted Michelle Obama's 9/11 remembrances, Megyn Kelly cut away from President Obama's speech before he began speaking.

Megyn Kelly's Fake Window

Reported by Ellen - Tue 4:11 PM

Our good friend and sometime contributor, Hula, caught this for us. You know that "window" Megyn Kelly sits in front of on America Live? It turns out it's not a window, after all. I'm not sure what it is, a monitor? In any event, if you watch the video, you'll see the building behind Kelly suddenly get closer. As Hula noted, if that's a window then the Fox News studio is able to break the laws of physics!

Did Steve Doocy Stutter Or Drop The "F-Bomb" On Fox & Friends?

Reported by Priscilla - Tue 2:23 PM

What do you think? Check it out!

H/T TV Squad

Bill O’Reilly Pimps Another Ray Stevens Immigrant Bashing Song

Reported by Priscilla - Tue 11:54 AM

I have previously noted that Bill O’Reilly’s “Pinheads & Patriots” segment is effective propaganda in that it contains the requisite right wing message couched in short sound bites and “humor.” The abbreviated propaganda allows no discussion of nuances which might cast the black and white dichotomy in a shade of gray. Bill’s “Reality Check” segment utilizes the same technique with the added benefit of a title which suggests that Bill’s reality is real. Last night, the “Reality Check” provided the requisite right wing agitprop about evil illegal immigrants who are besieging poor Arizona which is just trying to do the right thing. The propaganda took the form of a promotion of a new Ray Stevens song, “God Save Arizona,” which, like Stevens’ last immigrant bashing song, “Come to the USA,” is jingoistic at best and racist at worst. He even compares the immigrants to the Japanese who attacked Pearl Harbor. Megyn Kelly promoted Stevens’ last bit of musical xenophobia which included, in the video, an amusing image of Ray in a Mexican sombrero. And it’s just not Ray Stevens’ musical nativism that gets a supportive audience on Fox. The all American morning crew on Fox & Friends just loved a song/video that bashed immigrants and promoted the Arizona immigration law. John Scott and Mike Huckabee promoted the “light hearted” “Press One for English.” But this is not the first time that Bill has pimped Steven’s (and Fox’s and O’Reilly’s) crude agitrop; sot it’s not surprising that O’Reilly is a Stevens fan as Stevens’ political views dovetail nicely with O’Reilly’s. What fun, propaganda that has a beat and that you can dance to.

OMG! Ground Zero Mosque Imam Is Associated With A Truther!

Reported by Ellen - Tue 3:07 AM

It was hard to believe Bill O’Reilly was serious Monday night (9/13/10) as he solemnly shared what he considered grave evidence that the so-called Ground Zero Mosque imam, Feisal Abdul Rauf, is associated with “a radical Muslim," is therefore likely not dedicated to peace and should not be allowed “within ten miles of Ground Zero.” So who is this dangerous radical Muslim friend of Rauf's? A medical doctor, who practices at what O’Reilly described as a prestigious Long Island hospital, but who also happens to believe 9/11 was an inside job. But it wasn't just O'Reilly grasping at this particular McCarthyesque straw. In concert with the meme, FoxNews.com called its video of the segment, Evidence NYC Mosque Imam Associated with Radical Muslim.

Fox News And Hannity Serve As Fundraising Platform For Sharron Angle Again

Reported by Ellen - Mon 6:07 PM

Sharron Angle is neck and neck with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in what Republicans consider one of the most important races this campaign season. But with Angle's high unfavorability ratings and Reid tied or ahead of her in the polls, Sean Hannity and Fox News stepped in to give Angle some PR and a fundraising platform Friday night (9/10/10).