Sunday News Shows: Where Are The Democrats?

Roll Call did a piece this morning on the "face time" that members of Congress receive on Sunday News Shows. There were only two Democrats, Senators Durbin (IL) and Schumer (NY) that appeared in the top ten. The other eight consisted of seven Republicans and one Independent and it wasn't Bernie Sanders. Suprised? No.

Here is the list of the top ten results. The next time someone says to you "the media is liberal", flash this list to them. To read the entire list, go to rollcall.com.

Member of Congress	Face the Nation (CBS)	Meet the Press (NBC)	This Week (ABC)	State of the Union (CNN)	Fox News Sunday (FOX)	Total
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)	3	1	2	4	1	11
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)	0	3	0	4	3	10
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)	2	2	1	1	3	9
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)	2	2	2	1	2	9
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.)	4	3	1	1	0	9
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)	2	2	0	2	2	8
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.)	2	1	0	0	2	5
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.)	1	0	1	2	1	5
Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.)	1	0	0	1	2	4

 

Washington Press Corp Circling The Wagons Over Stewart?

On CNN's Reliable Sources Sunday program there was a panel discussion about comedian Jon Stewart's debate that took place a week earlier on the Fox Sunday program with host Chris Wallace. Stewart made the assertion that a portion of his interview had been edited by FOX to leave out relevant information that Fox executives hand out "talking points" to their news anchors to read on-air.

The odd thing I've noticed recently is whenever anyone is critical of the corporate news media, regardless of what network it is, they all "circle the bandwagon" to protect one another. The panel discussion on CNN yesterday was just one more example of this mentality by the media.

Watch the clip of this discussion and see if you come away with the same response I have.

What's With DC Democrats?

David Axelrod, a former White House Senior Aide to President Obama, appeared in an interview with Candy Crowley of CNN yesterday. He discussed issues like the US economy and the upcoming 2012 presidential elections. After watching this interview yesterday morning, a question sprang to mind. Why do DC Democrats seem to have such difficulty leading on issues even when the majority of the nation supports what they say they support? Why is that in the state of Wisconsin just fourteen state Democratic elected officials could capture the hearts and minds of so many working class Americans across the nation by standing clearly with American workers and not cow towing to GOP narratives the way that frequently happens to DC Democrats?  

It seems in DC the conventional wisdom is that Democrats must always compromise. At least that's the corporate media meme but notice that seems to not apply when the GOP are at the helm of the controls.

In my opinion the GOP won back the House of Representatives because the campaigned on JOBS, JOBS, JOBS. Since the November 2010 elections, the Republican Party in DC and state wide have massively "over-reached" and misread their mandate which is/was to create jobs. Their mandate was not to reduce collective bargaining rights for state workers, eliminate abortion rights, or anything else. It was jobs stupid. In state after state (examples: Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Florida), the Governors and state legislatures have misread why they were elected in the first place. They have championed anti-worker agendas of attacking worker rights, cutting jobs, and cutting safety net programs in the name of "We're broke" but have at the very same time found millions to give to millionaires/billionaires in tax reductions and corporate give aways. Then comes US Wisconsin Rep Paul Ryan's plan to effectively end Medicare for those aged 55 and under and yet DC Democrats seem incapable of taking advantage of  any of this and turning the peoples' populist rage that is brewing state-wide against the GOP. Why?

Listen to this interview David Axelrod gave to CNN and you will see why. If President Obama and the DC Democrats hope to gain election victories in 2012, they should ignore the majority of what Axelrod and advisers like him have to say. Job creation is number 1 on Americans' minds, not deficits or cutting programs like Medicare.

Listen to Axelrod's beltway conventional wisdom here.

Something You Will Not See On Corporate Media 'News" Programs

Remember the debate last year about whether or not the Bush Tax Cuts for the wealthy should be extended? It seemed the vast majority of reporters and pundits echoed the GOP talking points on this issue: "Should taxes be raised during a bad economy?" The correct question was should taxes be raised on millionaires and billionaires during a bad economy? Of course if the question was framed like the later, the majority of the general public would have overwhelmingly supported that. This is the very reason that the GOP and the corporate media framed the question the way they did, to make ordinary Americans making $30,000 or $60,000 a year fear that taxes would be raised on them. This issue will resurface once again, just in time for the 2012 Presidential election and you can bet the GOP and corporate media will frame the issue the exact same way they did last year.

Fast forward. There is a group of American millionaires labeling themselves as "Patriotic Millionaires for Fiscal Strength" who are advocating for higher taxes on the wealthy in America to help our nation stay afloat until our economy recovers. This group took out an ad in the New York Post last year during the debate on the renewal of the Bush Tax Cuts. It got very little to no media coverage on the major and cable television news networks. You will not see them of course appearing as guests on premier beltway news programs like Meet The Press, Face The Nation, and the like.

Here is a  report by National Public Radio (NPR) taking a closer look at their proposal.

Listen. 

The Corporate Media Should Listen To Jon Stewart's Advice To Dems About bin Laden

The mainstream media as well as the Democratic Party should listen to Jon Stewart's commentary about why Republicans should not be listened to in reference to the subject of Osama bin Laden.

The media seem to never tire of interviewing and treating Cheney, Rice, Rumsfield, and others who failed to complete the mission of 1) actually capturing bin Laden, and 2) killing him.  These individuals are not experts in foreign policy. 

Listen to Stewart's commentary.

Sunday News Shows - March 27, 2011

Here is the lineup of guests for this week's Sunday morning news shows.

Meet The Press

Hillary Clinton-Secretary of State, US Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), and Robert Gates-Defense Secretary.

CBS Face The Nation

Hillary Clinton-Secretary of State and Robert Gates-Defense Secretary.

CNN State Of The Union

US Senator Carl Levin (D-MI), Stephen Hadley-National Security Adviser to President George W. Bush, Michael Hayden-CIA Director under Bush, Joe Cirincione-President of the Ploughshares Fund, Douglas Holtz-Eakin-former director of the Congressional Budget Office, and Alice Rivlin-former director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Fox News Sunday

US Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), and Newt Gingrich-former Speaker of the House.

ABC This Week

Hillary Clinton-Secretary of State, Robert Gates-Defense Secretary, Donald H. Rumsfeld-former Defense Secretary. 

If you miss the live airing of these shows, they are re-aired on CSPAN Radio starting at 12:00 PM EST. CSPAN radio can be listened to on WCSP-FM 90.1 Washington, DC, XM Radio 132, and CSPAN.org.

CSPAN Radio for iPhone App can be found at CSPAN.org. 

To watch these shows at a later date, check the television network's websites that airs these programs.

Sunday News Shows - March 20, 2011

Here is the lineup of guests for this week's Sunday morning news shows.

Meet The Press

US Sentors Carl Levin (D-MI) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL), and Steven Chu-Energy Secretary.

CBS Face The Nation

US Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), US Represemtative Ed Markey (D-MA), and Admiral Mike Mullen-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

CNN State Of The Union

US Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Retired Admiral William Fallon, Retired General Richard Myers, and Steven Chu-Energy Secretary.

Fox News Sunday

Steven Chu-Energy Secretary, US Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and  Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Rand Paul (R-KY), and US Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH).

ABC This Week

Steven Chu-Energy Secretary, Bill Richardson-former Energy Secretary, Michael Chertoff-former Homeland Security Secretary, and John Ritch-Director General of the World Nuclear Association. 

If you miss the live airing of these shows, they are re-aired on CSPAN Radio starting at 12:00 PM EST. CSPAN radio can be listened to on WCSP-FM 90.1 Washington, DC, XM Radio 132, and CSPAN.org.

CSPAN Radio for iPhone App can be found at CSPAN.org. 

To watch these shows at a later date, check the television network's websites that airs these programs.

Sunday News Shows - March 13, 2011

Here is the lineup of guests for this week's Sunday morning news shows.

Meet The Press
US Sentor Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Governor Mitch Daniels (R-IN).

CBS Face The Nation

US Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT).

CNN State Of The Union
US Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), US Representatives Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), John Hofmeister-former President of Shell Oil, Ichiro Fujisaki-Japanese Ambassador to the US, James Acton-Nuclear Policy Program Associate (Carnegie Endwoment), and James Lee Witt-former FEMA Director.

Fox News Sunday

US Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Mark Warner (R-VA), and Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) .

ABC This Week

Entire coverage in Japan this week to cover the environmental disaster.

If you miss the live airing of these shows, they are re-aired on CSPAN Radio starting at 12:00 PM EST. CSPAN radio can be listened to on WCSP-FM 90.1 Washington, DC, XM Radio 132, and CSPAN.org.

CSPAN Radio for iPhone App can be found at CSPAN.org. 

To watch these shows at a later date, check the television network's websites that airs these programs.

Filmaker Michael Moore's Message To Wall Street

Michael Moore appeared last night on The Rachel Maddow Show to discuss the events taking place in Wisconsin with the GOP using the 'nuclear option' to pass a bill that would eliminate collective bargaining rights from the majority of state workers. Moore talked about unions and their significance to working class American and had a stern warning to Wall Street.

Watch.

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Corporate Media Go Outside Their "Middle Class" Narrative To Report On Unemployed Households

Something pretty unusual happened last night in the corporate media. What is it?  A profile on unemployed Americans and their families was one of the stories reported in lastnights' 60 Minutes program. This part of America has become 'invisible' in mainstream media these days as they generally obsess about multi million dollar celebrities, athletes, and the corporate elites. It was a welcome change to view a report on Americans who have lost everything as a result of this nation's economic downturn and how they are attempting to make it today in America.

Here is the video of the report that aired.  

Sunday News Shows - March 6, 2011

Here is the lineup of guests for this week's Sunday morning news shows.

Meet The Press
William Daley-White House Chief of Staff and US Representative Michele Bachmann (R-MN).

CBS Face The Nation

US Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

CNN State Of The Union
US Senator Lemar Alexander (R-TN), former Governor Bill Richardson (D-NM), US Representatives Peter King (R-NY) and Keith Ellison (D-MN), Stephen Hadley-former National Security Adviser, and Ali Erisshi-former Libyan Minister of Immigration.

Fox News Sunday

US Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), US Representative Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), and Margie Phelps-lawyer who argued the Westboro Baptist Church case at the Supreme Court.

ABC This Week

US Senator John McCain (R-AZ).

If you miss the live airing of these shows, they are re-aired on CSPAN Radio starting at 12:00 PM EST. CSPAN radio can be listened to on WCSP-FM 90.1 Washington, DC, XM Radio 132, and CSPAN.org.

CSPAN Radio for iPhone App can be found at CSPAN.org. 

To watch these shows at a later date, check the television network's websites that airs these programs.

Fox News Playing With Video Footage Again?

Fox News appears to be caught again using video footage from one event to depict a completely different event. Remember the Tea Party rally footage that was found to have been taken from a completely different event? Talking Points Memo shows you the questionable footage.

Watch.

Sunday News Shows - February 27, 2011

Here is the lineup of guests for this week's Sunday morning news shows.

Meet The Press
US Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Governors Scott Walker (R-WI) and Haley Barbour (R-MISS), US Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), and Richard Trumka-AFL-CIO President.

CBS Face The Nation

Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ).

CNN State Of The Union
US Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), and Kent Conrad (D-ND); Governors Dan Malloy (D-CT) and Rick Scott (R-FL).

Fox News Sunday

Governor Mitch Daniels (R-IN) and former Governor Mike Huckabee (R-ARK) .

ABC This Week

To be announced (TBA).

If you miss the live airing of these shows, they are re-aired on CSPAN Radio starting at 12:00 PM EST. CSPAN radio can be listened to on WCSP-FM 90.1 Washington, DC, XM Radio 132, and CSPAN.org.

CSPAN Radio for iPhone App can be found at CSPAN.org. 

To watch these shows at a later date, check the television network's websites that airs these programs.

Will The Corporate Media Give A Black Out On American Labor Protests Again This Sunday?

Think Progress is asking a great question today on their blog. Will the Sunday News Shows ignore labor for the second week in a row? With widespread worker protests in several states across our nation, you would think that would be of interest for any news show?

On last Sunday's news shows, there was not one labor representative on to speak to the issues that have prompted massive protests in states such as Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa, and others. Fox News Sunday had Wisconsin Governor Walker on for his perspective on the worker protests in his state. However, there was no labor representative on to provide their perspective. Odd isn't for a network whose motto is 'fair and balanced'?

What do you think?

Sunday News Shows - February 20, 2011

Here is the lineup of guests for this week's Sunday morning news shows.

Meet The Press
US Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Dick Durbin (D-ILL); Susan Rice-US Ambassador to the United Nations.

CBS Face The Nation

US Representatives Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

CNN State Of The Union
US Senators Richard Lugar (R-IN) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY); Donald Rumsfied-former Defense Secretary.

Fox News Sunday

US Senators Claire McCaskill (D-MI) and Tom Coburn (R-OK); Scott Walker-Wisconsin Republican Governor.

ABC This Week

Hillary Clinton-Secretary of State.

If you miss the live airing of these shows, they are re-aired on CSPAN Radio starting at 12:00 PM EST. CSPAN radio can be listened to on WCSP-FM 90.1 Washington, DC, XM Radio 132, and CSPAN.org.

CSPAN Radio for iPhone App can be found at CSPAN.org. 

To watch these shows at a later date, check the television network's websites that airs these programs.

Really Boehner? 'So Be It'?

At a GOP Press Conference this morning, Speaker Boehner was asked by a reporter about the GOP's spending cuts and how that could effect jobs. Boehner's response was ‘So be it.’ Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi, when asked about the remarks by a reporter, seized on them.

Watch Pelosi's response to Boehner's remarks.

The President Took On Corporate Media In Presser

President Obama held a press conference this morning to discuss his federal budget that he sent to Congress on yesterday. During the press event Chuck Todd, NBC news, when called on by the President for a question repeated the recent meme that the administration was ignoring recent bipartisan goodwill to effectively cut deficit spending.

Watch the President's response.

Sunday News Shows - February 13, 2011

Here is the lineup of guests for this week's Sunday morning news shows.

Meet The Press
US Representatives John Boehner (R-OH) and Bobby Schilling (R-ILL), Kasim Reed-Atlanta Mayor, and Martin Indyk-former US Ambassador to Israel.

CBS Face The Nation

US Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Ahmed Zewail-Egyptian-American scholar and Nobel Laureate, Sameh Shoukry-Egypt's Ambassador to the US, and Mohamed ElBaradei-Nobel Peace Laureate.

CNN State Of The Union
US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Jacob Lew-White House Budget Director, Edward Walker-former US Ambassador to Egypt, and John Negroponte-former US Ambassador to the UN.

Fox News Sunday

Haley Barbour-Mississippi Republican Governor and US Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI).

ABC This Week

Ehud Barak-Israeli Defense Minister, Newt Gingrich-former US House Speaker, and Tim Pawlenty-former Minnesota Governor.

If you miss the live airing of these shows, they are re-aired on CSPAN Radio starting at 12:00 PM EST. CSPAN radio can be listened to on WCSP-FM 90.1 Washington, DC, XM Radio 132, and CSPAN.org.

CSPAN Radio for iPhone App can be found at CSPAN.org. 

To watch these shows at a later date, check the television network's websites that airs these programs.

Live Egypt Coverage Stream From Democracy Now!

Amy Goodman of Democracy Now is hosting live coverage of the events in Egypt after Mubarak stepping down from leadership.

Watch.

The Corporate Media Reality: 'Out Of Touch'

Our US television news programs have become a fiefdom of elite millionaire pundits.   They come on television and advocate for things like tax cuts for top earners while at the same time advocating for cuts in 'safety net' programs for the working classes to help balance our nations' budget. As a viewer you can sometimes forget that these media 'talking heads' are among the top earners in our nation and that shapes what they say. Knowing that, is it a surprise they were all speaking from the same narrative from one network to the next for support of lowering taxes for top earners (essentially themselves) during the recent Tax Cut debate?

They have become 'out of touch' with ordinary Americans and this is evident virtually everday when you listen to their roundtable discussions about America's ills.

Here is a clip of one of the most recent examples of this disconnect from Mainstreet USA where these elites stress the importants of 'sacrfices' that must be made in America. By 'sacrifice' they really mean cuts to programs that primarily benefit working class America.  Chris Hayes, from the Nation, was a guest on MSNBC's Morning Joe program yesterday who tried to challenge this 'beltway' thinking.

Watch.

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Robert Greenwald On Fox New's Disinformation Practice

The Director of the film Outfoxed, Robert Greenwald, talks to Ed Schultz of MSNBC's The Ed Show last night. He talks about how Fox New's practice of providing disinformation to its viewers is damaging our discourse here in American and altering perceptions of reality.

Watch.

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Obama Vs O'Reilly: You Watch You Decide Who Scored

Yesterday during Fox Network's day long Superbowl coverage, Bill O'Reilly of The O'Reilly Factor got an opportunity to interview President Obama. Who got the better of this interview? 

You watch. You decide.


Sunday News Shows - February 6, 2011

Here is the lineup of guests for this week's Sunday morning news shows.

Meet The Press

Senator John Kerry (D-MA), James Baker-former Secretary of State, Peggy Noonan-former Reagan speech writer, Willie Brown-former San Francisco mayor, and NBC reporter Andrea Mitchell.

CBS Face The Nation

Thomas Pickering-the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, Martin Indyk-former Ambassador to Israel, and Dr. Abderrahim Foukara-Washington's bureau chief to Al Jazeera.

CNN State Of The Union

Madeline Albright-former Secretary of State, Alan Simpson-White House Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform co-chair.

Fox News Sunday

The show has a football edition this Sunday with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, former Pittsburgh Steeler wide receiver Lynn Swann, and former Green Bay Packer offensive lineman Jerry Kramer.

ABC This Week

The show will focus on the protest in Egypt with host Christiane Amanpour live in Cairo.

If you miss the live airing of these shows, they are re-aired on CSPAN Radio starting at 12:00 PM EST. CSPAN radio can be listened to on WCSP-FM 90.1 Washington, DC, XM Radio 132, and CSPAN.org.

CSPAN Radio for iPhone App can be found at CSPAN.org. 

To watch these shows at a later date, check the television network's websites that airs these programs.

Senate Democrats Unanimously Vote To Block Health Care Law Repeal

Yesterday Senate Democrats defeated an attempt by Republicans to repeal the new health care law . The vote was 47-51. 60 votes was required to  repeal the bill. Republican Senator John Thune made an appearance on FOX News's The Record to talk about the GOP continued efforts to repeal the health care law.

Watch a clip of the interview.

Sunday News Shows - January 30, 2011

Here is the lineup of guests for this week's Sunday morning news shows.

Meet The Press

Hillary Clinton-Secretary of State, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Tim Kaine-Democratic National Committee Chairman, and Martin Indyk-a former U.S. Ambassador to Israel.

CBS Face The Nation

Hillary Clinton-Secretary of State and Bill Daley-White House Chief of Staff.

CNN State Of The Union

Hillary Clinton-Secretary of State, Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY), John Negroponte-former U.N. Ambassador, and Edward Walker-a former U.S. Ambassador to Egypt.

Fox News Sunday

Hillary Clinton-Secretary of State and John Boehner (R-OH).

ABC This Week

Hillary Clinton -Secretary of State, Sameh Shoukry-Egyptian Ambassador to the U.S., Zbigniew Brzezinksi-National Security Advisor to former President Jimmy Carter.

If you miss the live airing of these shows, they are re-aired on CSPAN Radio starting at 12:00 PM EST. CSPAN radio can be listened to on WCSP-FM 90.1 Washington, DC, XM Radio 132, and CSPAN.org.

CSPAN Radio for iPhone App can be found at CSPAN.org. 

To watch these shows at a later date, check the television network's websites that airs these programs.

The Nation's Katrina vanden Heuvel Calls Out Corporate Media

There was a great exchange on Friday's Morning Joe program between host Joe Scarborough and The Nation's  Katrina vanden Heuvel. She takes on the corporate media about their commentary and how disconnected it is from average American sentiment. Scarborough attempts to excoriate her  when she challenges the beltway "conventional wisdom" and the very narrow prism that issues facing our nation today are debated by the punditry class.

Watch.

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Surprise, Tax Cuts Add To The Deficit!

Remember how the corporate media reiterated how important it was for those Bush Tax Cuts to get extended? No matter what network you were watching, they all championed the importance of not allowing these tax cuts to expire. They championed how extending the tax cuts would create many new jobs, etc.

The few opponents of the tax cut extensions that were able to get on television to discuss their views, constantly reiterated that extending these tax cuts would add another $1 trillion to the deficit. Their opinions were quickly dismissed by anchors and pundits.

Fast forward to yesterday. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a non-partisan agency charged with reviewing congressional budgets and other legislative initiatives, released a report stating that the extension of those Bush Tax Cuts will add another $1 to $1.5 trillion to the nations' deficit.

Now, the same corporate media that championed these tax cuts for months as the "cure all" for our economy, acts as if they are completely stunned that reducing tax revenues would increase the deficits.

Watch one of the chief proponents of the tax extension, MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, react to the news this morning on his program Morning Joe.

  

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Why Did CNN Carry Rep. Bachmann's SOTU Response?

Last night President Obama gave the 2011 State of the Union Address (SOTU). Prior to 1966, the POTUS would give the address to the Congress and the American people with no rebuttal response given. The practice of providing a rebuttal response to the SOTU was started during Lyndon Baines Johnson's administration.

The "opposition" party would provide that response. Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) was selected by the Republican Party to provide last night's rebuttal response to the President's address. Never before in US history has a second rebuttal response been featured by a major news network until last night.  CNN, for whatever reason, decided to give Representative Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) airtime for her rebuttal, why? 

President Obama is a democrat. Paul Ryan is a republican. Michelle Bachmann is a republican. Why would a television news network decide to give 2 republicans airtime for the rebuttal response to the same SOTU address? 

Think about in this context. When President Bush was in office, did CNN or any other news network give 2 democratic politicians airtime for rebuttal responses to his SOTU addresses? The answer is no. So why does the general rules apply differently to Tea Party Republicans at networks like CNN?

It was reported last month that CNN is "partnering" with the Tea Party Express to co-sponsor a GOP debate in Tampa, Florida in August 2011. Can anyone imagine CNN co-sponsoring a democratic debate with Moveon.org? In the opinion of some, myself included, CNN has been attempting for the last several years to emulate some of the FOX News Netowrk's  stragegy for programming. They have hired right wing pundits like Erik Erickson and Bill Bennett last year. They appear to be increasingly catering to the right with shows like John King USA, where there will often times be 3 right leaning pundits versus 1 left leaning pundit on their panels. Or shows like Howard Kurt's Reliable Sources, where he frequently defends extreme right commentary made by individuals like Sarah Palin. Is this balance? No.

Every since CNN has undertaken this "Fox-lite" strategy their ratings have slipped. Last year for the first time in their history, CNN slipped to a 3rd place rating among the 3 cable news networks. This strategy is not working for them, but they continue to "tilt" to the right. Why?

Here is Rachel Maddow from MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show  talking about CNN decision to air Michelle Bachman's rebuttal response.

  

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Beltway Blather?

This morning I tuned into MSNBC's Morning Joe program and they were talking politics as usual. John Heilemann of the New Yorker, a frequent round table contributor to the program, was  discussing President Obama's White House staff  changes and said that the President's selection of Bill Daley as White House Chief of Staff signals that the President is now willing to listen to "outside voices".

In case you have not read up on Mr. Daley, he was President Clinton's Commerce Secretary, managed Vice President Al Gore's presidential campaign in 2000, sat on the board of Fannie Mae in 1993, served as President of SBC Communications, served as Midwest Chairman for JP Morgan Chase, served on the Board of Directors of Boeing, Merck & Co., and Loyola University, is a trustee of Northwestern University, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

And someone with a resume that reads like that, to John Heilemann, represents an "outside voice" in the White House?

Watch Heilemann speak about Daley.

Sunday News Shows - January 23, 2011

Here is the lineup of guests for this week's Sunday morning news shows.

Meet The Press

Representatives Eric Cantor (R-VA) and James Clyburn (D-SC).

CBS Face The Nation

Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and John McCain (R-AZ).

CNN State Of The Union

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Fox News Sunday

Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Dick Durbin (D-IL).

ABC This Week

Senators Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), and Mike Lee (R-UT).

Representatives Chris Gibson (R-NY) and Bob Schilling (R-IL).

If you miss the live airing of these shows, they are re-aired on CSPAN Radio starting at 12:00 PM EST. CSPAN radio can be listened to on WCSP-FM 90.1 Washington, DC, XM Radio 132, and CSPAN.org.

CSPAN Radio for iPhone App can be found at CSPAN.org. 

To watch these shows at a later date, check the television network's websites that airs these programs.

Rep. Paul Broun's Take On The 'Unity Seating' At SOTU

Republican Representative Paul Broun of Georgia appeared as a guest on the conservative Scott Hennen Radio Show. He stated that the idea to have Democrats and Republicans sit together during next week's State Of The Union Address is an attempt to "silence" Republicans.

Listen.

Arianna Huffington Calls Out Senator Joe Lieberman!

This morning on MSNBC's Morning Joe Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman appeared on the program to discuss his decision t retire from the US Senate. One of the round table guest on the program this morning was Arianna Huffington of The Huffington Post. Senator Lieberman was asked by host Joe Scarborough if knowing the information that has since been revealed, would he still have supported invading Iraq? Needless to say, Lieberman proceeded to "doubled-down" on his support for invading and Iraq.

Watch Arianna's reaction to Lieberman response.

The GOP Hates "Government Ran" Health Care But Won't Give Up Their Own Government Plans

How many times during the last 2 years have we heard the GOP use the phrase "government ran health care" to describe any attempt by the Democrats to address the problems we have in the US from exorbitant high costs for health insurance plans to denial of coverage due to pre-existing conditions? One of the main criticisms of the Affordable Health Care Act, the plan passed by the Democrats in Congress and signed into law by the President, was that it did not contain a government plan as an option to compete against private insurance plans. Yet, the GOP continues to falsely call the Affordable Health Care Act, a "government take over of health care".

But when the majority of GOP congressional members are asked personally if they will give up their health plan which actually is a government ran plan, which is one of the many benefits of being elected to the US Congress, they seem to have an odd reaction to the question.

Watch.

"Punditry Wisdom"

Television news sure ain't what it used to be? Here is Donnie Deutsch appearing on MSNBC's Morning Joe program giving his "thoughtful" and "insightful" analysis of why some are fascinated with Sarah Palin. If you can recall, Deutsch had his own show on MSNBC's sister network CNBC called The Big Idea With Donnie Deutsch. You would think that a man who started and successfully ran his own advertising firm that sold for over $200, 000, 000 would have a little more to say? I guess not?

Watch.

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When The Extreme Becomes Mainstream

Over the last several years our political discourse in the United States has become very toxic.  As a political junkie I have noticed that certain extreme viewpoints and those who espouse them have  now become mainstream in corporate media. How did this happen?

This is what I think explains this. First,  Fox News has larger ratings shares than other cable news networks and it would appear their strategy of fear mongering and far right extremism  gets more viewers to tune in. So as a result, other television news outlets are perceiving "right wing extremism" as a recipe for higher ratings.

Cable news networks like CNN and MSNBC (several years ago) have decided to emulate this strategy by hiring extremist as hosts and paid contributors. CNN has hired Bill Bennett as a paid contributor. In 2005 Bennett made this horrendous statement on his syndicated radio talk show " If it were your sole purpose to reduce crime, Bennett said, "You could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down. "That would be an impossible, ridiculous and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down," he added.

CNN also hired Glenn Beck in 2006 to host his own talk show on their sister network Headline News. Beck's said to then newly elected U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn), a Muslim: "Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies."  Beck called Hurricane Katrina victims "refugees."

Michael Savage was hired by MSNBC to host his own show after making such offensive statements on his radio show like "What will it take to wake you up to the fact that you are being erased from the future of America? And why are you being erased? If you're a person of European descent, why do they want your child to be a minority in America? And when your little girl is a minority in America, what will happen to her? Tell me what will happen to her? Do you think that the minorities, when they take over the country, will be quite as benevolent and as enlightened as the European-Americans are today? Or do you sense that just perhaps, just maybe, they will not bring the learnings of the Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights, to their new power?" 

The cable news network executives apparently never once thought about what they were going to be doing to our political environment in the US by hiring these merchants of extremism and hate and bringing them to mainstream national television audiences. CNN's head at the time, Kenneth Jautz, was quoted as saying in an interview "the network did not take Beck's politics into account when it hired him. We did not set out to have anyone from any particular view fronting these shows." But how could the network executive not have known about his outrageous commentary? Individuals who are applying for even minimum wage jobs are subjected to various background checks and verifications and I find it very difficult to be believe that CNN would hire an individual to host a program on their national cable television network without a full vetting of that individual's background?

What these cable news networks were merely trying to do is emulate Fox News's formula and it has not worked. It would appear MSNBC has learned but CNN seems to have not learned that lesson? They seem content with still trying to be Fox-lite and their ratings have suffered immensely. The more CNN ratings sink, the more rightward they continue to turn. They are now consistently third place among the three cable news networks. In the process of the bad "experiment" that both CNN and MSNBC engaged in, they unfortunately helped to open the door for this extremism to become more mainstream and to have a seat at the table. 

Now in the wake of the Arizona tragedy, cable news networks and their anchors are anxious to quickly down play that there could be any correlation between extreme rage rhetoric and other people's actions.

Here's Your Liberal Media

How often do you hear that the mainstream media has a liberal bias? Maybe, several times a day if you're listening to conservatives on cable news or talk radio or even on regular news programs with mainstream journalists? The right wing for several years now has been using what I call "rage rhetoric" as a call to action to their followers to get involved politically. The more extreme statements these individuals seem to make, the more they are asked to appear on various cable news programs as guests. The more they are offered huge deals in radio and television for their very own shows. Or they are asked to be paid contributors to what is supposed to be mainstream news networks like CNN.

Who are some examples? Bill Bennett, for starters, who stated "If you want to lower crime in the US you should abort all black male babies" was signed after that statement to CNN for a paid contributor role. Another example is Erik Erickson of RedState .com, a right wing blogger, who stated that "Ted Kennedy plots our deaths" and "The media has gang-raped conservative politicians" was also signed recently as a paid contributer to CNN. Rage talker Glen Beck signed several years ago for his own program on CNN's Headline News Network. Where were/are the liberals to offset any of this at CNN? Can anyone name even one?

Fast forward to the horrible acts that were committed yesterday against Representative Giffords and you seem to have a concerted effort by many reporters at CNN to deny that there is any kind of correlation between using extreme language in our discourse and the effect it could have on people listening to you.

CNN had a discussion on this subject last night after the horrific shooting in Arizona about Sarah Palin's use of gun targets on one of her websites on various politicians currently serving in the US House of Representatives. CNN and their pundits saw no correlation between this incident and all of this extreme rhetoric that Palin and others have been engaged in.

Sadly, Representative Giffords who was shot in this terrible incident and is fighting for her life, had complained back last March about Palin's use of these gun targets on current members of the Congress. She appeared in an interview on MSNBC's Daily Rundown where host Chuck Todd preceded to poo poo Giffords concerns.

Watch CNN pundits attempting to explain away Palin's dangerous rhetoric.

What's The Matter With Media?

How tragic are the events that have taken place in Arizona today? We pray that Representative Giffords pulls through this horrific event. And bless the family members of those that were unfortunately slain. 

In what seems very apocalyptic now, Representative Giffords had been interviewed back in March 2010 on MSNBC's Daily Rundown about threats she had received after the passage of the healthcare reform bill.  I saw this interview live when it originally aired and was angered at MSNBC's Chuck Todd's disposition about all of the out of control extreme rhetoric that has become apart of this nation's discourse.

Watch.

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