Media Matters for America summary, December 14, 2007
 
Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2007 22:03:02 -0500

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<p>Here are today's news items from <i>Media Matters for America</i>, 
click on the title or 'read more' to read the entirety of each story.</p>
<h1><a href="http://mediamatters.org/issues_topics/2008_elections?src=other">2008 Elections</a></h1>
<p><b><a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712150002?src=other">Blitzer calls  Clinton a "flip-flopper" over coffee  preferences</a></b><br />
On the December 14 edition of CNN&#39;s 
<i>The Situation Room</i>, host Wolf 
Blitzer cited a December 12 Associated Press <a href="http://mediamatters.org//rd?to=http%3A%2F%2Fhosted.ap.org%2Fdynamic%2Fstories%2F2%2F2008_PERSONAL_SIDE_COFFEE_TALK%3FSITE%3DMAFAL%26SECTION%3DHOME%26TEMPLATE%3DDEFAULT" title="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/2/2008_PERSONAL_SIDE_COFFEE_TALK?SITE=MAFAL&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT">article</a>, 
in which the presidential candidates answered questions about their coffee 
preferences, part of the AP&#39;s "series of questions about [the candidates&#39;] 
personal side," and announced, "[L]ook at 
this -- Hillary Clinton is a flip-flopper. Sometimes she takes it black, 
sometimes with cream." Yet, Blitzer 
had offered no characterization of either Rudy Giuliani&#39;s or Sen. John McCain&#39;s 
(R-AZ) coffee preferences, noting only "Giuliani prefers 
low-cal sweetener, any brand will do" and "McCain is fond of cappuccino, or 
coffee with cream and sugar."
<a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712150002?src=other" class="read">Read more</a></p>

<p><b><a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712140005?src=other">Savage  referred to residents of New  Hampshire as "drunks" and  "yokels"</a></b><br />
On the December 12 
broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, while discussing the 
presidential primary system, <a href="http://mediamatters.org//issues_topics/people/michaelsavage?src=other" title="http://mediamatters.org/issues_topics/people/michaelsavage">Michael Savage</a> asked, "What kind of 
rubbish is this that New Hampshire -- a bunch of drunks up there -- and Iowa, 
they&#39;re going to determine the outcome of an election?" Savage also referred to 
the residents of New Hampshire as "yokels" and 
"stamp collectors" and the residents of Iowa as "corn farmers." 

<a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712140005?src=other" class="read">Read more</a></p>

<p><b><a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712150001?src=other">Joe  Klein: Earlier in the year, Clinton spoke "from ... her diaphragm. Now  she's speaking much more quickly again and through her  nose"</a></b><br />
On CNN, Anderson Cooper asked Joe Klein: "You actually -- you hear fear in 
Hillary Clinton's voice?" Klein responded: "Well, it's interesting. Earlier in 
the year when she was doing really well, she was speaking more slowly and from, 
like, her diaphragm. Now, she's speaking much more quickly again and through her 
nose. It's interesting."

<br />
<a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712150001?src=other" class="read">Read more</a></p>

<p><b><a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712140007?src=other"><em>Wash.  Post</em>'s  Givhan suggested political motivation for Obama's choice of tie  colors</a></b><br />
<em>The</em> <em>Washington Post</em>'s Robin Givhan wrote: "One 
of the most distinctive elements of Barack Obama's public style comes down to 
what he so often is not wearing: patriotism on his sleeve." Givhan continued: 
"No flag pin on the lapel. No hand on heart during the national anthem. And he 
generally shuns bold red ties." In the piece, Givhan offered no explanation as 
to how a "bold red tie" is a "usual symbol[] of nationalism and politics," or 
how Obama's alleged avoidance of "bold red ties" constitutes a statement on 
patriotism.
<a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712140007?src=other" class="read">Read more</a></p>

<p><b><a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712140011?src=other">MSNBC's O'Donnell  claimed Penn "on his own brought up cocaine" -- but Matthews started  conversation</a></b><br />
On the December 13 edition of <em>Tucker</em>, Norah O'Donnell asserted that 
during the same day's <em>Hardball</em>, Clinton adviser Mark 
Penn "once again brought up cocaine -- twice" in relation to Sen. Barack Obama 
and later claimed that Penn "on his own brought up cocaine." In fact, the entire <em>Hardball</em> segment was devoted to controversial remarks regarding Obama's 
past drug use made by Clinton's campaign co-chair, who 
later resigned. Chris Matthews explicitly 
asked Penn at least three distinct questions about the topic, and Penn had 
offered at least two specific responses before he used the word 
"cocaine."
<a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712140011?src=other" class="read">Read more</a></p>

<p><b><a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712140004?src=other"><em>Wash.  Post</em>'s Solomon  ignored Planned Parenthood support for Obama's abortion votes</a></b><br />
In an article on "what you might not know about" Sen. Barack Obama, <em>The Washington Post</em>'s John Solomon wrote 
that, as a state senator, Obama "declined to take a position" on parental 
notification legislation, "voting 'present' instead of 'yes' or 'no.' " Solomon 
continued: "But five years earlier, he had filled out an issues questionnaire ... 
opposing such notifications." But Obama's "present" votes were reportedly 
part of a strategy he had worked out with the Illinois Planned Parenthood 
Council, which opposed the measures.
<a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712140004?src=other" class="read">Read more</a></p>

<h1><a href="http://mediamatters.org/issues_topics/propaganda_noise_machine?src=other">Propaganda/Noise Machine</a></h1>
<p><b><a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712140008?src=other">O'Reilly:  Helen Thomas "is consistently anti-American in her point of  view"</a></b><br />
Bill O'Reilly responded to viewer complaints about his calling Hearst Newspapers 
columnist Helen Thomas a "pinhead," by saying: "This woman is a pinhead. She's 
been a pinhead for decades. She will always be a pinhead. And I'm calling it the 
way it is." O'Reilly went on to assert: "She is consistently anti-American in 
her point of view." Fox News anchor Laurie Dhue then responded: 
"And she certainly has 
been in the last several years," adding: "Increasingly 
so."

<br />
<a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712140008?src=other" class="read">Read more</a></p>

<p><b><a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712140010?src=other">Savage makes degrading comments about House Speaker, other prominent Dem women</a></b><br />
Michael Savage referred to Rep. Jane Harman, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Sen. Barbara Boxer as "yentas," said Harman should "[g]o home and cook verenikis," and suggested that they were in office because they "have rich husbands who put them in power with their money, so they could have a little hobby in between getting their nails done." Later Savage asked his "board operator" if he would rather "be waterboarded for 30 seconds or eat Jane Harman's ravioli" and whether he'd rather "be waterboarded or eat Nancy Pelosi's tortellini."
<a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712140010?src=other" class="read">Read more</a></p>

<p><b><a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712140006?src=other">O'Reilly response to assertion that Tim Robbins made "valid" points: so did Nazi official Von Ribbentrop  <br /></a></b><br />
During the December 13 edition of 
Fox News&#39; <i>The O&#39;Reilly Factor</i>, 
host <a href="http://mediamatters.org//issues_topics/people/billoreilly?src=other" title="http://mediamatters.org/issues_topics/people/billoreilly">Bill 
O&#39;Reilly</a> questioned the decision by Democratic presidential 
candidate John Edwards to have actor/director Tim Robbins travel with him on the 
campaign trail, saying," Tim Robbins is such a radical guy. Why would John 
Edwards use him? I don&#39;t get it." He then played an excerpt from Robbins&#39; 
December 12 speech in Iowa City, Iowa, in which Robbins said, "What if, instead of 24/7 
coverage of the most recent pop star&#39;s fall from grace, we were to see 24/7 
reporting of veterans returning from Iraq?" In response, Fox News contributor Jane Hall said Robbins&#39; 
"criticism of the media ... is valid," to which O&#39;Reilly replied: "But Von 
Ribbentrop in the Nazi hierarchy made valid points, Jane." 
<a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712140006?src=other" class="read">Read more</a></p>

<h1><a href="http://mediamatters.org/issues_topics/health_care?src=other">Health Care</a></h1>
<p><b><a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712140009?src=other">CNN's Keilar claimed Congress "stalled" on SCHIP without noting presidential vetoes</a></b><br />
In a report on CNN's <em>The Situation Room</em>, Brianna Keilar
reported that, "[i]n
recent weeks, Congress has stalled on legislation to expand the children's
health insurance program,"
but she did not mention that Congress twice passed legislation to reauthorize
and expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which President Bush
vetoed.
<a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/dailyemail/200712140009?src=other" class="read">Read more</a></p>




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