News Hounds

Christine O'Donnell Reportedly Says, "I've Got Sean Hannity In My Back Pocket"

Reported by Ellen - Thu 11:49 PM

Christine O'Donnell is not getting much support from the Republican Party. According to Howard Fineman, she has struck back by publicly complaining in an effort to motivate Tea Partyers to rally to her side - with cash, of course. Fineman reports that "two top GOP insiders" told him that O'Donnell "said at a strategy meeting with DC types last week: 'I've got Sean Hannity in my back pocket, and I can go on his show and raise money by attacking you guys.'"

Glenn Beck Blames Health and Spiritual Problems On Walter Lippmann. Really.

Reported by Guest Blogger - Thu 5:26 PM

By Aunty Em

Glenn Beck shocked his fans last week, leading to more prayers and the lighting of candles than you could shake a dashboard Jesus at, when he announced on his radio show he needed a few days off this week to get tested at an unnamed hospital “out west” using his unnamed Health Care Plan. Yet it didn’t take long before talk of his health problems led Beck right down the Crazy Rabbit Hole again <>, where everything bad can be blamed on progressives, even his own rotten health.

Got Islamophobia? Bill O’Reilly Says “Muslims Killed Us On 9-11” During Discussion Of NY “Mosque”

Reported by Priscilla - Thu 1:33 PM

Bill O’Reilly was a guest on this morning’s “The View” and things got a little lively. During a discussion of Park 51, O’Reilly said that Obama’s support for the mosque demonstrates the “gulf” between Obama and the American people. When Joy Behar said, “this is America" and "I'm an American," America’s patronizing daddy reprimanded her with “listen to me because you’ll learn.” There was more back and forth about “the mosque” before America’s Catholic daddy said that the location of the "mosque" was inappropriate because “Muslims killed us on 9-11.” Whoppi Goldberg said that this was “bullshit” and cited Timothy McVay’s having been a Christian (he received the "last sacraments" from a Catholic priest before his execution) after which she and Behar walked off the set. As they walked off, O'Reilly "joked" that they were leaving because "Muslims killed us." Barbara Walters chided her co-hosts; but she did assert that “You cannot take a whole religion and demean them because of what some did.” (So I guess it’s cool with Bill if we say that Catholics killed innocent British and Irish civilians and Catholics put the Jews on the trains to Auschwitz! And did Bill refer to anti-abortion domestic terrorist, Eric Rudolph, as a Catholic cuz he was!) After the walk off, however, Bill did assert that he wasn't demeaning all Muslims and admitted that he expressed himself "inartfully." He then used the term "radical" Muslims as a result of having been "schooled" by Ms. Walters. I guess that's progress!

Bill O’Reilly Is Wrong – Target Does Not Have 100% Rating From Human Rights Campaign

Reported by Priscilla - Thu 11:10 AM

During last night’s diatribe about the nasty, librul MoveOn’s Ad targeting retailing giant Target for its contributions to the far right wing, Minnesota gubernatorial candidate, Tom Emmer, Bill commented, in an incredulous voice, that despite both Emmer and Obama/Biden both being opposed to gay marriage, MoveOn is accusing Target of bias. He then stated that Target had a 100% rating from the Human Right’s Campaign. He’s either lying or he is misinformed because Target (along with Best Buy and 3M) has been stripped of its 100% rating in the HRC’s 2011 Corporate Equality Index. And the reason that the score went down was because – ready for it – “failing to respond to requests to take corrective actions following their sizable contributions to MN Forward, a political committee supporting the election of an anti-gay candidate for governor of Minnesota.” And that’s Tom Emmer. And while Bill’s statement about the HRC is categorically wrong, his comparison of Obama/Biden’s position on gay marriage with Tom Emmer’s is correct – but it really doesn’t tell the whole story. But when ya want some nice, juicy right wing agitprop, who cares about the details!

O’Reilly Obsesses About Target Boycott, Uses It To Deflect Criticism Of Rove’s Anonymous Donors

Reported by Ellen - Thu 9:04 AM

The O’Reilly Factor “discussion” last night (10/13/10) about a boycott against Target is a perfect example of what bugs me the most about Fox News - besides its constant hate mongering. Rather than explore the issues behind Target’s decision to give $150,000 to a group that paid for ads supporting Minnesota’s virulently anti-gay, Republican gubernatorial candidate or the ensuing boycott by MoveOn.org and others, we got a one-sided, anti-MoveOn editorial from O’Reilly followed up with “analysis” from hyper-partisan Republican Karl Rove. Even worse, O’Reilly’s attack on the left over Target served as a neat set up to deflect attention from Rove’s role in a GOP slush fund, American Crossroads, for which he has come under a great deal of critical scrutiny lately.

News Corp Shareholders Object To Political Donations

Reported by Ellen - Wed 11:39 PM

Two institutional investors in News Corp. have spoken out against its million dollar political donations to the Republican Governors Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. One shareholder, F&C; Investments has announced that it will vote against the re-election of News Corp's audit committee chairman because of the lack of transparency and oversight.

Gretchen Carlson & Laura Ingraham Bust A Move

Reported by Guest Blogger - Wed 6:07 PM

By Aunty Em

It’s not all Obama bashing on Fox & Friends. The Three Stooges on the curvy couch also like those light-hearted moments when they let their hair down. So when the former rapper Vanilla Ice was to appear on the show, Gretchen “Professional Christian” Carlson and Laura “Bling Cross” Ingraham couldn’t wait to show us their best ‘80s dance moves. Pay close attention to Gretchen’s lower lip. Like Harpo Marx’s face was called “The Gookie,” I propose this face should be called “The Gretch.” Everybody do The Gretch!

Jon Stewart Highlights Fox News Hypocrisy On Foreign Funding

Reported by Ellen - Wed 2:48 PM

Jon Stewart goes "all the way back to slightly less than two months ago" to compare Fox News attacks on foreign funding of the so-called Ground Zero Mosque with its "new-found respect for not chasing the money" funding the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. (H/T Think Progress)

Fox News Suggests Diet And Exercise Should Replace Health Care Reform

Reported by Guest Blogger - Wed 11:57 AM

By Brian

If ever there was a segment that proved that the real business of Fox News’ “business block” is to promote a Republican agenda, a segment on Saturday’s (10/9/10) Cashin’ In was it. The discussion purported to be about an IBM program which pays employees $150 to improve their family’s eating and exercise habits over 12 weeks. But Cashin’ In used the subject as little more than an excuse to argue that the program proved we don’t need the new health care law. A banner on the screen read, “IBM’s Health Plan Sparks New Calls To Repeal H’Care Law.” Those “calls to repeal” seemed to come exclusively from the conservative Cashin’ In panelists - with a vote of support for the position from the host.

Westboro Baptist Church Hates Bill O'Reilly!

Reported by Priscilla - Wed 10:08 AM

LOL! The pink triangle on Bill's head would suggest that they think he is either gay or supports gay rights. Who knew!

Bachmann Boasts About Leading Weekly Constitution Classes In Congress, Then Waffles About Civil Liberties Under The PATRIOT Act

Reported by Ellen - Wed 12:54 AM

Michele Bachmann visited the Glenn Beck show yesterday (10/12/10) where she and guest host Judge Andrew Napolitano wondered about the effects that winning Tea Party candidates will have on Washington, D.C. and vice versa. Bachmann said she plans to do her part to keep Tea Party legislators from being “so susceptible to melting” by conducting weekly classes on the Constitution for Congressional freshman. But no sooner had she invited Napolitano to be one of the guest experts, than he asked her whether the Tea Party would advocate for restoring civil liberties abolished under the Bush administration. Suddenly, Constitution-champion Bachmann began waffling and fumbling.

Jon Stewart Compares MSNBC's "Lean Forward" To Fox News' "Fair And Balanced "

Reported by Ellen - Tue 7:26 PM

Stewart reviews MSNBC's new "Lean Forward" slogan: "That’s what your bringing against Fox. Good luck! …It’s lame!" Sad news for liberals, maybe, but still very funny!

Pinkerton Defends Fox News’ Stable of GOP Presidential Candidates: It’s “Only” Three

Reported by Ellen - Tue 5:33 PM

During last weekend’s Fox News Watch, Alan Colmes countered Andrea Tantaros’ accusation about the Obama administration’s “very cozy relationship” with the media by saying, “Well look at all the presidential candidates that work for Fox News on the Republican side.” As Mediaite noted, host Jon Scott “could not change the subject quickly enough” but guest Jim Pinkerton began counting and kept the discussion going a bit. In an effort to defend Fox, Pinkerton counted out Rick Santorum and concluded that there are “only” three. Memo to Pinkerton: How many other news networks harbor even one? And how many are too many?

Does Carl Paladino Fit Bill O’Reilly’s Definition Of “Loon?”

Reported by Priscilla - Tue 1:31 PM

In attacking Christiane Amanpour’s not getting all up in the face of a radical Muslim cleric during a discussion about Islamophobia, Bill O’Reilly said that if he had been Amanpour, he would have laughed at the guy and called him a loon. I don’t know if Bill will be doing an more interviews with Carl Paladino, the Republican candidate for NY governor; but if he does I certainly expect him to ask teabagging Carl about his recent remarks which, according to Steve Doocy, "some people think are anti-gay." (Ya think!?) And if Carl responds in the same way that he did with Brian Kilmeade and Steve Doocy, I would hope that Bill would guffaw loudly and call him a “loon.”

Fox News Launches Latino Website

Reported by Ellen - Tue 1:12 PM

Fox News has a new website geared for Latinos, and the confusing url is inauspicious: latino.foxnews.com/index.html.

Lou Dobbs Foils Fox News Attack On Foreclosure Moratorium

Reported by Ellen - Tue 12:35 PM

One of the ways Fox News spins is in its choice of guests. When Lou Dobbs visited America Live (supposedly part of Fox News "objective news" lineup) yesterday (10/11/10), it was obvious that host Megyn Kelly wasn’t expecting a “fair and balanced” review of foreclosure moratoria but a guest who would attack them as detrimental to the housing market in general and to those homeowners keeping up with their mortgages in particular. She was clearly surprised when Dobbs was unequivocal in his support and went on to complain that some people would get a pass who deserved to be ousted from their homes. But the glitch with Dobbs didn’t stop Kelly from giving him yet another go at “It’s not my fault illegal immigrants worked for me” rehab.

Christine O’Donnell: I Stopped Watching Or Reading The News

Reported by Ellen - Tue 12:56 AM

Sarah Palin famously embarrassed herself by telling Katie Couric, “I read all of them” when asked which newspapers or magazines she reads. Now Christine O’Donnell has answered “none of them” in an interview with Greta Van Susteren Monday night (10/11/10). O’Donnell said, “Well, I hate to say it... I’ve stopped watching the news. I’ve stopped reading the news clips.” It could be that O'Donnell was talking only about news about her. But that's not what she said. Van Susteren apparently felt no need to ask a follow up question to that startling statement.

Ann Coulter Defends Paladino’s Comments About Gays: It’s Like Saying, “Go Cubs!”

Reported by Ellen - Mon 11:57 PM

I suppose it was inevitable that someone on Fox News was going to defend Carl Paladino’s recent remarks about gays. After all, when he threatened to “take out” a New York Post reporter, Mike Huckabee and Sean Hannity gushed and Bill O’Reilly made excuses. But neither Hannity nor O’Reilly (nor Megyn Kelly nor Brian Kilmeade nor Steve Doocy) defended Paladino yesterday (Huckabee’s show hasn’t aired yet). As the conversation moved on, O’Reilly did seize the opportunity to suggest the Obama administration are ACORN-like reverse racists by once again beating the discredited, dead horse of the New Black Panther Party case.

Oops! How Much Research Did Megyn Kelly Do Before Going On The Air With Incorrect Obama Casting Call Story?

Reported by Ellen - Mon 4:48 PM

Megyn Kelly and Fox News were so eager to malign an upcoming MTV Town Hall with President Obama that they didn't bother to investigate the facts behind a Backstage.com notice for audience members. Kelly wrongly gave the impression that Obama's audience was to be selected like a Democratic casting call - i.e. for good-looking actors playing town hall attendees - when, in fact, the Backstage notice was just one of several places where invitations for submissions were posted. Furthermore, though Kelly noted the "casting call" did not come from the White House, she allowed the suggestion to stand that there was a connection. In fact, Mediaite debunked the "casting call controversy" last week. Now, Mediaite has discovered that Backstage placed the notice on their own, without any connection to Obama or MTV or the town hall. We'll be watching for a correction tomorrow.

Brave New Films' "Carly Fiorina Is A Job Killer" Video Written Up In NY Times

Reported by Ellen - Mon 1:55 PM

Brave New Films has been taking on Carly Fiorina in a series of videos called The Real Carly. Their latest effort attacks Fiorina's record on jobs and was included in a write up by the New York Times yesterday.