ABC: 'Subtle Racial Code' in Ridicule of 'Community Organizers'? --9/8/2008

1. ABC: 'Subtle Racial Code' in Ridicule of 'Community Organizers'?
ABC's George Stephanopoulos, who when interviewing John McCain six weeks ago scolded him for a criticism of Barack Obama ("I can't believe you believe that"), on Sunday's This Week prodded Obama to agree with those of his supporters who "heard subtle racial code" in the ridiculing, at the Republican convention, of his "community organizer" work. Stephanopoulos, who did challenge Obama to name three things he'd do as President which "would be unpopular with the Democrats in Congress" and to acknowledge McCain was correct on the surge, also cued up Obama on Sarah Palin's qualifications: "You said that your number one criteria for vice presidential pick was someone that's capable of being President. Did John McCain meet the threshold test?"

2. Sarah Palin Whacked as 'Wacko Right-Winger' by Kondracke on FNC
A major media denigration of Republican VP nominee Sarah Palin as a "wacko right-winger" didn't come on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN or even MSNBC, but on FNC from a regular contributor to the network: Morton Kondrake, who was hostile all last week to Palin in his appearances on Special Report with Brit Hume. Wrapping up the "Ups and Downs" segment on FNC's Beltway Boys this weekend with an "Up" for Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal's performance during Hurricane Gustav, Kondracke inserted the gratuitous insult into his agreement with co-host Fred Barnes that Hurricane Katrina would have turned out better if Jindal were in charge three years ago: "If Jindal had been Governor of Louisiana in 2005, everything would have been different and he would be John McCain's running mate instead of this wacko right-winger."

3. ABC's Stephanopoulos Forwards Democratic Spin Two Weeks In a Row
On the Friday morning after the Democratic convention, former Clinton campaign spinner George Stephanopoulos found nothing to criticize when he reviewed Barack Obama's speech and the overall convention for Good Morning America. But on Friday after the GOP convention ended, the ABC host relayed the Obama campaign's negative take on McCain and stressed how voters don't think Sarah Palin has as much experience as Joe Biden, and that she doesn't help her ticket as much as Biden helps the Democrats.

4. CNN's American Morning Fact Checks Palin But Not Obama or Biden
Friday's American Morning on CNN featured a segment dedicated to fact-checking Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's speech to the Republican National Convention. In introducing the reporter who did the fact-checking, co-host Kiran Chetry explained: "CNN's Deborah Feyerick is here to fact check Palin's speech and I'm sure whenever politics is involved we have to fact check these." Apparently, though, American Morning only feels the need to fact check speeches given by Republican candidates because the morning show did not provide the same fact checking analysis of Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden or Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. They

5. NBC's Today Show Wonders Why McCain Speech Didn't Trash GOP
On Friday's Today show, reporter David Gregory and other NBC personalities offered a sour and largely negative reaction to John McCain's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention. Deriding the Bush years, Gregory asserted that after McCain's nomination, the party faced a "daunting challenge," How will the candidate "overcome the record of Republican rule over much of the past eight years?" The network journalist also featured footage of former Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson knocking the speech as "typical for a Republican" and "pretty disappointing." He criticized the candidate for not doing enough outreach to moderates. A theme repeated throughout the show was attacking McCain for not going out of his way to play up differences with the Republican delegates in the Minneapolis convention center. Gregory chided, "Yet in front the party faithful, the Arizona Senator declined to mention his signature stands that most angered his party: campaign finance and immigration reform, as well as climate change."

6. McCain Aide Hits Vieira Over Biased Attacks Against Palin
John McCain campaign manager Steve Schmidt appeared on Friday's Today show and quarreled with an annoyed Meredith Vieira over the media's coverage of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Vieira lashed out, accusing the McCain camp of "trying to shut us up" by attacking the press during the Republican National Convention. Schmidt also slammed journalists for making an issue of whether Palin could balance both family and being Vice President, a tactic Vieira incorrectly asserted only blogs were doing. Early in the exchange, Vieira challenged Schmidt: "A lot of press bashing at the convention. We are suddenly the enemy. Why is that?" After the NBC host asserted that it was the job of the press to "ask questions," Schmidt shot back: "And it's their job to ask questions of Senator Obama, too. And we hope we'll have some questions asked of Senator Obama as we move forward during the remainder of this race."

7. Matthews 'Worried' About Obama, Surprised by Applause for Palin
Chris Matthews appeared as a guest on Friday's Tonight Show on NBC, and while the MSNBC host did have a few positive things to say about John McCain and Sarah Palin, he also conveyed his feeling that he is "worried" that Hillary Clinton will not help Barack Obama win swing states like Pennsylvania and Ohio, because their "relationship" has not been sufficiently mended: "I really worry about that relationship, if it's solid enough, because I really do believe in states like Pennsylvania and Ohio, where Hillary did really well, Hillary could go in there and campaign with this fellow, Barack Obama, like gang busters." And, while Matthews is not known for acknowledging that Obama is liberal, he also characterized Sarah Palin as extreme as he listed off her opposition to abortion and gun control, and her doubts about climate change, tagging her as "very conservative" and as "pretty far over." After several audience members applauded Palin, as if he were surprised that some people actually approve of these conservative views, he glanced at the audience with a smile and added: "Some people like this stuff."

8. Maher Buys Into Claim Sarah Palin's Baby Son Really Her Grandson
Declaring "I'm not that convinced that that's her baby," far-left comedian Bill Maher, Friday night on his HBO show Real Time, forwarded left-wing blog rumors about how Trig Palin, born in April, is really the son of Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter Bristol who is now pregnant. Maher raised his theory during a one-on-one interview with CNN's Jeffrey Toobin, who didn't accept Maher's belief in such deceit, leading Maher to concede "it could be her baby," but he still insisted "it is a little suspicious" because "the daughter -- who we know is fertile because she's knocked up again, or maybe for the first time" had taken "a five-month leave from high school because she had [uses fingers to make quote marks] 'mononucleosis' right around the time the baby was being born. And the mother, the so-called, you know, okay, maybe it is the mother, but, you know, she was back to work three days later. You don't smell something?"

9. 'Top Ten Little-Known Facts About Republican VP Nominee Palin'
As posted Saturday on the Late Show Web site, last week's winning entries for the "Top Ten Little-Known Facts About Republican V.P. Nominee Sarah Palin."

ABC: 'Subtle Racial Code' in Ridicule
of 'Community Organizers'?

ABC's George Stephanopoulos, who when interviewing John McCain six weeks ago scolded him for a criticism of Barack Obama ("I can't believe you believe that"), on Sunday's This Week prodded Obama to agree with those of his supporters who "heard subtle racial code" in the ridiculing, at the Republican convention, of his "community organizer" work. Stephanopoulos, who did challenge Obama to name three things he'd do as President which "would be unpopular with the Democrats in Congress" and to acknowledge McCain was correct on the surge, also cued up Obama on Sarah Palin's qualifications: "You said that your number one criteria for vice presidential pick was someone that's capable of being President. Did John McCain meet the threshold test?"

In the interview taped in Terre Haute, in what appeared to be a barn, Stephanopoulos noted that "it's pretty clear they didn't think too much of your early career as a community organizer. Governor Palin. Rudy Giuliani." After a clip from Giuliani which produced boos from the Republican faithful, Stephanopoulos wondered: "What were you thinking when you heard the boos, the laugher?" Saying "it's curious to me that they would mock" his community organizer work, Stephanopoulos contended: "You're smiling about it, but some of your supporters were listening and they heard subtle racial code."

[This item, by the MRC's Brent Baker, was posted late Sunday night on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]

The July 28 CyberAlert item, "Stephanopoulos to McCain: 'I Can't Believe You Believe That,'" recounted:

On Sunday's This Week, ABC's George Stephanopoulos condemned John McCain for charging that "Senator Obama would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign." Stephanopoulos, who interviewed McCain on Saturday at his Arizona ranch, declared: "I can't believe you believe that." McCain insisted "I'm not questioning his patriotism. I'm questioning his actions. I'm questioning his lack, total lack of understanding," leading Stephanopoulos to counter: "But that is questioning his patriotism. When you say someone would rather lose a war, a candidate, that's questioning his honor, his decency, his character."

As McCain continued to defend his assessment, Stephanopoulos kept rejecting his reasoning ("So putting lives at risk for a political campaign, you believe he's doing that?") and excoriating his characterization of Obama: "But you're questioning his motives."

Full rundown: www.mrc.org

From the Sunday, September 7 This Week on ABC:

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: It's pretty clear they didn't think too much of your early career as a community organizer. Governor Palin. Rudy Giuliani.
RUDY GIULIANI, AT REPUBLICAN CONVENTION: He worked as a community organizer. He immersed himself in Chicago machine politics. (boos from audience)
STEPHANOPOULOS: What were you thinking when you heard the boos, the laugher?
BARACK OBAMA: It's a real puzzling thing. I mean, understand what I -- what I did, as a community organizer. When I got out of college as a young person, 24, 25 years old, I had moved to Chicago and worked with churches, who were dealing with steel plants that had closed in their neighborhoods, to set up job training programs for the unemployed. And after school programs for youth. And to try to deal with asbestos in homes of poor people. Community service work, which John McCain has been talking about putting country first, and extolling the virtues of national service, that's what I did between the ages of 24 and 27, before I went to law school. I would think that's what we want all our young people to do. I would think that that's an area where Democrats and Republicans would agree. So it's curious to me, that they would mock that, when I, at least think that that's exactly what young people should be doing.
STEPHANOPOULOS: You're smiling about it, but some of your supporters were listening and they heard subtle racial code.
OBAMA: You know, I didn't hear that. I just think that there is a -- for folks who suddenly have tried to grab the change banner, they've got a very traditional view of what service means...

Sarah Palin Whacked as 'Wacko Right-Winger'
by Kondracke on FNC

A major media denigration of Republican VP nominee Sarah Palin as a "wacko right-winger" didn't come on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN or even MSNBC, but on FNC from a regular contributor to the network: Morton Kondrake, who was hostile all last week to Palin in his appearances on Special Report with Brit Hume. Wrapping up the "Ups and Downs" segment on FNC's Beltway Boys this weekend with an "Up" for Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal's performance during Hurricane Gustav, Kondracke inserted the gratuitous insult into his agreement with co-host Fred Barnes that Hurricane Katrina would have turned out better if Jindal were in charge three years ago: "If Jindal had been Governor of Louisiana in 2005, everything would have been different and he would be John McCain's running mate instead of this wacko right-winger."

Earlier in the half-hour show, Kondracke, a DC media veteran now with Roll Call, asserted that Palin "is very far right."

[This item, by the MRC's Brent Baker, was posted Saturday night on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]

At another point, however, he conceded that journalists were hoping their reporting would uncover "deep, dark secrets" which would force her to withdraw or become an anchor around John McCain: "I don't deny that a lot of our colleagues were hoping that she would, you know that there would be deep, dark secrets and that she'd turn out to be Tom Eagleton or Geraldine Ferraro..."
FNC's bio for Kondracke: www.foxnews.com

ABC's Stephanopoulos Forwards Democratic
Spin Two Weeks In a Row

On the Friday morning after the Democratic convention, former Clinton campaign spinner George Stephanopoulos found nothing to criticize when he reviewed Barack Obama's speech and the overall convention for Good Morning America. But on Friday after the GOP convention ended, the ABC host relayed the Obama campaign's negative take on McCain and stressed how voters don't think Sarah Palin has as much experience as Joe Biden, and that she doesn't help her ticket as much as Biden helps the Democrats.

"Go beneath those numbers a little more," Stephanopoulos instructed. "Joe Biden helps Barack Obama a little bit more than Sarah Palin helps John McCain."

But ABC's poll, conducted Thursday after a week of battering coverage of the GOP vice presidential candidate, showed Palin had only a slightly lower overall favorability than Democratic candidate Joe Biden, a difference nearly entirely accounted for by her low approval among Democratic voters. Republican voters are more enthusiastic about Palin (85% support) than Democrats are for Biden (77%). See: abcnews.go.com

If Biden had been subjected to a week's worth of negative news, how low would his ratings go?

[This item, by the MRC's Rich Noyes, was posted Friday on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]

One week earlier, Stephanopoulos offered the Obama campaign's spin that the Democratic candidate's speech would "shield" him from being attacked on social issues, relayed none of the McCain campaign's rebuttal points, and said the Democrats had "absolutely" accomplished all of their convention goals. "What he showed over the course of the speech is that he understands the problems that people are going through, that he gets it unlike John McCain," Stephanopoulos argued.

But on Friday, after quickly relaying how the McCain people say the Republican's speech scored well with voters, Stephanopoulos stressed the Obama team's criticisms of McCain and then relayed the poll that he argued meant Biden was a more helpful choice.

That matches what happened at night, as documented in the Friday CyberAlert article: "Stephanopoulos Corrects McCain But Last Week Defended Obama." See: www.mrc.org

Aiming for the superficial, he and Diane Sawyer also criticized the green backdrop behind McCain during the early minutes of his speech, part of a larger image of a California school. Trying to remind viewers of the controversy over McCain's many homes, Stephanopoulos said viewers must have wondered it if was an image of a "mansion":

This goes under the category of what were they thinking? Probably the worst speech in the McCain campaign was the night Barack Obama accepted his nomination [back in early June]. It was against a green background, but when you pulled when you pulled out to the wide shot, you look at that and say is that a mansion? Is that some kind of big house? No, it's not. It's actually the Walter Reed Middle School in North Hollywood, California.

Here are both of the "Bottom Line" segments from ABC's Good Morning America, starting with the entirely positive review Stephanopoulos gave to Obama's convention on August 29:

ROBIN ROBERTS: And now for "The Bottom Line" joining us also from Denver, our chief Washington correspondent and host of "This Week," George Stephanopoulos. So did Obama do what he needed to do last night, George?
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: And then some, Robin. I think there's no question about that. Jake outlined a lot of what he did in his speech right there. What he showed over the course of the speech is that he understands the problems that people are going through, that he gets it unlike John McCain. He also was not afraid at all to take on John McCain to take on the Republicans and by doing that, by doing it in such a tough, aggressive manner I think he answered questions about whether he was ready to be commander in chief, at least that was the intention and then he did something towards the end of the speech where he also took the issues where Democrats traditionally get hammered by Republicans, issues like abortion, gay rights and guns and put down a shield, a shield and described those issues in a way that a majority or at least the center of the country would understand, would appreciate so I think he got an awful lot done.
ROBERTS: The bar was set high because of all the speeches we heard throughout the week at the convention, do you feel the Democrats accomplished what they set out to this week?
STEPHANOPOULOS: Absolutely. If you look at -- they came into the convention divided, divided between the Clinton forces and the Obama forces, a lot of bad blood. The combination of Senator Clinton's speech, her moving to nominate Barack Obama and then Bill Clinton's tour de force on Wednesday night brought the Clinton and Obama forces back together. And that's point number one. You saw the combination of Michelle Obama's speech, the video and Barack Obama's speech last night introduced the Obamas to the country, make their story part of the American story and then that laid nicely into the agenda he wants to send for the country, so I don't think this convention could have gone any better for the Democrats than it did now it's on to St. Paul for the Republicans.

One week later, Stephanopoulos again relayed the view from Obama's HQ:

DIANE SAWYER: Time now to turn to ABC's chief Washington correspondent, host of "This Week," George Stephanopoulos-
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Good morning.
SAWYER: -for "The Bottom Line." Good morning. So tell us about it this morning. How are Republicans feeling?
STEPHANOPOULOS: The McCain campaign felt great last night. They said that they were doing those dial groups during McCain's speech and that they were going off the charts. Now, that's what they say tonight. The Democrats were underwhelmed as you might expect. Watch what Barack Obama today. This is what he's going to zero in on. He's going to say "throughout the whole speech you didn't hear the word middle class at all." And they'll say for all of the talk of change, for all of that heroic biography that John McCain has, the policies, the policies that he laid out last night are exactly what we've been hearing from Republicans and George Bush for the last eight years.
SAWYER: We have a new poll, speaking of change, about the new vice presidential candidate. Tell us about it.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Really interesting, the reaction to Sarah Palin. She's got a pretty good reaction from the public overall, 50 percent favor both 37 percent unfavorable but what it shows underneath that is that she's doing great with Republicans, conservatives, evangelical Christians, 80 percent support. Democrats, not so much. Only 25 percent support, split right down the middle with independents. She also still has a bit of a problem with the question of readiness. We asked do they think she has the right experience to be vice president? Yes, 42 percent, no, 50 percent. And compare that to Joe Biden, 66 percent say Joe Biden has the right experience. Only 21 percent say he doesn't. Again, go beneath those numbers a little more. Joe Biden helps Barack Obama a little bit more than Sarah Palin helps John McCain.
SAWYER: So she's got a little more work to do, though, people seem fascinated. Speaking of fascination, we have a small mystery, a footnote from last night. But so many of us were watching the screen as Senator McCain was speaking-
STEPHANOPOULOS: We should show everybody.
SAWYER: We should show everybody. There was a building behind it and you and I-
STEPHANOPOULOS: First of all he had the green right there. This goes under the category of what were they thinking? Probably the worst speech in the McCain campaign was the night Barack Obama accepted his nomination. It was against a green background, but when you pulled out to the wide shot, you look at that and say is that a mansion? Is that some kind of big house? No, it's not. It's actually the Walter Reed Middle School in North Hollywood, California. The campaign can't explain why it was chosen, but it just sent both the close-up and the wide shot sent all of the wrong messages for the McCain campaign. The only -- you know, there's a lot of speculation on the blogs today that what -- that somebody just made a terrible mistake. They were doing a photo search for Walter Reed Medical Center and came up with the middle school. There's no other good explanation.
SAWYER: I know because last night, you and Charlie were like-
STEPHANOPOULOS: What was that about?
SAWYER: We were like, do you know that building? Do I know that building? We couldn't figure it out.

CNN's American Morning Fact Checks Palin
But Not Obama or Biden

Friday's American Morning on CNN featured a segment dedicated to fact-checking Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's speech to the Republican National Convention. In introducing the reporter who did the fact-checking, co-host Kiran Chetry explained: "CNN's Deborah Feyerick is here to fact check Palin's speech and I'm sure whenever politics is involved we have to fact check these."

Apparently, though, American Morning only feels the need to fact check speeches given by Republican candidates because the morning show did not provide the same fact checking analysis of Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden or Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. They did, however, fact check former president Bill Clinton's speech to the Democratic National Convention and found that some of his more conservative policies helped to usher in the mortgage crisis.

Nevertheless, Feyerick's fact-check needed a little fact-checking of its own. One of the statements in Palin's speech that CNN found "false" was her claim that she "stood up to the special interests and the lobbyists." To negate this claim, Feyerick said, "Palin was the Wasilla mayor to hire a Washington lobbyist, securing $11 million in special funding for the town." However, Palin prefaced this particular statement by saying "when I took on the old politics as usual in Junueau," signifying that her claim of standing up to special interests, lobbyists and big oil companies took place when she became Governor.

[This item, by MRC intern Lyndsi Thomas, was posted Friday afternoon on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]

About Palin's claim about the $40 billion natural gas pipeline, Feyerick said "yes and no." After noting that the pipeline projected was approved, the reporter used the fact that the company hasn't started to build the pipeline yet to show that Palin's claim wasn't completely true.

Feyerick also brought up that as Governor, Palin asked Congress for $453 million for earmarks, but the network hardly mentions Obama's requests for earmarks, including one for his wife's hospital.

Finally, Feyerick concluded her report with a little acrimony: "Near the end of her speech, Governor Palin reviewed Barack Obama's positions on energy, taxes, terrorism and government spending. Her review of his record also requires some fact checking."

A transcript of the September 5 segment:

CINDY MCCAIN: John has picked a reform-minded, hockey-momming, basketball-shooting, moose-hunting, salmon- fishing, pistol-packing mother of five for vice president.
KIRAN CHETRY: Well, that was Cindy McCain talking about Sarah Palin last night. And Palin herself roused the Republicans with her fiery speech. But was everything she said completely true? CNN's Deborah Feyerick is here to fact check Palin's speech and I'm sure whenever politics is involved we have to fact check these.
DEBORAH FEYERICK: It's a little bit relevant.
CHETRY: Right. Exactly.
FEYERICK: Exactly. Well, you know, Kiran, Governor Palin delivered her speech with conviction, a sense of what you see is what you get. But after checking budget records and speaking to government officials and Alaska lawmakers, some of the claims are a bit of a stretch.
GOV. SARAH PALIN: You know, they say the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick.
FEYERICK: Putting Democrats on notice, Sarah Palin fired up Republicans listing what she's done and why she's qualified to be vice president. But is it all true?
PALIN: I stood up to the special interests and the lobbyists.
FEYERICK: Well, not entirely. Palin was the first Wasilla mayor to hire a Washington lobbyist, securing $11 million in special funding for the town.
PALIN: And championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress.
FEYERICK: Not true. In her two years as governor, Palin has asked Congress for $453 million for so-called earmarks, including $1 million for rock fish research. That famous $398 million bridge to nowhere?
PALIN: I told the Congress, thanks but no thanks.
FEYERICK: In fact, Alaska got that money but it was used for other projects. Steven Ellis is with an advocacy group that tracks public spending.
STEVE ELLIS, TAXPAYERS FOR COMMON SENSE ACTION: Certainly she has got Wasilla into the earmarks game. She, you know, worked the system and was able to bring home earmarks and then certainly has been part of the earmark system in Alaska. And so, it's just something that is interesting to juxtapose with Senator McCain's position which has been stalwart no earmarks ever.
FEYERICK: On cleaning up state government.
PALIN: And today that ethics reform is the law.
FEYERICK: That's true. She signed it last year.

NBC's Today Show Wonders Why McCain Speech
Didn't Trash GOP

On Friday's Today show, reporter David Gregory and other NBC personalities offered a sour and largely negative reaction to John McCain's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention. Deriding the Bush years, Gregory asserted that after McCain's nomination, the party faced a "daunting challenge," How will the candidate "overcome the record of Republican rule over much of the past eight years?"

The network journalist also featured footage of former Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson knocking the speech as "typical for a Republican" and "pretty disappointing." He criticized the candidate for not doing enough outreach to moderates. A theme repeated throughout the show was attacking McCain for not going out of his way to play up differences with the Republican delegates in the Minneapolis convention center. Gregory chided, "Yet in front the party faithful, the Arizona Senator declined to mention his signature stands that most angered his party: campaign finance and immigration reform, as well as climate change."

[This item, by the MRC's Scott Whitlock, was posted Friday afternoon on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]

In a second segment, "Today" co-host Meredith Vieira interviewed McCain campaign manager Steve Schmidt and offered a similar critique: "You heard the criticism in that speech that John McCain missed an opportunity to reach out to independents and moderates, that it was sort of a boilerplate speech. How do you respond to that?" After Schmidt listed the issues, such as early support for a troop surge, where the GOP nominee has disagreed with President Bush, Vieira whined, "Why didn't he bring that up then, Steve? Why didn't he bring that up last night? Some of those key issues where he disagreed?"

Gregory also criticized the various backdrops for the speech, saying, "McCain's speech may have lacked oratorical flare and stage craft," before going on to praise the Republican's recounting of being tortured in Vietnam. The "Today" show then showed a picture of, what they considered to be, the substandard background.

In fairness, "Today" did continue its newly positive coverage of Sarah Palin. Just two days ago, the program was questioning whether the Republican vice presidential nominee could balance being a mom with the strains of the job. However, since Palin's well received speech Wednesday night, the tone has markedly improved. A Bob Faw segment on Friday's referred to her as a "breath of fresh air" and "the wonder from Wasilla."

A transcript of the David Gregory segment, which aired at 7:03am on September 5, follows:

MATT LAUER: But, first, John McCain, center stage. NBC's David Gregory has the highlights from the Republican nominee's crucial speech last night. David, good morning to you. NBC GRAPHIC: Message from Minnesota: McCain-Palin as Mavericks for Change
DAVID GREGORY: Good morning, Matt. Well, Senator McCain emerges from this convention the head of a more united and enthusiastic Republican Party, but his real goal here was to be seen as a candidate of change. It was his moment in the spotlight, but Senator McCain shared it with a running mate who has captivated the party.
MCCAIN: I found just the right partner to help me shake up Washington, D.C. But I can't wait until I introduce her to Washington. GREGORY: Together, he warned, McCain and Palin will serve notice.
MCCAIN: Let me just offer an advance warning to the old, big spending, do nothing, me first, country second crowd, change is coming.
GREGORY: And the Arizona senator insisted his independent streak is live and well.
MCCAIN: I don't work for a party. I don't work for a special interest. I don't work for myself. I work for you.
GREGORY: Arguing for change, despite support for President Bush, McCain only mentioned the president once and not by name.
MCCAIN: I'm grateful to the president of United States for leading us in these dark days, following the worst attacks on American history.
GREGORY: McCain tried to reach independent voters. Yet in front the party faithful, the Arizona senator declined to mention his signature stands that most angered his party: campaign finance and immigration reform, as well as climate change. His strongest statement on the economy-[video drops out]
MCCAIN: -[Video returns.] He will increase it. My tax cuts will create jobs. His tax increases will eliminate them.
MICHAEL GERSON (Former Bush speechwriter): The policy in the speech was rather typical for a Republican, pretty disappointing. It didn't do a lot of outreach to moderates- [Video cuts out.]
GREGORY: McCain did, however, promise a bipartisan cabinet if elected and taking a shot at his rival, highlighted a record of working across the aisle.
MCCAIN: I will reach out my hand to anyone to help make this country get moving again. I have that record and the scars to prove it. Senator Obama does not.
GREGORY: McCain's speech may have lacked oratorical flare and stage craft, but its power was the senator's powerful story as a former prisoner of war. That story was the basis of his most searing attack on Senator Obama.
MCCAIN: I'm not running for president because I think I'm blessed with such personal greatness that history has anointed me to save our country in its hour of need. My country saved me. My country saved me and I cannot forget it and I will fight for her as long as I draw breath, so help me God.
GREGORY: Ann Curry spoke to Governor Palin.
CURRY: You're confident that you're going to win in November?
PALIN: Absolutely. Confident. We've got the right guy in John McCain, yes.
GREGORY: By night's end, the party celebrated its new look in St. Paul and faced a daunting challenge. How will this Republican ticket for change overcome the record of Republican rule over much of the past eight years? McCain/Palin is going to take this reform message into the Democrats' den today, hitting the campaign trail going to Michigan and Wisconsin, Meredith. Two states that were in the blue column, the Democrats' column back in 2004.

McCain Aide Hits Vieira Over Biased Attacks
Against Palin

John McCain campaign manager Steve Schmidt appeared on Friday's Today show and quarreled with an annoyed Meredith Vieira over the media's coverage of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Vieira lashed out, accusing the McCain camp of "trying to shut us up" by attacking the press during the Republican National Convention. Schmidt also slammed journalists for making an issue of whether Palin could balance both family and being Vice President, a tactic Vieira incorrectly asserted only blogs were doing.

Early in the exchange, Vieira challenged Schmidt: "A lot of press bashing at the convention. We are suddenly the enemy. Why is that?" After the NBC host asserted that it was the job of the press to "ask questions," Schmidt shot back: "And it's their job to ask questions of Senator Obama, too. And we hope we'll have some questions asked of Senator Obama as we move forward during the remainder of this race."

He added that the McCain team welcomed honest scrutiny. It was at that point that Vieira hyperbolically suggested the Republican candidate was somehow trying to censor the media: "But, Steve you go on the attack. I don't know that you look forward to the scrutiny, because you go immediately on the attack. It sounds like you're trying to, sort of, organize your base by going after the media, trying to shut us up."

[This item was prepared for CyberAlert by the MRC's Scott Whitlock.]

Not backing down, Schmidt condemned reporting on Palin's youngest son. He complained: "But when an anchor on your network says that, you know, can Governor Palin do her duties because she has a Down syndrome child? We object to that." Although Schmidt could have been referring to generically similar reporting on NBC, ABC, specifically, cited the issue of Down syndrome on Good Morning America.

On August 30, weekend anchor Bill Weir was talking to McCain political director Mike DuHaime. He pointedly asked, "Adding to the brutality of a national campaign, the Palin family also has an infant with special needs. What leads you, the Senator, and the Governor to believe that one won't affect the other in the next couple of months?" When DuHaime challenged this contention, Weir reiterated, "She has an infant -- she has an infant with special needs. Will that affect her campaigning?" See the September 2 CyberAlert: www.mrc.org

Additionally, on the September 3 edition of Today, reporter Amy Robach derided: "The broader question if Sarah Palin becomes vice president, will she be shortchanging her kids or will she be shortchanging the country?" So, it's simply false to say that mainstream programs and journalists weren't dragging Palin's family into the debate or questioning whether the candidate could be a good mother and a strong vice president. See the September 4 CyberAlert: www.mrc.org

A transcript of the exchange, which occurred at 7:10am on September 5:

MEREDITH VIEIRA: And finally, Steve, a lot of press bashing at the convention. We are suddenly the enemy. Why is that?
STEVE SCHMIDT (McCain campaign manager): Well, Meredith, I think that there was a lot of anger at the coverage of a private family matter with regard to Governor Palin.
VIEIRA: But those were blogs, Steve. That wasn't the mainstream press.
SCHMIDT: But the press, Meredith, plays a very important role in these campaigns and one of the things that makes our country great is the free working press. It's the- the system doesn't work without the press. A free press is one of the foundations of our country.
VIEIRA: And it's the press's job, Steve, to ask questions.
SCHMIDT: Oh, of course it is. And it's their job to ask questions of Senator Obama, too. And we hope we'll have some questions asked of Senator Obama as we move forward during the remainder of this race. We look forward to the scrutiny, both Senator McCain and Governor Palin.
VIEIRA: But, Steve you go on the attack. I don't know that you look forward to the scrutiny, because you go immediately on the attack. It sounds like you're trying to, sort of, organize your base by going after the media, trying to shut us up. That's what it feels like.
SCHMIDT: Well, I think that's wrong, Meredith. But when an anchor on your network says that, you know, can Governor Palin do her duties because she has a Down syndrome child? We object to that. We think it's outrageous and inappropriate. We want to talk about issues in this campaign, not about the media. But when things happen that we think are unfair or wrong, we are compelled to set the record straight. But I want to be clear about something. John McCain is running for president of the United States to change America, to put the government on the side of working families, not to be a media critic. And that's what that speech was about last night and that's what tens of millions of Americans heard. Both Senator McCain and Governor Palin are going to travel the country over these next two months and they're going to talk about the issues that matter to the American people. It's going to be a great campaign. It's a close campaign and the American people, I think, are hugely enthusiastic about Senator McCain and his running mate as they come out of this convention with a lot of energy. Thank you.
VIEIRA: All right. Steve, I appreciate it and you've always been extremely accessible to us and I do appreciate it very much. Steve Schmidt. Thank you.

Matthews 'Worried' About Obama, Surprised
by Applause for Palin

Chris Matthews appeared as a guest on Friday's Tonight Show on NBC, and while the MSNBC host did have a few positive things to say about John McCain and Sarah Palin, he also conveyed his feeling that he is "worried" that Hillary Clinton will not help Barack Obama win swing states like Pennsylvania and Ohio, because their "relationship" has not been sufficiently mended: "I really worry about that relationship, if it's solid enough, because I really do believe in states like Pennsylvania and Ohio, where Hillary did really well, Hillary could go in there and campaign with this fellow, Barack Obama, like gang busters." He also erroneously conveyed the impression to viewers that the Bush administration is responsible for 80 percent of a $10 trillion national debt as he misquoted the federal budget deficit, claiming that "we've added a trillion dollars in debt every year." In fact, the deficit for FY 2007 was about $500 billion, higher than most of the other Bush years.

And, while Matthews is not known for acknowledging that Obama is liberal, he also characterized Sarah Palin as extreme as he listed off her opposition to abortion and gun control, and her doubts about climate change, tagging her as "very conservative" and as "pretty far over." After several audience members applauded Palin, as if he were surprised that some people actually approve of these conservative views, he glanced at the audience with a smile and added: "Some people like this stuff." Matthews even tagged McCain "more conservative" but did not label Obama as "liberal." Matthews: "We got an older guy, we got a more conservative guy, we got a younger guy, a Democrat. I think these are great candidates."

[This item, by the MRC's Brad Wilmouth, was posted Sunday on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]

Below is a transcript of relevant portions from the Friday, September 5 Tonight Show on NBC:

JAY LENO: Are you surprised by Governor Palin's popularity? She's like a rock, the latest poll today, there's a Rasmussen poll, I think?
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Yeah, that's sort of a Republican poll.
LENO: Well, she, more popular than McCain or Barack Obama.
MATTHEWS: Yeah, yeah, well, the new kid on the block. I'm telling you-
LENO: Is it because we don't know anything about her?
MATTHEWS: This will show how old we're getting, I'm getting. Jack Kennedy was younger than her when he ran for President. He was 43, she's 44. But people love youth in this country. We love the fact that somone can come out with this crackerjack personality, she's gung ho, she's fearless, she goes out there before the people, she gave this great speech. You know, she's a conservative, and people have to decide what they think of her policies, but first impression is dynamite.

...

[LENO AND MATTHEWS TALK ABOUT ADVANTAGES PALIN MAY HAVE IN DEBATING BIDEN]

MATTHEWS: But she's very conservative. She thinks there should be no abortion ever. She's basically no gun control. She doesn't believe in evolution. She doesn't believe in climate change -- really. She's pretty far over. So, I mean, I think people are going to have to decide. [A FEW AUDIENCE MEMBERS APPLAUD AND YELL] She's certainly un-Hillary.
MATTHEWS GLANCES AT THE AUDIENCE MEMBERS WHO WERE APPLAUDING AND SMILES: Some people like this stuff, ha! But, I mean, if you're a Hillary voter, this is not your answer. This is the opposite of Hillary.
JAY LENO: Well, you know something? I mean, I find, something I find interesting, you know, and I guess maybe sexism plays a role in this, that people say, oh, she'll get the Hillary voters, as if women would vote for another candidate only because they're the same gender. I mean, Hillary and this woman could not be further apart in their political views.
MATTHEWS: They might, if you think about it subtly, a lot of women who are angry because women didn't get the nomination, or they believe that she was treated unfairly, might say, "I'm going to give the Republican party a second look because they've given a woman a shot." You know what I mean? But they're not going to like the candidate, perhaps, once they listen to all the points of view. I think the country is going to decide, is to say, look, today unemployment rate shot to 6.1 percent, the highest in five years. The federal debt now is $10 trillion. We've added a trillion dollars in debt every year.
We can't buy all this stuff in the world like we used to. It's not just oil and gas. We're competing for everything with rich countries now. Guess what. We won the Cold War, all these countries that were going socialist are now capitalists. And guess what. They're competitors now. So we got to compete with China, Russia, India, Brazil, for the same materials we want. If we want oil, we got to meet the Chinese price. So, all of a sudden, we're realizing we live in a whole new world. I just think the question you got to ask if you go into that voting booth: Who's got the future in mind? Who can look down the road, five, ten years, and think about what we're going to do on oil, what we're going to do on energy, what we're going to do on climate change, and how are we going to keep people working. I'm telling you, this unemployment rate scoots up another point by election day, because you know how it works in America, when the guy down the street loses his job it's a recession, when you lose your job it's a depression. And I think people are starting to get nervous, and every time that number goes up, higher people get more nervous.
LENO: What about Hillary? Is she the secret weapon now? Does Barack bring her out to counteract, will she campaign for him?
MATTHEWS: Boy, they better cut the deal, don't you think? I mean, whatever she owes, he ought to pay.
LENO: You think she'll come out, like, November 8th?
MATTHEWS: No, I really worry about that relationship, if it's solid enough, because I really do believe in states like Pennsylvania and Ohio, where Hillary did really well, Hillary could go in there and campaign with this fellow, Barack Obama, like gangbusters. She could say, "Yeah, I wanted to be President, but he'll be better than the other guy," and go door-to-door with regular people. She's pretty good. In a lot of ways -- in the campaign in Pennsylvania, for example -- she came off as the girl next door. She was really powerful. So, if she could sell him, he'll win. But I'm not sure it's together yet. Maybe it's about what you're asking about, did she pay off his debt, or did he pay off her debts yet, but I think it's time for a deal. ...

MATTHEWS: Anybody my age, when you hear that story about Vietnam, and you hear about being in solitary for two years, you hear about guys tapping on walls to talk to each other in this code they figured out, and the way they stuck together, and how they were American to the last, even when he said I was broken. Well, you know, he wasn't broken that much because he went right back and started standing up to these guys. You got to root for the guy. I think we got a good choice this time. We got an older guy, we got a more conservative guy, we got a younger guy, a Democrat, I think these are great candidates."

Maher Buys Into Claim Sarah Palin's Baby
Son Really Her Grandson

Toobin remained unconvinced: "You know what, I don't." Maher then turned to the old left-wing stand-by argument: all Republicans and conservatives are liars. To applause and laughter from the audience, Maher quipped: "Yeah, but look who we're talking about....it's not like they're not willing to lie about everything else."

[This item, by the MRC's Brent Baker, was posted late Friday night, with video, on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]

Toobin appeared on the Los Angeles-produced show via satellite from New York City to plug the paperback release of his book, The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court: search.barnesandnoble.com

HBO's page for Real Time with Bill Maher: www.hbo.com

From the Friday, September 5 Real Time with Bill Maher which aired live at 11 PM EDT on HBO, picking up as Toobin denies any media but MSNBC and FNC are biased:

JEFFREY TOOBIN: We're not talking about MSNBC or Fox, which are separate cases. But I don't think most of the news media -- the major news networks, CNN -- are biased in favor of one party or the other. There are certain kinds of stories we like. Say, you know, pregnant people. But we don't, I don't think there is a lot of sort of bias in favor of one party or the other.
BILL MAHER: Well, I'm glad you brought that up, tawdry as it is, because I'm not that convinced that that's her baby.
TOOBIN: You know, I'm willing to take their word for it on that, take their word for it that that is her baby.
[Audience laughter]
MAHER: It could be her baby, but it is a little suspicious -- if what I read in US magazine has any weight. I mean-
TOOBIN: I am actually convinced it is her baby.
MAHER: -the daughter -- who we know is fertile because she's knocked up again, or maybe for the first time-
TOOBIN: Yeah, I think for the first time.
MAHER: Okay, but she did like take a five-month leave from high school because she had [uses fingers to make quote marks] "mononucleosis" right around the time the baby was being born. And the mother, the so-called, you know, okay, maybe it is the mother, but, you know, she was back to work three days later. You don't smell something?
TOOBIN: You know what, I don't. I have to say I'm willing to take their word for it on that part of the story. And frankly, I have never been involved in a journalism story where someone who claimed to have a baby, that was ever in dispute. I mean, that's just sort of something we usually take people's word for and I think that's appropriate in this case.
MAHER: Yeah, but look who we're talking about.
[laughter and applause]
TOOBIN: That may be.
MAHER: I mean, but it's not like they're not willing to lie about everything else. You know, this is the party of character.
TOOBIN: Put me down as a believer.

'Top Ten Little-Known Facts About Republican
VP Nominee Palin'

As posted Saturday on the Late Show with David Letterman Web site, last week's winning "Top Ten Contest" entries for the "Top Ten Little-Known Facts About Republican V.P. Nominee Sarah Palin."

10. Won the governorship from a scratch off lottery ticket (Michael S, South Bend)

9. Every year wrestles a polar bear at the Alaska State Fair (Paul L, Sandy, UT)

8. Commutes to her office with a hybrid-powered dog sled (Bill C, Palm Beach Gardens)

7. Hottest vice presidential candidate since Joe Lieberman (Clint W, Cedar Falls, IA)

6. She invented the Internet (Marty M, Bassett, VA)

5. Three words: raised by Huskies (Zach E, Chappaqua, NY)

4. That thing on her head is related to that thing on Donald Trump's head (Tom P, Fort Myers, FL)

3. First V.P. to wear pumps since Mondale (Nelson S, Torrance, CA)

2. Frequently gets 3am phone calls from Bill Clinton (Joanne P, Johnston, RI)

1. David Duchovny's addicted to her (Bob J, St. Paul, MN)

This week's topic: "Top Ten McCain/Palin Campaign Slogans." To submit an entry, go to: lateshow.cbs.com

-- Brent Baker