Nets Celebrate Obama's 'Whirlwind' of Activity' in First 50 Days --3/11/2009

1. Nets Celebrate Obama's 'Whirlwind' of Activity' in First 50 Days
NBC and ABC on Tuesday night marked President Barack Obama's first 50 days -- not by pointing out all his unfilled executive positions, failed nominations or the long wait for the stimulus spending in the "stimulus" bill -- but by heralding his "whirlwind" of action and "whirling dervish of activity," though both noted criticism that the administration is trying to do too much. "The President's first seven weeks have been a whirlwind with often dramatic movement in all directions, on all fronts. The economy, health care, two wars and today education reform," NBC anchor Brian Williams breathlessly announced. On ABC, Jake Tapper contended "you can disagree with what President Obama has done, but you cannot accuse him of dragging his feet. His first 50 days have been marked by presidential action on nearly every issue under the sun. Of course, for his critics, that's precisely the problem." Tapper soon asserted: "Seven weeks ago, just minutes after taking the oath of office, President Obama formally nominated his cabinet. He's been a whirling dervish of activity ever since."

2. CNN's Cafferty Bashes Limbaugh's Audience as 'Right-Wing Nuts'
CNN commentator Jack Cafferty returned to his routine of bashing conservatives and Republicans in a column published on CNN.com on Tuesday titled "GOP becoming a cartoon." He accused the Republican Party of "pandering to the right wing nuts that comprise Rush Limbaugh's radio audience," and listed this as the primary reason that the GOP lost the 2008 presidential election. Cafferty also bashed Republicans for being too busy "obstructing Obama's programs and criticizing the Democrats' spending plans that are aimed at trying to bring the country out of a horrible recession."

3. CBS's Early Show Uses Meghan McCain to Slam Ann Coulter
At the top of the 8AM EST hour of CBB's Early Show, co-host Maggie Rodriguez teased an upcoming interview with John McCain's daughter, Meghan McCain: "And young Mac attack. Senator McCain's daughter, Meghan, takes aim at conservative Ann Coulter and tells us about her post-election dating issues." Later, co-host Harry Smith opened the segment by declaring: "Senator John McCain's daughter, Meghan, has left the campaign trail and found herself working in the blogosphere as a writer for The Daily Beast. And on it she has written some tough things about Ann Coulter as well as her ongoing search for Mr. Right, or Mr. Far Right." After Smith asked her about her "search for Mr. Far Right," he turned his attention to her recent criticism of conservative author Ann Coulter: "Well here's one of the things you wrote about Ann Coulter, who's been a guest on this program in the past, we had interesting conversations, 'I straight up don't understand this woman or her popularity. I find her offensive, radical, insulting, and confusing all at the same time. If figureheads like Ann Coulter are turning me off, then they are definitely turning off other members of my generation as well.'"

4. ABC's GMA Acknowledges 'Tim Geithner's Stock Has Dropped'
Perhaps signaling media impatience with the Obama administration's economic policy, Tuesday's Good Morning America featured a challenging look at the performance of Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, who the show had previously described as wonky. Reporter Jake Tapper observed that "to some, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner's stock has dropped." Citing the various economic problems that have seemed only to grow in the last few months, Tapper highlighted how Geithner has been criticized for his "thin speech on how to fix the banking crisis and for not winning the confidence of the sinking markets." In contrast, on November 25, the day after he was announced, GMA correspondent Claire Shipman filed a fawning report on both the new nominee and the man who picked him. She enthused that "insiders say the President-elect and his pick for the top economic spot could have been separated at birth."

Nets Celebrate Obama's 'Whirlwind' of
Activity' in First 50 Days

NBC and ABC on Tuesday night marked President Barack Obama's first 50 days -- not by pointing out all his unfilled executive positions, failed nominations or the long wait for the stimulus spending in the "stimulus" bill -- but by heralding his "whirlwind" of action and "whirling dervish of activity," though both noted criticism that the administration is trying to do too much. "The President's first seven weeks have been a whirlwind with often dramatic movement in all directions, on all fronts. The economy, health care, two wars and today education reform," NBC anchor Brian Williams breathlessly announced.

Noting the "accusation that he's taken on too much all at once," NBC's Savannah Guthrie relayed how Obama "took some time to answer his critics." Viewers then heard Obama invoking Abraham Lincoln: "You may forget that Lincoln helped lay down the transcontinental railroad and passed the Homestead Act and created the National Academy of Sciences in the midst of civil war."

On ABC, Jake Tapper contended "you can disagree with what President Obama has done, but you cannot accuse him of dragging his feet. His first 50 days have been marked by presidential action on nearly every issue under the sun. Of course, for his critics, that's precisely the problem." Tapper soon asserted: "Seven weeks ago, just minutes after taking the oath of office, President Obama formally nominated his cabinet. He's been a whirling dervish of activity ever since."

Later in Tapper's story, historian Richard Norton Smith proposed: "It's an ambitious agenda, and I tell you, if he succeeds, even on half of this, that's the way you get into history, as both an important as well as a successful President."

Tapper concluded by pointing out how "a leading Democratic economist, Mark Zandi, said that the administration's stimulus package would create one million fewer jobs than the White House has predicted."

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

# First half of the story on the Tuesday, March 10 NBC Nightly News:

BRIAN WILLIAMS: Today marked President Obama's 50th day in office, halfway through his first 100 days. The President's first seven weeks have been a whirlwind with often dramatic movement in all directions, on all fronts. The economy, health care, two wars and today education reform -- which raises the question, talked about on cable all day long: Is it all too much for any one administration? Savannah Guthrie is with us from the White House tonight. Hey, Savannah. Good evening.

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Good evening, Brian. The President moved ahead today with his big agenda item of the day, education reform. But after getting that accusation that he's taken on too much all at once, he took some time to answer his critics. The President came to talk education, but first gave a history lesson to those who say his ambitious agenda is distracting him from fixing the economy.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: I know there are some who believe we can only handle one challenge at a time. You may forget that Lincoln helped lay down the transcontinental railroad and passed the Homestead Act and created the National Academy of Sciences in the midst of civil war.
GUTHRIE: Still, the White House is making a concerted effort to put its economic team out in public to show they're fully engaged. Budget director Peter Orszag on Capitol Hill today grilled on health care in the morning...

# Start of the piece on ABC's World News:

CHARLES GIBSON: Creating jobs and fixing the economy, of course, are cornerstones of President Obama's administration. Hardly a day has gone by during his first 50 days in office that he hasn't spoken about those issues. But his agenda has been chock full of other initiatives, as well. And that's the rub. Jake tapper is at the White House again this evening. Jake.

JAKE TAPPER: Good evening, Charlie. Well you can disagree with what President Obama has done, but you cannot accuse him of dragging his feet. His first 50 days have been marked by presidential action on nearly every issue under the sun. Of course, for his critics, that's precisely the problem. This morning, President Obama announced goals for improving public education.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: We've accepted failure for far too long. Enough's enough.
TAPPER: The President called for higher standards for schools and students, pay for performance for teachers, more charter schools, and longer school years. Seven weeks ago, just minutes after taking the oath of office, President Obama formally nominated his cabinet. He's been a whirling dervish of activity ever since....

CNN's Cafferty Bashes Limbaugh's Audience
as 'Right-Wing Nuts'

CNN commentator Jack Cafferty returned to his routine of bashing conservatives and Republicans in a column published on CNN.com on Tuesday titled "GOP becoming a cartoon." He accused the Republican Party of "pandering to the right wing nuts that comprise Rush Limbaugh's radio audience," and listed this as the primary reason that the GOP lost the 2008 presidential election. Cafferty also bashed Republicans for being too busy "obstructing Obama's programs and criticizing the Democrats' spending plans that are aimed at trying to bring the country out of a horrible recession."

The commentator began by criticizing three notable Republicans -- Bobby Jindal, Sarah Palin, and Michael Steele. He labeled the Louisiana governor "embarrassing" for a small grammatical error. Cafferty denounced Palin (a regular target of his ire during the presidential campaign), accusing her of performing a "tawdry grab at a few dollars that didn't belong to her," after the Alaska governor decided to reimburse the taxpayer dollars she used to pay for the travel expenses of her children. But he saved the most stinging language for the Republican Party chairman, simultaneously jabbing Limbaugh in the process: "Michael Steele, the newly elected chairman of the Republican National Committee, down on his knees apologizing to the helium-filled poster boy of the conservative right? Pathetic."

[This item, by the MRC's Matthew Balan, was posted Tuesday evening on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]

For Cafferty's full March 109 column on CNN.com, see "GOP becoming a cartoon," at: www.cnn.com

For more on Cafferty's bashing of Palin during 2008, see the September 29 CyberAlert item, "Cafferty Exhibiting Palin Derangement Syndrome, Scolds Blitzer," at: www.mrc.org

After making this thinly-veiled reference to the talk radio host, Cafferty decided to attack the millions who listen to Limbaugh: "If the Republicans are ever to emerge from the long dark night they have created for themselves it will have to be without pandering to the right wing nuts that comprise Rush Limbaugh's radio audience. Didn't they learn anything in the last election?"

The rest of Cafferty's column stuck to the Republican/conservative-bashing theme. He chided the GOP for not condemning the "the evil their party put in the White House the previous eight years." At the same time, the commentator bashed Republicans for not kowtowing to President Obama's agenda: "But instead of getting on board the change train and recognizing the incredible amount of damage their people had done to the country, Republicans go blithely along as though nothing has happened. They're busy obstructing Obama's programs and criticizing the Democrats' spending plans that are aimed at trying to bring the country out of a horrible recession." Don't the Republicans know that the president has "what it takes to lead this country back into the sunlight," as commentator himself put it?

For more on Cafferty's adulation of President Obama, see the February 27 CyberAlert item, "CNN: Obama Leading U.S. 'Into Sunlight' & 'Up to Mountaintops,'" at: www.mrc.org

Cafferty made an error of his own at the end of his commentary, after taking Jindal to task for making a mistake. He cited a "GOP straw poll" about 2012 presidential race where "Mitt Romney finished first followed by Bobby Jindal, Ron Paul and Sarah Palin." Actually, the straw poll was conducted at the annual CPAC conference organized by grassroots conservative organizations. It is not affiliated with the Republican Party. Cafferty must have been too caught up in his anti-conservative tirade to get that detail correct.

For more on the 2009 CPAC straw poll, see the February 28, 2009 article by David Mark for The Politico, "Romney wins CPAC straw poll," at: www.politico.com

CBS's Early Show Uses Meghan McCain to
Slam Ann Coulter

At the top of the 8AM EST hour of CBB's Early Show, co-host Maggie Rodriguez teased an upcoming interview with John McCain's daughter, Meghan McCain: "And young Mac attack. Senator McCain's daughter, Meghan, takes aim at conservative Ann Coulter and tells us about her post-election dating issues." Later, co-host Harry Smith opened the segment by declaring: "Senator John McCain's daughter, Meghan, has left the campaign trail and found herself working in the blogosphere as a writer for The Daily Beast. And on it she has written some tough things about Ann Coulter as well as her ongoing search for Mr. Right, or Mr. Far Right." After Smith asked her about her "search for Mr. Far Right," he turned his attention to her recent criticism of conservative author Ann Coulter: "Well here's one of the things you wrote about Ann Coulter, who's been a guest on this program in the past, we had interesting conversations, 'I straight up don't understand this woman or her popularity. I find her offensive, radical, insulting, and confusing all at the same time. If figureheads like Ann Coulter are turning me off, then they are definitely turning off other members of my generation as well.'"

McCain replied: "And I think it's hard for me to explain to my friends that are in their 20s, when these icons of the party say radical things. I have a friend that's Jewish. She made anti-Semitic comments. It's hard to defend-" Smith interjected: "The Jews need to be perfected and stuff like that." McCain replied: "Yeah, which obviously, I completely disagree with and think is crazy."

[ This item, by the MRC's Kyle Drennen, was posted Tuesday afternoon on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]

McCain went on to express her desire for more moderate Republicans: "I just -- it's hard for me to defend these icons. And I just -- I just wish for more centrist icons in the Republican Party." Smith then asked: "Let me ask you this, because you say you fall in love with the Republican Party. There's this sort of struggle right now...Going on for -- do you see anybody out there who should, you think, ought to be the next, sort of, leader of the party?" Despite her call for more centrists, McCain offered support for conservative Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal: "I love Bobby Jindal...I really was impressed with him. He's very smart. I think, you know, how they're making fun of him is not what I met when I saw him."

Here is the full transcript of the March 10 segment:

8:00AM TEASE:
MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ: And young Mac attack. Senator McCain's daughter, Meghan, takes aim at conservative Ann Coulter and tells us about her post-election dating issues.

8:15AM TEASE:
HARRY SMITH: Up next, Senator John McCain's daughter, Meghan, here. She'll be along to talk about dating. She'll also be talking about some of her fellow bloggers.

8:18AM SEGMENT:
HARRY SMITH: Senator John McCain's daughter, Meghan, has left the campaign trail and found herself working in the blogosphere as a writer for The Daily Beast. And on it she has written some tough things about Ann Coulter as well as her ongoing search for Mr. Right, or Mr. Far Right. Meghan McCain is with us this morning. Good morning.
MEGHAN MCCAIN: Good morning.
SMITH: It seems like only yesterday we were chatting on the back of the bus. Do you miss the intensity of the campaign and -- in one sense it seems like it was yesterday.
MCCAIN: Mm-hmm.
SMITH: Do you feel like that?
MCCAIN: Yeah, I really miss it. I really miss the bus, I miss being on the road. You can't do it forever, but I definitely miss it. And if there's some kind of opportunity to go back on the road again, I would definitely do it.
SMITH: Well, you liked it.
MCCAIN: I loved it.
SMITH: You liked the campaigning aspect?
MCCAIN: I did. But, you know, I was campaigning with my father and with my family, so it might be different than, you know, an advance person or something like that.
SMITH: Yeah.
MCCAIN: But I had a great time.
SMITH: How was the -- how were the days after the election was over for your family?
MCCAIN: We went up to our cabin in Sedona. And I had friends come with me. And it was obviously a little depressing. But, you know, after a week or two, you just kind of, you know, think of all the important things. I thought 'my brother's safe, he got back from Iraq safe.' You think about the really important things.
SMITH: Yeah.
MCCAIN: It was the greatest experience of my life so far and I've got no complaints.
SMITH: Really?
MCCAIN: Mm-hmm.
SMITH: Your father looks like he is back in fighting form.
MCCAIN: Mm-hmm. I love that. I love that he's going back and kicking ass, taking names, you know. I love that about him.
SMITH: Yeah. The -- how difficult was it, then, because you become this public person. You were not a public person. A year ago you say, 'I'm going to blog about the campaign.' You become a public person. What did that do to your love life?
MCCAIN: Well, I wrote about it on The Daily Beast, everybody can read it on thedailybeast.com. And I did it as sort of a joke, as sort of satirical, because I was going on these dates and obviously the election came up and I had some bad experiences. And I was actually telling a friend of mine, she was laughing so hard, she's like, 'you have to write about it.' And then I did and it just exploded all over the internet, so.
SMITH: Right. So what's the -- what kinds of things happened when someone wants to date you when your father is running for president?
MCCAIN: Well, my article is about post-election dating.
SMITH: Oh, okay.
MCCAIN: And it was just -- people would just say -- this one guy said, like, 'you're quite the maverick girl.' And just bring up my mom and It was just uncomfortable, you know. And just -- you know. I think everybody likes to hear bad dating stories. It's funny, so.
SMITH: Yeah. Now, would you, in your personal quest for Mr. Right, does he need to be-
MCCAIN: And first of all, I'm comfortable being single. Like, I like being single. I just thought it was funny to share dating stories.
SMITH: Okay. Well just in your dating preferences, would you like Left of Center? Center? Right? Or Mr. Far Right?
MCCAIN: I'd like Center leaning Right.
SMITH: Center leaning Right?
MCCAIN: Yeah. Right, Center, but not really very Left.
[LAUGHTER]
SMITH: We got it. We got it. You're in the newspaper this morning here in New York in the -- in the Daily News. 'Mac's Girl In Coulter Clash.'
MCCAIN: Yeah, Daily News can you start using better pictures of me, please? I look uncomfortable, like-
SMITH: There -- well said.
MCCAIN: Please, Daily News.
SMITH: Alright. Well here's one of the things you wrote about Ann Coulter, who's been a guest on this program in the past, we had interesting conversations, 'I straight up don't understand this woman or her popularity. I find her offensive, radical, insulting, and confusing all at the same time. If figureheads like Ann Coulter are turning me off, then they are definitely turning off other members of my generation as well.' Yeah.
MCCAIN: You know, I just think that I love the Republican Party, I spent two years campaigning with my father and I completely fell in love with the Republican Party. And I think it's hard for me to explain to my friends that are in their 20s, when these icons of the party say radical things. I have a friend that's Jewish. She made anti-Semitic comments. It's hard to defend-
SMITH: The Jews need to be perfected and stuff like that.
MCCAIN: Yeah, which obviously, I completely disagree with and think is crazy.
SMITH: Right.
MCCAIN: I just -- it's hard for me to defend these icons. And I just -- I just wish for more centrist icons in the Republican Party.
SMITH: Let me ask you this, because you say you fall in love with the Republican Party. There's this sort of struggle right now.
MCCAIN: There is.
SMITH: Going on for -- do you see anybody out there who should, you think, ought to be the next, sort of, leader of the party?
MCCAIN: I love Bobby Jindal. But I met him in a different way. I met him last summer at my parents' cabin when he came with his wife.
SMITH: Yeah.
MCCAIN: And I really was impressed with him. He's very smart. I think, you know, how they're making fun of him is not what I met when I saw him.
SMITH: It's tough out there.
MCCAIN: It is tough out there.
SMITH: Meghan, thanks so much.
MCCAIN: Thank you.
SMITH: Great to see you again.

ABC's GMA Acknowledges 'Tim Geithner's
Stock Has Dropped'

Citing the various economic problems that have seemed only to grow in the last few months, Tapper highlighted how Geithner has been criticized for his "thin speech on how to fix the banking crisis and for not winning the confidence of the sinking markets."

In contrast, on November 25, the day after he was announced, GMA correspondent Claire Shipman filed a fawning report on both the new nominee and the man who picked him. She enthused that "insiders say the President-elect and his pick for the top economic spot could have been separated at birth." Citing the Economist, Shipman gushed that both Geithner and Obama "have a hipster, wonky cool about them." For more on the Shipman report, see a November 25, 2008 NewsBusters posting: newsbusters.org

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

Shipman continued to pile on the compliments, noting that the Treasury nominee "is also known to surf and skateboard," that he's "humble, even shy." So, if things continue to go poorly in the economy, it will be interesting to see if media criticism is limited to Geithner or broadened to include the President. Certainly, viewers will be less likely to see reports about how Obama and Geithner are "separated at birth."

A transcript of the March 10 segment, which aired at 7:02am, follows:

7am tease
DIANE SAWYER: This morning, the nation's top money man under fire, even inside his own party. What does the secretary of Treasury need to do to clarify and build confidence?

7:02
SAWYER: But, let's get started right back here in New York, in this country, as we begin with the growing criticism of the new Treasury secretary. Tim Geithner was on Capitol Hill Monday night to address the House Democratic caucus. And at least one prominent Democrat told ABC News, the Treasury chief may have, quote, "made a mistake" by not providing enough details in his plans to stabilize the financial system. ABC's senior White House correspondent Jake Tapper is in Washington with more. Jake?
ABC GRAPHIC: In the Hot Seat: Treasury Chief Faces Tough Questions
JAKE TAPPER: Good morning, Diane. Well, that's right. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner facing some criticisms about his economic leadership, or lack thereof. Facing some tough questions from House lawmakers last night, he told them, according to one attendee, quote, "We're going more in weeks than other countries do in years." An attendee described the briefing as, quote, "A pep talk to say we're on the right course." Of course, implicit in that is Geithner making the argument that he's the right man for the job
REPRESENTATIVE STENY HOYER (D-MD, majority leader): Secretary Geithner indicated that he believes that what we are doing is working.
TAPPER: But to some, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner's stock has dropped.
SENATOR JOHN KERRY: I think the secretary has to lead. And I think he has to lead now, as soon as possible.
SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN: I think the message is muddled. And I don't think there's certainty. And I don't think there's specifics.
TAPPER: Even "Saturday Night Live" has decided he's worth mocking.
[SNL clip]
"TIM GEITHNER": This $420 billion will be placed in a special fund. And will go to the first individual who comes up with a workable plan to solve the banking crisis.
TAPPER: It seems like a long time last November, when Geithner's name was leaked as Treasury secretary nominee and the market rallied. He's since been panned for staff vacancies at the Treasury department, his thin speech on how to fix the banking crisis and for not winning the confidence of the sinking markets.
SEAN EGAN (Egan-Jones Rating Company): The image that comes across is that he's still getting his feet wet. He doesn't have a complete understanding of what the problems are or how to address it.
TAPPER: Even supporters like billionaire Warren Buffett, are now voicing concern over the economic message coming from the government.
WARREN BUFFETT: We've have got muddled messages. The American public does not know- they feel they don't know what's going on. And the reaction to that is to absolutely pull back.
TAPPER: But Geithner's supporters argue that in only five weeks on the job, he's accomplished a great deal: The financial stability plan. The housing plan. The auto task force. Restructuring plans with Citigroup and AIG and new limits on executive compensation.
SCOTT TALBOTT (Financial Services Roundtable): No one else is positioned as he is right now, to help lead the country.
TAPPER: Supporters say Geithner's calm demeanor is exactly what's needed right now.
TALBOTT: He has got a slow, steady hand. He's not making knee-jerk reactions and overreacting.
TAPPER: Diane, a progress report. A couple weeks ago, we told you about all those vacancies at the Treasury Department. Well, on Sunday, the Obama administration announced three nominees for assistant secretary positions. And we expect him to announce a nominee for deputy secretary this week. So, Tim Geithner will get some of the help he so sorely needs. Diane?

-- Brent Baker