Resistance to 'Stimulus' Bill 'Irresponsible,' Nationalize Banks --2/16/2009

1. Resistance to 'Stimulus' Bill 'Irresponsible,' Nationalize Banks
ABC's Cokie Roberts denounced as "irresponsible" conservative opposition to the "stimulus" bill and suggested those who voted against it should be punished, declaring on Sunday's This Week: "I just think that when you're in a situation like this, to do nothing is so irresponsible that you can't, you can't get away with it." Earlier on the show, host George Stephanopoulos pressed Congresswoman Maxine Waters to agree banks must be nationalized: "A lot of economists now saying that what is really -- could be needed is bite the bullet nationalization." Citing a professor's op-ed, "Nationalize the Banks! We're all Swedes Now," Stephanopoulos recited the argument "we should just do what they did when they faced their crisis. They nationalized the banks and they came out of it okay." When the far-left House member resisted -- "I don't think that we're ready to move to the point of a formalized, nationalized banking program yet" -- Stephanopoulos pleaded: "Even if it's the only thing that would work?"

2. CNN's Anderson Cooper: Has Insurgent GOP Declared 'War' on Obama?
On Thursday's edition of Anderson Cooper 360 the host of the self-titled show fretted that the withdrawal of Republican Senator Judd Gregg as Commerce Secretary nominee might indicate the Republican Party has declared "a war, an insurgency" against Barack Obama. Speaking to CNN analyst David Gergen, Cooper expanded on the theory. Referencing an embarrassing gaffe by Republican Congressman Pete Sessions that the House minority could consider the Taliban as an example of an insurgent force, the anchor seriously wondered: "So, David, though, you don't buy the idea that there is a war by Republicans against the President?" He continued: "Because, I mean, Pete Sessions, you know, who's head of the Republican Congressional Committee, was citing the Taliban as sort of an example of how to run an insurgent campaign against a larger force." Gergen didn't seem to go for the concept, asserting that there are "some hot heads in each party."

3. Network Morning Shows Mostly Ignore Gregg Withdrawal; Census Grab
CBS's Early Show and ABC's Good Morning America on Friday almost entirely ignored the embarrassing departure of yet another of Barack Obama's cabinet nominees, with only NBC's Today providing any real information on the event. GMA devoted a scant 15 seconds to the withdrawal of Republican Senator Judd Gregg as the President's second nominee for Commerce Secretary. (Previous choice Bill Richards dropped out for tax reasons.) Instead, the networks included segments on aphrodisiacs for Valentine's Day and how to make a flour-less chocolate cake.

4. Bill Maher on the U.S.: 'It's Still Not a Very Bright Country'
Despite the election of President Obama, Bill Maher is still not happy with his native land, due to the lack of belief in evolution. He voiced his disapproval on Thursday evening's Larry King Live: "I read the other day, I think only four in 10 Americans believe in evolution. It's still not a very bright country, Larry." He later compared Sarah Palin to former American Idol contestant Sanjaya Malakar: "She's like a reality show contestant who just lost, and they're always like, you know, you haven't heard the end of me. I'm not going. Yes, you are, Sanjaya. Good bye, bye-bye." King had asked him about the President's first weeks in office and the proposed economic stimulus package. Despite the Obama administration's various problems, Maher defended the President as "learning" and that "he certainly is the smartest guy we've had there that I can remember."

5. FX's 'Rescue Me' Will Push 9/11 'Inside Job' Conspiracy
"A coming episode of the acclaimed FX drama Rescue Me will tackle what may sound like a far-fetched plot line: that the attacks of Sept. 11 were an 'inside job,'" Brian Stelter reported in the New York Times, noting the ludicrous plot "may represent the first fictional presentation of 9/11 conspiracy theories by a mainstream media company (FX is operated by the News Corporation)." Actor Daniel Sunjata (IMDB page), who plays New York City firefighter "Franco Rivera" -- and who in a photo with the Times story sported a shirt emblazoned "INVESTIGATE 9/11" -- "predicted that the episode would be 'socio-politically provocative.'" In the episode, the second in the new season starting in April, "Mr. Sunjata's character delivers a two-minute monologue for a French journalist describing a 'neoconservative government effort' to control the world's oil, drastically increase military spending and 'change the definition of pre-emptive attack.' To put it into action, he continues, 'what you need is a new Pearl Harbor. That's what they said they needed.'"

6. Tickets Available for MRC's March 19 'DisHonors Awards' and Gala
Every year, we sell out. So don't procrastinate. One of the biggest and best conservative events -- the Media Research Center's annual gala -- is fast approaching. Join us for this year's gala featuring the "DisHonors Awards for the Worst Reporting of the Year" and the annual "William F. Buckley Award for Media Excellence," this year to be presented to Brit Hume. It will take place on Thursday evening, March 19th, at the Grand Hyatt Washington. The MRC gala is one of the most fun events of the year. Rush Limbaugh called it "a terrific show...a great, great, great assemblage of people....Everybody just had a blast!" Sean Hannity exclaimed: "I love this event!"

Resistance to 'Stimulus' Bill 'Irresponsible,'
Nationalize Banks

ABC's Cokie Roberts denounced as "irresponsible" conservative opposition to the "stimulus" bill and suggested those who voted against it should be punished, declaring on Sunday's This Week: "I just think that when you're in a situation like this, to do nothing is so irresponsible that you can't, you can't get away with it."

Earlier on the show, host George Stephanopoulos pressed Congresswoman Maxine Waters to agree banks must be nationalized: "A lot of economists now saying that what is really -- could be needed is bite the bullet nationalization." Citing a professor's op-ed, "Nationalize the Banks! We're all Swedes Now," Stephanopoulos recited the argument "we should just do what they did when they faced their crisis. They nationalized the banks and they came out of it okay." When the far-left House member resisted -- "I don't think that we're ready to move to the point of a formalized, nationalized banking program yet" -- Stephanopoulos pleaded: "Even if it's the only thing that would work?"

George Will criticized the Roberts formulation as "the fallacy of a false alternative" since "there are lots of things that could have been done that weren't and lots of things that are done in this bill that shouldn't be done." Sam Donaldson then jumped in to support Roberts' take: "So the big rolling stone following Indiana Jones is coming down. And somebody says 'let's go to the left and escape it.' And someone says, 'that's the wrong direction, let's go to the right.' Do you just sit there? No, you go to the left if that's what the majority wants to do." Yes, let's all jump off the cliff in bipartisan harmony.

Roberts, however, despite her castigation of Republican opponents as people who shouldn't be allowed to "get away" with their "irresponsible" vote, conceded: "There's no reason for Republicans who feel that they ideologically, philosophically are against this kind of spending to go along with it just in the name of bipartisanship. That would be voting against their principles."

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

The February 15 Washington Post "Outlook" section piece, "Nationalize the Banks! We're all Swedes Now," by Matthew Richardson and Nouriel Roubini, "professors at New York University's Stern School of Business, contributed to the upcoming book Restoring Financial Stability: How to Repair a Failed System." See: www.washingtonpost.com

From the February 15 This Week on ABC, a panel with Waters, Senators Lindsey Graham and Chuck Schumer, plus Congressman Peter King:

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: A lot of economists now saying that what is really -- could be needed is bite the bullet nationalization. Nouriel Roubini, one of the men who saw the crisis coming said nationalization's the answer in today's Washington Post. President Obama says no.
PRESIDENT OBAMA ON ABC ON TUESDAY: Sweden has a different set of cultures in terms of how the government relates to markets and America's different. And we want to retain a strong sense of private capital fulfilling the core investment needs of this country.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Congresswoman Waters, Mr. Roubini and others say we're all Swedes now, that we should just do what they did when they faced their crisis. They nationalized the banks and they came out of it okay.
CONGRESSWOMAN MAXINE WATERS: George, as you know, the word "nationalization" scares the hell out of people. And so the debate has ben opened up now and that's good. Let's talk about it, we know that as we have this capital infusion into these banks, we're owning more and more of them. Citibank, it's probably almost nationalized with the amount of money that we've put in it, but I don't think that we're ready to move to the point of a formalized, nationalized banking program yet.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Even if it's the only thing that would work?
WATERS: Well we may get to that point and I'm not opposed to that. But I think the discussion is just opening up. This is new for America.

(Obama's comment on nationalizing banks was prompted by ABC reporter Terry Moran's question: "There are a lot of economists who look at these banks and they say all that garbage that's in them renders them essentially insolvent. Why not just nationalize the banks?" That exchange aired on Tuesday's Nightline. More in the February 11 CyberAlert item, "ABC's Moran: Obama 'Too Nice,' Empathizes: 'You Got No Honeymoon,'" at: www.mrc.org )

From the roundtable:

COKIE ROBERTS: And the extension of unemployment benefits. The extension of health care for the unemployed. The addition to Medicaid for the states. All of that is just money on the table immediately. And I just think that when you're in a situation like this, to do nothing is so irresponsible that you can't, you can't get away with it.
GEORGE WILL: But that is the fallacy of a false alternative and the President's been wielding it promiscuously, frankly. He says it's either this or nothing. That's just not true. There are lots of things that could have been done that weren't and lots of things that are done in this bill that shouldn't be done. And we're having a healthy argument.
SAM DONALDSON: Yeah but George you're right, no doubt, but that's the bill we had. So the question was, do you at the end of the day vote for the bill?
WILL: Of course not.
DONALDSON: Oh, of course not. Let me just say. So the big rolling stone following Indiana Jones is coming down. And somebody says "let's go to the left and escape it." And someone says, "that's the wrong direction, let's go to the right." Do you just sit there? No, you go to the left if that's what the majority wants to do.
STEPHANOPOULOS: George, you bring up the point where you call it a healthy argument and Peter King was making a similar point. Let me bring this to you, Cokie, for all the civility in the world, for all the cocktail parties in the world, these differences are just too big to bridge?
ROBERTS: Absolutely, that's right. There's no reason for Republicans who feel that they ideologically, philosophically are against this kind of spending to go along with it just in the name of bipartisanship. That would be voting against their principles and voting against what they think is right for the country. So I think that's where you are. You've got parties that really do disagree...

CNN's Anderson Cooper: Has Insurgent
GOP Declared 'War' on Obama?

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

A few minutes earlier, Cooper theorized about the possible GOP threat, speculating: "But, do developments today also speak to something deeper, a war, an insurgency by Republicans against the President, against Democrats in the House and against their agenda?"

Talking to reporter Ed Henry earlier in the hour, Cooper complained about the timing of Gregg's announcement. "I mean, this guy [Gregg] held a press conference when the President was just about to make a big speech, kind of upstaging him. How annoyed is the White House by all of this," he queried.

Cooper promoted his war concept throughout the show. At the beginning of the program, he asked if it was "all out war." Later, he darkly suggested: "The larger question raised by Gregg's about-face, is it a sign that Republicans have no desire for real bipartisanship? Have they, in fact, declared war on President Obama?"

In yet another piece on the subject, reporter Tom Foreman asserted that Republicans have "startled political analysts by launching vigorous assaults on his [Obama's] initiatives."

To be fair, there was some speculation as to how much blame Obama deserves for this latest political problem. Reporter Henry noted that the administration built up the cabinet position, in terms of its importance. He observed, "Now he [Gregg] pulls out. And so it's almost like they have created the controversy a little bit, because they have really built up a job that previously was not that big of a deal."

Stephen Hayes, of the conservative Weekly Standard, was also featured in a brief soundbite. He, too, dismissed the concept: "It's just the opposite. I think, actually, Republicans are being very careful right now not to declare war on Obama." But, for the most part, Cooper seemed far more concerned over whether or not the Republicans were fighting an insurgent war against Obama.

A partial transcript of the February 12 show:

10:06 PM EST:

COOPER: The larger question raised by Gregg's about-face, is it a sign that Republicans have no desire for real bipartisanship? Have they, in fact, declared war on President Obama? Republican Congressman Pete Sessions suggested they learn from the Taliban a while back and operate as insurgents against the Democrats. Blogger Andrew Sullivan today suggested the war against Mr. Obama is real. Republicans, he wrote, want failure. You can decide for yourself if that theory makes sense. Some facts now from Tom Foreman.
TOM FOREMAN: Despite President Obama's soaring popularity, members of the GOP have startled political analysts by launching vigorous assaults on his initiatives.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): I'm here today to point out the fact that this is not bipartisanship. This process that is- we're engaging in is not smart. We're not working together.
FOREMAN: The prime target, the stimulus bill. Whether it was packed with at least a type of pork, as some Republicans said, is debatable. But the GOP found the accusation resonated with voters. Almost no elected Republicans voted for the plan. And, soon, the President was being pushed to explain why.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Is that a sign that you are moving away, your White House is moving away from this emphasis on bipartisanship?
FOREMAN: The fall of other Cabinet nominees built Republican confidence. They are not ready to hit the President head on, according to political watchers like Stephen Hayes of the conservative "Weekly Standard."
STEPHEN HAYES (Weekly Standard): It's just the opposite. I think, actually, Republicans are being very careful right now not to declare war on Obama. And if you listen carefully to what you're hearing from Capitol Hill leaders on the Republican side, they are attacking, almost exclusively attacking House and Senate Democrats.
FOREMAN: And that distinction matters. Polls have long suggested the public loves Barack Obama, but mistrusts Congress. So, Republicans are quite clearly trying to force a choice on to the President. They would like to make it so that he must stand closer to congressional Democrats, and risk losing public approval, or keep his distance, and risk his own party's support. Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

10:12:
COOPER: Strange day, so much for a team of rivals. Judd Gregg foregoing a Cabinet job, sparking plenty of questions about why he did it and what it means for this president, who promised changed and an end to partisanship. Certainly, they have taken plenty of hits, some of them self-inflicted, over personnel decisions lately. But do developments today also speak to something deeper, a war, an insurgency by Republicans against the President, against Democrats in the House and against their agenda?

10:17:
COOPER: So, David, though, you don't buy the idea that there is a war by Republicans against the President? Whether it's- it's- whether the Gregg nomination was part of this, the withdrawal, or just, in general, you don't buy that? Because, I mean, Pete Sessions, you know, who's head of the Republican Congressional Committee, was citing the Taliban as sort of an example of how to run an insurgent campaign against a larger force.
DAVID GERGEN: Are there some hot heads in each party who would like to destroy the other party and see it as war? Yes, there are. There's definitely on each- in each party, Anderson, that has been true for a while. But it really, again, comes back to the political culture. You know, for -- for the fact that a -- that a man like Judd Gregg could not go in, for the best interests of the country, and work for -- in a -- in a Democratic administration and would be treated like Benedict Arnold, it's not that people were trying to pull him back in. It's the ostracization. I know something about this. I have gone through this. And you feel like you're suddenly isolated, that you're in no-man's land, because you have agreed to work with the other side. That speaks to the health of the political culture. But let me just say that I think there may be a silver lining here for the Obama administration. For the life of me, I have never been able to understand why they wanted to put a political figure at the Commerce Department. They have tried twice now. What they need there is what the Commerce Department has traditionally had. They need a CEO in this administration. They don't have anybody. What they need most of all, to go back to it again, they need a Jack Welch-type CEO they can bring in and help to oversee some of this spending and make sure it is well done and that -- and bring some trust. And I think they have got the opportunity now to put the kind of person they should have put in there to begin with.

Network Morning Shows Mostly Ignore Gregg
Withdrawal; Census Grab

CBS's Early Show and ABC's Good Morning America on Friday almost entirely ignored the embarrassing departure of yet another of Barack Obama's cabinet nominees, with only NBC's Today providing any real information on the event. GMA devoted a scant 15 seconds to the withdrawal of Republican Senator Judd Gregg as the President's second nominee for Commerce Secretary. (Previous choice Bill Richards dropped out for tax reasons.) Instead, the networks included segments on aphrodisiacs for Valentine's Day and how to make a flour-less chocolate cake.

Early Show doubled ABC, managing a still insignificant 30 second anchor brief. NBC's Today actually featured a full report and had the most coverage, three minutes and 21 seconds. Out of a combined eight hours of programming, the total for all three came to only four minutes and six seconds. None of the coverage made any mention of Senator Gregg's opposition to the Obama administration's goal of moving the 2010 census count from the Commerce Department to the White House. (The census issue was mostly ignored on Thursday's evening news programs as well. For more, see a February 13 CyberAlert posting: www.mrc.org )

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

Now, obviously, much of the networks' coverage revolved around the tragic plane crash that occurred in New York on Thursday night. But, that doesn't fully explain the lack of reporting. A sampling of Good Morning America's other stories included one on how to make affordable, romantic Valentine's Day meals. (Sam Champion created a flourless chocolate cake with cook Emeril Lagasse.) Barry Manilow also performed and a full segment was devoted to cute stories of how couples met. In total, GMA provided 23 minutes of coverage to frivolous topics, compared to their 15 seconds for the Gregg story. On The Early Show, the CBS program touted what foods could be aphrodisiacs for Valentine's Day.

On ABC, guest news anchor Bianna Golodryga vaguely asserted that Gregg stepped aside because of "conflicts with President Obama's policies." Over on The Early Show, Russ Mitchell simply proclaimed, "The New Hampshire Republican said he cannot support Mr. Obama's economic stimulus plan." Lester Holt, during a Today show news brief, cited "differences." In the program's full report, reporter Savannah Guthrie mentioned "irresolvable differences over policy." To repeat, none of the journalists specifically mentioned Gregg's opposition to the moving of the 2010 census from the Commerce Department to the White House.

A round up of the February 13 coverage from ABC, CBS and NBC follows:

# GMA, 8:05
BIANNA GOLODRYGA: The Obama administration expects to name a new commerce secretary nominee soon now that Republican Senator Judd Gregg has withdrawn. Gregg stepped aside because of conflicts with President Obama's policies. The next nominee will be the President's fourth [sic] pick for the job.

# The Early Show, 8:05AM
RUSS MITCHELL: President Obama is back on the hunt for a commerce secretary, after Senator Judd Gregg pulled out. The New Hampshire Republican said he cannot support Mr. Obama's economic stimulus plan.
JUDD GREGG: I realize that to withdraw at this point is really unfair in many ways, but to go forward and take this position and then find myself sitting there and not being able to do the job the way it should be done on behalf of the president, 100% , it would have been an even bigger mistake.
MITCHELL: And Gregg will remain in the Senate.

# Today, 8:03
LESTER HOLT: Republican Senator Judd Gregg has withdrawn as commerce secretary nominee, saying he has irresolvable differences with President Obama's policies.

9:07, 18 seconds
LESTER HOLT: President Barack Obama is looking again to fill the position of commerce secretary in his cabinet. New Hampshire Republican Senator Judd Gregg has withdrawn his nomination, saying he had too many differences with the President over the economic stimulus plan and other policies. Gregg is the second commerce nominee to withdraw.

7:13
MEREDITH VIEIRA: And now to politics and another bump in the road for President Obama when it comes to his Cabinet picks. NBC's Savannah Guthrie is at the White House. Savannah, good morning to you.
[on screen headline: "Team Of Rivalry? GOP's Gregg Pulls Out Of Obama Cabinet"]
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Good morning, Meredith. For the third time, the President is looking for a Commerce Secretary after Republican Senator Judd Gregg abruptly withdrew his name. Now aides say they knew for a few days he was wavering, but didn't learn the final decision until everyone else did. The President spent the evening in Springfield, Illinois, commemorating the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln.
BARACK OBAMA: In 1854, Lincoln was simply a Springfield lawyer.
GUTHRIE: And trying to laugh off his latest Cabinet troubles.
OBAMA: Maybe wondering if somebody might call him up and ask him to be Commerce Secretary. He-
JUDD GREGG: Well, I want to begin by thanking the president for considering me.
GUTHRIE: Late Thursday, Republican Senator Judd Gregg abruptly withdrew his nomination to be Commerce Secretary, citing irresolvable differences over policy.
GREGG: Bottom line is, this was simply a bridge too far for me. The President asked me to do it. I said yes. That was my mistake. Not his.
OBAMA: We had, had a discussion over the last couple of days. I wasn't sure whether he had made a final decision or not.
GUTHRIE: Appearing blind-sided, White House aides were quick to say Gregg campaigned for the job, but aboard Air Force One, the President was gracious.
OBAMA ON AIR FORCE ONE: You know I'm optimistic that we're gonna be able to still work together. I've got to get my Commerce Secretary, though.
OBAMA AT WHITE HOUSE: How, clearly, Judd and I don't agree on every issue.
GUTHRIE: When Obama nominated Gregg 10 days ago, he was one of three Republicans in Obama's "Team of Rivals." Gregg now goes back to the Senate where he hasn't yet weighed in on the President's stimulus package. Now the President faces yet another headache filling the Cabinet. His first choice for Commerce, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, dropped out because of a state ethics investigation. Tax problems took out Tom Daschle, Nancy Killefer and threatened Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's nomination.
OBAMA: It is time for Congress to act.
GUTHRIE: The President is trying to keep the focus on the economy. On Thursday, he visited the headquarters of Caterpillar, a heavy machinery company that is laying off more than 20,000 workers, an example, the President said, of a company that will benefit from the stimulus package.
OBAMA: Jim, the head of Caterpillar, said that if Congress passes our plan, this company will be able to rehire some of the folks who were just laid off.
GUTHRIE: But after the President left, Caterpillar's CEO Jim Owens hedged a bit.
JIM OWENS: The reality is, we'll probably have to have more layoffs before we start hiring again.
GUTHRIE: Well, the President is about to get a victory on his stimulus. Both houses of Congress expected to vote as early as today on the package. Final price tag, $789.5 billion, Meredith.

Bill Maher on the U.S.: 'It's Still Not
a Very Bright Country'

Despite the election of President Obama, Bill Maher is still not happy with his native land, due to the lack of belief in evolution. He voiced his disapproval on Thursday evening's Larry King Live: "I read the other day, I think only four in 10 Americans believe in evolution. It's still not a very bright country, Larry." He later compared Sarah Palin to former American Idol contestant Sanjaya Malakar: "She's like a reality show contestant who just lost, and they're always like, you know, you haven't heard the end of me. I'm not going. Yes, you are, Sanjaya. Good bye, bye-bye."

Maher's criticism of his fellow citizens came three minutes into the 9 pm Eastern hour CNN program. King had asked him about the President's first weeks in office and the proposed economic stimulus package. Despite the Obama administration's various problems, Maher defended the President as "learning" and that "he certainly is the smartest guy we've had there that I can remember." He also stated that the tax cuts that are part of the proposal "really are not stimulus." The host then asked Maher: "Do you think he's [Obama] going to solve this economic problem?" The comedian replied, "Well, he can't personally solve anything....I mean this is a mess like -- and I don't think they're telling us really how -- how bad it is. I think that's why Geithner was so vague the other day when he presented his plan, because I think he just didn't want to say it's even worse, because I think there would be more of a panic than there is."

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

The evolution issue came up when King followed-up by asking if Maher thought the economic siutation was worse than presently believed:

KING: You think it's worse than it is?
MAHER: I think there's every possibility that that's possible, and certainly most economists don't think that this stimulus plan, as it's passed, is nearly big enough. I thought it was interesting he was -- he mentioned Darwin, you know, and --
KING: All in the same day as Lincoln.
MAHER: I think only -- I read the other day, I think only four in 10 Americans believe in evolution. It's still not a very bright country, Larry --
(King laughs)
MAHER: And I think it was interesting because he -- Obama has made the point recently that although politicians are disagreeing about the stimulus package and whether we should spend money -- government money now -- really, economists don't, and it reminded me the way politicians, for years, when they talked about evolution, said well, people disagree. Yeah, people disagree. Scientists don't disagree on evolution. There's a consensus among scientists, just as [there's] a consensus, really, among economists, now, that the government has to spend a lot of money.

More than a half-hour later, the CNN host brought up Governor Palin. As you might expect, Maher had an opinion on the matter:

KING: And is Sarah Palin going to be a force?
MAHER: I hope so. (laughs)
KING: You want her to be a force?
MAHER: Of course.
KING: Because you're a comic.
MAHER: Yes, because I'm a comic, and because I think she's a real gut-check for that Republican party. I mean, a lot of them still like her. Okay, if that's -- if that's the road you want to go down, please go down that road. That's more of the know-nothing road, the people who, you know, you want to have a beer with, and I think this is what we need to find out about her.
KING: She's been critical of some conservatives lately.
MAHER: Really?
KING: Gone against the grain a little lately, critical of the way she was handled by the McCain campaign.
MAHER: Why doesn't she just go away for a while? She's like a reality show contestant who just lost-
(King laughs)
MAHER: And they're always like, you know, you haven't heard the end of me. I'm not going. Yes, you are, Sanjaya. Good bye, bye-bye. Just lay low for a while, Sarah.
KING: But she was good for you guys.
MAHER: She was good and she will be good, because, you know, I could do an entire program called 'Another Thing Sarah Palin Doesn't Know'-
(King laughs)
MAHER: Because the list just went on and on. You know, she couldn't name a Supreme Court case. She thought Africa was one country. I mean, she made Bush look like a professor, this girl.

On the other hand, Maher also had some criticism of Palin's opponent, Vice President Biden. Earlier in the program, he told Biden to "shut up -- you don't always have to be voicing your interior monologue." King also brought up Biden after the two discussed the Alaska governor. Despite King's defense of the former Delaware senator ("You want someone who speaks his mind" and "Joe has been doing that all his entire career"), Maher repeated his "shut up" advice: "Well, as I mentioned a few minutes ago, he needs to, you know, not always speak his mind."

FX's 'Rescue Me' Will Push 9/11 'Inside
Job' Conspiracy

"A coming episode of the acclaimed FX drama Rescue Me will tackle what may sound like a far-fetched plot line: that the attacks of Sept. 11 were an 'inside job,'" Brian Stelter reported in the New York Times, noting the ludicrous plot "may represent the first fictional presentation of 9/11 conspiracy theories by a mainstream media company (FX is operated by the News Corporation)." Actor Daniel Sunjata (IMDB page), who plays New York City firefighter "Franco Rivera" -- and who in a photo with the Times story sported a shirt emblazoned "INVESTIGATE 9/11" -- "predicted that the episode would be 'socio-politically provocative.'"

In the episode, the second in the new season starting in April, "Mr. Sunjata's character delivers a two-minute monologue for a French journalist describing a 'neoconservative government effort' to control the world's oil, drastically increase military spending and 'change the definition of pre-emptive attack.' To put it into action, he continues, 'what you need is a new Pearl Harbor. That's what they said they needed.'" Now that's some crazy paranoia.

Left-wing actor/comedian Denis Leary created Rescue Me in which he stars as New York City firefighter "Tommy Gavin." A promo for the new season gives you a flavor of the series in this exchange between "Tommy Gavin" and his teenage daughter "Colleen" as he offers his fatherly advise about another firefighter:

DAUGHTER COLLEEN: Are you actually telling me to have sex with Sean?
TOMMY GAVIN: No, kinda, you know do the Clinton thing.
DAUGHTER: Oh my God!

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

More from the short February 2 New York Times article, "The Political Suspicions of 9/11," by Brian Stelter:

....Mr. Sunjata surprised some of the TV reporters when he said that he "absolutely, 100 percent" supports the assertion that "9/11 was an inside job."

The alternative theories "seem to me to make a lot more sense than the ones that are popularly espoused," he said, calling it admirable that the conversation was allowed within "Rescue Me."

Peter Tolan, an executive producer, said Mr. Sunjata is "well read" and has "done a lot of research."

"Look, obviously not all of us buy in," he told reporters. "But we went: 'Wow, that's interesting, and he's passionate about it. Let's use that.'"...

For the article in full: www.nytimes.com

For the New York Times photo of the actor wearing a shirt proclaiming "INVESTIGATE 9/11," check: www.nytimes.com

FX's page for the show: www.fxnetworks.com

Internet Movie Database's page for Sunjata: www.imdb.com

IMDB's page for Rescue Me: www.imdb.com

Tickets Available for MRC's March 19
'DisHonors Awards' and Gala

Every year, we sell out. So don't procrastinate. One of the biggest and best conservative events -- the Media Research Center's annual gala -- is fast approaching. Join us for this year's gala featuring the "DisHonors Awards for the Worst Reporting of the Year" and the annual "William F. Buckley Award for Media Excellence," this year to be presented to Brit Hume.

It will take place on Thursday evening, March 19th, at the Grand Hyatt Washington.

The MRC gala is one of the most fun events of the year. Rush Limbaugh called it "a terrific show...a great, great, great assemblage of people....Everybody just had a blast!" Sean Hannity exclaimed: "I love this event!"

The DisHonors Awards winners will be announced "Oscar-style," with videos played of each nominated hilariously-biased quote followed by surprise guests on hand to accept each award in jest on behalf of a media figure.

Cal Thomas will serve as Master of Ceremonies with awards presented by Ann Coulter, Joe Scarborough and Ken Cribb. And, as always, we'll have a fantastic cast of conservatives joining us to roast of the liberal media. "Joe the Plumber" and Andrew Breitbart are amongst the many who have already confirmed.

DisHonors Awards categories: "The Media's Messiah Award," "The Obamagasm Award" "Half-Baked Alaska Award for Pummeling Palin" and the "Dan Rather Memorial Award for the Stupidest Analysis."

Plus, there'll be lots of funny video clips as we mock the media's infatuation with Barack Obama. It's sure to be an entertaining evening.

Tickets for the Gala are $250 per person. If you are interested in joining us or for more information, e-mail Sara Bell at: sbell@mediaresearch.org

Or call, 9 to 5:30 PM EST weekdays: (800) 672-1423.

We have limited space and this event fills up quickly, so please make your reservation soon. The MRC has a reduced rate for the Grand Hyatt Washington, but the deadline to reserve your room is February 18. To book your room, please call the hotel at (800) 233-1234.

We hope you can join us!

Online page with information: www.mediaresearch.org

For a look at all the fun at last year's event, with videos: www.mediaresearch.org

DisHonors/Galas from earlier years: www.mediaresearch.org

-- Brent Baker