|
1. Fresh Inane Hype for 'Record High' Gas When Price Lower than 1981
As another summer driving season approaches, media outlets cannot resist again hyping dire stories about the supposed "record high" price of a gallon of gas when, adjusted for inflation, the current $3.10 average for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is still lower than in 1981. ABC was out front Monday night with the fallacious reporting. World News anchor Charles Gibson teased up top, "Record prices: Gasoline across the nation hits an all-time high, a record price, before the summer even begins." With "Record High" on screen, Gibson relied on new numbers from the Energy Information Administration as he introduced the subsequent story by asserting that "a gallon of gas has never been more expensive than right now. The government announced this afternoon that the average price of regular gas is $3.10 a gallon." Reporter John Berman also cited the "record high" price before marveling at how demand is rising: "Despite the agony, for the most part, we haven't changed our actions. Demand for gas is actually up one percent from this time last year..."
2. Meredith Vieira Advances Democratic Line on 'Big Oil' Conspiracy
Interviewing Shell Oil's President on Monday's Today show, NBC's Meredith Vieira cited Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer's "Big Oil" conspiracy theory, worried America's "addiction to oil" was "dangerous," and altogether added fuel to the fire that oil company execs, "were a bunch of thieves." Appearing in the 7am half-hour, Shell Oil President John Hofmeister, for the most part, explained the basic economics of the oil business to viewers but that didn't stop Vieira from throwing out conspiratorial charges from left-field about supply being held back.
3. Wallace on Romney Sons: None 'Thought About Serving in Military'
Sunday's 60 Minutes led with a generally positive piece on former Massachusetts Governor and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Correspondent Mike Wallace's toughest questions were on topics where conservatives expressed concern, such as Romney's inconsistent stances on social issues. However, one aspect of the interview involved Wallace's question of Mitt Romney's five sons with a less than subtle implication. The veteran CBS journalist asked if any of them decided to "put on a uniform and go to war." When they admitted to not serving, a shocked Wallace noted, "not one agreed or thought about serving in the military." Wallace then asked Mitt Romney if he ever served. After Romney admitted to not serving, Wallace emphasized that the former Governor's "very high lottery number" never came up.
4. O'Donnell: Giuliani in on 9/11 Conspiracy by Hiding Steel in China
On Monday's The View, co-host Rosie O'Donnell once again advanced her now infamous September 11 conspiracy theory about how World Trade Center Seven was destroyed by some mysterious means: "It was in the building that mysteriously collapsed at 5:30pm." After Joy Behar accused former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani of incompetence for putting the city's command and control center inside WTC7, O'Donnell suggested he was also in on a conspiracy to hide evidence: "Also, he was, you know, instrumental in making sure that all of the steel was removed and shipped to Canada right away, Giuliani, was shipped to China, sorry, right away." Behar wondered: "For what purpose?" O'Donnell charged: "Well, to get it out of there and to have, you know, all of the stu -- but it was all gone. So there was no like metal to test." O'Donnell soon reiterated her theory that the two towers couldn't have collapsed as a result of the planes flying into them: "Nine seconds. Do you know how fast it would taken something to free fall with no resistance from the top of that building? Nine seconds. It's physically impossible."
AUDIO&VIDEO
5. Letterman's 'Top Ten Little-Known Facts About Mitt Romney'
Letterman's 'Top Ten Little-Known Facts About Mitt Romney.'
 Fresh Inane Hype for 'Record High' Gas
When Price Lower than 1981
As another summer driving season approaches, media outlets cannot resist again hyping dire stories about the supposed "record high" price of a gallon of gas when, adjusted for inflation, the current $3.10 average for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is still lower than in 1981. ABC was out front Monday night with the fallacious reporting. World News anchor Charles Gibson teased up top, "Record prices: Gasoline across the nation hits an all-time high, a record price, before the summer even begins." With "Record High" on screen, Gibson relied on new numbers from the Energy Information Administration as he introduced the subsequent story by asserting that "a gallon of gas has never been more expensive than right now. The government announced this afternoon that the average price of regular gas is $3.10 a gallon." Reporter John Berman also cited the "record high" price before marveling at how demand is rising: "Despite the agony, for the most part, we haven't changed our actions. Demand for gas is actually up one percent from this time last year..."
The headline over a Monday afternoon article on USA Today's Web site, which matched stories all over the Web from wire services and television news sites, declared: "Gasoline prices top post-Katrina record." But USA Today reporter Barbara Hagenbaugh at least noted that "prices are still below the all-time high when adjusted for inflation, $3.223 in today's dollars set March 1981, according to the Energy Department."
Earlier in her story, Hagenbaugh reported the $3.10 average national pump price "tops the old record of $3.07 set in September 2005 after Hurricane Katrina disrupted refinery operations and oil production along the Gulf Coast, the EIA said." It's silly, however, to see the current $3.10 as higher than the September of 2005 price of $3.07 since the inflation rate over the past 20 months has certainly exceeded three cents on three dollars. The USA Today posting: www.usatoday.com
[This item was posted Monday night on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]
Just over two years ago, the networks also erroneously trumpeted "record high" gas prices. The March 17, 2005 CyberAlert, "Networks Falsely Claim Oil and Gas at 'Record High' Prices," recounted:
The futures price for a barrel of oil and the cost of a gallon of gas at the retail pump have been soaring, but they are far from record highs, yet the networks make that false assertion. On Wednesday night, Peter Jennings teased: "On World News Tonight, the price of oil is at another record high." Betsy Stark soon issued an inaccurate prediction that "gas prices are now within a penny of their all-time record." On CNN, Erica Hill referred to how "crude oil prices hit a record high today closing" and the "AAA predicts U.S. gas prices could reach an all-time high tomorrow." CBS's Bob Schieffer insisted that "the price of oil hit a record $56 a barrel today." NBC's Brian Williams declared that "the price of oil set a new record high -- $56 a barrel." PBS's Jim Lehrer maintained that "the price of crude oil rose to an all-time high today." FNC's Shepard Smith warned: "The cost of oil hitting an all-time high. It looks like the cost of gas is not far from behind." In fact, adjusted for inflation, oil will have to hit $90 a barrel to set a record high and gasoline would reach a record not at $2.07 per gallon but at a $2.97. See: www.mediaresearch.org
The April 12, 2005 CyberAlert, "ABC, CBS and NBC All Falsely Hype 'Record' High Gas Prices," relayed:
Adjusted for inflation, gas at the retail pump will have to hit $2.97 to match a record high, but that didn't deter ABC, CBS and NBC on Monday from falsely describing much lower prices as a "record" high price. "Gasoline hit yet another record high," CBS Evening News anchor Bob Schieffer insisted as he cited a $2.28 price. ABC's Good Morning America painted "Record Breaking Gas Prices" on screen over a story in which David Muir claimed that "the price of a gallon of regular gas is now at an all-time high" and highlighted a woman who supposedly moved in order to avoid driving. Katie Couric declared on NBC's Today: "Gasoline prices have hit an all-time high today averaging $2.32 a gallon." Couric soon suggested that "political analysts say one of the main reasons" for President Bush's falling approval level "is the record high gas prices." Maybe it wouldn't be such a problem if the media weren't making such false statements about "record" high prices. See: www.mediaresearch.org
And the August 12, 2005 CyberAlert, "Nets Falsely Cite 'Record High' Gas Prices, Target Oil Profits," reported:
To reach a record high, the price of a gallon of gas would have to exceed $3 a gallon and oil would need to go over $90 a barrel, yet the media continue to erroneously hype lower price points, such as $2.37 for gas, as "record highs." On Thursday night, ABC anchor Bob Woodruff fallaciously cited "record high" gas and oil prices before Betsy Stark fretted that if "record" prices on home heating oil "comes on top of record gas prices, there will be lots of consumers with nothing left to spend after they've paid all those energy bills." Woodruff spun the story into an indictment of the energy industry: "Oil companies and oil-producing countries are making massive profits while American consumers are really feeling it." A second ABC piece featured two soundbites from far-left Naderite Joan Claybrook, whom ABC's David Muir innocuously described as a "consumer advocate." CBS's John Blackstone, who showcased $4 gas at a remote California station 65 miles from any other service station, proclaimed that "across the nation, gas prices went to record highs today." He also ridiculously asked: "Will it get to the point that only the privileged can afford gas?" See: www.mediaresearch.org
The MRC's Brad Wilmouth corrected the closed-captioning against the video to provide a transcript of the May 14 World News story:
Anchor Charles Gibson: "A turnaround for Chrysler looks even more difficult tonight with the word that gas prices as of today are at a record level. A gallon of gas has never been more expensive than right now. The government announced this afternoon that the average price of regular gas is $3.10 a gallon. That's up five cents from a week ago. And ABC's John Berman is here with some word on the effects of all that. John?"
John Berman: "Charlie, anyone who drives knows just how bad these record prices are, paying $50 or more to fill up, but the concern is that the ripple effect will move beyond your gas tank and hit the rest of the economy. The math at the pump is brutal."
Unidentified man #1: "Takes $60 to fill up my tank."
Berman: "Despite the agony, for the most part, we haven't changed our actions. Demand for gas is actually up one percent from this time last year, 391 million gallons per day, even though gas is 16 cents per gallon more expensive."
Unidentified man #2: "I mean, I'm going to pay it and hate it."
Berman: "This frenzied demand is coming as supplies are unusually low. Because of maintenance or breakdowns at refineries, the national supply of gas has dropped 12 of the past 13 weeks. The ripple is reaching the skies. American, Delta and Continental have all hiked domestic, round-trip fares by $10 to offset higher fuel costs. It's hitting retailers, too. Wal-Mart reported a 3.5 percent drop in sales last month, the biggest drop since the company started keeping records. One of the main reasons, the company says, shopper jitters over gas prices."
Peter Kretzmer, Bank of America: "A typical family has certain driving needs, and they can't quickly change those driving needs. And if they have to spend more on gasoline, then they have to cut down somewhere else."
Berman: "Sixty-seven percent of Americans said gasoline prices are causing them financial hardship. And the people feeling it the most can afford it the least. Eighty percent of lower-income Americans say that gas prices are a hardship."
Unidentified woman: "It's going to make me really consider what kind of jobs I take and where I take them."
Berman: "One of the big ripple effects may be political. President Bush today directed federal agencies to find a way to cut gas consumption by 20 percent over the next 10 years. Most of the analysts I spoke with today think that prices are nearly as high as they're going to get, but that's assuming the refining and supply situations get worked out. In either case, Charlie, it will be a long, expensive summer."
The EIA's gas price page: tonto.eia.doe.gov
 Meredith Vieira Advances Democratic Line
on 'Big Oil' Conspiracy
Interviewing Shell Oil's President on Monday's Today show, NBC's Meredith Vieira cited Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer's "Big Oil" conspiracy theory, worried America's "addiction to oil" was "dangerous," and altogether added fuel to the fire that oil company execs, "were a bunch of thieves." Appearing in the 7am half-hour, Shell Oil President John Hofmeister, for the most part, explained the basic economics of the oil business to viewers but that didn't stop Vieira from throwing out conspiratorial charges from left-field about supply being held back.
After asking if Hofmeister thought the price of gas was "reasonable," Vieira launched into the conspiracy theories: "Let's talk about the refineries for a minute because there's been a lot of controversy about them. Maintenance problems at refineries around the country. There are some people, consumer activists, some analysts and even some politicians like Senator Schumer here in New York, who believe that the oil companies are basically holding back the production of gas, they're slow on repairs of their refineries, to keep the price of gas high. Senator Schumer has not gone so far as to say that the oil companies are in collusion but he did say, quote, 'that they wink at each other and do the same thing.' First I'd like your response to that."
Then after Hofmeister denied the charge of collusion, Vieira attempted to play the populist role noting, "among certain consumers," there is a belief "the oil companies are a bunch of thieves," that, "are ripping people off." Vieira: "I'm picturing some people watching us right now at home and they're probably screaming at the television because they just went to the pump, they shelled out maybe $50 or more to fill up their car. They also know that companies like Shell are posting record profits. In the first quarter of this year, I think the profits for Shell were over $7 billion. Now it may not be fair, it may not be right but there is a perception out there in the country, among certain consumers, that the oil companies are a bunch of thieves. That you're ripping people off. Now I know you've been going around the country talking to people in 50 cities. What are they saying to you and what are you saying back to them?"
After Hofmeister made a plea for an expansion of greater oil exploration Vieira did wonder if that was a realistic expectation under "a Democratically-controlled Congress," but then concluded with the "addiction to oil" line: "And finally, very quickly, will we ever get over this addiction to oil, which I think, for this country, is a dangerous thing?"
[This item, by Geoffrey Dickens, was poste Monday on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]
The following is the full conversation between Vieira and Hofmeister as it occurred on the May 14th Today show:
Meredith Vieira: "John Hofmeister is the president of the Shell Oil company. Good morning to you, Mr. Hofmeister."
John Hofmeister, Shell Oil: "Good morning, Meredith."
Vieira: "Feel a little bit like deja vu, all over again. You were here in the studio, a year ago, around this time talking about the high price of gas. How it was dictated by supply and demand and basically oil companies had very little control over the global economy. Now here you are back again, yet again in May, prices even higher. As Matt said they're averaging about $3.07 a gallon. In some places even higher than that, 17 cents above what it was a year ago. And meanwhile people are really feeling the pain at the pump. There was a poll conducted by CNN and Opinion Research Corporation, 66 percent of those people who were polled said that they are suffering financial hardship as a result of these gas prices. I have to ask you, sir, as the president of Shell, do you believe that the price of gas is reasonable right now?"
Hofmeister: "Very painful prices, Meredith and-"
Vieira: "Is it reasonable?"
Hofmeister: "Is it reasonable? It's reasonable from a supply, demand situation. We're currently at inventories 16 percent below, I should say the lowest in 16 years. That's because of the coming out of the winter season in which we do a lot of turnarounds, a lot of maintenance on our refineries. With the low inventories and the continuing demand that's what is pushing the price up right now."
Vieira: "Let's talk about the refineries for a minute because there's been a lot of controversy about them. Maintenance problems at refineries around the country. There are some people, consumer activists, some analysts and even some politicians like Senator Schumer here in New York, who believe that the oil companies are basically holding back the production of gas, they're slow on repairs of their refineries, to keep the price of gas high. Senator Schumer has not gone so far as to say that the oil companies are in collusion but he did say, quote, 'that they wink at each other and do the same thing.' First I'd like your response to that."
Hofmeister: "Well we do not do the same thing. We do not collude with one another. It's great sport to attack the oil companies, particularly, when people are upset but the reality is the winter season is the best time to do preventative maintenance. We do that every year and that's not in collusion. That's because to try to do maintenance in the summer, outside work, wearing all kinds of safety gear in tropical conditions along the Gulf Coast, that's very difficult on people."
Vieira: "So the oil companies are not, in any way, holding back the production of gas?"
Hofmeister: "It would be un-economic to do so. These margins being what they are, we're trying to produce everything we can produce but they're-"
Vieira: "I know, oh I'm sorry."
Hofmeister: "-but they're have been a couple of fires in a couple of refineries which have aggravated the situation. So it's not just the maintenance that's been happening but a couple of fires in a state like Texas or California can really affect the supply and demand equation in a short term basis."
Vieira: "I'm picturing some people watching us right now at home and they're probably screaming at the television because they just went to the pump, they shelled out maybe $50 or more to fill up their car. They also know that companies like Shell are posting record profits. In the first quarter of this year, I think the profits for Shell were over $7 billion. Now it may not be fair, it may not be right but there is a perception out there in the country, among certain consumers, that the oil companies are a bunch of thieves. That you're ripping people off. Now I know you've been going around the country talking to people in 50 cities. What are they saying to you and what are you saying back to them?"
Hofmeister: "Well as we go around, we've been to 33 cities since I was here a year ago and we've talked to thousands and thousands of people from coast-to-coast. What they're really saying is, 'we are unhappy, we are angry. We are frustrated and we are in fear that we're running out of oil and gas. Is that true? We're running out of oil and gas? Well the reality is we're not. There's plenty of oil and gas out there, if we had public policy to support production of more oil and gas we'd have a lot more supply coming into the system. Actually part of the supply, demand crunch that we're experiencing right now is public policy that allows us to only access oil and gas in 15 percent of the outer-continental shelf, 15 percent. 85 percent we're banned from exploring for oil and gas. Meanwhile we bring in expensive imports from around the world. We would much rather see a situation where we could explore across the outer-continental shelf. Where we could have public policy enabling the building of new refining capacity. Shell is looking with its partner, Motiva, at a major refinery expansion in Port Arthur, Texas. And we-"
Vieira: "Do you see that kind of exploration, though, happening with a Democratically-controlled Congress?"
Hofmeister: "Well here's the reality. We have a 100-year infrastructure of oil and gas. We have to continue to feed that infrastructure to sustain our economic growth model, to sustain our lifestyle. If we don't bring in more oil and gas into the system we're gonna have to pay more and more and more. I'd hate to see prices double or triple what they are today because we failed to explore for more gas and oil."
Vieira: "Meanwhile public policy seems to be going more towards bio-fuels and away from oil which is something you don't seem to support, even though they are renewable and they're cleaner."
Hofmeister: "Oh Shell's been in bio-fuels for 30 years. We support bio-fuels. We would welcome moving towards a 10 percent supply of bio-fuel in this country but we do prefer second generation ethanol. Corn ethanol competes with food. It's a fine fuel but it competes with food. We would rather use cellulistic ethanol, which we're working on, that's where we're investing our money, to add a 10 percent supply to the fuel chain."
Vieira: "And finally, very quickly, will we ever get over this addiction to oil, which I think, for this country, is a dangerous thing?"
Hofmeister: "We will. I'm convinced we will. And we hear this in the cities we go to. People are impressed with technology. They love technology. Technology is gonna take us from oil and gas over decades, not overnight, but over decades to renewable and alternative forms of energy and we'll be there."
Vieira: "John Hofmeister, thank you very much for joining us."
Hofmeister: "Thank you."
 Wallace on Romney Sons: None 'Thought
About Serving in Military'
Sunday's 60 Minutes led with a generally positive piece on former Massachusetts Governor and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Correspondent Mike Wallace's toughest questions were on topics where conservatives expressed concern, such as Romney's inconsistent stances on social issues. However, one aspect of the interview involved Wallace's question of Mitt Romney's five sons with a less than subtle implication. The veteran CBS journalist asked if any of them decided to "put on a uniform and go to war." When they admitted to not serving, a shocked Wallace noted, "not one agreed or thought about serving in the military." Wallace then asked Mitt Romney if he ever served. After Romney admitted to not serving, Wallace emphasized that the former Governor's "very high lottery number" never came up.
[This item, by Justin McCarthy, was posted Monday on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]
The implication on display was that Romney, a staunch supporter of the Iraq War, has not and will not sacrifice himself. The relevant portion of the May 13 60 Minutes story:
Mike Wallace: "While all of them have served their church doing missionary work around the world... has any one of you ever decided that you're going to put on a uniform and go to war?"
Josh Romney: "I feel guilty having not done it."
Ben Romney: "I've seen a lot and read a lot that has made me say, 'my goodness, I hope I never have to do that.'"
Wallace: "Not one agreed or thought about serving in the military."
Matt Romney: "There are other sacrifices to make as well, and I hope to be able to make a sacrifice of that, you know, of that caliber at some point in my life."
Wallace: "Did you ever serve in the armed forces?"
Mitt Romney: "I did not."
Wallace: "Why not?"
Romney: "I was at college. Then I went off and served my church for two and a half years."
Wallace: "In a mission."
Romney: "In a mission."
Wallace: "And because of his high lottery number, he was never drafted to serve in Vietnam, something he says he regrets to this day."
 O'Donnell: Giuliani in on 9/11 Conspiracy
by Hiding Steel in China
|
On Monday's The View, co-host Rosie O'Donnell once again advanced her now infamous September 11 conspiracy theory about how World Trade Center Seven was destroyed by some mysterious means: "It was in the building that mysteriously collapsed at 5:30pm." After Joy Behar accused former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani of incompetence for putting the city's command and control center inside WTC7, O'Donnell suggested he
|
 |
 |
More See & Hear the
Bias |
| was also in on a conspiracy to hide evidence: "Also, he was, you
know, instrumental in making sure that all of the steel was
removed and shipped to Canada right away, Giuliani, was shipped to
China, sorry, right away." Behar wondered: "For what purpose?"
O'Donnell charged: "Well, to get it out of there and to have, you
know, all of the stu -- but it was all gone. So there was no like metal to test." O'Donnell soon reiterated her theory that the two towers couldn't have collapsed as a result of the planes flying into them: "Nine seconds. Do you know how fast it would taken something to free fall with no resistance from the top of that building? Nine seconds. It's physically impossible."
|
The April 3 CyberAlert recounted: O'Donnell expounded on her crazy conspiracy theories about the 9/11 attacks: "I do believe the first time in history that fire has ever melted steel. I do believe that it defies physics for the World Trade Center Tower Seven, building seven, which collapsed in on itself, it is impossible for a building to fall the way it fell without explosives being involved, World Trade Center Seven. World Trade Center one and Two got hit by planes. Seven, miraculously, for the first time in history, steel was melted by fire. It is physically impossible." See: www.mediaresearch.org
For many more of O'Donnell's crazy outbursts, check the MRC's "The Full Rosie: Daytime Host's Long Record of Mean-Spirited Left-Wing Ravings," online at: www.mrc.org
[This item is based on a posting, by Justin McCarthy, on the MRC's NewsBusters blog: newsbusters.org
An audio/video clip will also be added to the posted version of this item, but in the meantime to watch or listen to the Real, Windows Media or MP3 rendered by Ken Shepherd go to: newsbusters.org ]
Joy Behar accused former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani of incompetence in handling the lead up to and aftermath of the terrorist attacks of that horrific day. This prompted Rosie to note that Giuliani shipped some of the debris to China, implying the former Mayor had evidence to hide. After Behar lashed out at Giuliani for not moving the Command/Control Center out of the World Trade Center after the 1993 bombing, Rosie advanced her conspiracy theory again.
O'Donnell: "Joy, wait a minute, wait a minute. The command control center was in World Trade Center Seven, not in one or two. It was in the building that mysteriously collapsed at 5:30pm."
Behar: "Well, it shouldn't have been in any of them."
O'Donnell: "It was not in tower one, it was not in tower two that got hit by a plane it was in tower seven that got hit by nothing, 47 floors and dropped at 5:30 into itself."
Token non-liberal Elisabeth Hasselbeck reacted strongly and implicitly called Rosie out on her dumb comment that fire can't melt steel.
Hasselbeck: "There was also internal fire in that building, which can melt steel which was holding up that building."
O'Donnell: "No way Elisabeth."
Hasselbeck: "It can weaken it. If you ask physicists alone, the force by nature, the volcanic force alone could have taken that building."
O'Donnell: "2700 degrees melts steel."
Hasselbeck: "And how much does it take to weaken it? I think it's 270."
O'Donnell: "270 degrees?"
Hasselbeck: "I'll check. I'll check. I'll check on that."
O'Donnell: "Well, if you watch all the documentaries-"
Hasselbeck: "Once steel is weakened, once steel is weakened. It doesn't have to be completely melted."
O'Donnell: "Did you know that there were three pools of molten steel? There was one pool underneath World Trade Center One?"
For the record, according to Popular Mechanics, steel melts at 2750 degrees Fahrenheit but can weaken at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Ironically, Rosie, noting the command center was in World Trade Center Seven, unintentionally helped debunk her own conspiracy theory. Popular Mechanics noted: "Tower 7 housed the city's emergency command center, so there were a number of fuel tanks located throughout the building -- including two 6000-gal. tanks in the basement that fed some generators in the building by pressurized lines. 'Our working hypothesis is that this pressurized line was supplying fuel [to the fire] for a long period of time,' according to [National Institute of Standards and Technology lead investigator Shyam] Sunder.'" See: www.popularmechanics.com
For a NIST report, a PDF: wtc.nist.gov
In an earlier segment, Rosie possibly explained some of her conspiracy theory beliefs, exclaiming her "cult personality," even admitting she's "five seconds away from drinking the Kool Aid."
Rosie O'Donnell: "You know, I didn't ask if they believed in Jesus, but I did read the books because I was fascinated by it, you know. And then Kelli, like, hid them from me, you know."
Joy Behar: "Why?"
O'Donnell: "Because she thinks I'm likely to join anything, which is true, you know."
Behar: "You do have that cult personality."
O'Donnell: "I do. Remember the Jim Jones thing? I'm five seconds away from drinking the Kool Aid singing, 'Kumbaya,' you know. Honestly, it's like I have a little bit of that."
The entire discussion on the May 14 edition of the ABC daytime show, The View:
Behar: "Well, the one thing is that Giuliani post-9/11 appeared to be very heroic. But now they're saying that he was not that efficient in helping the people who were the recovery, the responders."
O'Donnell: "Also, he was, you know, instrumental in making sure that all of the steel was removed and shipped to Canada right away, Giuliani, was shipped to China, sorry, right away."
Behar: "For what purpose?"
O'Donnell: "Well, to get it out of there and to have, you know, all of the stu -- but it was all gone. So there was no like metal to test. There was no, there was no-"
Hasselbeck: "Giuliani was involved in the cover-up is that what's going on? I just want to check."
[...]
Behar: "But, according to what I've been reading, they told Giuliani to take the command/control center out of the World Trade Center, because it's a target, maybe they'll try again. Everybody told them to do that. He did not listen. He kept it in the World Trade Center. So, when they attacked the World Trade Center, the command/control Center went up with it. And now wait a minute, do you know where it is now?"
O'Donnell: "Joy, wait a minute, wait a minute. The command control center was in World Trade Center Seven, not in one or two. It was in the building that mysteriously collapsed at 5:30pm."
Behar: "Well, it shouldn't have been in any of them."
O'Donnell: "It was not in tower one, it was not in tower two that got hit by a plane it was in tower seven that got hit by nothing, 47 floors and dropped at 5:30 into itself."
Hasselbeck: "There was also internal fire in that building, which can melt steel which was holding up that building."
O'Donnell: "No way Elisabeth."
Hasselbeck: "It can weaken it. If you ask physicists alone, the force by nature, the volcanic force alone could have taken that building."
O'Donnell: "2700 degrees melts steel."
Hasselbeck: "And how much does it take to weaken it? I think it's 270."
O'Donnell: "270 degrees?"
Hasselbeck: "I'll check. I'll check. I'll check on that."
O'Donnell: "Well, if you watch all the documentaries-"
Hasselbeck: "Once steel is weakened, once steel is weakened. It doesn't have to be completely melted."
O'Donnell: "Did you know that there were three pools of molten steel? There was one pool underneath World Trade Center One."
Hasselbeck: "I read all the conspiracy theories on this. I know that, that's what they're saying."
O'Donnell: "So you labeled it a conspiracy. I'm just telling you there was a fact. There's a fact that there was molten steel under those three buildings."
Hasselbeck: "And it is also a fact that volcanic pressure alone could take the building down."
O'Donnell: "The volcanic pressure of what volcano?"
Hasselbeck: "The pressure alone of those two buildings coming down."
Behar: "The bomb, she's saying the bomb."
Hasselbeck: "I'm saying the bomb, the force of the other two."
O'Donnell: "Wait, the bomb? You're saying the plane."
Behar: "The plane, the plane, the plane. The explosion."
Hasselbeck: "The force of the other two buildings coming down could alone take that building down."
O'Donnell: "Do you know how fast it took those towers to fall?"
Hasselbeck: "I don't have the exact time on me."
O'Donnell: "Nine seconds. Do you know how fast it would taken something to free fall with no resistance from the top of that building? Nine seconds. It's physically impossible."
 Letterman's 'Top Ten Little-Known Facts
About Mitt Romney'
From the May 14 Late Show with David Letterman, the "Top Ten Little-Known Facts About Mitt Romney." Late Show home page: www.cbs.com
10. Name is short for "Mitzi"
9. In favor of tax-cuts for hunky, white dudes
8. Starts each day by wrasslin' a gator
7. Made his fortune selling counterfeit Prada handbags
6. Won NRA endorsement by vowing to shoot twice as many old guys as Cheney
5. Once defeated Chuck Liddell for Ultimate Fighting Championship title
4. Is the model on packages of Jockey underpants
3. When he leaves politics, plans to spend golden years with his hair
2. Would be the first Mitt in the White House since Mitt Quincy Adams
1. Besides Hillary, only candidate who wears a bra
-- Brent Baker
|
As another summer driving season approaches, media outlets cannot resist again hyping dire stories about the supposed "record high" price of a gallon of gas when, adjusted for inflation, the current $3.10 average for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is still lower than in 1981. ABC was out front Monday night with the fallacious reporting. World News anchor Charles Gibson teased up top, "Record prices: Gasoline across the nation hits an all-time high, a record price, before the summer even begins." With "Record High" on screen, Gibson relied on new numbers from the Energy Information Administration as he introduced the subsequent story by asserting that "a gallon of gas has never been more expensive than right now. The government announced this afternoon that the average price of regular gas is $3.10 a gallon." Reporter John Berman also cited the "record high" price before marveling at how demand is rising: "Despite the agony, for the most part, we haven't changed our actions. Demand for gas is actually up one percent from this time last year..." 
John Berman: "Charlie, anyone who drives knows just how bad these record prices are, paying $50 or more to fill up, but the concern is that the ripple effect will move beyond your gas tank and hit the rest of the economy. The math at the pump is brutal." 
Interviewing Shell Oil's President on Monday's Today show, NBC's Meredith Vieira cited Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer's "Big Oil" conspiracy theory, worried America's "addiction to oil" was "dangerous," and altogether added fuel to the fire that oil company execs, "were a bunch of thieves." Appearing in the 7am half-hour, Shell Oil President John Hofmeister, for the most part, explained the basic economics of the oil business to viewers but that didn't stop Vieira from throwing out conspiratorial charges from left-field about supply being held back. 
Sunday's 60 Minutes led with a generally positive piece on former Massachusetts Governor and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Correspondent Mike Wallace's toughest questions were on topics where conservatives expressed concern, such as Romney's inconsistent stances on social issues. However, one aspect of the interview involved Wallace's question of Mitt Romney's five sons with a less than subtle implication. The veteran CBS journalist asked if any of them decided to "put on a uniform and go to war." When they admitted to not serving, a shocked Wallace noted, "not one agreed or thought about serving in the military." Wallace then asked Mitt Romney if he ever served. After Romney admitted to not serving, Wallace emphasized that the former Governor's "very high lottery number" never came up. 
