ChrisDodd

David Gregory Spins: Chris Dodd 'Stepped Out of Politics' Because He Was 'Disappointed' With Washington

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:59:00 +0000

Kyle Drennen

Interviewing former Democratic Senator Chris Dodd on Sunday for Meet the Press's Press Pass, host David Gregory described Dodd's exit from politics this way: "...you stepped out of politics, and one of the things that you were really disappointed about what – the state of the politics in Washington, the inability to compromise, the venomous relationship in Washington..."

NYT Early to Party ID When GOP's in Trouble - Democrat Labels Often Never Arrive

admin — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 16:19:00 +0000

The Times let its readers know in the headline and first sentence that politician Mark Kirk, caught exaggerating about his military service, was a Republican. Yet profiles on prominent Democrats in trouble have often lacked party identification entirely.

Clay Waters

Monica Davey in Chicago reported on a controversy over Illinois politician Mark Kirk, the Republican candidate to fill Obama's seat in the U.S. Senate.

Mark S. Kirk, the Republican candidate seeking the United States Senate seat once held by President Obama, has acknowledged that his official biography incorrectly listed a prestigious military award that he never received.
Mr. Kirk, a five-term congressman from the northern suburbs of this city who is also an intelligence officer in the Naval Reserve, conceded the discrepancy on his campaign blog.

Rolling Stone Reporter Uses Insults as Journalism Tactic

admin — Thu, 27 May 2010 21:24:09 +0000

Jeff Poor

Most probably wouldn’t think of Rolling Stone magazine as a primary source for information on something like financial regulation reform. However, if you listen to some of the left-wing talking heads like Ezra Klein, Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi is in the know on major policy issues.

Media Favor Regulation, Barely Notice Failures of Regulators

admin — Wed, 19 May 2010 20:20:25 +0000

Julia A. Seymour

Since Obama took office, there’s been a leftward swing toward increased regulation. The news media have supported that tilt, generally failing to demand explanations for high profile failures of government regulators.

From the financial crisis to the Gulf oil spill, a recent string of problems exposed serious failures of government regulators that are supposed to protect the public. But broadcast news media rarely criticized the poor performance of government in such cases.

CNBC's Rick Santelli Blasts Financial Reforms Excluding Fannie, Freddie

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:07:16 +0000

Jeff Poor

Back on Christmas Eve of 2009, Obama’s Treasury Dept. said it would lift the limits on what the federal government could provide in “emergency aid” to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – without seeking Congressional permission.

Stolberg Marks 'Poignant' Departure of Another Liberal Senator

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:03:00 +0000

Sheryl Gay Stolberg had previously lauded defeated Democratic Senate leader Tom Daschle as "a man of decency."

Clay Waters

Reporter Sheryl Gay Stolberg had soft words for yet another retiring Democratic politician in her Sunday Week in Review piece on Sen. Chris Dodd's abrupt retirement: "When Politicians Call it Quits."

When former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle was ousted by South Dakota voters in November 2004, Stolberg providing multiple tributes full of fulsome praise like this:

Networks Downplay $42 Million in 'Outrageous' Bonuses, 'Unlimited' Bailout of Fannie, Freddie

admin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:28:05 +0000

Julia A. Seymour

The network news media cheered when Obama called for restrictions on CEO pay or bonuses that, according to reporters, exemplify the Wall Street “greed” that toppled the American economy.

But when $42 million in cash compensation packages were announced on Christmas Eve for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac executives, the networks couldn’t muster any anger toward the highly connected groups. Although Fannie and Freddie were two government-sponsored enterprises whose excessive risk taking contributed significantly to the housing crisis, the networks barely reported the story at all.

Dodd Cleared of Wrongdoing - Times Suddenly Remembers He's a Democrat

admin — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:24:00 +0000

How convenient for the liberal senator from Connecticut.

Clay Waters

Now that Sen. Chris Dodd, liberal Democrat of Connecticut, has been cleared bythe Senate Ethics Committee of wrongdoing, has the Times decided it's safe to identify him as a Democrat again?

Here's the lead to Saturday's story by David Herszenhorn:

The Times Keeps Forgetting Troubled Sen. Dodd Is a Democrat

admin — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:11:00 +0000

A tough story on liberal Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd is marred by an old problem: Nowhere in the story is Dodd directly indentified as a Democrat.

Clay Waters

Once again, the Times has filed a tough story on liberal Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, challenging his ethics. And once again, there's just one thing missing - Dodd's Democratic Party affiliation.

Disgraced Sen. Ensign Swiftly Identified as GOP, Disgraced Dems Not ID'd at All

admin — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:15:00 +0000

The Times let us know by word four the Republican Party affiliation of Sen. John Ensign, who confessed to having an affair. By contrast, the paper has often failed to even mention the party affiliation of scandal-plagued Democratic Senators.

Clay Waters

In Wednesday's squib, "Senator Says He Had Affair With An Aide," reporter David Herszenhorn let us know by the fourth word that U.S. Senator John Ensign of Nevada, the senator who confessed to the extramarital affair, is a Republican. In paragraph four Herszenhorn poured on the salt, bringing up Ensign's former membership in Promise Keepers, a Christian ministry that promotes marriage.

GOP Senator Bunning "Bit of a Screwball," May Be Mentally Unfit

admin — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:39:00 +0000

More classy commentary from reporter Mark Leibovich on controversial conservative Sen. Jim Bunning of Kentucky: "...Mr. Bunning has shown no sign of stepping aside and delivered a string of incendiary pronouncements that have fed an impression that he is, to go with a baseball metaphor, a bit of a screwball."

Clay Waters

Times reporter Mark Leibovich specializes in spunky profiles of politicians- hostile profiles of conservatives, nice ones of liberals.

Dodd: Government Can Mandate What Profit is 'Fair' for Business

admin — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:12:53 +0000

Jeff Poor

When a high-ranking U.S. senator sounds more like Karl Marx than Adam Smith over the issue of energy prices, it must be an election year.