SpendingCuts

NBC's Curry Warns Minuscule Spending Cuts in Debt Deal Could Harm Economy

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:35:00 +0000

Kyle Drennen

Appearing on Wednesday's NBC Today, CNBC Mad Money host Jim Cramer blamed the debt ceiling standoff for stocks falling on Wall Street: "All people can talk about is the whole slow down that Washington triggered, the 'manufactured crisis,' as the President mentioned..." Co-host Ann Curry wondered: "To what degree did the spending cuts called for in this bill have an influence in this perception?"

NYT Lead: 'Bipartisan Plan For Budget Deal Buoys President...House Republicans Face Intensifying Pressure to Avoid Isolation'

admin — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:46:00 +0000

Jackie Calmes and Jennifer Steinhauer celebrate a "four-page outline" from a group of senators as a victory for Obama: "Financial markets rallied on the news. And with time running out before the deadline of Aug. 2 to raise the government's $14.3 trillion debt ceiling, Mr. Obama's quick embrace of the plan left House Republicans at greater risk of being politically isolated on the issue if they continue to rule out any compromise that includes higher tax revenues."

Clay Waters

Continuing a New York Times trend of hyping Obama's vague, politically motivated rhetorical feints as a genuine sign of budget-cutting commitment, Wednesday's New York Times lead story by Jackie Calmes (pictured) and Jennifer Steinhauer overhyped the sudden re-emergence of a budget 'plan' from the bipartisan 'Gang of Six' senators while providing President Obama a deck of headlines suitable for framing: 'Bipar

Landler Sighs Along With Obama on 'Frustrating,' 'Unreasonable' 'Intransigence of the Republicans'

admin — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:35:00 +0000

White House reporter Mark Landler takes sides, shares the president's frustration with Republicans: "And I think the frustration the president has, is, 'Look, I've come three-quarters the way to your position, and you're not willing to give me that last 25 percent that I can use to say to Democrats there is something in this for you.' So I think the intransigence of the Republicans is really beginning to wear on him and just strikes him as more and more unreasonable."

Clay Waters

Chief New York Times 'Caucus' blog writer Michael Shear hosted the latest edition of the paper's 'Caucus' podcast Friday (you can listen to the minute-long audio clip here), where he, political reporter Jeff Zeleny, and White House reporter Mark Landler agreed that Republican candidate Michele Bachmann was wrong to dismiss concerns about possible financial consequences resulting from a failure to raise the debt ceiling.

Only a 'Few Democrats' Voted With NJ Gov. Christie? More Like 30% of Them

admin — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 18:53:00 +0000

An off-lead story on a big win by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie describes passage of a bill with the support of Republicans and "a few Democrats." But 14 out of 47 Democrats sounds closer to a bipartisan triumph.

Clay Waters

Does 14 really count as 'a few' at the New York Times? In Friday's off-lead story from Trenton, Richard Perez-Pena from Trenton covers one of Gov. Chris Christie's biggest victories as New Jersey governor, 'In New Jersey, Lawmakers Curb Workers Benefits.'

NBC's Gregory Frets Greece-Like Rioting if U.S. Makes 'Draconian' Spending Cuts

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:24:00 +0000

Kyle Drennen

On NBC's Sunday Meet the Press, host David Gregory took on an alarmist tone as he worried that any significant attempts to address the nation's enormous debt could lead to violence: "Look at the images that came out of Greece this week as you've got...big cuts in public spending. And this is the result, rioting in the streets....Could we have that kind of reaction here?"

CBS Host's False Attack on Wisconsin Governor Falls Flat

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:00:00 +0000

Kyle Drennen

On Friday's CBS Early Show, co-host Chris Wragge attempted to portray Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's efforts to curb costly benefits for public

CBS Hypes: Obama on Same Side as Tea Party on Budget Cuts

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 21:39:00 +0000

Kyle Drennen

On Thursday's CBS Early Show, senior White House correspondent Bill Plante seized on a rare instance in which the Obama administration and conservative members of Congress happened to agree on a single budget cut: "It's not very often that the Obama administration finds itself on the same side as Tea Party Republicans when it comes to spending."

G.O.P. on a Spending-Cut 'Frenzy,' 'Destroying Vital Government Programs With Gleeful Abandon'

admin — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:58:00 +0000

More of the sober, substantive commentary we've come to expect from the nation's leading newspaper: "But that wasn't enough for [Speaker John Boehner's] fanatical freshmen, who demanded that it be cut by $61 billion, destroying vital government programs with gleeful abandon."

Clay Waters

The Times has hit on a loaded word to describe Republican attempts to trim the $1.1 trillion federal budget deficit: "Frenzy."

Here's the lead to congressional reporter Carl Hulse's report on House Speaker John Boehner's quest for cuts, "Boehner in His Element as Spending Cuts Elicit Free-Flowing House Debate":

MSNBC's Brewer: 'Meanie Money Enforcer' GOP vs 'Big Heart' Dems in Budget Battle

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 22:52:00 +0000

Kyle Drennen

Opening Wednesday's 12PM ET hour on MSNBC, anchor Contessa Brewer proclaimed that President Obama was "driving Republicans in a corner" by calli

Ireland's 'Harshest Budget' Leaves No One 'Unscathed,' Reads Alleged News Story

admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:03:00 +0000

Sarah Lyall reacts badly to spending cuts in Dublin. Confiscatory tax hikes are far more palatable to the Times' liberal world view.

Clay Waters

Sarah Lyall filed from Dublin Thursday on the woeful state of the Irish economy and the big spending cuts submitted by the government to cut debt. She doesn't approve: "Irish Wince as a Budget Proposal Cuts to the Bone."