nationaldebt

On NBC's Meet the Press, Bachmann Schools Gregory on National Debt

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:40:00 +0000

Kyle Drennen

As Congresswoman Michele Bachmann made the point on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday that the national debt has increased dramatically under President Obama compared to under President Bush, host David Gregory interrupted and attempted to dismiss that fact: "Congresswoman, that just misstates the record....For accuracy, the debt exploded under the Bush administration." [Audio available here]

Schieffer Calls Anti-Tax Pledge a 'Problem,' Presses Republican and Democrat to Raise Taxes

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 20:30:00 +0000

Brent Baker

Highlighting Grover Norquist's upcoming appearance on 60 Minutes, CBS's Bob Schieffer, on Face the Nation, pointed to the anti-tax hike pledge Norquist asks politicians to sign as 'one of the problems' undermining the failed 'super-committee.'

ABC Trumpets 'Fairness' of Obama's 'Buffett Rule' Tax Hike Quest

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:02:00 +0000

Brent Baker

'President Obama has declared it is time to take action on taxes because people in the middle class are paying a larger percentage of income tax than the super-rich,' ABC anchor Diane Sawyer announced Monday night without bothering to note, as neither did CBS nor NBC, that the super-rich are already paying a disproportionate share of income taxes.

After Hitting GOP Candidates from Left, NBC's Williams Presses Obama from Left

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:07:00 +0000

Brent Baker

A few days after he hit Republicans from the left when he moderated a presidential candidate on MSNBC, NBC's Brian Williams pressed President Barack Obama with the concerns of Obama supporters to the President's left ('Members of your base are asking: 'When are you going to get your Harry Truman on?'' and 'What do you say to those Americans who voted for that man on the poster that said 'Hope'?').

'Unsettling' For Conservatives To Suggest Actually Paying for Disaster Relief

admin — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:24:00 +0000

In reporter Carl Hulse's view, "independent" (i.e. socialist) Sen. Bernie Sanders and White House spokesman Jay Carney are advancing sensible views on disaster relief to counteract "unsettling" ideas about actually offsetting the cost from "Conservative Republicans."

Clay Waters

In his Wednesday report on federal disaster aid in a time of vast national debt, congressional reporter Carl Hulse treated liberal Democrats as the epitome of Washington wisdom and moderation: 'Emphasis on Federal Austerity Changes Dynamics of Disaster Relief.'

Networks Embrace Buffett's Call for Higher Taxes on 'Mega-Rich,' ABC Salivates Over Spending It

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 06:15:00 +0000

Brent Baker

'Billionaires on notice,' ABC anchor Diane Sawyer teased Monday's World News in trumpeting, as did CBS and NBC, a New York Times op-ed by liberal billionaire Warren Buffett.

NBC's Williams Prods Obama to Force Congress Into 'Sudden Breakout of Sanity'

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 00:26:00 +0000

Brent Baker

NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams, who the week before last cited 'the debt ceiling, which rational people agree needs to be raised,' on Monday evening again seemed to take a shot at Tea Party members of Congress as he urged President Barack Obama to fulfill a 'leadership moment' in order 'to force Congress into a s

CBS Skips How Own Poll Finds Many More Think Spending Cuts Too Small Over Too Big

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 12:29:00 +0000

Brent Baker

Running through the findings of a new CBS News/New York Times poll, on Thursday's CBS Evening News Chip Reip highlighted how, after weeks of media hostility the Tea Party has lost popularity, as he also located people to illustrate how more wanted, and still want, taxes raised over spending cuts alone.

CBS's Pelley Chafes: 'Only Budget Cuts and No Relief for Those Suffering in This Economy'

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:27:00 +0000

Brent Baker

Framing a shortcoming in the debt deal as a liberal would and does, CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley on Tuesday night regretted the how 'the last time the President and the Congress compromised on a major spending bill, Republicans got tax cuts and Mr. Obama won an extension of unemployment benefits,' but this time 'there are only budget cuts and no relief for those suffering in this economy.'

Top Newspapers Warn Debt Deal's Spending Cuts Will 'Weaken' and 'Undermine' Economy

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 03:54:00 +0000

Brent Baker

Remarkable uniformity amongst some major national newspapers on Tuesday as they simultaneously worried about how the supposed spending 'cuts' in the debt-ceiling deal will harm the economy.

As USA Today put it the top of the 'cover story' for the 'Money' section: 'Spending cuts could further weaken economy.'

Sawyer and Williams Cue Up Pelosi to Expound on Her 'Fear' Debt Deal Will 'Hurt Real People'

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 12:52:00 +0000

Brent Baker

Two network anchors, 24 hours apart, cued up House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to despair from the left how the debt ceiling deal, presumably because of some future potential slight reductions in the projected rate of spending increases, will 'hurt real people' as NBC's Brian Williams asked her to confirm her 'fear' that 'the poor are gonna get hurt and the rich are gonna get by without harm.'

Now They Tell Us: 'Lowering Nation's Credit Rating May Have Little Effect', Appelbaum Notes Sunday on Page A14

admin — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 21:29:00 +0000

Better late than never, perhaps, but in Sunday's paper the Times noted that Lowering Nation's Credit Rating May Have Little Effect, Economists Suggest. The article, by Binyamin Appelbaum article, was buried on page A14 in the July 31 edition.

Ken Shepherd

Better late than never, perhaps, but in Sunday's paper the Times noted that 'Lowering Nation's Credit Rating May Have Little Effect, Economists Suggest.'

The article, by Binyamin Appelbaum article, was buried on page A14 (emphasis mine):

Zeleny Pronounces 'Both Sides' Are 'Bruised' in Debt Ceiling Deal But Portrays Only Conservatives As 'Intractable' in Preceding Debate

admin — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 18:30:00 +0000

In a front-page news analysis piece this morning, Times national political correspondent Jeff Zeleny pronounced that After [a] Protracted Fight, Both Sides Emerge Bruised. Yet Zeleny's analysis was chock full of the typical liberal bias slant that puffs up President Obama, slams the Tea Party as intractable and ignores the partisanship of liberal Senate members, particularly Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

Ken Shepherd

In a front-page 'news analysis' piece this morning, Times national political correspondent Jeff Zeleny pronounced that 'After a Protracted Fight, Both Sides Emerge Bruised.'

Networks Submerge Disastrous GDP Numbers Into Debt Ceiling Impact; ABC Spikes Revised 1st Q Flatline

Sun, 31 Jul 2011 13:17:00 +0000

Brent Baker

The broadcast network evening newscasts on Friday night noted the very anemic second quarter GDP growth rate at 1.3 percent, but instead of stressing how it showed the weak economic state well before the debt ceiling showdown, they submerged it into warnings of how the delay in getting a deal is hurting the economy.

Media Leave Out Economists from Stories on Debt Crisis 'Calamity'

admin — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:12:00 +0000

Julia A. Seymour

The United States is in debt up to its eyeballs - or more realistically the Statue of Liberty's eyeballs. On May 16, America hit the debt ceiling. which is slightly less than $14.3 trillion. That works out to about $46,000 for every man, woman and child in the nation.