Media Matters Daily Summary

Here are today's news items from Media Matters for America, click on the title or 'read more' to read the entirety of each story. Politico cited criticism of Obama's iPod gift by "etiquette expert," but WH says queen requested it The Politico reported that President Obama presented Queen Elizabeth II with "a personalized iPod," and noted criticism of the gift by an "etiquette expert," but did not mention that the White House reportedly said Queen Elizabeth asked for the iPod. Read More Myths and falsehoods relating to President Obama's budget proposal Following the release of President Obama's proposal for the fiscal year 2010 budget, media figures and outlets have promoted a number of myths and falsehoods related to the proposal. Read More George Will continues to misuse WMO climate data despite criticism from WMO sec. general George Will misused climate data published by the World Meteorological Organization to claim that global warming may not be occurring, even though the WMO secretary general recently criticized him for similarly "misinterpret[ing]" the organization's data in an earlier column. Read More April Fools: Ann Coulter falls for fake Obama NASCAR story Ann Coulter fell for a fake April Fools' Day article by Car and Driver that claimed President Obama ordered GM and Chrysler to cease their participation in NASCAR because it is an "unnecessary expenditure." Read More Angle, Kudlow allow Ryan to advance falsehood about stimulus spending timeframe Fox News' Jim Angle uncritically aired Rep. Paul Ryan's false claim that "[m]ost" of the stimulus money will not "spend out until 2011," and Larry Kudlow did not challenge Ryan when he repeated the falsehood on CNBC. Read More Without basis, The Fox Nation wonders: "Is Obama Targeting Catholics?" The Fox Nation featured the headline, "Is Obama Targeting Catholics?" but the article to which the headline linked simply reported that Newark Archbishop John Myers is the latest bishop to criticize Notre Dame's decision to invite President Obama to speak at commencement. Read More Hannity criticized Obama press kit for containing phrases that Bush State Dept. used Sean Hannity criticized the Obama administration for reportedly issuing a U.S. press kit on the U.K., but the exact phrases Hannity criticized were used in State Department "Background Notes" issued during the Bush administration. Read More Media fail to challenge Republicans on past acts of massive debt creation Television news hosts have repeatedly hosted Republican members of Congress who have attacked President Obama's budget, but those media figures have failed to ask these officials about their support of various legislation that contributed to the more than $2 trillion increase in the publicly held debt under President Bush. Read More Misstating Rove column, Kilmeade baselessly claimed 66 percent oppose "the stimulus bill" Discussing a column by Karl Rove, Brian Kilmeade baselessly claimed that "[s]ixty-six percent of you are against the stimulus bill." In fact, Rove noted in his column that according to a CNN poll, 66 percent of Americans are opposed to a second stimulus bill -- the poll showed majority support for the bill enacted in February. Read More Fox's Henneberg uncritically quoted dubious claims that estate tax would harm family farms and small businesses Molly Henneberg uncritically aired quotes that suggested the estate tax would affect "many" small businesses and family farms. But the Tax Policy Center estimated that in 2009, "about 90 percent of the 700 small farm and business estates that will have to file estate tax returns will not owe any estate tax." Read More You can help support our work; become a volunteer media monitor, or donate to Media Matters for America.