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. Blitzer did not challenge Boehner's false claim that CBO scored "public option" Wolf Blitzer did not challenge Rep. John Boehner's false claim that the "Congressional Budget Office came out with a score on Senator Kennedy's bill, just part of ... his bill that says that the public option would cost over a trillion dollars." In fact, the CBO's preliminary analysis of the draft bill did not assess the impact of a "public option" for health insurance. Read More More media misrepresent scope of preliminary CBO analysis of health bill In reporting the CBO's conclusion that a Senate draft health-care bill would leave many uninsured, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, David Brooks, and USA Today did not note that the CBO did not assess several provisions that are expected to be added to the bill and that, according to the CBO director, "could ... have substantial effects on our analysis." Read More Ignoring ABC statement, Kudlow alleges ABC will devote programming to "help sell" Obama's health care plan CNBC's Larry Kudlow claimed that "ABC is going to give up all their programming" to President Obama "to help sell health care reform," but ABC says it will "giv[e] voice to questions and criticisms" of Obama's plan. Read More Parroting GOP, media claim stimulus funding "guard rail to nowhere" -- but project was cancelled Bill Sammon, Gretchen Carlson, and Investors Business Daily each claimed that the stimulus bill is funding what Sammon described as a "guard rail to nowhere." However, the Army Corps of Engineers has said that the project is "not going forward." Read More Wash. Times minimized Princeton alumni group's opposition to admission of women, minorities The Washington Times stated that Samuel Alito had "reported involvement in a Princeton alumni group that opposed affirmative action." In fact, the group actively resisted Princeton's increased admission of women and minorities. Read More Media deceptively claim stimulus funds going to "train station" that "hasn't been used in 30 years" Media figures repeated Sen. Tom Coburn's claim that stimulus funds are being used "to renovate an abandoned train station that hasn't been used in 30 years." But while the station house has long been closed, "[t]he station's platform currently serves more than 80,000 passengers a year," as Coburn's report noted. Read More NPR's Zwerdling understated LGBT criticisms of Obama's DOMA brief NPR correspondent Daniel Zwerdling reported that "gay activists" are upset that "the [Obama] administration is defending the federal law that forbids the federal government to recognize same-sex marriage." In fact, prominent members of the LGBT community have also sharply criticized the content of the Justice Department brief in defense of DOMA. Read More Kudlow let McCaughey claim health care bill "pushes Americans into low-budget plans" Larry Kudlow did not challenge -- and interrupted another guest when he challenged -- Betsy McCaughey's assertion that the Affordable Health Choices Act "pushes Americans into low-budget plans." Read More After exclusive access, softball interviews during Bush admin, Fox News blasts ABC for White House exclusive Fox News hosts and guests have criticized a scheduled ABC exclusive broadcast from the White House, but they failed to mention the extraordinary access Fox News had to President Bush and other officials, using those opportunities to lob softball questions and provide a platform for Bush administration talking points. Read More A Top Ten list for Letterman's conservative critics He doesn't host his own syndicated talk radio show. That isn't his chair behind the desk of a cable-news program. You won't find his byline on the op-ed pages, discussing the ins and outs of President Obama's latest policy proposal. Read More Fox chyron asserted as fact that Walpin was "fired for protecting taxpayers" Fox & Friends aired on-screen text asserting as fact the claim -- disputed by the Obama administration -- that former inspector general Gerald Walpin was "fired for protecting taxpayers." Read More NY Times selectively cited own poll results on Obama's economic policies The New York Times reported that according to its own polling, "A majority of people said his [President Obama's] policies have had either no effect yet on improving the economy or had made it worse." However, the Times article did not report that 57 percent of respondents approved of the way Obama is handling the economy. Read More You can help support our work; become a volunteer media monitor, or donate to Media Matters for America.