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. Fox News attack machine smears Chicago as a violent city unsuitable for Olympics Led by Fox News, the conservative media have opened a new front from which to attack President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama's support of Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics: smearing the city as unfit to host the Olympic Games, often by citing individual instances of violence. For example, Sean Hannity, after citing a recent murder and an assault, asked whether Chicago is "a city where we want the Olympics," and Glenn Beck said, "Chicago is good at ... organized Mafi -- oops, did I say that out loud?" Read More Hannity opens mouth, falsehoods about "czars" spill out Continuing Fox News' witch hunt against Obama administration officials the news network has labeled "czars," Sean Hannity advanced a laundry list of false, baseless, or misleading claims about Department of Education official Kevin Jennings, White House science adviser John Holdren, State Department official Harold Koh, and Energy Secretary Steven Chu. For instance, Hannity suggested -- despite evidence to the contrary -- that Jennings covered up statutory rape; falsely claimed that Holdren "supports, you know, forced sterilization"; and smeared Koh by repeating the claim that Koh "says, well, Sharia law can be applied in American courts." Read More The smear campaign continues: Fox Nation, Washington Examiner manufacture Jennings-NAMBLA link The Fox Nation and The Washington Examiner linked Department of Education official Kevin Jennings to the North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA) based on a 1997 speech in which Jennings praised gay rights activist Harry Hay, who had spoken in support of the organization. But like many obituaries written about Hay upon his death in 2002, Jennings was touting Hay as a gay civil rights pioneer for his role in helping start "the first ongoing gay rights groups in America" in 1948, and Jennings' comments had nothing to do with NAMBLA. Read More Rooting against America: Beck, other conservatives cheer elimination of Chicago's Olympic bid Conservative media figures have celebrated the International Olympic Committee's elimination of Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics and used the event to bash President Obama, who flew to Copenhagen to lobby IOC members on behalf of Chicago's bid. For instance, Glenn Beck called the news that Chicago's bid had failed "so sweet," Rush Limbaugh declared himself "happy" and "gleeful" with the results, and Matt Drudge proclaimed: "World rejects Obama." Read More The Friday Rush: Logic? A grasp of the issues? You won't find those on The Rush Limbaugh Show Like the rest of the media in recent months, Rush has been swept up in the health care reform debate, and his impact has been measurable. He has so far led the charge for conservatives wielding bunk talking points like death panels and other Betsy McCaughey-inspired falsehoods. But this week in particular made clear the flaw in Limbaugh's approach to reform: an obvious failure to grasp the fundamental concepts behind health care. Read More You can help support our work; become a volunteer media monitor, or donate to Media Matters for America.