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. Conservative radio launches sexist attacks against Snowe, Collins After Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) voted for the Senate Finance Committee's health care reform bill and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) stated that she "share[s] the goal of passing health care reform," several right-wing radio hosts have launched sexist attacks against the senators. For instance, Rush Limbaugh proclaimed that "the voice of the new castrati" applauded Snowe's support of health care reform and declared, "Women, damn it," in response to Collins' statement, and Michael Savage asserted, "Jezebel is Olympia Snowe." Read More Fox & Friends distorts news on Social Security benefits to suggest "Washington waging a war against seniors" On Fox News, Steve Doocy asked whether the fact that "for the first time since 1975, there will be no COLA -- no cost-of-living increase -- for Social Security recipients" indicated that "Washington [is] waging a war against seniors," continuing Fox & Friends' pattern of repeatedly fearmongering about how health care reform will harm senior citizens. In fact, the Social Security Administration has used the same formula to index benefits to inflation since the 1970s, and although 2009 reportedly marks the first time the formula will translate into no cost-of-living increase, the Obama administration is urging Congress to provide seniors with tax rebates that are equal to a cost-of-living adjustment, as the hosts of Fox & Friends themselves reported. Read More Fox trumpets CAIR conspiracy theory charges made by author with anti-Islam history Repeated Fox News segments reported that, in Bret Baier's words, "Republican lawmakers say the Council on American-Islamic Relations, CAIR, is trying to infiltrate Capitol Hill by placing interns in key positions," an allegation stemming from a right-wing book whose author has a history of making outrageous and anti-Islamic assertions and is published by WorldNetDaily, which has its own history of making outrageous allegations and inflammatory remarks. Moreover, the document that Republican Reps. Sue Myrick (NC), John Shadegg (AZ), Paul Broun (GA), and Trent Franks (AZ) cited as evidence of CAIR's alleged activities is stolen and does not support their claims. Read More Breitbart websites' specious claim: Volunteer opportunity search engines have liberal bias In October 15 and September 18 posts, bloggers for Andrew Breitbart's BigHollywood.com and BigGovernment.com have denounced search engines used to promote volunteer opportunities by the Entertainment Industry Foundation's "I Participate" initiative and the federal United We Serve program, condemning the former for including volunteer opportunities with Planned Parenthood and the latter for including a volunteer opportunity for ACORN. However, neither post noted that the search engines promote volunteer opportunities with a wide array of groups, including the National Right to Life Committee and the Tea Party Nation. Read More Beck falsely claimed Anita Dunn "worships" "her hero" Mao Zedong Throughout most of his October 15 Fox News program, Glenn Beck falsely claimed that White House communications director Anita Dunn "worships" and "idolizes" "her hero" Mao Zedong. In fact, in the video that Beck aired as evidence to support his claims, Dunn offered no endorsement of Mao's ideology or atrocities -- rather, she commented that Mao and Mother Teresa were her two of her "favorite political philosophers," and based on short quotes from them, she offered the advice that "you don't have to follow other people's choices and paths" or "let external definition define how good you are internally." Read More You can help support our work; become a volunteer media monitor, or donate to Media Matters for America.