C.L.I.C.K. for Justice and Equality is an agent of communication alerting our social community of injustices and inequalities among the socially disadvantaged and disenfranchised individual. C.L.I.C.K. developed and created this website to assist the socially disenfranchised or disadvantaged individual in litigating their issues in Federal and State courts.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Media Matters Daily Summary




Media Matters for America
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.
Wash. Post article on anti-Clinton film glosses over filmmaker's controversial past
Writing about the Citizens United-produced film Hillary: The Movie, The Washington Post identified the group's president, David Bossie, only as "a former congressional aide whose battles with the Clinton administration are legendary." But that description is inadequate; the Post did not note that Bossie was reportedly fired as a congressional staffer in 1998 for his role in releasing misleadingly edited transcripts that gave the false impression former Clinton administration official Webster Hubbell had implicated then-first lady Hillary Clinton in wrongdoing. Read More
CNN's King asked Cheney several leading questions, inviting him to hammer Obama
Interviewing former Vice President Dick Cheney, CNN's John King asked Cheney several leading questions, most premised on conservative or Republican talking points, that provided Cheney ample opportunities to attack President Obama. For instance, King asked Cheney whether he "believe[s] the president of the United States has made Americans less safe" by reversing several Bush administration's national security policies and whether he agrees with "the conservative weekly Human Events" that Obama is "trying to brazenly deceive the American people." Read More
Wash. Post opinion page asked congressional Republicans -- but not Dems -- "whether federal budget earmarks are defensible"
No Democratic members of Congress were quoted in a Washington Post opinion article asking "members of Congress and others whether federal budget earmarks are defensible"; the three members of Congress whose responses were listed are all Republicans. This is consistent with a pattern in the media of portraying earmarks as a practice unique to Democrats. Read More
Forbes on Fox's Asman falsely claimed Obama "once pledged to ban all earmarks"
On Forbes on Fox, host David Asman falsely claimed that President Barack Obama "once pledged to ban all earmarks." In fact, Obama promised to reform the earmark process and cut wasteful spending, not eliminate earmarks altogether. Read More
Tucker Carlson presented faulty timeline as purported evidence Stewart's criticism of Cramer "was a partisan attack"
On Reliable Sources, Tucker Carlson asserted regarding Jon Stewart's recent criticism of CNBC's Jim Cramer: "This was a partisan attack. He went after -- he went after Cramer the moment Cramer criticized [President] Obama's budget. That was the mortal sin. That's what kicked off this entire feud." Carlson made a similar claim to the Politico. In fact, Stewart criticized Cramer at least as far back as March 17, 2008, for claiming that investment firm Bear Stearns was "not in trouble" less than a week before the company collapsed. Read More
CNN's John King did not challenge Cheney's false claim that "chairmen" Frank, Dodd were "stone wall" to Fannie/Freddie reform
On CNN's State of the Union, host John King did not challenge former Vice President Dick Cheney's false claim that the Bush administration tried "to impose reforms on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and we ran into a stone wall on Capitol Hill in the form of the chairmen and -- of the Banking Committee in the House and the Senate, Barney Frank and Chris Dodd." In fact, Frank and Dodd were not "chairmen" until 2007, after which time Congress passed oversight legislation of Fannie and Freddie. Read More
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Sarah Palin's daughter and fiance break up - The Irish Times - Thu, Mar 12, 2009

Sarah Palin's daughter and fiance break up - The Irish Times - Thu, Mar 12, 2009

CNN's John King did not challenge Cheney's false claim that "chairmen" Frank, Dodd were "stone wall" to Fannie/Freddie reform

Media Matters - CNN's John King did not challenge Cheney's false claim that "chairmen" Frank, Dodd were "stone wall" to Fannie/Freddie reform

On CNN's State of the Union, host John King did not challenge former Vice President Dick Cheney's false claim that the Bush administration tried "to impose reforms on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and we ran into a stone wall on Capitol Hill in the form of the chairmen and -- of the Banking Committee in the House and the Senate, Barney Frank and Chris Dodd." In fact, Frank and Dodd were not "chairmen" until 2007, after which time Congress passed oversight legislation of Fannie and Freddie.

Tucker Carlson presented faulty timeline as purported evidence Stewart's criticism of Cramer "was a partisan attack"

Media Matters - Tucker Carlson presented faulty timeline as purported evidence Stewart's criticism of Cramer "was a partisan attack"

On Reliable Sources, Tucker Carlson asserted regarding Jon Stewart's recent criticism of CNBC's Jim Cramer: "This was a partisan attack. He went after -- he went after Cramer the moment Cramer criticized [President] Obama's budget. That was the mortal sin. That's what kicked off this entire feud." Carlson made a similar claim to the Politico. In fact, Stewart criticized Cramer at least as far back as March 17, 2008, for claiming that investment firm Bear Stearns was "not in trouble" less than a week before the company collapsed.

Forbes on Fox 's Asman falsely claimed Obama "once pledged to ban all earmarks"

Media Matters - Forbes on Fox 's Asman falsely claimed Obama "once pledged to ban all earmarks"

On Forbes on Fox, host David Asman falsely claimed that President Barack Obama "once pledged to ban all earmarks." In fact, Obama promised to reform the earmark process and cut wasteful spending, not eliminate earmarks altogether.

Wash. Post opinion page asked congressional Republicans -- but not Dems -- "whether federal budget earmarks are defensible"

Media Matters - Wash. Post opinion page asked congressional Republicans -- but not Dems -- "whether federal budget earmarks are defensible"

No Democratic members of Congress were quoted in a Washington Post opinion article asking "members of Congress and others whether federal budget earmarks are defensible"; the three members of Congress whose responses were listed are all Republicans. This is consistent with a pattern in the media of portraying earmarks as a practice unique to Democrats.

CNN's King asked Cheney several leading questions, inviting him to hammer Obama

Media Matters - CNN's King asked Cheney several leading questions, inviting him to hammer Obama

Interviewing former Vice President Dick Cheney, CNN's John King asked Cheney several leading questions, most premised on conservative or Republican talking points, that provided Cheney ample opportunities to attack President Obama. For instance, King asked Cheney whether he "believe[s] the president of the United States has made Americans less safe" by reversing several Bush administration's national security policies and whether he agrees with "the conservative weekly Human Events" that Obama is "trying to brazenly deceive the American people."

Cook County Republicans speak out about the politics in Illinois





Cook County GOP Lincoln Day Luncheon
March 29, 2009

Join the Cook County Republican Party as we celebrate Abraham Lincoln's 200th Birthday for a Luncheon on March 29, 2009. Congressman Aaron Schock will be our Keynote Speaker, and there will also be a special address by Cook County Board President exploratory candidate Paul Vallas. Click here for more information or to purchase tickets.


Watch Keynote Speaker Congressman Aaron Schock profiled on NBC's Today Show:



Democrats block Cook County tax rollback
Daily Herald - 3/11/09


Suburban Republican efforts to force a vote on possibly rolling back Cook County's sales taxes were blocked Tuesday by Democrats in the Illinois House.

State Rep. Sidney Mathias, a Buffalo Grove Republican, complained that his proposal to force public votes on such tax increases was bottled up in a House committee and hadn't been scheduled for a vote. Mathias pushed to have the plan released only to have Democratic leadership say his request was out of order...read more...


Democratic Lawmakers to Cook County Residents: No Tax Relief
Cook GOP News Release - 3/13/09


Republicans in Illinois want average citizens to make the ultimate decision about how their hard earned money is taxed by local governments. Unfortunately, Illinois' Democratic leaders disagree and are willing to fight to keep the citizens of Cook County the most heavily taxed in the nation....read more...



Illinois Income Tax Rate may rise by 50 percent
Chicago Tribune - 3/13/09

Gov. Pat Quinn is considering raising the Illinois income tax by 50 percent in a politically risky bid to address one of the biggest budget dilemmas in state history, sources said Thursday.

An increase to 4.5 percent from the current 3 percent tax rate on individuals would include a corresponding hike in the corporate income tax on businesses, according to sources familiar with the new governor's preparations for his first budget address Wednesday.....read more...


New Quid Pro Quo questions between Burris, Blagojevich
Chicago Sun-Times - 3/6/09


On the same December day then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich named Roland Burris to fill President Obama's U.S. Senate vacancy, Burris' right-hand political man, Fred Lebed, phoned an associate and told him, "We'll have to do some things for the governor."


That's the recollection of the associate, a health-care and political consultant named John Ruff, who went on to become one of Burris' co-plaintiffs on a January lawsuit that sought to help Burris claim his Senate sea...read more...



Millions in AIG bonuses draw chorus of outrage

Millions in AIG bonuses draw chorus of outrage

Leaders of the White House economic team and the Senate's top Republican bellowed about bonuses at a bailed-out insurance giant and pledged to prevent such payments in the future.

From one Sunday talk show to the next, they tore into the contracts that American International Group asserted had to be honored, to the tune of about $165 million and payable to executives by Sunday — part of a larger total payout reportedly valued at $450 million. The company has benefited from more than $170 billion in a federal rescue.