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. Media reported GOP reconciliation criticisms, ignored their previous support for process Print media have uncritically quoted Republican senators criticizing congressional Democrats' decision to use the budget reconciliation process to advance health-care reform and education initiatives as overly partisan, without noting that congressional Republicans -- including the senators quoted -- voted to allow the use of the budget reconciliation process to pass major Bush administration initiatives. Read More Goler reverses meaning of Obama quote to falsely suggest he supports European-style health care Fox News' Wendell Goler cropped a comment by President Obama and took it out of context to falsely suggest that he supports creating a health care system "like the European countries." In fact, Obama was paraphrasing the town hall question he had been asked before explaining why he opposed such a system. Read More You can help support our work; become a volunteer media monitor, or donate to Media Matters for America.

Officials: 2 Fla. sheriff's deputies fatally shot

Officials: 2 Fla. sheriff's deputies fatally shot: "Two north Florida sheriff's deputies were fatally shot at a shooting range by a suspect who was later killed by deputies after he fled across the county line, authorities said."

3 dead, 2 hurt in Ga. shooting; professor sought

3 dead, 2 hurt in Ga. shooting; professor sought: "A University of Georgia professor who police suspect in the fatal shootings of his ex-wife and two men outside a theater near campus Saturday disappeared in his Jeep after dropping his children off with a neighbor, authorities said."

Mexico fights swine flu with 'pandemic potential'

Mexico fights swine flu with 'pandemic potential': "A new swine flu strain that has killed as many as 68 people and sickened more than 1,000 across Mexico has 'pandemic potential,' the World Health Organization chief said Saturday, and it may be too late to contain the sudden outbreak."

Iowa on Obama-No regrets, a few worries

Iowa on Obama-No regrets, a few worries: "En route here for a nearby event, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said earlier this week, “Iowa will always be a special place for the president.”"

Republicans push nuclear energy to lower costs

Republicans push nuclear energy to lower costs: "The U.S. should build 100 more nuclear plants rather than spend 'billions in subsidies' for renewable energy if it is truly committed to lowering electric bills and having clean air, the Republicans say."

NKorea says it has restarted nuclear facilities

NKorea says it has restarted nuclear facilities: "North Korea said Saturday it has begun harvesting plutonium from spent fuel rods at its main nuclear plant to build up its atomic arsenal. The move, in defiance of tightening U.N. sanctions, threatened to further damage efforts to dismantle the communist nation's rogue program"

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. Kudlow echoes baseless Drudge headline on Obama supporters Echoing a Drudge Report headline, Larry Kudlow asserted that "Obama supporters [are] saying he's the best president in history." Kudlow cited no examples of Obama supporters who have said this, and the Politico article to which the Drudge headline linked contained no such assertions from Obama supporters. Read More Wash. Times editorial distorts Rosa Brooks' statement on Al Qaeda In an editorial discussing newly appointed Defense Department official Rosa Brooks, The Washington Times wrote that Brooks "has called al Qaeda 'little more than an obscure group of extremist thugs.' " In fact, Brooks used that phrase in 2007 to refer to the view of Al Qaeda in 2001 held by "most experts." Read More CQ, AP ignore Boehner's use of "torture" to describe techniques Congressional Quarterly and the AP reported that "critics" say interrogation techniques outlined in Justice Department memos amount to torture and quoted Rep. John Boehner's criticism of the memos' release. However, neither outlet noted that Boehner himself characterized the techniques as "torture." Read More Drudge hypes article claiming Gore "chickened out" from confronting skeptic Matt Drudge highlighted the claim from global warming skeptic Marc Morano that "House Democrats have refused to allow [a global warming skeptic] to appear alongside former Vice President Al Gore at a high profile global warming hearing on Friday." But Newt Gingrich and others who disagree with Gore on climate change legislation the House is considering are also testifying at the hearing. Read More LA Times reported McConnell's criticism of reconciliation without noting his past support of process The Los Angeles Times reported Sen. Mitch McConnell's criticism of Democrats' potential use of the reconciliation process to pass health-care reform without noting that he repeatedly voted in favor of using reconciliation to pass the Bush tax cuts. Read More FBN's Sullivan falsely claimed DHS report "nam[ed] veterans groups as possible extremist groups" Fox Business' Brian Sullivan falsely asserted that DHS "nam[ed] veterans groups as possible extremist groups" in a recent report on right-wing extremism. In fact, citing an FBI assessment authored during the Bush administration, the report warned of a possible resurgence among extremist groups that "will attempt to recruit and radicalize returning veterans." Read More Misoverestimating him: Media graded Bush's first 100 days on a curve Assessing President Bush's first 100 days, media figures and outlets repeatedly set a low bar -- which in some cases they explicitly acknowledged -- and then judged him as having cleared it. Read More NRO's Hemingway gets history wrong in accusing Begala of botching facts Mark Hemingway claimed that Paul Begala's statement that "[o]ur country executed Japanese soldiers who waterboarded American POWs" is false. However, the United States participated in a tribunal that sentenced numerous Japanese soldiers to death for war crimes including "torture" after a trial in which forms of waterboarding were presented as evidence of torture. Read More 100 days of myths and falsehoods As media figures prepare to recognize President Obama's 100th day in office, Media Matters has reviewed coverage since the inauguration and identified numerous myths and falsehoods about the administration and its policies. Read More You can help support our work; become a volunteer media monitor, or donate to Media Matters for America.

US journalist jailed in Iran goes on hunger strike

US journalist jailed in Iran goes on hunger strike: "The American journalist convicted of spying in Iran has gone on a hunger strike to protest her imprisonment, her father said Saturday."

Craigslist founder isn't closing 'erotic' section

Craigslist founder isn't closing 'erotic' section: "The founder of Craigslist does not plan to close the 'erotic services' section of the Web site despite criticism that has intensified after a medical student was accused of killing a Boston masseuse who advertised there."

US Navy: Pirates seize German ship near Somalia

US Navy: Pirates seize German ship near Somalia: "Hijackers seized a German-owned ship in the pirate-infested waters between Somalia and Yemen on Saturday, a U.S. Navy spokesman said."