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. Echoing a right-wing blog, Doocy repeatedly claimed Obama's bow was unprecedentedIn reporting on the manner in which President Obama greeted Japanese Emperor Akihito, Fox & Friends host Steve Doocy repeatedly claimed that "dating back to the very founding of this Republic, American leaders do not bow to leaders of other countries." In fact, Obama's greeting was far from unprecedented, as several past Presidents have bowed while greeting foreign leaders. Additionally, in reporting on Obama's bow, Fox & Friends repeatedly cited right-wing blog Hot Air in their reports on Obama's greeting. Read More Quick Fact: On Oprah, Palin repeats falsehood that media didn't criticize "other candidates" over fashionDuring an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Sarah Palin trumpeted the false claim from her memoir, Going Rogue, that criticism over reports that the Republican National Committee spent $150,000 to clothe and accessorize Palin and her family represented a "double standard," because "it wasn't a controversy with other candidates." In fact, Democratic primary candidates Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and John Edwards were repeatedly criticized for their clothing and hair. Read More Fox, MSNBC reports of "local opposition" to housing Guantánamo detainees omit reports of local supportFollowing the announcement by Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) that the Obama administration is considering housing Guantánamo detainees in a largely vacant prison in Thomson, Illinois, Fox News' Catherine Herridge reported that that "we're seeing some signs of local opposition" among the residents, and MSNBC's Monica Novotny said there was local "outrage." Both omitted additional reporting that some residents welcome the decision, which could provide employment and economic stimulus to the community; indeed, Herridge ignored an earlier report on Fox News that some residents are "pretty open" to the decision. Read More Quick Fact: Beck smears SEIU's Stern as a communist because he said "workers of the world, unite"Glenn Beck asked, "What are the goals of Andy Stern and SEIU?" then aired a clip of Stern stating on PBS's Bill Moyers Journal, "workers of the world, unite, it's not just a slogan anymore. It's the way we're going to have to do our work." Beck then commented that "workers of the world, unite" is "a really dicey kind of phrase there" because "it's the old communist slogan," adding: "Good thing there hasn't been a recent rash of communist radicals running around the White House, right? I mean, because then I'd really be concerned." Read More |