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. WorldNetDaily vs. WorldNetDaily: Klein's book contradicts his employer on Obama's birth In his book The Manchurian President, WorldNetDaily reporter Aaron Klein writes that there is "no convincing evidence that [Barack] Obama was born in Kenya." But Klein's employer has repeatedly suggested that Obama was born in Kenya and even promoted a fraudulent "Kenyan birth certificate" for Obama. Read More Right-wing media attack Brennan over uncontroversial statements about jihad Right-wing media have claimed Obama administration counterterrorism adviser John Brennan's statement that jihad is a "legitimate tenet of Islam" is "absurd" and frightening" and indicates Brennan is "deranged." But former President George W. Bush similarly stated that extremists "distort the idea of jihad" to support their terrorist acts. Read More Hannity again falsely suggested Obama ignored oil spill, TN flooding Sean Hannity again falsely suggested that President Obama ignored the floods in Tennessee and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. In fact, Obama responded quickly to both disasters. Read More Earth to Fox: Obama visited the Gulf on May 2 On Fox & Friends, guest host Dave Briggs falsely claimed that President Obama "has not been down to the Gulf...[h]e has not had that moment to get down there in the Gulf and tell those people he cares, that he's doing something." In fact, Obama visited the Gulf Coast on May 2. Read More Right-wing media absurdly declare false Sestak "bribe" allegations "Obama's Watergate" Right-wing media are comparing false allegations that the White House "bribed" Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) with an administration job to the Watergate scandal. In fact, legal experts have rejected the claims that such offers are a bribe or are illegal. Read More Noonan falsely claims EPA chief "went to a New York fund-raiser" during oil spill In her Wall Street Journal column, Peggy Noonan falsely claimed that EPA administrator Lisa Jackson "went to a New York fund-raiser in the middle of the [Gulf oil spill] disaster." In fact, Jackson canceled her appearance at the fundraiser, which she had reportedly scheduled weeks before the oil spill. Read More Fox's attack on Obama's oil spill response rests on falsehoods Fox & Friends guest hosts falsely suggested that there was a "lack of cleanup going on" in the Gulf Coast oil spill and falsely suggested Louisiana's barrier plan had been ignored. In fact, cleanup of the oil spill has been ongoing for more than a month, and the Army Corps of Engineers responded to the barrier plan -- the effectiveness of which is being questioned -- and raised concerns that it would push oil into Mississippi. Read More Media conservatives attack critics of Arizona immigration law by invoking idea of civil war Right-wing media figures -- including Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh -- have attacked critics of the Arizona immigration law by invoking the idea of a civil war. For example, Beck suggested President Obama is "trying to destroy the country" and pushing America toward civil war. Read More Media's White House "bribe" falsehood driven by discredited sources Media conservatives have relied on discredited sources to push the false allegation that the White House broke the law and "bribed" Rep. Joe Sestak with an administration job in exchange for staying out of the Senate race. These sources have a history of promoting falsehoods and have significant ties to the GOP -- which include supporting Sestak's opponent in the Senate race. Read More Baier, Hayes push Sestak crime falsehood based on flawed legal interpretation Fox News' Bret Baier and Stephen Hayes falsely suggested that a White House offer to Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) of a position on a presidential panel violated the "plain language" of a federal statute. But President Bush's chief ethics lawyer has reportedly called this interpretation of the statute a "big stretch," and numerous legal experts have stated that no crime was committed. Read More Krauthammer falsely claims Romanoff "has said explicitly" WH offered job to quit race Charles Krauthammer falsely claimed that Democratic Senate primary candidate Andrew Romanoff "has said explicitly" that he was offered "an administration job" to cease his campaign. In fact, the claim was made by anonymous sources, not Romanoff, and the Obama White House has denied making any such offer. Read More You can help support our work; become a volunteer media monitor, or donate to Media Matters for America.