| 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. Right-wing harmony: BP escrow account is "a slush fund"
Right-wing media figures have responded to the decision by BP and the Obama administration to establish an escrow account funded by BP to pay claims arising from the Gulf oil spill by calling the account a "slush fund." Conservative commentators have habitually labeled progressive initiatives "a slush fund." Read More Fox News' evening shows still pushing falsehoods about Gulf oil leak
Fox News' programming on the evening of June 16 was littered with falsehoods about the BP oil leak, including the false claim that the federal government forced BP to drill in deep water and the myth that the Obama administration has refused foreign assistance. In fact, deep-water drilling is tied to the region's oil supply, and foreign aid is being used in the Gulf cleanup. Read More Malkin ignores Senate confirmations in attack on Obama "czars"
Columnist Michelle Malkin falsely suggested that the Obama administration "bypassed the Senate advise-and-consent role" in the appointment of 40 "czars," who she called "shadow secretaries with broad powers beyond congressional reach." In fact, many of these officials have been confirmed by the Senate or were appointed to positions created through legislation passed by Congress; additionally, a number of the officials had counterparts in the Bush administration. Read More Newsmax using fear to boost attendance at "summit" featuring O'Reilly
In the run-up to right-wing website Newsmax's June 17 Economic Crisis Summit -- featuring Bill O'Reilly - CEO and Editor in Chief Christopher Ruddy used fear of inflation and skyrocketing gas prices to entice people to attend the event. Previous Newsmax "summit[s]" have similarly stoked fears to drive sales of Newsmax's financial-services products. Read More Luntz's panel participants have been watching Fox News
During Fox & Friends' coverage of responses to President Obama's Oval Office address, Republican strategist Frank Luntz featured a panel of California voters to air their opinions. The panelists frequently echoed talking points pushed by Fox news, about both Obama's speech and his handling of the oil spill. Read More Fox attacks Kagan for Harvard's acceptance of grant by major News Corp. shareholder
FOXNews.com and WorldNetDaily reported Sen. Jeff Sessions' attack on Elena Kagan for a donation to Harvard from a Saudi prince that -- according to Sessions -- established a center for Sharia Law. In fact, the gift was given to Harvard University, not Harvard Law School, it did not establish a center for "Sharia Law," and the prince is a major shareholder of Fox News' parent News Corp. Read More Another double standard: Giuliani bashes Obama over "vacations"
Appearing on Fox News and MSNBC to criticize the Obama administration's response to the oil spill, Rudy Giuliani attacked President Obama for taking vacations after the oil spill and the Christmas Day bombing attempt, stating that "if it had been President Bush," the media would have slammed him. In fact, Bush did remain on vacation after the 2001 shoe bomber attempt and was not criticized for doing so; moreover, Bush spent several weekends at the Camp David retreat in the months following Hurricane Katrina. Read More Limbaugh's "dumpster dive" suggestion only latest salvo in his war on the poor
Rush Limbaugh has suggested that hungry children who can't afford food this summer go "dumpster div[ing]." This is only the most recent instance in which Limbaugh has mocked or derided the plight of the poor. Read More Thoroughly discredited Giuliani spreads falsehoods about Obama's handling of crises
In extensive June 17 interviews on Fox & Friends and MSNBC's Morning Joe, Rudy Giuliani offered a plethora of falsehoods on President Obama's handling of crises. The media's use of Giuliani as a credible crisis management expert belies his history of falsehoods and the criticism of his performance before, during, and after the 9-11 attacks. Read More Beck picks up Palin's falsehood that Obama has not prioritized ending Gulf oil leak
Glenn Beck criticized President Obama's June 15 Oval Office address by falsely claiming that Obama has not prioritized ending the Gulf of Mexico oil leak and is instead focused on energy reform. Beck's claim repeats the false criticism previously offered by his Fox News colleague Sarah Palin. Read More Beck dusts off discredited Brazilian loan falsehood to smear Obama, Soros over drilling moratorium
Glenn Beck leveled the outrageous claim that the Obama administration's drilling moratorium is part of a plot to enrich George Soros through increased oil drilling in Brazil. Beck's charge rested on the completely discredited claim that the Obama administration loaned $2 billion to Brazil, which FactCheck.org called "bogus" in September. Read More | 
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