Media claim White House has thrust Limbaugh into limelight -- but Limbaugh and GOP have done this for years

Media Matters - Media claim White House has thrust Limbaugh into limelight -- but Limbaugh and GOP have done this for years

Recently, many in the media have echoed the charge by the GOP that the White House is shining the spotlight on Rush Limbaugh in order to distract attention from the country's problems. In fact, Limbaugh and the GOP have demonstrated repeatedly over the years that they don't need assistance from Democrats for the spotlight to shine on Limbaugh. The party has honored and defended him repeatedly, the media have praised him, and Limbaugh has thrust himself into the spotlight countless times through his outrageous comments and conduct.

MSNBC continues to use misleading charts suggesting Obama is responsible for Dow's decline

Media Matters - MSNBC continues to use misleading charts suggesting Obama is responsible for Dow's decline

In the past few days, MSNBC has repeatedly used misleading graphics of the Dow Jones industrial average showing a decline since the beginning of November 2008, suggesting that the drop started with the election of President Obama. In fact, the Dow was on a downward trajectory months before the election, dropping 3,738 points from May 2, 2008, to November 3, 2008.

AP's Raum suggested Obama at fault for mounting job losses, but even Larry Kudlow disagrees

Media Matters - AP's Raum suggested Obama at fault for mounting job losses, but even Larry Kudlow disagrees

In an AP "analysis," Tom Raum suggested that President Obama is to blame for job losses since he took office -- an argument rejected even by conservative CNBC host and National Review Online economics editor Larry Kudlow.

Bloomberg News, WSJ op-ed blame Obama for stock drop, ignore longer-term trend

Media Matters - Bloomberg News, WSJ op-ed blame Obama for stock drop, ignore longer-term trend:

"In a March 6 news article headline, Bloomberg referred to the 'Obama Bear Market,' and The Wall Street Journal ran an op-ed on the same day with the headline 'Obama's Radicalism is Killing the Dow.' In fact, the market has been on a decline since October 2007, and, as the Financial Times' Dan McCrum said, 'it's the economy which is driving the market down here' and that 'what's important is that President Obama doesn't try to address that in the short term. He's quite right that short-term market movements aren't -- shouldn't be driving government policy. What he needs to do is concentrate on fixing the economy, and the market will sort itself out.'In a March 6 news article headline, Bloomberg referred to the 'Obama Bear Market,' and The Wall Street Journal ran an op-ed on the same day with the headline 'Obama's Radicalism is Killing the Dow.' In fact, the market has been on a decline since October 2007, and, as the Financial Times' Dan McCrum said, 'it's the economy which is driving the market down here' and that 'what's important is that President Obama doesn't try to address that in the short term. He's quite right that short-term market movements aren't -- shouldn't be driving government policy. What he needs to do is concentrate on fixing the economy, and the market will sort itself out.'"

Limbaugh runs with homeless-cell phone smear

Media Matters - Limbaugh runs with homeless-cell phone smear

Discussing a photo of Michelle Obama at a homeless shelter that featured a man photographing Obama using a cell phone, Rush Limbaugh said, "[T]he homeless and the poor are showing up taking pictures of her with their cell phones." But homeless advocates have stated that cell phones are a "lifeline" for the homeless and noted the importance of having a stable phone number in trying to find jobs.

Media Matters - Limbaugh Wire

Media Matters - Limbaugh Wire

Limbaugh is creating a barrier for African Americans and the Republican party. What do you think?

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Scarborough baselessly claimed "we're spending ... $2 trillion this year ... just to pay interest on the national debt"

Media Matters - Scarborough baselessly claimed "we're spending ... $2 trillion this year ... just to pay interest on the national debt"

Despite warnings from many economists that stimulus may be too small, network news rarely raised the issue

Media Matters - Despite warnings from many economists that stimulus may be too small, network news rarely raised the issue

NY Times omitted David Bossie's controversial past in article discussing his group's anti-Clinton film

Media Matters - NY Times omitted David Bossie's controversial past in article discussing his group's anti-Clinton film

Crain's Business Report for March 6, 2009

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/emails/daily/2009-03-06.html

U.S. unemployment rate jumps to 25-year high

Ex-Blagojevich fundraiser barred from city work

Deere announces 325 more layoffs

Prosecutor wants Burris tapes from feds: report

Nationwide Ministry: Isabelle Brazier Scholarship and Youth Enrichment Award Breakfast - March 21, 2009

Nationwide Ministry

The Guest Speaker will be: Lerone Bennett Jr. This is a must attend.

Media Matters: The media's tax fraud

Media Matters - Media Matters: The media's tax fraud

Crain's Business Report for March 5, 2009

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/emails/daily/2009-03-05.html

Wash. Post 's Connolly reported Obama and Grassley "gently sparred" but omitted comments undermining her characterization

Media Matters - Wash. Post 's Connolly reported Obama and Grassley "gently sparred" but omitted comments undermining her characterization

CNN's Yellin failed to identify CPR chairman as ex-CEO of scandal-plagued hospital firm

Media Matters - CNN's Yellin failed to identify CPR chairman as ex-CEO of scandal-plagued hospital firm

Media figures advance false claim that Obama is breaking campaign promise of no earmarks

Media Matters - Media figures advance false claim that Obama is breaking campaign promise of no earmarks

Fox News characterized not-so-secret Biden appearance at AFL-CIO meeting as "secret"

Media Matters - Fox News characterized not-so-secret Biden appearance at AFL-CIO meeting as "secret"

CNN.com Live

http://www.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=stream1

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. AP cited Republican criticism of the "more than 8,000 earmarks" in omnibus bill without noting they requested many of them The AP reported that Republicans "have called on [President] Obama to veto a pending $410 billion spending bill because it includes more than 8,000 earmarks," without noting that many of the earmarks were included at the request of Republicans. Read More ABC's Gibson falsely claimed Obama "campaign[ed] on a promise to end pet projects" On ABC's World News, Charles Gibson advanced the false claim that prior to President Obama's statement that he would sign an omnibus appropriations bill that includes earmarks, Obama "campaign[ed] on a promise to end pet projects, earmarks." In fact, Obama had actually promised to reform the earmark process and cut wasteful spending, not eliminate earmarks altogether. Read More O'Reilly misrepresented Obama remark to falsely claim he "pledg[ed] ... to end earmarks" Bill O'Reilly aired a clip of President Obama stating, "We are going to ban all earmarks, the process by which individual members insert pet projects without review," which he falsely characterized as "President Obama pledging last January to end earmarks in federal spending." In fact, Obama was referring to his desire to "ban all earmarks" from his "recovery and reinvestment plan," which he specifically distinguished from "the overall budget process." Read More Fox News' Kilmeade echoes charitable donation deduction falsehood On Fox & Friends, Brian Kilmeade falsely asserted that President Obama has proposed eliminating the ability of taxpayers to take income tax deductions for their charitable contributions. In fact, Obama has not proposed eliminating the charitable donation income tax deduction for any taxpayers. Rather, a provision in Obama's budget proposal would, beginning in fiscal year 2011, reduce the tax rate at which families earning more than $250,000 per year can take itemized deductions to 28 percent. Read More Limbaugh conservatives continue 75-year-old "socialized medicine" smear As President Obama lays the groundwork for releasing his plan to reform the country's health-care system, Rush Limbaugh responds on cue with a pre-emptive attempt to undermine reform efforts with the tired smear of "socialized medicine." Just how tired? Very -- it is at least three-quarters of a century old. Media Matters found that as far back as the 1930s -- with respect to at least 16 different proposals -- conservatives have volleyed attacks on progressive efforts at health-care reform with the clichéd -- and false -- label of "socialized medicine." Read More Wash. Post's Connolly baselessly put "estimates" of Obama's health-care plan at "$1 trillion each year" for "some time" Discussing President Obama's health-care plan on MSNBC Live, The Washington Post's Ceci Connolly baselessly asserted that "estimates" for the plan put the cost at "$1 trillion each year." However, Connolly wrote in a Post article on the plan that its estimated total -- not yearly -- cost is at least $1 trillion, while other outlets have reported that the plan is expected to cost more than $1 trillion "over 10 years." Read More Dobbs said poll shows Obama's "honeymoon with Americans on the economy" is ending -- but poll hasn't changed Lou Dobbs claimed that "President Obama's honeymoon with Americans on the economy appears to be at an end," asserting that the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll showed that "only 54 percent of Americans say the president has the right goals and policies for this country." However, the survey results for the same question from the previous two months' polls are nearly identical. Read More Fox News' Hemmer allowed former CEO of scandal-plagued hospital firm to spread stimulus health care falsehood On America's Newsroom, Bill Hemmer allowed Richard Scott, whom Hemmer did not note resigned as chairman of HCA, Inc. amid a federal investigation, to falsely claim that a provision in the stimulus bill allows the federal government to "take away" some of patients' health care "choices." In fact, the provision in question allocates funds for the research of "the comparative effectiveness of health care treatments and strategies," but in no way does the law empower the council to dictate which treatments may or may not be prescribed. Read More Wash. Post uncritically reports "socialized medicine" rhetoric about Obama's health care plan In an article on President Obama's health care plan, The Washington Post reported that Conservatives for Patients' Rights is promising to launch a multimillion-dollar ad campaign "warning that the country is hurtling toward socialized medicine." The Post did not provide any basis for the charge, nor did it note that, in fact, Obama is not proposing "socialized medicine." Read More Following Drudge, media compare Obama to Nixon, cite purported "enemies list" After Matt Drudge posted the headline "ENEMIES LIST: WHITE HOUSE PLOTS LIMBAUGH COVERAGE" on his website, several media figures -- including Rush Limbaugh, Lou Dobbs, Tony Blankley, and Newt Gingrich -- advanced Drudge's claim that Obama, like President Nixon, had an "enemies list," or compared the Obama White House to the Nixon administration. Read More Hume ignored climate experts to assert significance of purported global cooling trend Fox News' Brit Hume asserted that "climate alarmists certainly did not foresee the cooling trend of the past decade" and, therefore, the Obama administration is premature in implementing cap-and-trade policies to curb global warming because it is merely a "scientific consensus" and "something that is not yet a fact." In fact, according to climate scientists, the temperature data continue to show a long-term upward trend in global surface temperature, and a cooling trend would need to last longer than a decade before it could be distinguished from the natural variability in the Earth's global surface temperature. Read More Fox's Garrett exaggerated in claiming Obama's statistic on bankruptcies tied to health costs is "[n]ot even close" At a March 5 health-care forum, President Obama said, "The cost of health care now causes a bankruptcy in America every 30 seconds." On Special Report, Major Garrett reported that when asked to support that statistic, the White House cited a 2005 op-ed by Harvard law professor Elizabeth Warren in which she referred to a Harvard study that supports the statistic. But Garrett did not note this. Instead, he referred to Treasury Department statistics from 2000 and pronounced Obama's assertion "[n]ot even close." Read More False advertising: Beck show promo denounced calling Dems communists, but he often does that on his show In a January promotion for his then-upcoming Fox News program, Glenn Beck denounced those who accuse Democrats of leading America toward communism: "I'm tired of the politics of left and right. It's about right and wrong. We argue back and forth -- 'If you haven't voted for the donkey, you're just a hatemonger.' The other side -- 'Oh, those donkeys trying to turn us into communist Russia.' Stop!" But since his show premiered, Beck has repeatedly used his program to smear President Obama, Democrats, and their policies as communist -- and Marxist, socialist, and fascist. Read More You can help support our work; become a volunteer media monitor, or donate to Media Matters for America.

Gold Rush: Dems launch Operation Rushbo

Gold Rush: Dems launch Operation Rushbo

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. Fox's Henneberg falsely claimed Democrats in White House "want government-run health-care programs" On Special Report, Molly Henneberg reported that "Democrats control the White House and Congress, and they want government-run health-care programs." In fact, the White House health-care Web page states: "On health care reform, the American people are too often offered two extremes -- government-run health care with higher taxes or letting the insurance companies operate without rules. President Obama and Vice President Biden believe both of these extremes are wrong." Read More Wash. Times ignored McConnell's $51 million contribution to omnibus bill he decried as part of "spending binge" The Washington Times uncritically reported Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's statement that the omnibus bill is part of an ongoing "spending binge," without noting that according to a study by independent budget watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense, McConnell himself added 36 earmarks to the bill totaling about $51.2 million. Read More NY Times article missing reference to Graham's statement that "nationalizing the banks" should be considered In reporting that the AFL-CIO's executive council will push the Obama administration "to call for moving more aggressively on nationalization" to "counter Republican and business cries against it" and that "[l]abor leaders said the administration appeared to be vacillating on nationalization partly out of fear of Republican attacks that it was adopting socialist policies," The New York Times did not mention Sen. Lindsey Graham's statement that "nationalizing the banks" is an option that should be considered. Read More Times' Dowd used falsehood to advance McCain accusation that Obama broke promise on earmarks The New York Times' Maureen Dowd falsely claimed that President Obama is not "liv[ing] up to his own no-earmark pledge from the campaign," echoing a Times article false claim that Obama made "campaign promises to put an end to the practice" of earmarks and Sen. John McCain's accusation that Obama has gone back on a promise to "work to eliminate ... earmarks." In fact, Obama promised to reform the earmark process and cut wasteful spending. Read More CNN's Henry falsely suggested Obama's tax proposals would affect taxpayers in all income brackets On CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight, Ed Henry falsely suggested that President Obama's proposals to allow the Bush tax cuts to expire and to increase the capital gains tax rate would affect taxpayers in all income brackets. In fact, Obama has proposed allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire -- and increasing the capital gains tax rate -- only for individuals earning more than $200,000 in income and for joint filers earning more than $250,000 per year. Read More In CNBC host Cramer's "U.S.S.A.": "Comrade[]" Obama is a "Bolshevik" who is "taking cues from Lenin" CNBC's Jim Cramer has repeatedly characterized President Obama and congressional Democrats as Russian communists intent on "rampant wealth destruction," claiming Obama is "taking cues from Lenin" and using terms such as "Bolshevik," "Marx," "comrades," "Soviet," "Winter Palace," and "Politburo" in reference to Democrats. Read More Fox News hosts falsely asserted that doctors could be jailed for refusing to perform abortions under Obama administration In separate reports, Fox News' Bret Baier and Megyn Kelly misrepresented the reported plans of the Obama administration to rescind a December 2008 Bush administration regulation to falsely assert that the Obama administration's decision could result in doctors' being prosecuted or discriminated against for refusing to perform abortions. In fact, federal law -- which the Obama administration cannot "repeal[]" -- prohibits public officials from requiring recipients of public funds to perform abortions or sterilizations in violation of their religious or moral beliefs. Read More Beck, Pethokoukis cited Marshall Institute's cap-and-trade study, ignored its ExxonMobil funding Glenn Beck and James Pethokoukis each cited a study by the George C. Marshall Institute to criticize the carbon cap-and-trade system described in President Obama's budget proposal. But neither Beck nor Pethokoukis noted that the Marshall Institute has received funding from ExxonMobil. Read More Media assault on Obama's character: He "lied" and has "broken so many promises" Many media conservatives have recently embraced and promoted the accusation, almost in unison, that President Obama has "lied" or broken promises. In many cases, these accusations are based on distortions of comments he has made or misrepresentations of campaign pledges. Read More You can help support our work; become a volunteer media monitor, or donate to Media Matters for America.

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc.

Headlines-The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc.

Steele to Rush: I'm sorry - Mike Allen - POLITICO.com

Steele to Rush: I'm sorry - Mike Allen - POLITICO.com

The Associated Press: GOP chairman apologizes for Limbaugh remarks

The Associated Press: GOP chairman apologizes for Limbaugh remarks