News Hounds

Fox News Targets Planned Parenthood – Literally!

Reported by Priscilla - Tue 6:27 PM

As the “party of life,” the GOP seeks to end a woman’s right to an abortion. Planned Parenthood is on their enemies list as it is an abortion provider. That Planned Parenthood offers a whole range of reproductive related health services and education, especially in poorer communities, is of no concern to those conservatives who would seek to shut down this organization that offers help to those who need it. As the mouthpiece for conservative principals, Fox News offers a platform for those whose goal is to shut Planned Parenthood down. In addition to Sean Hannity’s hit piece on Planned Parenthood, Hannity, O’Reilly, and Beck have provided a platform for a group, whose “sting operations” against Planned Parenthood, are part of a greater effort to damage Planned Parenthood in the hope that state and federal funding will be cut off. Last week, subbing for Bill O’Reilly on “The Factor," Laura Ingraham interviewed one of these women and Alabama's Attorney General who was muy sympatico. While the interview contained the perfunctory anti abortion/Planned Parenthood memes, there was a troubling graphic which raised the question of whether Fox News was sending a signal to encourage domestic violence against Planned Parenthood.

H/T Crooks and Liars

Fox Cuts Away From Durbin Questions After Showing Graham In Full

Reported by Ellen - Tue 4:55 PM

Sure enough... Megyn Kelly just interrupted Democratic Senator Dick Durbin's questioning of Sonia Sotomayor after showing Republican Senator Lindsey Graham in full. This follows the pattern I noted earlier.

Fox's Megyn Kelly, Chris Wallace Gush Over Sessions' "Wise Latina" Questions For Sotomayor, Ignore His Troubling Record On Race

Reported by Ellen - Tue 4:34 PM

Media Matters caught Fox News' Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace gushing over Senator Jeff Sessions' questioning of Sonia Sotomayor, particularly regarding her "wise Latina" remarks, during today's confirmation hearings. Neither of the hosts (nor anyone else that I've heard during nearly continuous watching of Fox News coverage) told the viewers the highly relevant information that Sessions' record on race relations is so troubling that he was only the second man in 50 years not to be confirmed as a federal district judge when Ronald Reagan nominated him in 1986. With video.

In Sotomayor Hearings, Fox News Showing Republican Questions In Full, Cutting Away From Democrats

Reported by Ellen - Tue 4:14 PM

I'm sensing a pattern here. We saw Republican John Kyl's questions for Sonia Sotomayor in their entirety. But the "fair and balanced" network cut away from Democrat Charles Schumer, one of her biggest advocates, in the middle. Bret Baier announced that Sen. Lindsey Graham would be coming up. "THAT should be interesting," he said. Wanna bet we'll see Graham's portion in full?

Fox’s Megyn Kelly Dodges Issues About Anti-Sotomayor Witness, Allows Discussion To Turn Into Democrat-Smearing Session Instead

Reported by Ellen - Tue 2:53 AM

During their special coverage of the Sotomayor confiration hearings yesterday (7/13/09), Fox News’ Megyn Kelly held a not-so-balanced discussion about the upcoming testimony of New Haven firefighter Frank Ricci in the proceedings. Ricci, you’ll probably recall, was the lead plaintiff in the reverse discrimination case just won in the US Supreme Court after it overturned a decision signed by Sonia Sotomayor. He’s the guy Sean Hannity and his ilk have been holding up as the white Rosa Parks as part of their effort to paint Sotomayor as some kind of reverse racist. Well, it turns out Ricci has a rather lengthy history of filing employment discrimination complaints, including his first lawsuit against the City of New Haven – in which he claimed to have been discriminated against because he’s dyslexic. That’s right, the right’s standard bearer against affirmative action was for it before he was against it. So how did Kelly deal with this new information? By turning to a single, very biased guest - Ricci’s lawyer - and then allowing her to change the subject by gratuitously attacking Democrats and liberals. With video.

Hannity Fabricates Reasons Obama's Book Was Banned From Prison In Order To Paint Him As Terrorist Soulmate

Reported by Ellen - Mon 10:50 PM

Sean Hannity was full of bullyboy self-satisfaction tonight in his "Hannity's Hatred for America" segment as he used the fact that President Obama's books had been denied to "some of the country's most dangerous prisoners" on the grounds that they contained material "potentially detrimental to national security." Prison officials, who have since reversed course, declined to specify what material they found potentially dangerous, but they did provide specific pages. That was enough for Hannity to declare that he could determine which passages were the ones the prison "wanted to keep out of (Al Qaeda member) Abu Ali's hands." At the end, Hannity noted that prison officials had changed their minds and added, "I'm guessing he's going to enjoy Mr. Obama's conclusions."

Glenn Beck Complains About Softball "Questions" During Sotomayor Hearing - But There Weren't Any Questions

Reported by Ellen - Mon 8:11 PM

Self-importantly addressing his television audience as "America," Glenn Beck commanded that they watch his video mash up of the opening of the Sotomayor confirmation hearings. "As our country burns to the ground," Beck intoned ominously, "This is the questioning!" He continued by showing a slew of Democratic senators and Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham either praising Sonia Sotomayor or indicating there was little doubt she'd be confirmed as the next Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

The only problem? There were no questions during today's hearing.

Fox Nation Cites Radical, Right Wing Source To Paint Obama Science Advisor As Radical!

Reported by Priscilla - Mon 12:14 PM

Can we say irony?! Fox Nation, the place for “fair and balanced coverage of the news,” is doing a lede (“Czar Watch, Could Obama’s Science Czar Really Be This Radical?) on a topic that’s hot on right wing blogs and that is the smearing of President Obama’s Science Advisor, John Holdren. Perhaps disappointed that Obama wouldn’t select a rapture ready, global warming denying, 6,000 year old earther, the right wing is running with accusations that Holdren is a “globalist” who has “endorsed “surrender of sovereignty” to those evil, one world UN types who are lurking under your bed and just waiting to hand over the USA to the Prince of Darkness (no, not Bob Novak!). He’s also accused of other nasty, bad things including supporting eugenics. But what’s really worth a chuckle is the source of Fox Nation’s fear and loathing and that is the publication of red diaper baby and former left wing radical turned right wing shouter at clouds – David Horowitz. Yep, the source for this revelation is none other than Front Page Mag which, as was said in that classic Ed Wood flick, “Plan 9 from Outer Space,” – “that proves it.”

Fox Nation Posts April 15th Video As "Proof" That Tea Parties Are "Still Brewing"

Reported by Ellen - Mon 9:55 AM

Fox Nation has a headline called, "Tea Parties Still Brewing." But the only content to that post is a video about a tea party in Fishkill, NY on April 15, 2009, the original tea party day. Maybe it depends on what your definition of "still brewing" is. The commenters on the thread didn't seem to notice or care that the video was almost three months old. (H/T reader Kim G)

Fox Nation Plays Race Card Against Obama Administration

Reported by Ellen - Mon 3:17 AM

One of the blaring articles currently on Fox Nation, the website that brags about its commitment to the “core principles of tolerance, open debate (and) civil discourse,” gratuitously threw in a racial component to its current story about controversial Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The blaring headlines (screen grab after the jump) ask, “Holder Goes After Sheriff Joe But Not Black Panthers?” But the article linked to by Fox Nation says nothing about the Black Panthers; it’s a basic who, what, when, where and how Arpaio is refusing to co-operate with the Justice Department’s investigation into his alleged racial profiling. By adding the “question” about the Black Panthers, Fox Nation, was baselessly suggesting that Attorney General Eric Holder is racially biased in favor of African American extremists and against white Arpaio. Predictably, the headline elicited racist, extremist comments.

Let Them Eat Tax Cuts!

Reported by Ellen - Sun 12:52 PM

On yesterday’s (7/11/09) Forbes on Fox, much of the mostly-conservative panel argued with a straight face that poor people would be better off with more corporate tax cuts instead of food stamps. Out of seven people, only panelists Quentin Hardy and Evelyn Rusli saw the mean-spirited ridiculousness of the suggestion. With video.

Bill O’Reilly Lies About “Dumb” Air Force Decision To Deny Flyover Of Christian Festival.

Reported by Priscilla - Sun 12:45 PM

If Fox News has an important right wing issue, that they feel needs reinforcement, it is frequently covered on several programs. Their frequent denigration of ACORN is an example of how this theme is reinforced on the Fox shows and on Fox Nation. During the presidential campaign, Rev. Wright and Bill Ayers provided an abundance of “riches” for day and evening news on Fox. The Sotomayor appointment received quite a bit of coverage on Fox. Last week, Republican Senator Jeff Sessions, who has questions about Sotomayor’s “bias,” got a lot of face time on various Fox "news" shows. But the meme that evil libruls are out to destroy good Christian America, is part of the very fabric of Fox News’ “culture war” in which Fox&Friends and Bill O’Reilly are the storm troopers for preserving “traditional” values against the onslaught of heathenism. Gretchen Carlson took up the torch earlier this week, on the Air Force flyover brou-ha-ha, and passed it along to America’s “traditionalist” daddy, Bill O’Reilly. Did he run with it? Yes, he did!

Fox News Smears Jungle Gyms

Reported by Ellen - Sun 12:44 PM

Guest blogged by Brian

On yesterday’s (7/11/09) Bulls & Bears, the first topic was jungle gyms, farmers markets, street lights and walking paths being inserted into the health care plan in order to stimulate heathier living. But host Brenda Buttner, in another belying of Fox’s “we report, you decide” mantra, immediately set the tone by describing those items as "pork," and adding about "our lawmakers," “Someone here says THEY'RE full of it.” With video.

Fox Nation Obama/Pope Thread Provides Forum For More Hate

Reported by Priscilla - Sat 9:42 PM

The lede article on Fox Nation, “Obama Meets The Pope, Makes It Out Alive,” takes its title from the linked Newsweek article which was basically a description of the logistics of the meeting. But it is interesting that Fox Nation would feature this lede while having quickly buried the thread (which didn’t make the lede) about the Pope’s latest encyclical in which he was critical of the excesses of capitalism and spoke about preserving the environment. Interestingly, that thread was a link to a Newsbusters article in which Matthew Balan (who defended the Pope's condom remarks in Africa) tried to point out, in a tortured screed, that the Pope really wasn’t saying what he appeared to be saying. The thread generated incisive and respectful responses (just kidding) which included attacks on the Pope, in a Reformation redux, as a false leader and the usual palaver about Obama as the anti-Christ. But rather than reasoned discourse about the differences and similarities in world views between two world leaders or even some humor about the gift exchange, the discussion, on today’s thread, was more of the same old, same old hatred that Fox Nation specializes in - lots of perfunctory and less than lucid Obama hatred (and some anti Pope comments) including some perfunctory racism and yet another personal insult about Michelle Obama’s appearance after an off topic comment about the bogus lede photo of Obama looking at a woman’s derriere (no longer on the Nation front page) which was titled “busted.” (But you can catch the over 500 droolings in the archived article!) Must be a slow Saturday night. Can’t you just feel the “mutual respect.” Stay classy, Fox Nation!

Varney Lies About Employee Free Choice Act

Reported by Ellen - Sat 10:53 AM

Guest blogged by Brian

On yesterday’s (7/10/09) Your World, Stuart Varney claimed that unions were using President Obama’s meeting with the Pope to push their agenda, the Employee Free Choice Act a/k/a Card Check legislation. Varney used that accusation as a launch pad for distortions about the Act. The guest, Stewart Acuff of the AFL-CIO, did not let Varney get away with it. With video.

Gretchen Carlson And Anti Abortion Zealot Whine About Persecuted Christians

Reported by Priscilla - Sat 7:29 AM

Cue the violins or whatever instrument is used for more whining about those poor American Christians who are just so persecuted at the hands of the liberal Satanist/Commie/Marxist/Secular-Progressive/Islamic hordes. In addition to that “war on Christmas,” and other disrespect towards God’s chosen ones we now have the Air Force having been denied the opportunity to fly over the God and Country Festival. Somebody’s going to swim in the “lake of fire” and it won’t be Gretchen Carlson who is doing her sacred duty as a good Christian soldier by bringing this outrage to the public. Praise the Lord!!! Of course, her “coverage” of the story wasn’t exactly “fair and balanced” and it’s being used to disparage the Obama administration so we could have some commandment breaking; but it is in the service of spreading conservative Christianity (the kind that supports creationism and prayer in public schools, and seeks the criminalization of abortion) so it’s all good.

HT to Crooks and Liars and Daily Kos

Bill O’Reilly Obsesses About Michael Jackson’s White Children And Once Again Compares Him To O.J. Simpson

Reported by Ellen - Sat 12:31 AM

Guest blogged by Julie

On Wednesday night’s O’Reilly Factor (7/8/09), O’Reilly devoted a couple of segments to discussing Michael Jackson. Congressman Peter King wanted to talk about how Jackson was a pervert, a pedophile and a lowlife. Rev. Al Sharpton wanted to talk about Congressman Peter King. But Bill O’Reilly, who once again compared Jackson to O.J. Simpson, seemed particularly interested in talking about whether or not Michael Jackson should be considered an African American icon when he had two white kids. Huh? With video.

Fox Nation Declares "Victory" Over Delay In Climate Change Bill. How Much More Biased Can You Get?

Reported by Ellen - Fri 1:54 PM

Fox Nation, the website that, like its parent network, boasts about its "fair and balanced coverage of the news," proved that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree with this headline, currently blaring at the top of the home page: FOX Nation Victory! Obama's Drive for Climate Change Bill Delayed! Even worse, the article doesn't explain why this might be a victory for Fox Nation, i.e. neither the website nor its related network seems to have played any direct role in the process. So one can only conclude that the "victory" is for their now-blatant ideology. (H/T readers Dustin and Jeanette)

Fox News Panel’s Mean-Spirited Slurs Against Michelle Obama Include Attacking Her For Saying America Is A Mean Country

Reported by Ellen - Fri 10:24 AM

Sean Hannity and his panel of twin thinkers, S. E. Cupp and Kimberly Guilfoyle, didn’t seem to realize that they were inadvertently proving Michelle Obama’s point about America being “just downright mean” as they belittled and sneered at her for sporting an expensive handbag and going on date nights in New York City. “Private jet” Hannity made quite a phony-baloney show of pretending to be a regular guy who wears sneakers that cost “only” $80 (though he said later in the show that they cost $90). With video.

Hannity, Guilfoyle and Cupp Unanimously Distort USA Today Article To Accuse Obama Of Buying Votes With Stimulus

Reported by Ellen - Fri 2:49 AM

As Think Progress and Steve Benen have posted, conservatives have been touting a USA Today article, which reported that places that voted for Barack Obama in 2008 have gotten more stimulus funds per capita than those that favored John McCain, and calling that “proof” that the stimulus is actually some kind of vote-buying scheme by Obama. There’s just one hitch: The USA article clearly indicates otherwise. We’d expect Sean Hannity, with his extensive history of distortions, to overlook those details but what’s the excuse of his two guests, S.E. Cupp and Kimberly Guilfoyle? With video.