If you liked what Paul Ryan helped the Bush administration do in Iraq, you’ll love what he's cheering for in Iran. That was the message from Ryan’s campaign stop on the Hannity show last night where Sean Hannity credulously welcomed Ryan’s boast that voting for the (misbegotten) Iraq war – and going to the funerals that ensued – gave him enough foreign policy gravitas to talk tough and support an Israeli strike against Iran. 

Just when you thought you were safe from alien invasions, along comes a new threat. In what could be a poster for a grade B horror flick, the "fair & balanced" Fox "news" website is now warning us about a truly scary attack on Christians and Mormons by truly scary atheists who, as Fox warns us, are out to destroy the most awesome country that Jesus created. Grab yer bibles and yer guns cuz atheists, in Charlotte NC, have erected billboards that "target Romney, Obama beliefs." Funny, Fox has never had a problem with the vile anti-Obama billboards that occasionally make an appearance across this "exceptional" country. Anyway, be afraid, be very afraid cuz the atheists are attacking!!!!!

After Dr. Tiller was murdered in a climate of anti-abortion zealotry fed by the rhetoric of anti-choice secular and religious leaders, as well Bill O'Reilly's nationally televised crusade against the doctor, pro-choice leaders didn't appear on Fox News to address the real hatred that was directed (and still is) against them. But after a failed shooting at the Family Research Council, on the part of somebody who isn't part of a national movement, the head of the FRC has been given free Fox News face time during which he continues to blame both the librul media and the Southern Poverty Law Center for giving the gunman a "license of shoot." And how does Tony Perkins arrive at that conclusion? Why it's because, during the recent, brief "controversy" over Chick fil-A, the media referenced that FACT that the SPLC had classified the FRC as a "hate group." Prior to that, it's probably safe to say that most folks never heard of the SPLC; but according to Perkins it's the one spreading hate when the REALITY, not mentioned on Fox, is that the FRC has some decidedly dirty laundry. On Monday, Perkins got more Fox face time to whine about being unfairly accused of hate while he accused the SPLC of causing the actions of the shooter. Got hypocrisy?

Only on Fox News, and maybe only on BFF Greta Van Susteren’s On The Record, would Sarah Palin be able to tout quitting her job as governor halfway through her first term as some kind of political judiciousness and have it accepted without challenge – or without a host falling over in laughter. But that’s exactly what happened last night as Palin held up her own decision to “know when to fold” as an example for embattled Rep. Todd Akin. And then she went on to urge a third-party candidacy if Akin refuses to drop out.

Apparently, when it comes to reporting on the political firestorm created by Rep. Todd Akin, it’s a case of “do as I say, not as I do,” for O’Reilly Factor guest host Laura Ingraham. During her Talking Points editorial tonight, she suggested it’s the Obama-biased media that has kept the focus on Akin. And then, without a moment of irony or self-consciousness, she segued to the top story which was about – you guessed it! Todd Akin.

After months of winging that the so-called liberal media is giving President Obama a pass, Fox News is dancing a tentative happy dance over the highly negative “Hit the Road, Barack: Why we Need a New President” cover story in Newsweek by columnist and Harvard/Oxford professor Niall Ferguson. Both Ferguson and Byron York of the Washington Examiner, appeared on On the Record last night to speculate about whether the article might be the beginning of a backlash against Obama in the mainstream media.

Whilst Catholics get their souls scrubbed in confession, evangelicals maintain that if they just say they're sorry, their transgression is "under the blood" and it's time to move on. That was basically the theme of GOP US Rep. and Senate candidate Todd Akin's commentary on Mike Huckabee's radio show Sunday night. Akin apologized (?!) for his bizarre and offensive comment about "legitimate" rape with this statement, to Huckabee: "I was talking about forcible rape, and that was absolutely the wrong word."  (So, uh "forcible rape" is different from "legitimate" rape, how?) Huckabee, BTW, endorsed and supported Akin's candidacy and for that Akin is grateful. During the warm Christian brotherizing that went on during the interview, Huckabee seemed to validate the Sharon Angle philosophy that being forced to give birth, after a rape, is making lemonade out of lemons (Be happy ladies, you're gonna be a mommy). Huckabee noted that horrible rapes have created "wonderful human beings." Words fail...

Fox News' appeal to conservative victimization has reached a new height (or is it low!) in its providing a showcase for Tony Perkins (and his apologist Michelle Malkin) to claim that the Family Research Council was targeted as a result of the hatred being spread by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Meanwhile, nothing has been said, by either Perkins or his Fox abetters, about the reasons for the hate group designation; i.e. not because the FRC opposes "traditional" marriage but because they have a long history of denigrating and defaming the LGBT community. In the Orwellian world of the FRC and Fox News, it's the SPLC who not only hate good Christians but, according to Perkins, gave the shooter a "license to shoot." (Perkins never said that about Bill O'Reilly whose nationally televised invective against an abortion provider did contribute to a climate of hate in which the doctor was murdered). In addition to appearing on The Factor and America Live, Perkins got some warm, Christian fellowship from Mike Huckabee who continued the deflecting and smearing that's key to the conservative victimization that Fox specializes in.

In his no-holds barred desire to smear President Obama with just about anything he can throw, Sean Hannity attacked President Obama's remarks about Rep. Akin by pretending that Obama had plucked some "relatively obscure" Congressman out of the crowd to scapegoat. But Hannity knew full well that Akin - whose shocking remarks about women not getting pregnant from "legitimate rape" - were the focus of a huge political firestom. Earlier that very day, Hannity did his best to push Akin out of the Senate race he’s engaged in by warning that the entire balance of power in the U.S. Senate and possibly even the presidency could rest on his candidacy.

Chris Wallace discussed Medicare yesterday with spokesmen for both the Obama and Romney campaigns on Fox News Sunday. However, while the guest lineup may have been fair and balanced (never a given), the scrutiny over Medicare platforms was not.