On America Live: Cardinal Dolan Crusade Gets More Attention
In order for any message to be effective, in should be repeated. As a meme is reinforced, it becomes a narrative. Such was the case with the recent trio of Fox News programs devoted to promulgating the anti-HHS, "religious liberty" crusade of Fox friend, NY Cardinal Timothy Dolan who is also head of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops which wants a religious exemption from the birth control mandate not just for Catholic institutions but all employers whose Taliban views religious beliefs do not approve of birth control. Bill O'Reilly set the agenda with his Dolan interview on Wednesday night during which Dolan claimed that the HHS mandate is "an attack on the Church." Yesterday, Steve Doocy continued the Fox/Dolan agitprop about how the Obama administration is "at war with the Catholic Church." The meme was further reinforced on "America's Newsroom" during a discussion on the same topic.
Read moreMartha MacCallum Hosts Alveda King To Bash Al Sharpton & Jesse Jackson For "Playing The Race Card" Re Trayvon Martin's "Late Abortion"
As a reflection of the GOP right wing, Fox News is, for the most part, very "Caucasian." And like their fellow melanin challenged fellow political travelers, Fox News is not fond of African-Americans who assert themselves. As such, Fox sometimes finds it necessary to scold and smear these "uppity" folks such as the Rev's Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson Jr. And who better to provide some right wing badass screed cred and flava than *"Dr" Alveda King, the radical right wing niece of slain Civil Rights hero Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She can always be counted on to articulate right wing talking points, smear liberal blacks, and provide a shout out to her peeps in the anti-abortion movement. Such was the case on yesterday's alleged "news" program "America's Newsroom," during which Ms. King accused the above mentioned black leaders of "playing the race card" over the Trayvon Martin case. And as anticipated, she worked in a "pro-life" message with a truly bizarre comment about how Trayvon's shooting was a "late abortion". But there's some irony in her accusing others of using the "race card" as that seems to be a trump card in the Fox News deck!
Read moreHannity Makes Nice To Trayvon Martin Attorney, Then Race Baits Behind His Back
Sean Hannity started off his Fox News television show last night with a decent discussion about the Trayvon Martin case. Sure, Hannity was obviously favoring shooter George Zimmerman but he was reasonable and respectful in making his arguments with Martin-family attorney Daryl Parks. Then it was as though Hannity felt he had fulfilled his racial fairness quota. Because no sooner was that segment over than he used the Martin case to race bait against African Americans and smear President Obama in a particularly racial context. While he was at it, Hannity had the nerve to complain about divisiveness from the African American community. He was ably assisted in that effort by two Fox News contributors, Deneen Borelli and Tamara Holder.
Read moreHannity Demands Obama Return Spike Lee Money Over Trayvon Tweet
Apparently, Sean Hannity thinks he’s the campaign-donor police for President Obama. We’re still hearing shrieks on the show that Obama should return the campaign donation from Bill Maher (for having spoken misogynistically about Sarah Palin). Now, Hannity is demanding Obama return Spike Lee’s money for having tweeted to his thousands of followers what he thought was the address of Trayvon-shooter George Zimmerman.
Read moreThe 12 Greatest Geraldo Rivera Fails
The folks over at Ranker.com have put together a list of the 13 greatest Geraldo Rivera fails. Number one, of course, is Rivera's attempt to blame the Trayvon Martin shooting on his hoodie.
Read moreCavuto Likens “ObamaCare” To Frankenstein
On Your World on Tuesday (3/27/12), Neil Cavuto spoke with Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) about the Supreme Court hearings on the Affordable Care Act. About two minutes into the discussion, Cavuto "asked" the Senator "Is it your sense that if this mandate provision is slapped down by the Court, that effectively the health care law itself is slapped down, or could it live on in sort of, like a Frankenstein kind of role here?"
Read moreCavuto Challenges Gingrich's Attempt To Exploit Obama's Off-Mike Comment To Medvedev
On Your World a few days ago (3/26/12), Newt Gingrich spoke with Neil Cavuto about Rick Santorum cursing out a New York Times reporter. Cavuto asked, “Do you think this kind of behavior is hurting your opponent?” Gingrich pivoted to attacking President Obama. “I suspect whatever damage is done to him is a lot less than the damage Barack Obama just did by being caught on microphone promising to sell out our missile defense right after the election… As mistakes go, Obama’s mistake is a heck of a lot bigger than Santorum’s.”
Read moreTrayvon Shooter’s Father Blasts Obama – Gets A Friendly Fox Platform The Next Day
What a coincidence that the very next day after George Zimmerman’s father went on television blasting President Obama’s behavior over the Trayvon Martin shooting, he got a sympathetic profile on Fox News! Somehow that profile also overlooked key discrepancies in Robert Zimmerman’s story and also edited out some of Zimmerman’s less appealing comments.
Read moreSteve Doocy, During Cardinal Dolan Love Fest, Says Obama Administration "At War With Catholic Church"
Fox News' giant sucking sound that is connected to Catholic Cardinal and US Conference of Catholic Bishops head, Timothy Dolan, continues. As I have reported, the allegedly "fair & balanced" Fox News seems to be the personal fiefdom of NY's new "prince of the Church." Not only does Fox News provide validation for those talking points of the USCCB which coincide with the right wing GOP agenda (Read HHS birth control mandate as opposed to budget cuts which Dolan and his GOP pals don't seem too concerned about) but it also provides lots of sweet, free public relations for the man in the mitre. Last night, Bill O'Reilly featured his interview with Dolan. And on this morning's Fox & Friends, Steve Doocy, one of Roger Ailes' large stable of devout, conservative Catholics, interviewed Dolan's brother about "America's "top Catholic leader." And in addition to Dolan worship, Doocy managed to work in the Fox/Dolan meme about the Obama administration's "War on the Catholic Church."
Read moreCardinal Dolan: You Bet The Church Wants To Have A Say In American Politics
Timothy Cardinal Dolan was a guest on The O’Reilly Factor last night. For a news network that’s supposedly so reverent, you’d think we would have heard about Dolan’s recent elevation to become a Cardinal or how he became what The Daily Beast calls “America’s most important churchman.” And there may have been that conversation, as O’Reilly said there was more to it than what he aired. But what we got on The Factor last night was all about politics.
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