It's not just Limbaugh and Hannity While there has been much discussionabout the role that nationally syndicated radio hosts Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity haveplayed in perpetuating smears and falsehoods about progressive candidates andideals, little has been said about the vast network of lesser-known syndicatedand regional radio hosts who have served as an echo chamber for conservative talking points andfalsehoods. This year, ÏŽm>Media Matters forAmerica has greatly expanded its monitoring of regional radio andhas produced numerous items documenting falsehoods, smears, and baselessattacks on progressives in that time. While the hosts vary in the degree ofvitriol they spew and in their ratio of rebuttable falsehoods to unbridledsmears, ÏŽm>Media Matters and ÏŽmϬolorado Media Mattershave identified common themes that many, ifnot all, promote.The Project for Excellence in Journalismrecently released a ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://journalism.org/node/13307">report, which garneredconsiderable media ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810310012"Ϫttention, concludingthat Sen. John McCain received much more "negative" coverage than President-elect Barack Obamaduring the campaign. But in purporting to compare the media's coverage ofthe two candidates, PEJ did not consider talk radio, saying: "Talk radiostories ... were not included in this campaign study of tone." But, beyond ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810310012f=s_search"Ϫrguable flaws in PEJ's methodology, nostudy of the "tone" in the media's coverage of thispresidential campaign is complete without inclusion of conservative talk radio. Several ofthe radio hosts monitored by ÏŽm>Media Matterstheir ÏŠ href="#shows">shows are described in detail below, as well as theirguests, engaged in an all-outeffort to foment hate and suspicion of Obama among their listeners, promoting the most baseless andfarfetched of smears and advancing falsehoods -- including about Obama'sreligion and background -- that have taken hold among a substantialpercentage of the electorate. ÏŽm>MediaMatters has compiled some ofthe more noteworthy examples of conservative radiohosts' and their guests' attacks on Obama and, more generally,attacks against others in the context of the 2008 election.Generalthemes in 2008 electionThroughout the general election cycle, conservative talk radio hosts haverepeatedly attempted to exploit ignorance about and distrust of Obama rooted inhis heritage and upbringing, and have engaged in a relentless campaign todepict Obama as an untrustworthy outsider. In doing so, radio hosts havecompared Obama to the Antichrist, as well as to Hitler and Mao and have suggested that his loyalties lie outside of the United States, including in the case of some radio hosts, with Kenya andKenyan political figures. The first-ever nomination bya major party of an African-American has also inspired extensive, racially tinged commentary on conservativeradio, with direct attacks on Obama, his qualifications for office, and themotivations of his supporters.This election-related commentary was not limited to Obama.Sen. Hillary Clinton's and Gov. Sarah Palin's candidacies promptedmany talk radio hosts to engage in unabashed sexist commentary, often focusedon the candidate's physical appearances. Attacks were also waged againstthose seen as supporters or beneficiaries of progressive candidates. Forinstance, several talk radio hosts and their guests suggested that demographicgroups such as the poor or women should be denied the right to vote.ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810280018">Radio hosts echo Drudge's distortion of Obama's 2001 WBEZinterviewOn his October 27 radio show, Minneapolis radio host ChrisBaker distorted Obama's 2001 remarks by claiming that Obama said "we gottahave economic justice and the Supreme Court ought to weigh in on redistributingwealth." Baker added: "Yeah, it's too bad you kind of stuck with theConstitution as it was. It's a tragedy that redistribution of wealth was notpursued by the Supreme Court. Can you believe that" In fact, Obama didnot say, "It's a tragedy that redistribution of wealth was not pursued bythe Supreme Court," or indicate, as Baker later claimed, that Obama"wants to use the Supreme Court to reinterpret the Constitution in orderto force the redistribution of wealth." Rather, as ÏŽm>ÏŽm>Media Matters hasÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810270008">noted, the "tragedy" Obamaidentified during the interview was that the civil rights movement �meso court-focused" in trying to bring about political and economic justice.ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://colorado.mediamatters.org/items/200802270001" target="_blank" title="http://colorado.mediamatters.org/items/200802270001f=s_search">ÏŽm>The Big Show, referringto McCain, Cunningham asserted: "Maybe it's his age, or maybe it's hislack of eloquence. Whatever it is, the guy just doesn't have the same verbalskills of someone like a Barack Hussein Obama. Of course, Adolf Hitler hadgreat verbal skills, too, and he led the country of his country todisaster."ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810140020" target="_blank">Radio hosts echo Drudge's distortion of Obama's 2001 WBEZinterview"You are justanother blowhard, make-believe thug": KOA's Newman asked if Obama would"try ... to whip my white ass"On May 19, Newman labeled Obama aȬlown" and stated, "Son, you are not some sort of macho toughguy, trust me." Directly addressing Obama, Newman asked, "What areyou gonna do, Obama, come to Denverand try, key word try, to whip my white ass" Continuing, Newman said,"Son, you are not some sort of macho tough guy, trust me. You are justanother blowhard, make-believe thug who wants to be the most powerful man onEarth. You're a far-left, terrorist-hugging politician, not the bad-boy gangstayou want people to believe you are."ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://colorado.mediamatters.org/items/200805020001" target="_blank" title="http://colorado.mediamatters.org/items/200805020001f=s_search">"Gunny" Bob toKOA caller concerned about critics who Èon't even know" Obama:"I didn't know Hitler. I didn't know Stalin."On his April 30 program, Newman respondedto a caller's complaint about people who say of Obama "that he doesn'thave a good heart when you don't even know the guy and are relying on massmedia to paint a picture of him," by stating, "Well, you know, Ididn't know Hitler. I didn't know Stalin." Newman added, "Not thatObama is Stalinesque, not that Obama is Hitleresque, but we didn't know thosetwo either."Quinn ɪmp; RoseÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810280018">Radio hosts echo Drudge's distortion of Obama's 2001 WBEZinterviewOn the October 27 broadcast of ÏŽm>ÏŽm>The War Room,co-host Jim Quinn said, "Here's what was wrong with the civil rights movement,according to Barack Obama: The Supreme Court never got into the area ofredistribution of the wealth." He added, Èo you want to have a judgetell you how much you can make, and how much of your productivity goes toanother man who may have done nothing You want the court to decide that AndI'm telling you, this guy is gonna make one, two, three -- maybe --appointments to the Supreme Court, and they're gonna be exactly those kinds ofjudges. Hold onto your wallet, kids." Quinn also said, " He just gotdone telling you that the Constitution's only half-done. He needs to write theother half -- you know, the other half where we decide how much we take fromyou and give to that guy down the street."ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810080027" target="_blank">ÏŽm>ÏŽm>Quinn ɪmp; Rose from Kenya, Corsi said of his detention: "Call Barack's officeand ask him why I'm being detained"In a phone call to ÏŽm>ÏŽm>The War Room during theshow's October 7 broadcast, Jerome Corsi statedthat he and his staff were ⊾ing detained by the immigration of Kenya⟊use they lost our entry papers." Corsi repeatedly suggested Obama wasresponsible for his detention, stating at one point: "Just don't writeanything bad about Senator Obama, because, otherwise, this is what happens toyou." Corsi also said, "Call Barack's office and ask him why I'mbeing detained." Also during the interview, Corsi said, "We hadmeetings with top government officials here in Nairobi. Everybody knew we were here. But wetry to do a press conference, and then, you know, then you get detained. So,there's free speech in Kenyafor ya," to which Quinn replied: Ȫnd soon to be free speech here, bythe way."Rodgers ɪmp; SussmanÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810280018">Radio hosts echo Drudge's distortion ofObama's 2001 WBEZ interviewOn the October 27 broadcast of SanFrancisco radio station KSFO's ÏŽm>ÏŽm>The Lee Rodgers Show, host Brian Sussmandescribed Obama's comments as "talking about using the courts forredistributional change." Sussman then played a clip of the portion of theJanuary 18, 2001, WBEZ interview in which Obama referred to "theoreticaljustifications" for È«ringing about economic change through thecourts." Sussman then commented: Èid you hear that Bringing abouteconomic change through the courts That's judicial activism on steroids."But Sussman did not air what Obama said just prior to referencing the"theoretical justifications" -- "it's very hard to legitimizeopinions from the court in that regard" -- or what he said just afterward:"I think that, as a practical matter, our institutions just are poorlyequipped to do it."ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810100017" target="_blank">In post-detention KSFO interview, Corsi claimed critics of Obama are"now going to have to risk being thrown in jail or killed"On the October 9 broadcast of ÏŽm>ÏŽm>The Lee Rodgers Show,Corsi asserted regarding his detention and departure from Kenya: "Ithink the story here is really the suppression of the press. ... I hate tothink of what the First Amendment is going to mean. If you write a negativebook or criticize Obama, I think you're now going to have to risk being thrownin jail or killed." Rodgers said, "I'll tell you what's scary aboutthis, to make the connection here. These are friends of Barack Obama in Kenya,who are trying to intimidate a journalist. ... I'm telling you, this is scary.I have heard from Obama supporters telling me: one way or another, boy, whenwe're in office, we're going to shut you down."Michael SavageÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810280018">Radio hosts echo Drudge's distortion of Obama's 2001 WBEZinterviewOn the October 27 broadcast of hisnationally syndicated radio show, Michael Savage also misrepresented Obama'scomments, falsely claiming that in the interview, Obama "says that one ofthe tragedies of the civil rights movement was that the courts did not move forredistributive change."ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810130012" target="_blank" title="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810130012http://mediamatters.org/items/200810130012f=s_search">Savage:"Kenya is going to move to America if Barack Hussein Obama wins"Savage on Obama: "Now we have an unknown stealth candidate who wentto a madrassas in Indonesia and, in fact, was a Muslim" On the April 3 broadcast of his radio show,Savage falsely asserted that Obama was a Muslim and attended a madrassa,stating: "Now we have an unknown stealth candidate who went to a madrassasin Indonesiaand, in fact, was a Muslim."ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200802220012" target="_blank" title="http://mediamatters.org/items/200802220012f=s_search">Savage on Obama: "We have a right to know if he's a so-calledfriendly Muslim or one who aspires to more radical teachings"Savage falsely asserted during theFebruary 21 broadcast of his radio show that Obama is a Muslim, claiming that"we have a right to know if he's a so-called friendly Muslim or one whoaspires to more radical teachings." The Obama campaign website states thatObama "has never been a Muslim, was not raised a Muslim, and is acommitted Christian who attends the United Church of Christ."ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200801110013" target="_blank" title="http://mediamatters.org/items/200801110013f=s_search">Savage smeared Obama with false name, ⊺rack Madrassas Obama"On the January 10 edition of his radioshow, Savage referred falsely to Obama as "Senator Barack MadrassasObama." Savage made the comment while discussing a December 10 AssociatedPress article headlined, "Presidential hopefuls and first cars" thatȪsked candidates to name their first cars" and also "lookedat some of their personal vehicles now." Savage said of Obama: "IllinoisSenator Barack Madrassas Obama. His first car was his grandfather's FordGranada. Now he owns a Chrysler 300C."Rodgers ɪmp; SussmanÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810220018">Rodgers falsely claimed Obama âŠmits in one of hisown books" that he would "stand with the Muslims" against"the Western world"On the October 22 broadcast of his radio show, Rodgers falsely claimed Obama âŠmits in one of his ownbooks" that "in case of a confrontation between the Western world andthe Islamic world, he will stand with the Muslims." Rodgers' assertionrecalls a similar allegation in a chain email that has been previouslydebunked. As FactCheck.org documented, while discussing "my meetings withArab and Pakistani Americans" in ÏŽm>ÏŽm>The Audacity of Hope, Obamawrote: "They need specific assurances that their citizenship reallymeans something, that America has learned the right lessons from the Japaneseinternments during World War II, and that I will stand with them should thepolitical winds shift in an ugly direction.ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200809100030" target="_blank">Sussman suggestedObama's "lipstick on a pig" comment may be his Muslim father's"genetic DNA welling up inside of him"On the September 10 broadcast of ÏŽm>ÏŽm>The Lee Rodgers Show,a caller suggested that Obama's ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200809090026f=h_top" target="_blank">remark that "youcan put lipstick on a pig; it's still a pig" was ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200809100007f=h_top" target="_blank"Ïirected at Palin andsaid: "It's a little indicative of a Muslim attitude towards womenthat's creeping up, you know, and he just can't help but say it, how he feels."Sussman responded: "Well, there's no question that Muslims, at least thereligious ones, look at women as second-class citizens. That was just a lowblow. He should not have made the remark. I don't know if it was his father'sgenetic DNA welling up inside of him or not, but I'll tell you something: Itwas stupid. The question is, did he know what he was saying"ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200807310004" target="_blank"㺯ter suggesting Obama was "runningfor Antichrist," Sussman now says if Obama "were on trial for beinga Christian...I think he would walk"On the July 30 broadcast of ÏŽm>The Lee Rodgers Show, Sussman questioned Obama'sChristianity: "Now I'm going to get into something that is probablyequally as offensive to some, especially those listening in on KSFO.com fromaround the world. If Barack Obama were on trial for being a Christian, wouldthere be enough evidence for a jury of his peers to pronounce him guilty I doubtit. I think Obama would walk."Obama'sbirth certificateIn yet another attempt to define Obama asun-American and foreign, numerous conservative talk radio hosts and their guests have advancedthe discredited claim that Obama was not born in the United States and is therefore noteligible for the presidency.ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810140015" target="_blank">lawsuitfiled in August by Philip J. Berg, who baselessly charged that Obama was bornin Kenya.Baker stated that "when you really start looking into this, thereapparently has never been a real birth certificate presented. There's been acertificate, but it's not a birth certificate. ... Just get the damn birthcertificate presented and let's move on with our lives."Peter BoylesÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://colorado.mediamatters.org/items/200810290003f=s_search">Hosting Berg for the third time, Boylesagain allowed Obama birth certificate smearHosting Philip Berg, Boyles and Martino allowed furtherfalsehoods about Obama's birth certificateOn the October 22 broadcast of ÏŽm>The Troubleshooter and the October 23broadcast of ÏŽm>The Peter Boyles Show,Boyles and Tom Martino, respectively, uncritically allowed Berg to repeat thediscredited smear that Obama has not released a valid birth certificateestablishing he was born in the United States and therefore could be ineligible torun for president. Berg further claimed on both broadcasts that the copy ofObama's certification of live birth posted on his campaign website is aȯorgery."ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://colorado.mediamatters.org/items/200810100004" target="_blank" title="http://colorado.mediamatters.org/items/200810100004f=s_search"𾮬k-to-back guests on Boyles repeateddiscredited claim that Obama has not released valid birth certificateOn his October 9 broadcast, Boyles hosteddiscredited author Jerome Corsi and Berg, both of whom repeated the debunkedfalsehood that Obama has not released an authentic birth certificateestablishing that he was born in the United States and therefore couldbe ineligible to run for president.G. Gordon LiddyÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200809180017" target="_blank">Liddy, Corsi again repeated discredited claim that Obama has not producedbirth certificate establishing his U.S. citizenshipOn the September 17 broadcast of his radioshow, Liddy and Corsi each repeated the discredited claim that Sen. BarackObama has not produced a birth certificate establishing his U.S. citizenship. In fact,FactCheck.org reported that the Obama campaign provided its staff with Obama'soriginal birth certificate and concluded that it "meets all of therequirements from the State Department for proving U.S. citizenship," andeven WorldNetDaily.com, the right-wing website for which Corsi works as a staffreporter, has reported that a "WND investigation into Obama's birthcertificate utilizing forgery experts also found the document to beauthentic.""Gunny" Bob NewmanÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://colorado.mediamatters.org/items/200808190001" target="_blank" title="http://colorado.mediamatters.org/items/200808190001f=s_search">Newman disputed theauthenticity of Obama's birth certificate; Hawaii Department of Healthconfirmed itOn his August 11 radio show, Newmanasserted that Obama has produced a ⋺ke" birth certificate, a weekafter claiming that Obama "will not produce his birth certificate" toprove his United States citizenship. In fact, the Hawaii Department of Healthhas confirmed that the document posted on Obama's campaign website is Ȫvalid Hawaiistate birth certificate" and has labeled speculation about his citizenship"ridiculous." Quinn ɪmp; RoseÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810070004" target="_blank">Quinn and Tennent repeated discredited claims that Obama has not releasedvalid birth certificateOn the October 3 broadcast of ÏŽm>ÏŽm>The War Room,Quinn and Tennent hosted Berg to discuss Berg's lawsuit, which baselesslyalleges that Obama is not a natural-born U.S.citizen; during the interview, Quinn, Tennent, and Berg each repeated thediscredited charge that Obama has not produced an authentic U.S. birthcertificate. In fact, in addition to posting a copy of Obama's birth certificate on thecampaign website, the Obama campaign reportedly provided the original documentto FactCheck.org, whose staff reported that it "meets all of therequirements from the State Department for proving U.S. citizenship."Michael SavageÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810140015" target="_blank" title="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810140015f=s_search">The Savage Nation, Savage and guest host Rick Roberts repeatedly questioned Obama'scitizenship. For instance, Savage falsely claimed that Obama's birthcertificate Èoes not exist, they can't find it in the Hawaii government. It's never been produced.The one that was produced is a forgery." Roberts stated, "You'rerunning for the president of the United States, OK Show them thebirth certificate and say, 'OK, here's my birth certificate, get out of myface.' Why hasn't it been produced Why" On the October 10 broadcast, Savage against stated that Obama Èoesn'thave a birth cerfiticate."The Big Show, guest Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson saidof former Secretary of State Colin Powell's endorsement of Obama: "He'sclearly for the color of the man and not the character." Cunninghamreplied, "Great comments, and if Obama was white as chalk, do you thinkthat Powell would be endorsing the Democrat He didn't endorse Al Gore, hedidn't endorse Sen. John Kerry. I think color trumps everything in hismind." Peterson responded: "That's right, because if it was about whatBarack Obama stood for, then he would have endorsed Gore and all those guys,but he did not. You know, it's so sad, my friend, that most black people todayare racist. Not all, not all -- but most of them are racist."ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810140009" target="_blank" title="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810140009">The Big Show,Cunningham stated: "I think there will be 100 cities burning if Barackloses. Yeah, that's what the black intelligentsia says." Cunningham alsoasserted that ȯlavor Flav, 50 Cent, and Diddy" are "really incharge of the Obama Inaugural Ball."G. Gordon LiddyÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810090017" target="_blank" title="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810090017">Insketch on Corsi's detention in Kenya, Liddy played audio of "jungletelegraph drums"On the October 7edition of his program, Liddy discussed the detention of Corsi in Kenya and aired a sketch in which he said:"We've used the satellite connection to Kenya, and we are now focusing inon the trial of Dr. Jerome Corsi. ... He's being accused of impersonating ahuman being. My Zulu's not -- not as good as Obama's, but -- yeah, they'rereally upset with him. You can probably tell." Liddy then aired a clipapparently from the 1950 movie ÏŽm>ÏŽm>King Solomon's Mines, which featured charactersspeaking in Kinyarwanda not Zulu, one of the official languages of Rwanda,and playing music on drums.Quinn ɪmp; Rose ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810200015" target="_blank" title="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810200015">Quinnand Tennent: Powell endorsed Obama because "he's tired of being called anOreo," Ȫn Uncle Tom"On the October 20broadcast of ÏŽm>The War Room, Tennentasserted that Powell endorsed Obama �use he doesn't want to beknown as an Uncle Tom anymore. He wants to be black again." Quinn latersaid of Powell, "He's tired of being called an Oreo."Michael SavageÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810280016" target="_blank" title="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810280016">Savageon Obama: Ȫmerica's first affirmative action candidate about to becomepresident"ÏŽm>The New York Timesarticle Palin cited for her claim about Obama's association with William Ayersreported that "the two men do not appear to have been close," or thatthe Obama campaign did indeed respond to Palin's claim.ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810060010" target="_blank">The Chris Baker Show, Baker said Palin"shoulda had a little cleavage going" during the vice-presidentialdebate, and that he "noticed a panty line on her."ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810030004" target="_blank">ÏŽm>The War Room, Quinn stated: "Ifyou don't agree with the feminist scolds, then you're not a real woman -- evenif you are a very feminine working mom. But even if you're an actual man, nevermind a childless feminist who looks like a Bulgarian weightlifter in drag,you're a real woman solely because you nod your head like a windup clappingmonkey every time you read the latest editorial from ÏŽm>ÏŽm>Ms. Magazine." Quinn made theseremarks while discussing, among other things, prominent feminists'opposition to Palin.ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200808270022">Quinn introduced segment about Clinton by playing EltonJohn's "The Bitch Is Back"On the August 27 edition of thesyndicated radio program ÏŽm>ÏŽm>TheWar Room, Quinn introduced a segment on Clinton bysaying,ÏŽm>ÏŽm> "the way, that brings us to our Hillary Heads-Up," and then playing audioof the Elton John song "The Bitch Is Back." Quinn then said, "Iwas going to play ɽing Dong, the Witch is Dead.' But you know what, I -- younever know with the Clintons."Lee RodgersÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810170007" target="_blank">Rodgers said many "professed leaders of the feminist movement"are "hags" who Ȭouldn't get laid in a men's prison"On the October 17 broadcast of ÏŽm>ÏŽm>The Lee Rodgers Show,Rodgers said: "You look at many -- perhaps most -- but many of the womenwho are professed leaders of the feminist movement in this country, and they'rea bunch of hags." He added: "They couldn't get laid in a men'sprison, let's be honest about it." Rodgers made these ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810170007">remarks while discussing,among other things, feminists' disapproval of Palin.ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200809230018" target="_blank">Rodgers: "Puckered-butt Democrat women hate Sarah Palin ...because her idea of choice was choosing not to have an abortion"Returning to a previous claim he hasmade, Rodgers asserted on September 23: "I believe that the reason a bunchof puckered-butt Democrat women hate Sarah Palin is because her idea of choicewas choosing not to have an abortion." Guest Steven Hayward of theAmerican Enterprise Institute responded in part by saying: "There isthat very vocal segment of feminist opinion that celebrates abortion as apositive good in the same way that, you know, Southern slaveholders 150 years agocelebrated slavery as a positive good."ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200809170017" target="_blank">Rodgers: "Female leadership of the Democratic Party" consistsof "ugly skanks" who "hate" that "Sarah Palin'sgood-looking"On the September 17 broadcast of his radioshow, Rodgers said that "the female leadership of the DemocraticParty" is made up of "ugly skanks." He also stated: "SarahPalin's good-looking and they hate that." He also declared: "I thinkwe have to ask: Would you like Sarah Palin better if she got pregnant again anddid have an abortion, because it's obvious, with a lot of liberal women,killing babies is the main priority they have."ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200808270011" target="_blank">Rodgers: "With that screechy, fingernails-on-the-blackboard voice ofhers, it is impossible for Hillary Clinton to deliver a great speech"On the August 27 broadcast of his radioshow, Rodgers said of Clinton'sspeech at the Democratic National Convention, "With that screechy,fingernails-on-the-blackboard voice of hers, it is impossible for HillaryClinton to deliver a great speech." Rodgers later said that Bill andHillary Clinton are hoping Obama ⋺lls flat on his face so theHilldebeest can have another run in four years, and Billy Bentpecker can hidebehind the curtain in the Oval Office telling Hillary what he wants her to doas president of the United States."ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200806120001" target="_blank">KSFO's Rodgers on voting gender gap: For Ȫ lot of women in thiscountry who get knocked up ... the government becomes Daddy in terms of payingthe bills"On the June 11 broadcast of ÏŽm>ÏŽm>The Lee Rodgers Program,Rodgers said: "The historical voting records show that Democrats have,historically, enjoyed a huge advantage in women voters. Why is that"Rodgers continued: "Well, some women may be offended by this, but here'sanother dose of reality. We have a lot of women in this country who get knockedup and they don't have a husband. In effect, the government becomes Daddy interms of paying the bills. And that accounts -- that's not all of it, but thataccounts for a large part of that vote."LGBT issuesSmears against lesbian, gay, bisexual,and transgendered Americans are routine among conservative talk radio hosts, and the 2008 election has provided them with specific issues toaddress. Michael Savage, for example, has focused on Proposition 8 to amend theCaliforniaconstitution to ban same-sex marriage. Michael SavageÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810310015">Savage: "If you're insane, hate the family ... hateyour mother and father, hate the Bible, hate the church, and hate thesynagogue," you oppose CA gay marriage banOn the October 29 broadcast of his radioshow, Savage said of a Californiaballot initiative that would amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage,"There's a ballot initiative on homosexual marriage that is moreimportant than you could imagine. It's called Proposition 8, and you must vote'yes' if you're sane. If you're insane, hate the family, hate man and woman,hate your mother and father, hate the Bible, hate the church, and hate thesynagogue, of course you're in favor of 'no' on Proposition 8." The nextday on his program, Savage stated: "The people who don't have familiesdon't understand that, as difficult as family life is, life is impossiblewithout it. They don't understand that. They don't understand what the familyunit is. It's the strongest bond on Earth, which is why homosexual marriage issuch a threat to civilization itself."ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810030006" target="_blank" title="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810030006f=s_search">Savage: "Why should a welfare recipient have the rightto vote They're only gonna vote themselves a raise"On his October 22 show, Savage asked:Èo you think a person on welfare has the right to vote I don't. Whyshould a person who is on public assistance maintain the right to vote Tell mewhy. Where is it written that they should have the right to vote" Headded: "I support them, and they should have the same vote I do Thatwould be like saying an infant has the right to vote or an insane person hasthe right to vote. Why should a welfare recipient have the right to voteThey're only gonna vote themselves a raise."ÏŠ name="shows">THESHOWSÏŽm>The Chris Baker Show is a Minneapolis-based talk-radio show that airs weekdays from 7a.m. to 11 a.m. CT on ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.ktlkfm.com/pages/chrisbaker.html" target="_blank" title="http://www.ktlkfm.com/pages/chrisbaker.html">KTLK-FM. Baker ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/hoffman/5844463.html" target="_blank" title="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/hoffman/5844463.html">previously hosted twodifferent Houston-based radio programs before reportedly being dismissed in November2007. Baker joined KTLK in February and was nominated to the Texas Radio Hallof Fame in June. Since moving to KTLK, Baker discussed with a co-host beingȬonvinced that Magic Johnson faked AIDS" claimed that"it's very rare to find a woman worthy of serving in politicaloffice" said that Gov. Sarah Palin "shoulda had a little cleavagegoing" during the vice-presidential debate; and declared "I don'tthink homeless people should vote." ÏŽm>The Mark Belling Late Afternoon Show iscarried on News/Talk 1130 ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.newstalk1130.com/main.html" target="_blank" title="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.newstalk1130.com/main.htmlhttp://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.newstalk1130.com/main.html">WISN-AM in Milwaukee, which is ownedby Clear Channel Communications. ÏŽm>Talkers Magazine includes Belling in its"ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://talkers.com/main/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=44" target="_blank" title="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://talkers.com/main/index.phpoption=com_contentɪmp;task=viewɪmp;id=19ɪmp;Itemid=44">Heavy Hundred,"which it describes as "the 100 most important radio talk show hosts in America."According to 1130 WISN-AM, ÏŽm>ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://2005.newstalk1130.com/pages/markbelling.html" target="_blank" title="http://2005.newstalk1130.com/pages/markbelling.html">The Mark Belling Late Afternoon Show "isregularly rated number one in its time slot in the Milwaukee radio market and is the highestrated afternoon drive talk show host in the country." In 2001, Bellingwas awarded National Association of Broadcasters' ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.nab.org/AM/Template.cfmSection=Search&template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=8597" target="_blank" title="http://www.nab.org/AM/Template.cfmSection=Searchɪmp;template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfmɪmp;ContentID=8597">Marconi Radio Award formedium-market "Personality of the Year." Belling has said"when you think of Hillary Clinton" the wordÈ«itches" comes to mind; has called Gloria Steinem a "grizzledold bag," an "old witch," and an È®mbittered oldhas-been" and has smeared teachers who have talked about global warmingas "idiot union teachers," "liberal unionized hacks,""greedy, overpaid unionized schoolteachers," andȯruitcakes."ÏŽm>The Neal Boortz Show is anAtlanta-based program that airs weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET. Theprogram is nationally syndicated by ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://coxradio.com/company/syndication.html" target="_blank"Ϭox Radio Syndication,which says that it "partners with the Jones Radio Network to service morethan 200 affiliate stations with programming listened to by several millionpeople each week." According to ÏŽm>ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.talkers.com/main/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=34" target="_blank">Talkers Magazine,the show is the seventh-rated talk-radio program and averages at least 4.25million listeners a week. Boortz has repeatedly referred to Hurricane Katrinavictims as "parasites" commented that he would "make a lousyMexican" because of his inability to use a floor buffer; and described"single mothers receiving public assistance" as "welfarebroodmares."ÏŽm>The Peter Boyles Show airs weekday mornings from 5 to 9 a.m. MT on Denver's 630 KHOW-AM. According to hisKHOW ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.khow.com/pages/shows-boyles.htmlfeed=119773&article=361092" target="_blank"Ï«iography,È«oyles has received numerous awards including âž¾st InvestigativeRadio Talkshow Host' in The Denver Post, Westword, 5280 Magazine, and atthe 1999 Denver A.I.R. awards. He is also considered one of the mostinfluential media people in Colorado."Boyles was a 2006 ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.nab.org/AM/Template.cfmSection=Search&template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=5019" target="_blank" title="http://www.nab.org/AM/Template.cfmSection=Searchɪmp;template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfmɪmp;ContentID=5019"ϯinalist for theNational Association of Broadcasters' Marconi Radio Award forlarge-market "Personality of the Year." Boyles has repeatedlyhosted guests who spread the discredited claim that Obama does not have a valid U.S.birth certificate.ÏŽm>The Jon Caldara Show airs on Denver's 850 KOA-AM on weeknights from 10 p.m. to 1a.m. MT. Caldara is ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.i2i.org/main/author.phpauthor_id=93" target="_blank" title="http://www.i2i.org/main/author.phpauthor_id=93">president of theȯree market" Independence Institute and has had a public role innumerous anti-tax and anti-government spending campaigns. Caldara also hosts aȬurrent affairs" television program, ÏŽm>Independent
Hannity branded Emanuel "one of the hardest left-wing ... radicals" -- studies, news reports disagree On the November 5 edition of Fox News' ώm>Hannity ɪmp; Colmes, co-host Sean Hannityasserted that Rep. Rahm Emanuel D-IL, who has just been announced as President-electBarack Obama's White House chief of staff, is "one of the hardestleft-wing ... radicals" and stated that the choice of Emanuel showsthat Obama is "hard, hard left." Contrary to Hannity'sassertion that Emanuel is "one of the hardest left-wing ...radicals," a ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://voteview.com/hou110.htm" target="_blank">studyby political science professors Keith Poole and Jeff Lewis, using everynon-unanimous vote cast in the House in 2007 to determine relative ideology,placed Emanuel in a tie for the ranking of 126th most liberal Democraticcongressman with the ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/11/lantos.obit/">late Rep.Tom Lantos CA. Hannity said of Obama's choice of Emanuel, "He'spicked Rahm Emanuel,one of the hardest left-wing -- youknow, radicals,you know, on the left,as his chief of staff. There's all the evidence that he's gonna swing to thehard left. And I think they're gonna overreach, and I think we're going gonnasee the person that I think Barack Obama is. I think he is hard, hardleft."National Journalϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.nationaljournal.com/voteratings/house/lib.htm"� voteratings, which Hannity has himself cited in attacking Obama and which ώm>Media Mattersϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200807100010f=s_search"Ϭriticizedas subjective, rated Emanuel the 128th most liberal Democratic congressman witha composite score of 72.3. The New York Times that "Mr. Emanuel has worked at good relations with Republicans, and hasthe grudging respect of some." Hannity ɪmp; Colmes:ϋlockquote>HANNITY: Senator Obama's nowour president-elect, but his tax plan is sure to have small business owners concerned. So, what does anObama administration mean for the average Joe Joining us now with reaction isthe man who became the face of the proverbial average Joe. Joe Wurzelbacher isback with us, but you know him as Joe the Plumber. Joe, how are yaWURZELBACHER: Hey, I'm doing realgood. How about you guys tonightHANNITY: Well, all right. You never expect to hear it. Youwere playing catch with your son, and all of a sudden, Barack Obama walks down thestreet, one of his few unscripted moments -- andI think it revealed a lot about the real Barack Obama, which is the questionthat I'm bringing up here tonight. And you asked a question, and loand behold, now you're out there campaigning with Governor Palin and SenatorMcCain. And it had a big impact on this campaign. What are your thoughts aboutthe resultsWURZELBACHER: Yeah, I was disappointed. You know, I mean, myguy didn't win, but the same token, youknow, Obama ran an incredible campaign. Thatcan't be denied, and he's what the people chose. So, you know, now I gotta getbehind him and support him, but in my opinion, though, it doesn't give him a blank check.We still need to hold him responsible and accountable to the people of America.HANNITY: Yeah, no -- and I agreewith that, too. I -- here's my prediction. I think that liberals willmisinterpret -- I mean, for example, we have evidence that they're even gonnastrip Joe Lieberman of his leadership position in the United States Senate,retribution. He's picked Rahm Emanuel --WURZELBACHER: Wow.HANNITY: -- one of the hardestleft-wing -- you know, radicals --UNIDENTIFIED MALE:RadicalHANNITY: -- on the left -- as his chief of staff.There's all the evidence that he's gonna swing to the hard left. And I thinkthey're gonna overreach, and I think we're going gonna see the person that Ithink Barack Obama is. I think he is hard, hard left. We'll see. We'll give himan opportunity. But I --WURZELBACHER: My --HANNITY: Go ahead.WURZELBACHER: I was going to say,well, you know, SecureOurDream.com is a website I started up. I don't know -- I knowyou haven't gotten to that yet. But, you know, that's kind of why I'm startingit up, is one, to hold the elected officials accountable for, you know, whovoted them in, be you Democrat or Republican, and hopefully be able to head offthings like that to a degree and bring it out in the media.HANNITY: Well, you know, if you picture a guy like RahmEmanuel -- who said about Republicans,"They can go blank themselves" -- if you pick a guy that voted withthe Democratic Party 99 percent of the time, you know, it seems like Chicagopolitics is moving to Washington. That's my interpretation.
Quinn: "The goal of the public school system -- the feminists in the public school system -- is to make male behavior illegal" reportedly informed theschool principal and campus police that a picture of a vampire one of herstudents had drawn might contain gang symbols, radio host Jim Quinn stated onthe November 6 broadcast of Clear Channel's ώm>ώm>The War Room with Quinn ɪmp; Rosethat the incident is evidence of "the chickification of schools, thefeminization of society, and the war on masculinity." He then stated that"the goal of the public school system -- the feminists in the publicschool system -- is to make male behavior illegal, a crime." Quinn read from conservative bloggerWarner Todd Huston's October 31 ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.thenextright.com/warner-todd-huston/another-idiot-teacher-alert-vampire-drawing-gets-kid-called-gang-member"ϫlog post on theGeorgia incident, stating:ϋlockquote>If thisis not further evidence we need more men in our schools and not the Birkenstockwearing, ponytailed, softhanded, bike riding kind either, then what is Havingnothing but females running our schools is turning them into thoroughlyfeminized institutions where everyone has gelatinized spines and all turn to afear-wracked lump of quivery flesh at the slightest evidence of anythingrambunctious, gross, tough, loud, or -- ahem -- male.ώm>Media Matters for America ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810070020">noted, Quinn previously claimed thatauthor, activist and ώm>Ms. magazineco-founder Gloria Steinem opposed Gov. Sarah Palin because Palin 𢷬linedto slaughter her own unborn child, Trig, to the goddess of feminism, even afterdoctors told her that he was one of those Down syndrome 'throw-aways.'" ώm>Media Matters also ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200809170001">noted that Quinn has stated: "If youdon't agree with the feminist scolds, then you're not a real woman -- even ifyou are a very feminine working mom." He added, ȫut even if you're anactual man, never mind a childless feminist who looks like a Bulgarianweightlifter in drag, you're a real woman solely because you nod your head likea windup clapping monkey every time you read the latest editorial from ώm>ώm>Ms. magazine."Furthermore, Quinn has ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200809080017">repeatedly ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200809040008" title=ȫlocked::http://mediamatters.org/items/200809040008f=s_search">referred to the NationalOrganization for Women as the "National Organization for Whores."ώm>ώm>Talkers Magazine lists ώm>ώm>Quinnɪmp; Rose on its "ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.talkers.com/main/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=44">Heavy Hundred"list, which it describes as a list of the 𢄀 most important radio talkshow hosts in America."According to the show's website, it ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.warroom.com/affiliates.php"Ϫirs on 18 radiostations and XM Satellite Radio. The War Room with Quinn ɪmp; Rose:ϋlockquote>QUINN:All right, now get this. This is by Warner Todd Huston. You know, maybe thisshould have been a ⊺rking Moonbat" heads-up. "Remember whenyou were a young school kid and you drew a vampire during the week ofHalloween Remember how the blood was always dripping down from his menacing,pearly white teeth Remember how it was all in good faith" -- I'msorry -- "in good Halloween fun Well, you can just forget about thatmister, at least if you are a 5th-Grader in the Savannah-Chatham school systemin Georgia.In Georgia,if you draw a vampire you get called a gang member -- even when you wereassigned to make the drawing -- and then you get sent to the'psychological evaluation' department of the school as if you aresome mentally disturbed monster." You know, this is getting way tooSoviet for me....QUINN:"Sadly, this situation could have been easily solved without involvingpolice, without punishing the kid with the stigma of psychological evaluationand then being kicked out of the school. All these foolish, emasculated schooladministrators had to do was ask the art teacher what was going on. That teacherwould have already explained that, you know, he was assigned this, and I signedoff on it, it's OK, and there you have it, no police, no mental exams, noexpulsion needed. If this is not further evidence we need more men in ourschools and not the Birkenstock wearing, ponytailed, softhanded, bike ridingkind either, then what is Having nothing but females running our schools isturning them into thoroughly feminized institutions where everyone hasgelatinized spines and all turn to a fear-wracked lump of quivery flesh at theslightest hint of anything rambunctious, gross, tough, loud, or -- ahem --male." Yeah, that's right. This is the chickification of schools,the feminization of society, and the war on masculinity. Look, folks, the goalof the public school system -- the feminists in the public school system -- isto make male behavior illegal, a crime. But see, when you let the governmentrun your schools, your schools will behave like government, and that is to saythat they'll behave a little bit like Michael Moore mindlessly eatinganything that he comes into contact with.
ABC's Tapper quoted Boehner's criticism of Emanuel, ignored Graham's praise ÏŽm>World News, senior WhiteHouse correspondent Jake Tapper reported that the appointment of Rep. RahmEmanuel D-IL asPresident-elect Barack Obama's chief of staff "promptedcriticism from some Republicans." Tapper then quoted House...
Ignoring other ballot initiative votes, Brokaw uses CA's Prop. 8 vote to claim, "We probably remain a center-right country" vote in California to pass ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov/title-sum/prop8-title-sum.htm">Proposition 8, aballot initiative to ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov/text-proposed-laws/text-of-proposed-laws.pdf#prop8"Ϫmend the stateconstitution to ban same-sex marriage, NBC's Tom Brokaw said, "Weprobably remain a center-right country." Brokaw did not note that severalother ballot initiatives around the country suggest a rejection of aconservative social agenda.On the November 5 edition of CBS' ώm>The Late Show, host David Letterman asked,"Now, some interesting things happened. In California, they reversed the gay marriagecircumstance, and that's -- that'sgoing to be just a legal bedlam, I would guess" Brokaw responded, "It is, and that's a tough issue to get past around thecountry. I think eight states now have banned gaymarriages." Echoing an October18 ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.newsweek.com/id/164656/"Ϫrticle by ώm>Newsweek editor Jon Meacham, Brokawcontinued, "Look, we probably remain a center-right country --conservative in our social values. But what they said with this election isthat we're willing to take a chance on somebody else who promised that he couldbring us together and find the middleground. People hold these values, cultural values andsocial values, dear to them."votes in otherstates that counter the notion that America is a ⋎nter-rightcountry," including:voteagainst ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov/title-sum/prop4-title-sum.htm" title="http://www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov/title-sum/prop4-title-sum.htm">Proposition4, which called for a "waiting period and parental notificationbefore termination of minor's pregnancy."voteagainst ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.elections.colorado.gov/DDefault.aspxtid=1047"Ϫmendment 48,which would have ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.elections.colorado.gov/WWW/default/Initiatives/Title%20Board%20Filings/2007-2008%20Filings/Final%20Text/final_text_36.PDF"Ϫmended the stateconstitution to define "the terms 'person' or 'persons' to include anyhuman being from the moment of fertilization."Michigan'sϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/state/#val=MI">votein favor of Proposition 1 "ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/ED-20_11-08_Props_Poster2_251561_7.pdf">The Michigan Medical Marijuana Act", which legalized "theuse and cultivation of marijuana for specified medical conditions." South Dakota's ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://electionresults.sd.gov/applications/st25cers3/maps/resultsMap.aspxrid=16&type=bq&osn=907">voteagainst ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.sdsos.gov/electionsvoteregistration/electvoterpdfs/2008SouthDakotaBallotQuestionPamphlet.pdf#page=8">Initiative 11,defined as "an Initiative to prohibit abortions except in cases wherethe mother's life or health is at a substantial and irreversible risk,and in cases of reported rape and incest."Washingtonstate's ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://vote.wa.gov/elections/wei/Results.aspxRaceTypeCode=M&JurisdictionTypeID=-2&ElectionID=26&ViewMode=Results">votein favor of Initiative 1000 "ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://wei.secstate.wa.gov/osos/en/Documents/I1000-Text%20for%20web.pdf">The Washington Death with DignityAct",which allows terminally ill patients the option of physician-assisted suicide.,which called to end affirmative action in the state, ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.denverpost.com/ballotissues08/ci_10920596">reportedly had "no" votesleading as of 1:17 a.m. MT November 7, but the result was not yet finalized. The ώm>Rocky Mountain Newsϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/nov/06/colorado-voters-preserve-affirmative-action/" title="http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/nov/06/colorado-voters-preserve-affirmative-action/">reported on November 6 that"voters turned down" Amendment 46, while the ώm㻞nver Post ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.denverpost.com/ballotissues08/ci_10920596" title="http://www.denverpost.com/ballotissues08/ci_10920596">reported onNovember 7 that the amendment Ȫppeared to be going down Thursday ...with 50.6 percent against to 49.4 percent in favor with 96 percent ofprecincts reporting. Although there were still 55,000 ballots to be counted inBoulder County, the amendment had been failingthere 60 percent to 40 percent."The Late Show with David Letterman:ϋlockquote>LETTERMAN: Now, some interestingthings happened. In California,they reversed the --LETTERMAN: -- gay marriagecircumstance, and that's -- that'sgoing to be just a legal bedlam, I would guessBROKAW: It is, and that's a tough issue to get passed around the country. Ithink eight states now have banned gay marriages.Look, we probably remain a center-right country -- conservative in our socialvalues. But what they said with this election is that we're willing to take achance on somebody else who promised that he could bring us together and find the middle ground. People hold thesevalues, cultural values and social values,dear to them. They're terrified about the economy.
Reuters reported GOP attack on Emanuel, ignored Graham's support In its November 6 ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE4A57H420081106sp=true"Ϫrticleon the appointment of Rep. Rahm Emanuel D-IL as President-elect BarackObama's White House chief of staff, Reuters quoted Republican NationalCommittee spokesman Alex Conant's assertion that ⊺rackObama's first decision as President-elect undermines his promise to 'healthe divides.' Rahm Emanuel is a partisan leader who played a lead role inbreaking Washington."However, Reuters did not note thatother Republicans have reportedly praised Emanuel, including former McCaincampaign co-chair Sen. Lindsey Graham R-SC, who ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfmFuseAction=PressRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=735e041d-802a-23ad-4362-e2781bb7d13c&Region_id=&Issue_id=">statedthat Emanuel isȪ wise choice" and that he "understands the need to worktogether."TheWashington Times ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/07/obama-faces-economy-early-days/">reportedthat "Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican and one of Mr.McCain's closest allies in the presidential campaign, said the Emanuel pick was'wise,' " and quoted Graham saying, "Rahm knows CapitolHill and has great political skills. He can be a tough partisan but alsounderstands the need to work together." Theώm> San Francisco Chronicle ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://sfchronicle.us/cgi-bin/article.cgif=/c/a/2008/11/07/MN6C13VKH5.DTL">quotedRep. Tom Davis R-VA saying, "Ican't think of a better choice. What's the old saying You campaign in poetry,but you govern in prose Rahm understands the poetry, but he can translate itinto prose. He is a practical guy who understands politics as well as policy. ... He can be a hard-corepartisan when he has to be, but that's part of the game."reported that Rep. RayLaHood R-IL said of Emanuel: "This idea that Rahm is a guy who can'tget along with Republicans is just not true. ... The truth is in politics,you can count your friends on one or two hands, but he's been a true friend.''Bloomberg also quoted LaHood as saying of Emanuel, "The idea that he'sjust a trash-talking, hard-core Chicagopol does not reflect who the man really is.'' ώm>Media Matters for America ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200811060013f=h_latest">noted thatduring the November 6 broadcast of ABC's ώm>WorldNews, senior White House correspondent Jake Tapper reported thatObama's selection of Emanuel "prompted criticism from someRepublicans" and quoted Boehner's response without notingGraham's praise.
Morris, Hannity, Limbaugh implicate Obama in stock-market decline -- analysts disagree On November 6, Fox News contributor and syndicated columnistDick Morris, Fox News host Sean Hannity, and nationally syndicated radio hostRush Limbaugh asserted that President-elect Barack Obama is to blame for thedecline of the stock market following the November 4 presidential election.Several analysts, however, disagree -- including some who appeared on Fox News or Fox Business Network.On the November 6 edition of Fox News' ÏŽm>Hannity ɪmp; Colmes, Morris said,"Now, the otherthing that I predicted in ÏŽm>ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061547751/Fleeced/index.aspx"ϯleecedis that the stock market would go crazy after he Obama was elected. Not justbecause he's a radical, not just because he's a Democrat, but because he'sgoing to raise the capital gains tax." Hannity replied, "So lookwhat's happening," adding, "If he doesn't come out and say "I'm not going to, youknow, raise the capital gains tax, I'm not going to raise taxes," but heading into aneconomic slowdown, you're predicting the stock market is going to -- it's theObama tanking" Morris replied: "It's going to continue to tank.It's lost 12 percent of its value in the last two days."Similarly, on the November 6 edition of Premiere RadioNetworks' ÏŽm>The Rush Limbaugh Show,Limbaugh asserted: "OK, so let me start at the top here connecting thedots. On Tuesday we elect a new president.New president promisedeven before the election,by the way, when we hada 4,000-point drop -- the president promised to increase corporatetaxes, capital gains taxes, the top marginal income tax rate, a massive newenergy tax that'll bankrupt coal. And his party is talking about agovernment takeover of 401kplans." Limbaugh continued: "So on Wednesday, the Dow drops about 486 points. It'sdown 346 points today. But of course,according to the drive-bys,these two events have nothing to do with each other. It's just acoincidence. The market's down today because of the jobless numbers.That's how the drive-bys see it. We have the largestmarket plunge after an election in history. Thank you, man-child Barack Obama."The Live Desk,Fox Business Network contributor ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.foxbusiness.com/our-team/personalities/eric-bolling"Ï®ric Bollingstated: "Yesterday we were up305 points, today we're down 315 -- almost the exact same spot we were prior.Look, you know, a lot of people said, 'Hey, is this in response to BarackObama becoming president' " Bolling continued:"When Barack Obama wasannounced at 11:01 last night, the Sɪmp;P Standard ɪmp; Poor's 500Index was down 8 points. It stayed there all night until that ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.adpemploymentreport.com/"ãºP National Employment Report came out, andthat's really when the market fell apart. So you can't really blameit on that. It was the ADP report." Host Martha MacCallum responded: "Plus, it was factored into the market yesterday that BarackObama was gonna win because it was pointing in that direction. And the marketwas up considerably yesterday."On the November 7 edition of Fox BusinessNetwork's ÏŽm>The Opening Bell, Fox Business Network vice president ofbusiness news ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.foxbusiness.com/our-team/personalities/alexis-glick"Ϫlexis Glickasserted: "I so did not believe thatthe market reaction over the past two days wasabout Obama. Wednesday morning we walked in,we saw the Challengerand Gray planned layoff ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE4A46AZ20081105">numbers, we saw the ADP numbers, the weekly jobless claim numbers -- yeah, well, they were basically in line, but weknew two days ago that thiswas going to be abloody number. Frankly, we probably knew several months ago thatit was going tobe a bloody number."On the November 6 edition of Fox BusinessNetwork's ÏŽmϪmerica's NightlyScorecard, ÏŽm>Inc.magazine senior editor Rod Kurtz said to host David Asman: "You couldsay a lot of people are walking around saying they have Obama hangovers because they were out celebrating,but I think what happened in the markets really is more tied to the broadereconomy and less so with Obama. I think, youknow, the fundamentals we've heard so much about the economy during theelection. You know, this jobs report could be problematic. I think thatunemployment is still an issue. Retail, I've been saying for a while, isa huge issue."WallStreet Journal article pointed to weak corporate reports andanalysts' belief that the Bureau of Labor Statistics' ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf">October Employment Report -- whichwas released Friday -- would show job losses as reasons for drops in the stockmarket. Indeed, the BLS report showed that nonfarm payrolls fell by 240,000.From the ÏŽm>Journal ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122597213940304699.html"Ϫrticlesubscription required: Ï‹lockquote>Stocks suffered a second straightround of steep losses amid new signs that bellwether companies and theircustomers are struggling. Jittery investors also placed early bets that jobsdata due out Friday morning will be bleak.The Dow Jones Industrial Averagefinished down 443.48 points on Thursday, off 4.9%, at 8695.79, hurt by declinesin all 30 of its components. The Dow has fallen 929.49 points, or 9.66%, overthe past two days, the biggest percentage drop since the crash of October 1987....The generally downbeat trend in theretail industry was worrisome, as was the possibility that strength atdiscounters like Wal-Mart may signal that consumers are continuing to tightentheir belts, hunting for bargains and spending less at chains with higherprices.reported thatanalysts attributed the market downturn to the expectation thatthe BLS report would show a decrease in jobs: Ï‹lockquote>MacCALLUM:The Dow is down today about 312 points. And Fox News business expert EricBolling is here -- entr𦺬ute;e --
Limbaugh distorts discussion between Brokaw and Rose to assert they were "trying to figure out who Obama is" Meet the Presshost Tom Brokaw, were "trying to figure out who Sen. Barack Obamais." In fact, Limbaugh cropped the clip, distorting whatRose and Brokaw said, at one point falsely suggesting that Brokaw expressedthe view that "there's alot about him Obama that we don't know," when in fact Brokawattributed that assertion to Ȭonservative commentators."Limbaugh played audio of Rose and Brokawstating that they don't know Obama's"worldview":ϋlockquote>ROSE: Idon't know what Barack Obama's worldview is.ROSE: Icare about a almost as much as you do in terms of being a political junkie, butthere are questions you don't know in terms of -- I don't know what Barack Obama's worldviewis, I really don't know.
ώm>WSJ's Fund reported on ȯraudulent voters" in Ohio, without noting prosecutor reportedly said those in question weren't Ȫttempting to deceive anyone" In a November 2 Politico.com ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15189.html" title="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15189.html">piece, ώm>Wall Street Journal cited ώmϬolumbus Dispatch reportingabout an Ohio investigation into a group of "out-of-stateregistrants," some of whom reportedly voted or requested absenteeballots, and all of whom reportedly shared a house. Fund wrote that"the owner of the house the fraudulent voters stayed at is also underinvestigation." However, although Fund apparently referred to an October18 ώmϬolumbus Dispatch ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/10/18/brownlee.htmltype=rss&cat=&sid=101"Ϫrticle indescribing the investigation, Fund omitted comments made by the stateprosecutor, reported in the same article, expressing his view that the peoplevoting illegally believed they were entitled to vote and did not intend tobreak the law.
Ignoring McCain's immigration reversal, NBC's Mitchell said Èramatic shift in the Hispanic vote" toward Obama is a "sad irony for John McCain" Morning Joe, NBCchief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell said that among the"underreported things we've been talking among ourselves about thatwe have not paid enough attention to is this dramatic shift in the Hispanicvote." She went on to assert that "it is really a great irony, asad irony, for Sen. John McCain if it turns out this way because he was suchan early supporter. He lost his Republican base ... partly on supportingimmigration reform. And that endeared him to so many Hispanic voters, and nowthey are shifting to Barack Obama." However, Mitchell did not note thatMcCain reversed his position on immigration reform, aligning himself moreclosely with the GOP base. McCain abandoned his support for the immigration ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/zc109:S.1033:http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/zc109:S.1033:"Ï«ill he co-sponsoredwith Sen. Edward Kennedy D-MA, ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200801310007">saying, during CNN's January 30Republican presidential primary ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.cfr.org/publication/15387/republican_debate_transcript_simi_valley_california.htmlbreadcrumb=/campaign2008/speeches"�te, that he wouldno longer vote for it if it came up for a vote in the Senate. During thedebate, ÏŽm>ÏŽm>Los AngelesTimes staff writer Janet Hook asked McCain, Ȫtthis point, if your original proposal came to a vote on the Senate floor, wouldyou vote for it" McCain responded: "No, I would not, because we knowwhat the situation is today. The people want the borders secured first."ÏŽm>Media Matters for America ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200809230011" target="_blank">has ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200809160020" target="_blank">repeatedly ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810210006" target="_blank">noted, McCain's ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200712180003#20080207">position that "we've got to securethe borders first" is at odds with his prior ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200802130002" target="_blank" title="http://mediamatters.org/items/200802130002"Ϫssertion that border security could notbe disaggregated from other aspects of comprehensive immigration reform withoutbeing rendered ineffective.In a June 20 ÏŽm>Politico ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0608/11240.html"Ϫrticle, journalist GebeMartinez reported on McCain's reversal on immigration:Ï‹lockquote>McCain,the Arizonasenator, dismayed Latinos last year when he stepped back from his immigrationbill that would have tightened the borders and legalized undocumentedimmigrants. As boos and hisses from angry Republican conservatives grew louderat campaign events, he switched course and vowed to ȯirst" securethe borders. Were his failed bill to come up again, he would not vote for it,he said....Tryingto regain Latino support, McCain has chastised Republicans who stoke the firesof the immigration at election time. And at a private meeting with Chicago-areaLatinos last week, he promised to push for a comprehensive immigration bill."Itsounds like he's trying to have it both ways, and it's not convincinganyone," said Frank Sharry, who also was involved in immigration billnegotiations when he headed the National Immigration Forum. This isnot the McCain Hispanics thought they knew. Even after the 2001 terroristattacks placed an emphasis on national security, McCain's speeches to Latinoaudiences and on the Senate floor prioritized the compassionate side of theimmigration argument.Heunderstood that border security ȯirst" means â‹žportationonly" in the eyes of immigrant activists, and he championed a broaderapproach. other ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200807080004">media ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200805140008"ϯigures on MSNBC who have ignoredMcCain's immigration reversal or asserted that McCain has not changed hisposition. Morning Joe:Ï‹lockquote>MITCHELL:One of the other under -- underreported things we've been talking amongourselves about that we have not paid enough attention to is this dramaticshift in the Hispanic vote. MIKABRZEZINSKI co-host: Mmm-hmm. Absolutely.MITCHELL:What I think you're gonna likely see is -- and it is really a great irony,a sad irony, for John McCain --
CNN failed to note Dole "Godless" ad's voiceover controversy report on Sen. ElizabethDole's R-NC "Godless" ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/261834" title="http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/261834"ãº, in which Dole accused Democraticopponent Kay Hagan of taking money from Ȫ leader of the Godless AmericaPAC" at Ȫ secret fundraiser," failed to present the part ofthe ad that included a woman's voice saying, "There is noGod" while a picture of Hagan appeared onscreen. A Raleigh, North Carolina,ÏŽm> News ɪmp; Observer ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/claims_dept_doles_promises_ad" title="http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/claims_dept_doles_promises_ad"𾾬t check stated that the ad maylead viewers to believe "that the unidentified female voice at the end ofthe ad is Hagan's." While anchor Kyra Phillips and CNNcorrespondent Joe Johns noted that Hagan was filing a defamation lawsuit overthe ad, neither reported that in her notice of ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.kayhagan.com/blog/kay-hagan-files-suit" title="http://www.kayhagan.com/blog/kay-hagan-files-suit">intent to sue, Hagan asserted:"The voiceover, clearly presented to appear to be Plaintiff'sHagan's, was an intentional attempt by Defendants Dole and herelection committee to deceive the citizens of North Carolina and malign thePlaintiff and subject her to contempt. Plaintiff has never made such astatement. Despite knowing this, Defendants purposely made it appear that shedid."several ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.ajc.com/services/content/news/stories/2008/10/31/peberiefs.html" title="http://www.ajc.com/services/content/news/stories/2008/10/31/peberiefs.html">media ÏŠ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1849130_1849126_1855841,00.html" title="http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1849130_1849126_1855841,00.html">outlets reporting onDole's ad and Hagen's suit mentioned that the ad included anunidentified woman saying, "There is no God," while Hagan'spicture is onscreen.beginvideo clipÏ‹lockquote>JOHNS:It's been called despicable, a sign of desperation.
In column ABC's The Note called a "Must Read," ώm>Wash. Times' Pruden joins conservative chorus in misrepresenting comments Obama made in 2001 In hisOctober 28 ώm>Washington Times ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://washtimes.com/news/2008/oct/28/a-game-changer-by-obama-himself/"Ϭolumn, ώm>Times editor emeritus Wesley Pruden joined ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810270008">Matt Drudge, Fox News, and ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810280007">Rush Limbaugh in misrepresenting remarksSen. Barack Obama made in a 2001 ϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/rdto=http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/audio_library/od_rajan01.asp">interview on a Chicagopublic radio station, making several falsestatements.In spite of the falsehoods,ABCNews.com's The Note included Pruden's column among its"Must Reads" for the day.Pruden wrote:ϋlockquote>Thetape recording of an interview that Barack Obama gave to Radio Station WBEZ in Chicago in 2001 surfaced,and in that interview Mr. Obama, then a law professor and a state senator, laysout how he would redistribute the wealth....Mr.Obama doesn't think much of the Constitution, or even of the Supreme Courtjustices who have rewritten it over the years to accommodate notions of"social justice." The Warren Court, which wrote finis to public-schoolsegregation with its unanimous Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954,has been decried since as radical, but it wasn't radicalenough.One ofthe "tragedies of the civil-rights movement," Mr. Obama says, is thatthe Supreme Court did not address redistribution of wealth, probably because ofthe inherent difficulty of achieving such goals through the courts. The SupremeCourt did not break from the restraints of the Constitution and "we stillsuffer from that."Pruden advances two distinct falsehoodshere. First, Obama did not say that it is a "tragedy" that"the Supreme Court did not address redistribution of wealth."Rather, as ώm>Media Matters for America hasϊ href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810270008">noted, the "tragedy" Obamaidentified during the interview was that "the civil rights movementsbecame so court-focused" in trying to bring about political and economicjustice. Second, when Obama said "we still suffer from that," hewas still referring to his belief that the civil rights movement �meso court focused," which he said resulted in Ȫtendency to lose track of the political and community organizing." :ϋlockquote>OBAMA: Right,and it essentially has never happened. I mean, I think that, you know, if youlook at the victories and failures of the civil rights movement and itslitigation strategy in the court, I think where it succeeded was to vest formalrights in previously dispossessed peoples so that I would now have the right tovote, I would now be able to sit at the lunch counter and order in, as long asI could pay for it, Iɽ be OK. But the Supreme Court never ventured into theissues of redistribution of wealth and sort of more basic issues of politicaland economic justice in this society.
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