Everyone--except CNN--agrees Kerry flunked

The flap over John Kerry insulting the intelligence of US troops in Iraq is roaring through the media--even the traditionally liberal MSM have had to agree that the Massachusetts senator made a huge mistake. NBC's Tim Russert, a former Democratic staffer, said on Nightly News Tuesday night that Kerry's fellow Democrats were "not very pleased" with Kerry. And over on ABC, George Stephanopoulos, who served Democrats both on Capitol Hill and in the White House, went further, offering this vivid quote from an unnamed Democratic Congressman on the alphabet network's Tuesday night broadcast: "I guess Kerry wasn't content blowing 2004, now he wants to blow 2006, too." Even the BBC, not exactly a hotbed of opposition to liberals and Democrats, labeled Kerry's words a "surprise gift" to Republicans.

So is anybody in the media going to stick up for Kerry? Well, Kerry should give thanks for CNN, which went to bat for him on Tuesday. As recorded and analyzed by NewsBuster Noel Sheppard in a blog-post bluntly headlined, "CNN Shills for Sen. Kerry," Ed Henry, Kyra Phillips, and Andrea Koppell all went out of their way to plead Kerry's case. Concludes Sheppard, "Can you imagine a Republican making statements such as this right before an election, and CNN helping to explain it so?" Well no, I can't imagine CNN helping Republicans--and nobody else can, either.

"I don't want to lose to him"

Those are Sumner Redstone's pained words, complaining about Rupert Murdoch (pictured left), who bested him in the rivalry to gain control of Myspace.com.

We pause from the latest in cable news to think about the future of cable news, which will include, of course, a larger web component. So here's a snippet from Bryan Burrough's fascinating profile of Redstone in the December issue of Vanity Fair, in which Burrough describes Murdoch's snatching of Myspace.com out from under Tom Freston and the rest of Redstone's gang at Viacom:

"His anger only grew after Murdoch, upon completing the MySpace deal, won back the purchase price and more by selling the right to advertise on MySpace to Google for a stunning $900 million. In Redstone's mind, it was bad enough that Freston had let the world's hottest Internet property get away, but losing it to Murdoch was just too much. 'No! Not him!' Redstone bellows, wagging a finger in my face. 'I don't want to lose to him. Just like he wouldn't want to lose to me. It was a humiliating experience.'"

It's no shame to lose to Murdoch, of course, since he is one of the giants of 20th--and 21st--century business. However, it was a huge victory for The News Corporation, and a reminder that Murdoch & Co. are going to be serious players in the new media, as well as the news media. And of course, Fox News will be right there on the cutting edge!

David Bauder and CNBC, K-I-S-S-I-N-G

AP's David Bauder holds some kind of weird torch for CNBC. That is, it takes some real effort to find anything admirable in the fact that CNBC has run the same documentary on Wal-Mart 44 times over the last two years. That's right: 44 times. That's more times than Bill O'Reilly has called someone a "pinhead," more times than CNN has declared the Republicans to be "broken." And revealingly, that much-rerun doc still rates as one of CNBC's highest-rated shows. Now what does that tell you about the quality of CNBC's programming?

That's a wicked question that Bauder does his best to avoid answering, as he slops praise over various obviously liberal-leaning documentaries being cranked out by Josh Howard--the same Josh Howard who, it will be remembered, was one of those fired from CBS in the "Rathergate" scandal of 2004. Howard might not have much of a reputation as a legitimate journalist, but he still has a following among liberal journalists.

Of course, it's not just Bauder, sittin' in a tree with CNBC. Others, too, in the MSM are in love with CNBC; consider this puffjob on Pamela Thomas-Graham--you could read the whole thing and never know that she got pushed out of CNBC, on account of low ratings.

So what is that's so great about CNBC in the eyes of the MSM? Actually, maybe nothing, except for this one thing: CNBC & Co. ARE NOT FOX NEWS! Which is to say, in the minds of Bauder et al., how bad can they be?

That's the best lens through which to evaluate MSM coverage of the cable game: If it's CNBC or any of the rest of those liberal peas-in-the-same-pod, then they are likely to be seen gently through rose-colored glasses. But if it's Fox, well then, the MSM-er is likely just to see red.

Haddad Out at MSNBC?

FTVLive (subscription required) tells of a "storm brewing between NBC executives and MSNBC’s resident DC veteran Tammy Haddad just as the network approaches Election Day." The must-read zine adds, "FTVLive hears she’s being forced out despite her new deal."

Wow. The gist of it is that Haddad is unhappy with her MSNBC gig and that she wants more power at NBC. But TCG reckons that Haddad won't get anything if she gets fired first.

Undeniably, Haddad is talented. But just as undeniably, she is turf-conscious, aggressive, and difficult to work with, or for. Indeed, her enemies are legion among former employers, which include both CNN and FNC. So when FTV reports, "Tammy spends half her days bad-mouthing [DC Bureau Chief Tim} Russert to anyone who will listen in hopes of grabbing some power at the network level"--plenty of TV veterans say to themselves, "Yup, that's Tammy's m.o."

And of course, this is the wrong time to be rocking the boat at NBC, which is in downsizing mode. Sources tell TCG that part of Haddad's problem is that she is not in tune with the new mood at NBC, which is cut-cut-cut, including cuts at those two over-costly and under-performing step-child networks, MSNBC and CNBC. Perhaps Haddad needs to understand that empire-building is even harder and riskier when the overall NBC empire is shrinking so dramatically.

With more cuts looming in the future, TCG hears.

DNC Chairman Howard Dean said today from Philadelphia...

...taking note of challenges facing the Republic, the Democratic leader recalled: "Test after test of the balance of powers laid out in the Constitution, adopted here in Philadelphia's Independence Hall 219 years ago, written by men, who, for all their brilliance, could not have imagined jet aircraft, let alone jet aircraft used as weapons. Nor could men determined to find the lasting antidote to tyranny have imagined the Internet, spy satellites, other technological advances now so central in the war on terror. But they did warn, in this hall, time and time again of too much presidential power, creating a careful system of checks by the Congress and the courts, lines the Bush administration, in the name of protecting Americans from another attack, has repeatedly stretched, rewritten, and sometimes just ignored."

Oops! That wasn't Howard Dean, or even Bill Moyers--that was CNN's John King slamming W. My mistake. But I blame NewsBusters. When blogger-transcriber Scott Whitlock headlined his incisive piece, "CNN Spews Democratic Talking Points," I got a little confused.

Juan Williams Busts CNN on Bias

Juan Williams is a complicated figure. The author of three books on the civil rights movement, he is not exactly a traditional conservative. And he is a strong opponent of the Iraq war. On the other hand, he is no leftist either--he is very critical of much of the lefty establishment, starting with Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. Which is to say, he is an interesting guy, fearless in his opinions, always worth listening to.

And so when he said on Fox recently that CNN "is in the tank" for the Democrats, people paid attention. Although NewsBusters had the story in detail. Thanks to Dave Pierre for his alert blogging!

Viva Van Susteren!

Greta did Vegas, baby, with Celine Dion tonight. The FNC interview took place in Celine's multi-million dollar backstage suite at Caesar's Palace Coliseum, where she talked about the demands of her Vegas show, understanding the depth of her international stardom, and being a mother.

"Wolf Blitzer Democrats"

This from The American Spectator:

"In fact, CNN producers, with the approval of more senior executives, intend to run the highly politicized, pro-Democrat Party 'Where the Right Went Wrong' in the days leading into Election Day. The series uses original reporting, as well as materials, including statistics and research developed by the DNC, MoveOn.org and the labor-funded 527, Americans Coming Together, though the those sources are never mentioned in the segments."

I report, you decide.

More B&C Buzz on FNC Biz

The same mag has the latest on Fox's long-rumored business channel, to be run, reportedly, by FNC insider Kevin Magee, who has masterminded the rise of of Fox Radio.

Update: Here's the writeup on the same Magee item from MediaWeek.

Two FNC-related stories from Broadcasting & Cable

The always must-read insider publication Broadcasting & Cable features an interview with FNC's Sharri Berg, senior VP for news operations, who provides an update on FNC's never-tiring effort to stay ahead of the competition. Sharri also traced some of the astounding changes in the biz: "Fifteen years ago, to get pictures out of Baghdad, it required sending in a two-ton flyaway unit. Then five years ago, for overseas war coverage, it was a 15-pound video kit. Last week, we're talking about a crew getting to a location and powering up and pointing the camera while immediately beginning a stream over a PDA." A breathtaking amount of change, that's for sure--but Sharri and FNC are determined to set the tech-standard for the cable game.

And as if to prove that techno-point, the same issue of B&C features an update on FNC's "Treo-blazing" journalism during the recent NYC Cory Lidle airplane-crash tragedy.

Fox in a Flash

Fox has more going on than I can keep track of--
The Hollywood Reporter beat me to this story about Fox News Flash, a new webcast.

"CNN Promotes Bush Assassination Flick- For Free!"

That's the harsh-but-accurate assessment of NewsBuster Scott Whitlock, who scrupulously blogs CNN's long and friendly segment on the British presidential snuff film "Death of a President."

Only on CNN would an anchor--in this case, Miles O'Brien--say to the film's director, "All the buzz surrounding this, I guess that might be good for business, huh?" Right, Miles! Outrageousness sells, especially if it's outrageous Bush-bashing, especially on CNN. And if the topic at hand is a near-criminal encouragement to presidential assassination? Well, as Wolf Blitzer said in regard to the sniper video, when it comes to depicting Americans being killed, CNN sees no reason to apologize.

Next on Fox?

Johnny Dollar takes in the Sean Hannity special on FNC last night and speculates that this is a new show in the making. Nobody knows FNC better than J$, so place your bets accordingly!

Chris Matthews Sanctifies the Dems

It's unbelievable, but believable, the things ex-Democratic staffers say when their kneejerk campaign instincts are stirred up.

C'mon Media Matters: Take up the Julie Banderas/Johnny Dollar Challenge

Fox News' Julie Banderas and super-blogger Johnny Dollar pose a challenge to lefty blogs, such as MediaMatters.org. Banderas criticized Rush Limbaugh and praised Michael J. Fox re: the stem cell issue. (And Julie mentioned, in passing, that that her father has Parkinson's Disease--our prayers are with you!)

Now, as Banderas and Dollar ask, will MediaMatters and all the rest even take notice? Or is the left-blogosphere only programmed to criticize FNC, never to take notice when FNC proves that it really is fair and balanced--presenting all sides?

So far, nothing from MediaMatters, thus tending to confirm, so far at least, all of our suspicions about the unfair and unbalanced nature of MM.

UPDATE On October 30, MM posted an item on Julie's "dare," and they played it straight--they even gave Johnny Dollar credit for first noticing the item. So I give MM credit for this much, and maybe more: when they're really being watched, they do the right thing. And so that's my goal, to really watch 'em, like a hawk!

This is Fox: 10 Years After--And Still Growing Strong!

Fox's "Thank You America" tour across America is one part road trip and one part triumphant crusade. Everywhere, big crowds, big ratings, and welcoming officialdom. On Friday, FNC arrived in San Diego, aboard the USS Midway, playing host to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Happily, the live audience, thick with active-duty Navy men and women, got to ask questions. And at a VIP party following the show, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders presented Hannity with a proclamation declaring "FOX News Channel Day" for the city.

Fox next hits Vegas, baby, on Monday, with Shepard Smith and Greta Van Susteren.

This is CNN... Being Protested in Atlanta on Monday!

The Cable Game hears that a big protest is being planned out in front of the CNN Center in Atlanta, at Centennial Olympic Park on Monday at 3 pm. And that Denny Schaffer, a top talker at local station WGST, will be on hand for the event, which will focus on--but is not limited to--CNN's atrocious exploitation of that "snipergate" video.

For those not familiar with the soon-to-be-notorious incident, here's the take of National Review Online's Steven Spruiell.

"NBC's '2.0' may be a zero"

That's the headline atop Verne Gay's piece in Newsday, which takes a hard look at NBC's future.

Gay begins by calling into question the idea that there is any such thing as "NBC 2.0." He writes: "Everyone - that is to say, the press and analysts - bought this with all the gap-toothed gullibility of a first-time tourist at Times Square.

Then Gay delivers his punch: "Welcome to Times Square, suckers. It was all a shell game, designed to divert attention away from the real issues at hand, which are a troubled prime-time schedule and a muddled top management succession plan. Throw away the press release. NBC is still 1.0."

In particular, Gay takes note of the decision to close down the MSNBC studio in far-away New Jersey--remember when NBC chief Bob Wright heralded MSNBC as the key to the digital future? Remember when MSNBC was, in effect, NBC 2.0? Adds Gay: "This is effectively the correction of a mistake made 10 years ago when NBC built a cavernous new studio-office facility in Secaucus that (to this day) sits largely empty. NBC could have built an MSNBC studio in Manhattan 10 years ago, but - for reasons of tax avoidance and labor issues - trekked across the river instead. Magnificent studio aside, viewers still didn't watch MSNBC. It was a white elephant then, and a white elephant it remains."

Will game shows take over MSNBC and CNBC, Too?

Some might say that those two struggling cable newswers would use some new blood--from the likes of Howie Mandel--but in truth, what MSNBC and CNBC need are compelling and non-condescending news packages, presented in a fair-and-balanced way. And yet it seems that NBC would rather cut back than change its basic we-liberals-know-best style. That's the conclusion one draws from this excellent piece, headlined, "Cost-cutting NBC counting on game shows to revive its fortunes," by Charlie McCollum, writing in The San Jose Mercury-News. McCollum politely refers to the "faltering" MSNBC. Of course it's faltering--because nobody watches!

But overall, how bad are things at NBC? McCollum records Jay Leno quipping about his own network on "The Tonight Show" last week: "Things are so bad... our interns are calling Mark Foley, looking for work."

"Lynne Cheney asks tough questions when interviewing CNN"

OpinionMill blog makes a great point: "If the press is going to be an active player in elections (Rathergate) and global policy (CNN Sniper videos), candid but respectful questions to the media about their position on issues need to be asked."

Hewitt on Blitzer: "He ambushed her"

That's Hugh Hewitt's summary of Wolf Blitzer's attempted mugging of Lynne Cheney on Friday's "Situation Room." The fact that Mrs. Cheney handed it right back to Blitzer doesn't obviate Blitzer's duty to apologize, says Hewitt.

Lynne Cheney socks it to CNN--on CNN

Lynne Cheney let the Clinton News Network have it on Friday. Here's John Eggerton's report from Broadcasting & Cable:

"In an interview with Situation Room anchor Wolf Blitzer, Cheney said the network's Vote 2006 specials contained 'terrible distortions of the president's and vice president's positions on many issues.'

"She suggested CNN was working from Democratic talking points, and took issue with the negative tone of the title 'Broken Government,' suggesting it betrayed CNN's bias and countering that the administration had inherited a recession, been through some tough times like 9/11 and Katrina, but that the economy was healthy. 'That's not broken,' she said, 'this government has acted very well... I shouldn't let media bias surprise me.'"

Eggerton's story continues, "Blitzer said the series was 'probably' meant to be provocative, 'to get people to think, to get people to discuss these issues.'" (One might note that it is not the proper mission of a news network to be "provocative," at least unless the segment is labeled "provocation.")

Then the wife of the Vice President zeroed in CNN's biggest single vulnerability these days: "Cheney turned the tables on Blitzer, becoming the questioner: 'what is CNN doing running tapes of terrorists shooting Americans,' she asked more than once, repeating a question CNN had been asked: 'Do you want us to win?'"

Blitzer answered yes, CNN does want America to win (maybe we should take a poll to see whether most Americans agree with Blitzer's self-assessment), but then volunteered of the video, "We make no apologies for showing it."

Ladies and gentlemen, CNN stands by its airing of the sniper video. So now the American people rest their case against CNN.

CNN's Broken Record -- on Malaise

Howard "Extreme" Mortman is bummed out by CNN. As he writes, watching CNN's "Broken Government" series is like taking a trip back to the "malaise days" of the Carter Administration.

Fair enough, Howard. But remember, that's CNN's not-so-hidden goal in running this "Broken Government" so close to the election: To peel back the Republicans, and go back to the old Jimmy days. Isn't that everyone's goal?

The Smoking Gun on CNN's Snipergate?

"The Prowler," writing in the hot-again American Spectator, reveals some potentially critical information about CNN's m.o. as it played footsie with terrorists, in pursuit of that blood-footage of Americans being shot and killed in Iraq. Here're the words of a close observer: "My understanding is that email sent by CNN could not be construed any other way than as supportive of the Islamic militants' position in Iraq. There are people inside CNN who are disgusted by their colleagues' activities in Iraq and here in the United States in covering the war."

Continues Prowler, "Attempts to get a copy of the email were unsuccessful. But one CNN source familiar with the techniques employed by network producers to get the Islamic extremist perspective says that it's common for producers to use Iraqi or Muslim contract employees to get information and access to the terrorists, and they do so by claiming sympathy or support for what the terrorists are doing."

True, not true? How to find out? Eventually, the truth will be set free.

CNN's "snipergate"-- other bloggers get their say

Three voices--I report, you decide:

A blog devoted to Anderson Cooper--not necessarily favorably-- takes note of the effort by a Virginia State Legislator to have CNN pulled off cable carriers, as a way of protesting the sniper video.

Blogger Alex writes, "CNN airs the video of terrorist sniper killing US soldiers. The video was sent by the terrorists to CNN as propaganda and that idiot Ted Turner can't help himself. I knew there was a solid reason I don't watch the Clinton News Network (aka. Taliban TV).

Finally, this blog posting, from Crizzle, a US serviceman, is full of salty talk, but it's a revealing look inside the head of someone who is in the line of fire, literally--whose head is a target for CNN's video pals. As Crizzle writes, "Air video of them getting shot in the head to millions upon millions of Americans. Its this kind of [bleeping] bull [bleep] that make me question why I even do what I do. So [bleep] you CNN."

Yes, they are all critical. It's darn hard to find anyone who sticks up for CNN on this issue. But I will keep looking!

"There is a public relations benefit for the insurgents"...

...Why yes, CNN has helped the terrorists--"terrorists" being the less p.c. word than "insurgents." "Terrorists," in fact, is the word that most Americans use to label those who are avidly killing Americans in Iraq. And that's why the "snipergate" video has caused such a strong reaction in the US, because most Americans just don't think that CNN should be giving the TERRORISTS what they crave most--publicity for them and their evil works.

Still, acknowledging the "public relations benefit" for the enemy rates as a surprisingly candid admission from David Doss, producer of "Anderson Cooper 360," concerning CNN's "snipergate video." CNN turned to The Guardian, a lefty Brit newspaper that is no fan of George W. Bush or the Iraq war. Fair enough; everyone should have friends. But even in the course of spinning his side of the story to a sympathetic reporter, Doss revealed much about the "moral equivalence" mindset that afflicts so many Secular Progressives. Describing the emotional impact of watching video of Americans being shot and killed by terrorists, Doss said that he and his CNN colleagues decidee to run the video after "getting beyond the emotional debate."

In other words, all they had to do was get over their qualms about helping the enemy--after that, the decision to air the video was easy. Easy for them. Not so easy for Americans, and for those rooting for America in the War on Terror.

CNN and AARP team up to push Dems over the top

MediaWeek provides some useful scoop about CNN's plans for the upcoming election coverage. It seems that AARP, the liberal-leaning senior citizens' lobby, is planning on being the exclusive sponsor for "The Situation Room" in the week prior to Election Day. Is this because Wolf Blitzer has white hair? Is it because the CNN audience is old? Those are two possible answers, but another is that AARP recognizes CNN as an ally for the Democratic Party. Some more useful info about AARP can be found here. The bottom line is that the AARP is a loyal adjunct to the Democratic Party. And since CNN, too, is a loyal adjunct to the Democratic Party, it only makes sense that the two loyal adjuncts have found each other. Together, they no doubt hope to make beautiful political music for the Democrats.

"MSNBC" = "Mostly Seeking to Nail Bush Constantly"

The Olbermann-ification of Joe Scarborough continues. For example, in this recent item, "Joe Knows: Dems can win on Iraq." Olbermann's MSNBC Scarborough writes nastily about Iraq, "You know what my biggest mistake was? Trusting the Bush Administration."

Scarborough has a right to say whatever he wishes, of course, just as we have a right not to watch. But what Joe, a former GOP Congressman, can't do anymore is say that he is any kind of Republican--except the kind of "useful idiot" Republican that flourishes in NYC, working for the MSM. In that case, Scarborough can expect to flourish, as his liberal masters trot him out and say, "See? Even 'conservative Republican' Joe Scarborough says that Republicans are no good." And Scarborough delivers that message, faithfully. It's a way for him to keep his show, despite low ratings. In the MSM world, sending the politically correct message is oftentimes more important than getting a big audience. And at MSNBC in particular, it's known that new network chief Dan Abrams is determined to move the network in a more Bush-bashing direction.

In the new Abrams era, "MSNBC" = "Mostly Seeking to Nail Bush Constantly."

“It seems to me that CNN doesn’t care if we win.”

That's Cong. Duncan Hunter (R-Ca.) speaking out on CNN's pro-sniper story of last week, quoted in a terrific Army Times piece bylined to Rick Maze.

I have noticed something interesting: all the politicians who attack CNN seem to be Republicans. The Democrats, by contrast, don't seem to be saying much. And of course, silence is its own kind of statement.

Which is to say, "Snipergate" could be a useful dividing line in the upcoming election, in which the voters ask the political parties, as well as the news networks, the key question: "Whose side are you on?"

So this news story could turn into an election-turner, in a way that helps Republicans. That would be ironic, since that was not at all CNN's intention.

"Is CNN on the side of the killers and terrorists in Iraq?"

Radio talker Michael Medved asks.

"Olbermann's flat, flaccid arguments"

That's the headline atop A.G. Gancarski's brutal review of Keith Olbermann's "book," The Worst Person in the World: And 202 Strong Contenders.

Here's Gancarski: "Essentially, this book compiles a couple hundred transcripts of the 'Worst Person in the World' segment from Olbermann's MSNBC gabfest, along with some other warmed-over material [like 'The Bill O'Reilly Glossary,' which abounds with jokes lifted from political blog Wonkette.com]."

Get the picture? Gancarski concludes that Olbermann "is content with lazy and flaccid arguments, and the book fails as a result."

I report, you decide.

"The video is enemy propaganda..."

"...designed to discourage American support for the war effort," says history book author Michael S. Class. "War correspondents of the past knew better." Class is reacting, of course, to the CNN sniper video from Iraq which aired last week.

Class, author of Anthony and the Magic Picture Frame, a history book aimed at kids, in which Class's own son Anthony travels back in time to learn the stories of everyone from Jonas Salk to Babe Ruth. Now Class adds legendary war correspondent Ernie Pyle to his roster of historical figures whom he has painstakingly researched before his son "visits" them.

So when Class writes about Pyle, the American reporter who died covering US combat forces in the Pacific in 1945, he knows his subject: "Ernie Pyle made it clear which side he was on. Ernie Pyle never glorified war, but he explained combat in terms of the sacrifices that American soldiers made on behalf of the people back home. Pyle wrote of the American warrior with a heart-of-gold, fighting the good fight against evil, fighting for a just and moral cause."

But now things have changed: "I Can't Watch CNN! Ernie Pyle, I Miss You!" And indeed, Ernie Pyle, up there somewhere, would miss the old style of American journalism. When American journalists rooted for America.

MSNBC, trying harder at Bush-bashing--but still stumbling

Remember when Joe Scarborough was a Republican? Not only that, but he was one of those Class of '94 guys, brought in by Newt Gingrich as part of his Republican Revolution. Well, that was then.

Today, he's a host on MSNBC, and he seems to be in competition with Keith Olbermann to see which surviving MSNBC anchor can be the leftiest and shrillest. One would think that Olbermann has that prize wrapped up, but as Cliff Kincaid, of Accuracy in Media demonstrates, Scarborough is striving to keep up. Others have noticed Scarborough's left-drift, too, including Mark Finkelstein of "Newsbusters."

It appears that the Dan Abrams-ification of MSNBC continues.

But it's not so clear that any of it is working: dropped MSNBC.

The Cafferty News Network meets the Democratic National Cafferty

Cable Game sources tell me that Jack Cafferty has been the driving force behind the CNN "Broken Government" series--and he has convinced CNN execs that because of him and his influence, they can do a totally throw-the-bums out series and not get tagged as doing Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean's dirty work.

But in fact, if most incumbents are Republicans--that is, they have the White House and both houses of Congress--then it's a matter of simple math that the big winners in a wholesale reversal of political fortune would be the Democrats. If CNN can get Americans to agree that the government is broken, then it stands to reason that the voters would want somebody new to do the fixing, i.e. Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.

So here's a question: Remember all that campaign finance controversy from years past? You know, McCain-Feingold, "soft money," and all that? Well how come nobody counts CNN's massive contribution to the DNC as a contribution in kind?

FNC on CNN's Snipergate: Fair & Balanced

FNC covers the sniper story the right way--showing both sides of the debate. First, Cong. Duncan Hunter (R-Ca.)had his say, declaring that what CNN did was "totally unacceptable," and concluding that the news network "was not part of the American cause."

Strong stuff. But wait, because it's Fox, there was another side to the story, on the air immediately following, with equal time. FNC contributor Marvin Kalb, for many decades a fixture at CBS, and now at Harvard, stuck up for CNN, pronouncing, "It is the right of the people who elected this government to try to find out if the policy is right."

There you have it: Both sides of the story. Fair & Balanced. QED.

Thanks to Johnny Dollar for this tip and the link.

CNN -- "Two Left Feet"

It's increasingly clear that CNN has chosen a new identity for itself in 2006, as the premiere Bush-bashing network (as opposed to just being a Bush-bashing network, they now want to be #1). CNN has given up on chasing after #1 Fox; today it more conscious of the need to consolidate its position as #2, ahead of #3 MSNBC. MSNBC, of course, has been mostly a disaster ever since it started more than 10 years ago

Which reminds me: How come there was no "thank you America" tour from MSNBC back in August? And the answer, of course, is that MSNBC doesn't anything to be thankful for, at least in terms of viewership. But wait, there is one thing for MSNBC to be thankful for: The deep pockets of NBC--that's kept them going all these ratings-shriveled, money-losing years.

OK, now back to CNN. This morning Wolf Blitzer was touting CNN's upcoming "Broken Government" specials, with the help of CNNers Jeff Greenfield, Jeffrey Toobin, and Candy Crowley. Each one is getting his or her own show this week on the theme of Broken Government--you get it? And who's in charge of the government these days? Get it? (Other CNNers on the Bush-bashing, Democrat-aiding bandwagon are Lou Dobbs and Jack Cafferty.)

That's the CNN plan, obviously intended to pre-empt Keith Olbermann, and maybe get some good access to the Democrats who might well be controlling the 110th Congress. If that sounds like advocating and lobbying as opposed to journalism--well, that's because it is.

But every bad plan shows its flaws, and this one is no exception. Blitzer told Crowley that her special was entitled, "Two Left Feet." And then he asked her where she got that name from. The answer that Bitzer was fishing for was some sort of reference to "two left feet" as a symbol of clumsiness. But instead, Crowley responded with candor: She hesitated and said of the title of her special: "Well, it came from the top."

Which is to say, somebody up at the level of Jon Klein dictated the title of Crowley's special, putting a distinctly unfair and unbalanced spin on the show.

And yet at the same time, we can be somewhat thankful for a) Crowley's candor, and b) the Freudian slip made by CNN. Two left feet, indeed.

This is CNN: Unfair and Unbalanced

Watching CNN this morning, I saw Wolf Blitzer hosting a segment on "Late Edition" in which former Carter national security