. ABC News Gushes Over Democratic Activists Question to Hillary: If You Dont Run, Who Will? The journalists at ABCs World News on Sunday enthusiastically touted a fawning question from a Democratic activist to Hillary Clinton. After anchor David Muir insisted that it didnt take long for a student there to ask a pointed question, college student Vrinda Agrawal wondered, If you dont represent women in politics in America as future president, who will? This is a tough question? The event was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and held at Yale Law School. Agrawal followed-up by enthusing, I will proudly run your campaign. At no time did Muir or reporter Susan Saulny inform viewers that the student was a policy intern for Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer or that her Facebook page includes pictures of her and Bill Clinton. 2. NBC: Dems Eager for Hillary Coronation in 2016; GOP Nervous About Tea Party In a report for Mondays NBC Today, political director Chuck Todd described how Democrats seem comfortable with the idea of a coronation of Hillary Clinton in 2016, as many of them are almost begging her to run. Meanwhile, he asserted that Republicans, nervous about the influence of the Tea Party, were looking to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush as a potential candidate. The segment played a clip of one of Clintons adoring fans pleading for the former secretary of state to run: If you dont represent women in politics in America as future president, who will? Moments later, Todd warned that Bush has family matters to consider given that his own mother has said she doesnt want him to run. A sound bite ran of Barbara Bush remarking on the Today show in 2013, Weve had enough Bushes. 3. Forget ObamaCare, NBCs Today Wonders if President Will Get a New Cell Phone With one week to go before the March 31 ObamaCare enrollment deadline, Mondays NBC Today completely skipped any reporting on the latest sign-up numbers still being below administration projections. Instead, the hosts of the morning show devoted air time to discussing rumors that President Obama may trade in his BlackBerry for a new smart phone. Co-host Matt Lauer announced to viewers: Is President Obama finally ready to part with one of his most prized possessions?....Since he first took office back in 2008 [sic], Mr. Obama said there were two habits he could not kick, smoking and using a BlackBerry. Well, he ditched cigarettes a long time ago and now his beloved smart phone could get the boot. 4. Networks Ignore Bad News for ObamaCare One Week Before Enrollment Deadline With only a week to go before ObamaCares sign-up deadline, the networks ignored the law entirely on Monday evening even though the latest estimate has the administration one million sign-ups short of its revised goal. The networks also ignored that the administrations latest delay that let many keep their current insurance plans that the White House once called shoddy. 5. CBS Hypes Michelle Obama for Praising Free Speech, Skips Press Blackout of Her China Trip Ignoring the most important part of the story, CBS This Morning reporter Jan Crawford hyped Michelle Obama for promoting free speech in China. Yet, Crawford never mentioned that American journalists werent allowed to travel with the First Lady on her trip. With no sense of irony, Crawford touted, Michelle Obama hit a hot button issue in China by praising freedom of speech in America. The journalist played a clip of Mrs. Obama trumpeting, My husband and I are under plenty of questioning and criticism from our media and our fellow citizens...But we wouldnt trade it for anything in the world. Wouldnt this have been a good point to stop and inform viewers that the First Lady did just that? Crawford even used Michelle Obama to report on Michelle Obama. Free Bumper Sticker ABC News Gushes Over Democratic Activists Question to Hillary: If You Dont Run, Who Will? The journalists at ABCs World News on Sunday enthusiastically touted a fawning question from a Democratic activist to Hillary Clinton. After anchor David Muir insisted that it didnt take long for a student there to ask a pointed question, college student Vrinda Agrawal wondered, If you dont represent women in politics in America as a future president, who will? [MP3 audio here.] This is a tough question? The event was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and held at Yale Law School. Agrawal followed-up by enthusing, I will proudly run your campaign. At no time did Muir or reporter Susan Saulny inform viewers that the student was a policy intern for Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer or that her Facebook page includes pictures of her and Bill Clinton. View the Video Here Kimmels questions included asking: Should you wind up back in the White House, will Chelsea get her old room back or will you convert that into a home gym? This prompted Muir to marvel: Kimmel should join our political team here. During the 2008 campaign, Good Morning America planted a Clinton supporter from the 90s at a town hall event. On March 26, 2007, Robin Roberts allowed this softball from an audience member: ROBIN ROBERTS: What you said then in, in ‘93, many people felt it was just, in some ways, ahead of its, ahead of its time. Somebody that was there, and wants to ask you what is different now, between what happened then, and he is Dr. Steve Eckstat. He is, he works at the free clinic of Iowa. Doctor? HILLARY CLINTON: Hello, doctor. DR. STEVE ECKSTAT: Morning. In 1993, I was a member of the Clinton Health Care Task Force when we were attempting to provide universal health care coverage of all Americans. We were unsuccessful, unsuccessful then and now the number of uninsured, 80 percent of whom are working families and individuals, has risen from 23 million in 1993 to over 46 million. If elected president, Senator Clinton, would you be willing to try again to provide universal health care coverage for all Americans and make that at priority for your administration? At one point, Eckstat appeared to be reading his lenghty question. A transcript of the March 23 World News segment is below: 6:13pm ET DAVID MUIR: We turn next here to a former first lady and a potential presidential candidate. Hillary Clinton, her husband and her daughter in front of an audience overnight and it didnt take long for a student there to ask a pointed question. And the moderator Jimmy Kimmel, was not about to let her ignore it. ABC’s Susan Saulny tonight from Washington. SUSAN SAULNY: On stage in front of 1,200 college students, one cuts to the chase. VRINDA AGRAWAL: If you dont represent women in politics in America as future president, who will? SAULNY: And here’s the answer. HILLARY CLINTON: I appreciate the sentiment. Look I -- I am very much concerned about the direction of our country and its not just who runs for office but what they do when they get there. SAULNY: Jimmy Kimmel was not about to let Clinton off the hook. JIMMY KIMMEL: She wants an answer. HILLARY CLINTON: Im getting to it. So, let me say this. Give me your name and number -- AGRAWAL: I will proudly run your campaign. SAULNY: Kimmel himself prying into Clintons private life, too. KIMMEL: Do you think you and the president will have another child? Any more children? HILLARY CLINTON: Well, no, but I wouldnt mind one of those grandchildren that I hear so much about. CHELSEA CLINTON: Shameless. Shameless. KIMMEL: No pressure. SAULNY: And about that possible run, Kimmel had one last pressing question. KIMMEL: Should you wind up back in the White House, will Chelsea get her old room back or will you convert that into a home gym? SAULNY: Laughter, but still no answer about those plans, instead, a selfie with Kimmel, their own take on Ellens Oscar moment. The former president and Secretary of State quickly retweeting. Susan Saulny, ABC News, Washington. MUIR: Kimmel should join our political team here. -- Scott Whitlock NBC: Dems Eager for Hillary Coronation in 2016; GOP Nervous About Tea Party In a report for Mondays NBC Today, political director Chuck Todd described how Democrats seem comfortable with the idea of a coronation of Hillary Clinton in 2016, as many of them are almost begging her to run. Meanwhile, he asserted that Republicans, nervous about the influence of the Tea Party, were looking to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush as a potential candidate. [Listen to the audio] The segment played a clip of one of Clintons adoring fans pleading for the former secretary of state to run: If you dont represent women in politics in America as future president, who will? Moments later, Todd warned that Bush has family matters to consider given that his own mother has said she doesnt want him to run. A sound bite ran of Barbara Bush remarking on the Today show in 2013, Weve had enough Bushes. View the Video Here Todd wrapped up the report by piling on against Bush: If Bush does go head to head with Clinton, recent polls show hed face an uphill battle. Still, the bigger hurdle for Bush is the Republican primary gauntlet. Will the long-time conservative from Florida be viewed as conservative enough for the Republican Party of 2016? At no point did Todd suggest a single challenge or weakness in a Hillary Clinton candidacy. Here is a full transcript of the March 24 report: 8:04 AM ET TAMRON HALL: Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton are sharing the spotlight today at an education conference in Texas. Could it be a preview of a Bush/Clinton presidential race in 2016? The story from NBCs chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd. [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: 2016 Race Preview? Hillary Clinton & Jeb Bush Share Spotlight] CHUCK TODD: Two political powerhouses sharing the spotlight today could be presidential rivals in 2016. Democrats seem comfortable with the idea of a coronation of Hillary Clinton. Many of them are almost begging her to run. And now, some long-time Republicans, nervous about the influence of the Tea Party, would like to see a coronation of one of their own, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Bush has joked about a match-up with Clinton before. JEB BUSH: We do agree on the wisdom of the American people, especially those in Iowa and New Hampshire and South Carolina. TODD: And for the first time in his career, Bush seems truly open to a run. At times, more forthcoming about his interests than Hillary Clinton, who continues to remain coy about her plans. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: If you dont represent women in politics in America as future president, who will? [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] HILLARY CLINTON: Give me your name and number. TODD: Bush has been more direct, promising to make a final decision by the end of this year. BUSH: The decision will be based on, Can I do it joyfully? Because I think we need to have candidates lift our spirits. TODD: This renewed interest in Jeb Bush from key Republicans comes just as the early establishment 2016 favorite, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, has been badly damaged by that George Washington Bridge scandal, leaving Jeb Bush as the partys leading statesman. Bushs aides cautioned, though, against reading too much into his current schedule, arguing hed be helping Republicans regardless of his 2016 plans. And Bush has family matters to consider. His own mother has said she doesnt want him to run, as she told Matt on Today. BARBARA BUSH: Weve had enough Bushes. TODD: Bush is now trying to make light of his moms opposition. UNIDENTIFIED MAN: If, conditional, you were to run for president, would you get your mothers vote? JEB BUSH: Yes. Yes, I would. [LAUGHTER] TODD: If Bush does go head to head with Clinton, recent polls show hed face an uphill battle. [ON-SCREEN GRAPHIC: McClatchy/ Marist Poll; Clinton 58%, Bush 38%] TODD: Still, the bigger hurdle for Bush is the Republican primary gauntlet. Will the long-time conservative from Florida be viewed as conservative enough for the Republican Party of 2016? For Today, Chuck Todd, NBC News, Washington. -- Kyle Drennen Forget ObamaCare, NBCs Today Wonders if President Will Get a New Cell Phone With one week to go before the March 31 ObamaCare enrollment deadline, Mondays NBC Today completely skipped any reporting on the latest sign-up numbers still being below administration projections. Instead, the hosts of the morning show devoted air time to discussing rumors that President Obama may trade in his BlackBerry for a new smart phone. [Listen to the audio] Co-host Matt Lauer announced to viewers: Is President Obama finally ready to part with one of his most prized possessions?....Since he first took office back in 2008 [sic], Mr. Obama said there were two habits he could not kick, smoking and using a BlackBerry. Well, he ditched cigarettes a long time ago and now his beloved smart phone could get the boot. View the Video Here Lauer continued: In what would be a symbolic blow to struggling BlackBerry, the Wall Street Journal saying the White House is now testing phones from Samsung and LG. Making sure to note the administrations response, Lauer declared: Spokesperson at the White House Jay Carney pushing back on the report, saying no changes are imminent. When will NBC ask Jay Carney to comment on ObamaCare? Social media co-host Carson Daly lamented: I feel sorry for BlackBerry, because this is like the one thing that they could say, The President still uses us. Weatherman Al Roker joked: I hear hes going back to a beeper, too. Thats going to be kind of cool. Here is a full transcript of the March 24 segment: 8:13 AM ET MATT LAUER: 8:13 now, were back with Whats Trending Today. And heres a question for you, is President Obama finally ready to part with one of his most prized possessions? Not Joe Biden, Savannah. SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Oh, get me in trouble. [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Bye, Bye, BlackBerry?; Report: White House Considers Android for Obama] LAUER: Since he first took office back in 2008 [sic], Mr. Obama said there were two habits he could not kick, smoking and using a BlackBerry. Well, he ditched cigarettes a long time ago and now his beloved smart phone could get the boot. In what would be a symbolic blow to struggling BlackBerry, the Wall Street Journal saying the White House is now testing phones from Samsung and LG. Spokesperson at the White House Jay Carney pushing back on the report, saying no changes are imminent. Apparently these other phone companies have made great strides in coming up with phones that are more and more secure, which is one of the reasons he was hanging on to his BlackBerry. GUTHRIE: Yeah, because this is not just the BlackBerry that you get over at Radioshack. AL ROKER: No. MATT LAUER: This is not your grandfathers BlackBerry. GUTHRIE: No, no. CARSON DALY: I feel sorry for BlackBerry, because this is like the one thing that they could say, The President still uses us. LAUER: Right. ROKER: I hear hes going back to a beeper, too. [LAUGHTER] Thats going to be kind of cool. -- Kyle Drennen Networks Ignore Bad News for ObamaCare One Week Before Enrollment Deadline With only a week to go before ObamaCares sign-up deadline, the networks ignored the law entirely on Monday evening even though the latest estimate has the administration one million sign-ups short of its revised goal. As an earlier BiasAlert reported, the networks skipped the story on Monday morning as well. That continues their trend of shelving bad news for ObamaCare, including the low enrollment numbers among young people and the administrations latest delay that let many keep their current insurance plans that the White House once called shoddy. Despite no mention of ObamaCare, the NBC Nightly News carved out over two minutes for the current NCAA basketball tournament. Last week, CBS and ABC fawned over the Presidents tournament picks, calling it Baracketology. The networks have a whole have had a miserable track record in reporting bad news for ObamaCare this year. As the MRC reported, the NBC Nightly News has spent a measly one-third of one percent of its total air time on ObamaCare. Overall, the network evening news have devoted less than one percent of total air time to ObamaCare in 2014. -- Matt Hadro CBS Hypes Michelle Obama for Praising Free Speech, Skips Press Blackout of Her China Trip Ignoring the most important part of the story, CBS This Morning reporter Jan Crawford hyped Michelle Obama for promoting free speech in China. Yet, Crawford never mentioned that American journalists werent allowed to travel with the First Lady on her trip. With no sense of irony, Crawford touted, Michelle Obama hit a hot button issue in China by praising freedom of speech in America. [MP3 audio here.] The journalist played a clip of Mrs. Obama trumpeting, My husband and I are under plenty of questioning and criticism from our media and our fellow citizens...But we wouldnt trade it for anything in the world. Wouldnt this have been a good point to stop and inform viewers that the First Lady did just that? Crawford even used Michelle Obama to report on Michelle Obama. View the Video Here Since American journalists werent allowed to travel with Obama, Crawford substituted, noting that visiting the Great Wall was an experience she blogged about on the White House website. Viewers then saw official WhiteHouse.gov video. Obama blandly lectured, Its day three of our trip. Its in Beijing. The length of the great wall of China is approximately 13,000 miles. Crawford included another government-run clip of Obama talking about physical fitness: Students here are encouraged to stay fit, just as we are trying to do for our children in the United States through Lets Move. Neither Crawford, nor any of the hosts mentioned the irony of supporting free speech in China while stifling access for American journalists. Co-host Charlie Rose described what the First Lady did as explaining why press freedom makes a difference for us. On Saturday, ABC and NBC followed a similar course of action, ignoring the press blackout. The same thing happened on Friday. A transcript of the March 24 segment is below: 7:35:56 CBS GRAPHIC: Speaking Freely: In China, First Lady Praises Freedom of Speech CHARLIE ROSE: That news comes with First Lady Michelle Obama in China this morning. She is catching some by surprise after taking on another heated technology issue. Jan Crawford reports from the White House on a diplomatic detour. Good morning. JAN CRAWFORD: Well, good morning. You know, the First Lady is in the middle of this week-long trip to China. Shes there with her two daughters. Theyre there on spring break this week and her mother. She was really expected to avoid any controversial topics. In fact, thats something that she had actually been criticized for. But over the weekend, she took an indirect swipe at Chinas medias censorship. In a country with some of the tightest internet restrictions in the world, a statement like this comes across as bold. MICHELLE OBAMA: Its so important for information and ideas to flow freely over the internet and through the media. CRAWFORD: Michelle Obama hit a hot button issue in China by praising freedom of speech in America. MICHELLE OBAMA: My husband and I are on the receiving end of plenty of questioning and criticism from our media and our fellow citizens. And its not always easy, but we wouldnt trade it for anything in the world. Because time and again, we have seen that countries are stronger and more prosperous when the voices and opinions of all their citizens can be heard. CRAWFORD: So far, its the only contentious topic the First Lady has addressed. She was dispatched to work on relationship-building between the two countries and the photo-ops have been abundant. Over the weekend, the First Lady took in the Great Wall of China with her daughters Sasha and Malia, an experience she blogged about on the White House website. OBAMA: Its day three of our trip. Its in Beijing. The length of the great wall of China is approximately 13,000 miles. CRAWFORD: Shes met with the Chinese president and first lady, is visiting schools. OBAMA: I wouldnt be where I am today wont my parents investing and pushing me to get a good education. CRAWFORD: And is taking up student exchanges between the U.S. and China. She watched ping-pong class and even played. An opportunity the First Lady used to promote physical fitness on her blog. OBAMA: Students here are encouraged to stay fit, just as we are trying to do for our children in the United States through Lets Move. CRAWFORD: The reception from the Chinese has been positive. They praised her clothing and public interactions. One newspaper said the visit would help U.S./China relations. And on Chinas Twitter equivalent, Michelle Obama became one of the most searched terms. OBAMA: The relationships between the United States and China couldnt be more important. CRAWFORD: Now today, which is already this evening in China, big crowds continue to greet the First Lady. In fact, at one point she even accepted an invitation to jump rope. Now the first family will be in China until Wednesday and then theyll be returning back here to the White House. Charlie, Clarissa, Gayle. GAYLE KING: All right. Thank you, Jan Crawford. ROSE: Its an interesting way to express what she wanted to say by not criticizing them, but explaining why press freedom makes a difference for us. CLARISSA WARD: The Chinese will not be happy with that comment. ROSE: Yeah, but It could have been worse. WARD: It could have been worse. KING: And theyre paying attention to everything she says and does. Playing ping pong. I like it. Jan Crawford, we thank you. -- Scott Whitlock To change your e-mail delivery address, click below on Unsubscribe/Manage your preferences. 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Posted on: Tue, 25 Mar 2014 18:45:01 +0000
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