New York Times Writers Rush to Obama's Defense Like It's Their Job

clay.waters — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:41:43 +0000

Clay Waters

New York Times reporter Erik Eckholm (pictured), whose previous reporting betrays no conservative sympathies, listened to former presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday afternoon and winced at her attacks on President Obama.

As Most Liberals Now Want Guantanamo Kept Open, Rosenthal Shifts Blame from Obama to GOP

clay.waters — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:12:45 +0000

Clay Waters

A new Washington Post/ABC News poll with a striking finding has Editorial Page editor Andrew Rosenthal in dismay: 53 percent of self-described liberal Democrats support keeping Guantanamo Bay open. Does this mean their previous virulent opposition was not based on concern for civil liberties, but was just partisan Bush-hatred? Of course not.

Obama's Contraception Plan Just a Cynical Wedge Issue Used by GOP?

clay.waters — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:11:30 +0000

Clay Waters

The front of Thursday’s National section featured Jennifer Steinhauer’s “Birth Control is Covered, And G.O.P. Vows a Fight.” Steinhauer portrayed the fight in cynical political terms, showcasing Republicans as being opportunistic rather than motivated by principled opposition to Obama’s requirement that Catholic universities and charities violate their religious beliefs by offering free birth control via their health insurance plans.

'This Isn't a Theocracy,' NYT Editor Explains While Defending Obama Contraception Rule

clay.waters — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:06:05 +0000

“Stop Compromising,” pleaded Times Editorial Page editor Andrew Rosenthal on his “Loyal Opposition” blog Wednesday morning. Rosenthal was spooked after Obama campaign adviser David Axelrod suggested the president might be open to “compromise”on the administration’s plan requiring religious institutions to violate their beliefs and cover birth control in their employees’ health insurance plans.

Anguished Lead NYT Editorial Accuses Obama of Giving Up High Ground on Super PACs

clay.waters — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:15:17 +0000

Clay Waters

Staking a principled hard-left position, the New York Times wailed over President Obama’s reversal on campaign finance in its lead editorial Wednesday, “Another Campaign for Sale – President Obama reverses position and joins the sleazy ‘Super PAC’ money race.” (Yet the paper's news coverage failed to highlight those hypocrisies.)

Obama Decides SuperPAC No 'Threat to Democracy' After All, Times Barely Sees Stark Hypocrisy

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:19:00 +0000

Obama decides that Super PACs aren't such a "threat to democracy" after all, but the Times barely acknowledges the flip-flop: "...a milestone in Mr. Obamas evolving stances on political fund-raising."

Clay Waters

New York Times campaign reporters Jeff Zeleny and Jim Rutenberg found no hypocrisy in President Obama's Monday flip-flop on the evils of "Super PAC" fund-raising in Tuesday's front-page story, 'Obama Yields In Marshaling Of 'Super PAC.'' As of yesterday, Obama is encouraging Democrats to give to the political action committee Priorities USA, which is led by two former White House aides.

Cooper Basks in 'Obama Camp's Delight' Over Romney Struggles

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:54:00 +0000

Helene Cooper: "Both moments were perceived by the Obama re-election campaign as another gift from Mr. Romney - now dubbed 'the gift that keeps on giving' by some on the Obama team."

Clay Waters

Potential Obama opponent Mitt Romney is 'the gift that keeps on giving' according to the Obama campaign team, the New York Times' Helene Cooper eagerly reports in her Monday 'Political Memo,' 'The Flub Watch Never Stops for Obama's Team.' The text box reads: 'If Romney makes a misstep, the Democrats are ready to pounce.' And Cooper is right there to cover Team Ohama's glorious Twitter victories in loving detail.

'Terse, Old' Constitution Outdated for Failing to Guarantee 'Entitlements' Like Health Care

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:46:00 +0000

Supreme Court reporter Adam Liptak conflates constitutional rights with entitlements: "But the Constitution is out of step with the rest of the world in failing to protect, at least in so many words, a right to travel, the presumption of innocence and entitlement to food, education and health care."

Clay Waters

Sorry, Founders: The 'terse and old' U.S. Constitution has been ruled out of date by Supreme Court reporter Adam Liptak for failing to provide such 'rights' as free health care.

How Dare Romney Say Obama Made Economy Worse: Reporters Rush to Prez's Defense

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:19:00 +0000

Reporters rush to Obama's defense: How dare Romney say Obama has made the economy worse! "It was a dubious statement, because the unemployment rate fell to precisely what it was during Mr. Obama's first full month in office, February 2009, and nonideological economists agree that the stimulus actions taken by the administration and the Federal Reserve kept the recession from being worse."

Clay Waters

New York Times reporters Trip Gabriel (pictured right) and Ashley Parker, who follow Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, respectively, teamed up for Saturday's report from Las Vegas, 'Republican Candidates Wrangle Over Nevada," rushing to Obama's aide after a mild attack by Mitt Romney, and accused conservatives of carrying a 'caricature' image of lefty donor George Soros.

Planned Parenthood Donor Mayor Bloomberg Hailed for 'Longtime Support for...Women's Health'

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:33:00 +0000

Michael Grynbaum: "But thanks to exquisite timing, an ear for the zeitgeist and an assist from the momentum and immediacy of the Internet, a $250,000 pledge from Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg to Planned Parenthood on Thursday turned into one of his biggest political coups in years...The donation...reflected the mayor's longtime support for the causes of reproductive rights and women's health." The Times skipped the less-flattering side of Bloomberg's enthusiasm for abortion.

Clay Waters

Reporter Michael Grynbaum wrote a valentine in news story format for Saturday's Times on Mayor Mike Bloomberg's heavily publicized donation to the abortion provider Planned Parenthood, after it initially lost funding from the Susan G. Komen breast cancer charity: 'With Fine Timing, Bloomberg Makes a Financial Pledge That Excites and Engages.'