Halperin at Politico/USC conf.: 'extreme pro-Obama' press bias

Thanks for pointing it out, Mark.  Now, go look at the last 20 issues of your own magazine and take a hard look in the mirror.  Some in the mainstream media now have buyer's remorse and are trying to undo the damage they caused to their own reputations.  It ain't gonna work.

Media bias was more intense in the 2008 election than in any other national campaign in recent history, Time magazine's Mark Halperin said Friday at the Politico/USC conference on the 2008 election.
"It's the most disgusting failure of people in our business since the Iraq war," Halperin said at a panel of media analysts. "It was extreme bias, extreme pro-Obama coverage."

Halperin at Politico/USC conf.: 'extreme pro-Obama' press bias - Alexander Burns - Politico.com

Survey finds most Obama voters remembered negative coverage of McCain/Palin statements but struggled to correctly answer questions about coverage associated with Obama/Biden

 

Zogby International

UTICA, New York -- Just 2% of voters who supported Barack Obama on Election Day obtained perfect or near-perfect scores on a post election test which gauged their knowledge of statements and scandals associated with the presidential tickets during the campaign, a new Zogby International telephone poll shows.

Only 54% of Obama voters were able to answer at least half or more of the questions correctly.

The 12-question, multiple-choice survey found questions regarding statements linked to Republican presidential candidate John McCain and his vice-presidential running-mate Sarah Palin were far more likely to be answered correctly by Obama voters than questions about statements associated with Obama and Vice-President–Elect Joe Biden. The telephone survey of 512 Obama voters nationwide was conducted Nov. 13-15, 2008, and carries a margin of error of +/- 4.4 percentage points. The survey was commissioned by John Ziegler, author of The Death of Free Speech, producer of the recently released film "Blocking the Path to 9/11" and producer of the upcoming documentary film, Media Malpractice...How Obama Got Elected.

"After I interviewed Obama voters on Election Day for my documentary, I had a pretty low opinion of what most of them had picked up from the media coverage of the campaign, but this poll really proves beyond any doubt the stunning level of malpractice on the part of the media in not educating the Obama portion of the voting populace," said Ziegler.

Ninety-four percent of Obama voters correctly identified Palin as the candidate with a pregnant teenage daughter, 86% correctly identified Palin as the candidate associated with a $150,000 wardrobe purchased by her political party, and 81% chose McCain as the candidate who was unable to identify the number of houses he owned. When asked which candidate said they could "see Russia from their house," 87% chose Palin, although the quote actually is attributed to Saturday Night Live's Tina Fey during her portrayal of Palin during the campaign. An answer of "none" or "Palin" was counted as a correct answer on the test, given that the statement was associated with a characterization of Palin.

Obama voters did not fare nearly as well overall when asked to answer questions about statements or stories associated with Obama or Biden -- 83% failed to correctly answer that Obama had won his first election by getting all of his opponents removed from the ballot, and 88% did not correctly associate Obama with his statement that his energy policies would likely bankrupt the coal industry. Most (56%) were also not able to correctly answer that Obama started his political career at the home of two former members of the Weather Underground.

Nearly three quarters (72%) of Obama voters did not correctly identify Biden as the candidate who had to quit a previous campaign for President because he was found to have plagiarized a speech, and nearly half (47%) did not know that Biden was the one who predicted Obama would be tested by a generated international crisis during his first six months as President.

In addition to questions regarding statements and scandals associated with the campaigns, the 12-question, multiple-choice survey also included a question asking which political party controlled both houses of Congress leading up to the election -- 57% of Obama voters were unable to correctly answer that Democrats controlled both the House and the Senate.

For content, contact: John Ziegler at talktozig@aol.com.

 

Zogby Statement on Ziegler poll

"We stand by the results our survey work on behalf of John Ziegler, as we stand by all of our work. We reject the notion that this was a push poll because it very simply wasn't. It was a legitimate effort to test the knowledge of voters who cast ballots for Barack Obama in the Nov. 4 election. Push polls are a malicious effort to sway public opinion one way or the other, while message and knowledge testing is quite another effort of public opinion research that is legitimate inquiry and has value in the public square. In this case, the respondents were given a full range of responses and were not pressured or influenced to respond in one way or another. This poll was not designed to hurt anyone, which is obvious as it was conducted after the election. The client is free to draw his own conclusions about the research, as are bloggers and other members of society. But Zogby International is a neutral party in this matter. We were hired to test public opinion on a particular subject and with no ax to grind, that's exactly what we did. We don't have to agree or disagree with the questions, we simply ask them and provide the client with a fair and accurate set of data reflecting public opinion." - John Zogby

The world has never seen such freezing heat

The world has never seen such freezing heat - Telegraph

A surreal scientific blunder last week raised a huge question mark about the temperature records that underpin the worldwide alarm over global warming. On Monday, Nasa's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), which is run by Al Gore's chief scientific ally, Dr James Hansen, and is one of four bodies responsible for monitoring global temperatures, announced that last month was the hottest October on record.

A sudden cold snap brought snow to London in October

This was startling. Across the world there were reports of unseasonal snow and plummeting temperatures last month, from the American Great Plains to China, and from the Alps to New Zealand. China's official news agency reported that Tibet had suffered its "worst snowstorm ever". In the US, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration registered 63 local snowfall records and 115 lowest-ever temperatures for the month, and ranked it as only the 70th-warmest October in 114 years.

So what explained the anomaly? GISS's computerised temperature maps seemed to show readings across a large part of Russia had been up to 10 degrees higher than normal. But when expert readers of the two leading warming-sceptic blogs, Watts Up With That and Climate Audit, began detailed analysis of the GISS data they made an astonishing discovery. The reason for the freak figures was that scores of temperature records from Russia and elsewhere were not based on October readings at all. Figures from the previous month had simply been carried over and repeated two months running.

GOP road sign: Keep Right

Jonah Goldberg

By now you've probably heard: The GOP is becoming too regional, too white, too old to compete at a national level. Democrats look like a merging of the cast of "Rent" and Up With People, while Republicans look like diehard fans of "Matlock" and "Murder, She Wrote."

Fine, fine. The GOP needs to win over more Hispanics, young people, suburban women. That sounds perfectly plausible. But what does "win over" mean? ...

Obama quits Senate after 46 months - - 21 of them seeking another job - Los Angeles Times

 Just had to post this - simply for the headline...

Obama quits Senate after 46 months--21 of them seeking another job | Top of the Ticket | Los Angeles Times

Ayers Says He Is a 'Family Friend' of Obama

 

Well look who decides to come out of hiding right after the election...

Ayers Says He Is a 'Family Friend' of Obama

ABC News: Campaign Boogeyman William Ayers Talks to 'GMA'

(ABC/AP Photo )

"We knew it was wrong. We knew it was illegal. We knew it was immoral," he said, but the group's members felt they "had to do more" to stop the Vietnam War.

...Despite Obama's attempt to portray their relationship as a distant one, Ayers, in a new afterward to his book "Fugitive Days," describes Obama as a "neighbor and family friend."

...Ayers remained silent during the presidential race, but his proximity to Obama was highlighted on Election Day when the two men nearly ran into each other in the same polling place.

...Obama and Ayers have several connections. The two men have also served on boards together, including the Woods Fund of Chicago and the Chicago Annenberg Challenge.

...Ayers acknowledged that he held a reception in his home when Obama began his political run for state office.

...Ayers defended his bomb-throwing past and repeated a statement that has infuriated his critics: "I don't think we did enough."

...The college professor also argued...that the bombing campaign by the Weather Underground, the group he helped found, was not terrorism.

To all of you who claimed Obama shouldn't be ashamed of his connections to Ayers - you're fine.  You're sick, but you're fine.

To all of you that claimed this wasn't true - eat it!

 

Lucianne.com News Forum

Question posed to the blogosphere...

Mad Sociologist bring up a good question. See below and comment at will.

What will be your criteria for assessing the effectiveness of an Obama Presidency. Obviously yours will be much different from mine.

I ask because I'd like to break away from the cult of personality style politics that is the norm. My criteria applied to Bush shows such a dismal record that I have a hard time understanding how anyone can stand up for him. Obviously, the criteria is different. So what is the criteria? Can we design a presidential report card by which to hold our candidates accountable? That's going to be my next project.

An Obama Tilt in Campaign Coverage - washingtonpost.com

 

awwww.  how cute...the Washington Post comes out AFTER the election to admit they were in the tank for Obama.

File this one under "tell us something we dono't already know"...

Deborah Howell - An Obama Tilt in Campaign Coverage - washingtonpost.com

The Post provided a lot of good campaign coverage, but readers have been consistently critical of the lack of probing issues coverage and what they saw as a tilt toward Democrat Barack Obama. My surveys, which ended on Election Day, show that they are right on both counts.

The Treatment of Bush Has Been a Disgrace

 

The Treatment of Bush Has Been a Disgrace - WSJ.com

By JEFFREY SCOTT SHAPIRO

Mr. Shapiro is an investigative reporter and lawyer who previously interned with John F. Kerry's legal team during the presidential election in 2004.

Earlier this year, 12,000 people in San Francisco signed a petition in support of a proposition on a local ballot to rename an Oceanside sewage plant after George W. Bush. The proposition is only one example of the classless disrespect many Americans have shown the president.

AP

According to recent Gallup polls, the president's average approval rating is below 30% -- down from his 90% approval in the wake of 9/11. Mr. Bush has endured relentless attacks from the left while facing abandonment from the right.

This is the price Mr. Bush is paying for trying to work with both Democrats and Republicans. During his 2004 victory speech, the president reached out to voters who supported his opponent, John Kerry, and said, "Today, I want to speak to every person who voted for my opponent. To make this nation stronger and better, I will need your support, and I will work to earn it. I will do all I can do to deserve your trust."

Those bipartisan efforts have been met with crushing resistance from both political parties.

The president's original Supreme Court choice of Harriet Miers alarmed Republicans, while his final nomination of Samuel Alito angered Democrats. His solutions to reform the immigration system alienated traditional conservatives, while his refusal to retreat in Iraq has enraged liberals who have unrealistic expectations about the challenges we face there.

It seems that no matter what Mr. Bush does, he is blamed for everything. He remains despised by the left while continuously disappointing the right.

Yet it should seem obvious that many of our country's current problems either existed long before Mr. Bush ever came to office, or are beyond his control. Perhaps if Americans stopped being so divisive, and congressional leaders came together to work with the president on some of these problems, he would actually have had a fighting chance of solving them.

Like the president said in his 2004 victory speech, "We have one country, one Constitution and one future that binds us. And when we come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America."

To be sure, Mr. Bush is not completely alone. His low approval ratings put him in the good company of former Democratic President Harry S. Truman, whose own approval rating sank to 22% shortly before he left office. Despite Mr. Truman's low numbers, a 2005 Wall Street Journal poll found that he was ranked the seventh most popular president in history.

Just as Americans have gained perspective on how challenging Truman's presidency was in the wake of World War II, our country will recognize the hardship President Bush faced these past eight years -- and how extraordinary it was that he accomplished what he did in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

The treatment President Bush has received from this country is nothing less than a disgrace. The attacks launched against him have been cruel and slanderous, proving to the world what little character and resolve we have. The president is not to blame for all these problems. He never lost faith in America or her people, and has tried his hardest to continue leading our nation during a very difficult time.

Our failure to stand by the one person who continued to stand by us has not gone unnoticed by our enemies. It has shown to the world how disloyal we can be when our president needed loyalty -- a shameful display of arrogance and weakness that will haunt this nation long after Mr. Bush has left the White House.

Post-partisan Obama, my ass...

 

My Way News - Obama's choice of Emanuel shows switch in tone

CHICAGO (AP) - Barack Obama is signaling a shift in tactics and temperament as he moves from candidate to president-elect, picking sharp-elbowed Washington insiders for top posts. His choice Thursday for White House chief of staff - Rahm Emanuel, a fiery partisan who doesn't mind breaking glass and hurting feelings - is a significant departure from the soft-spoken, low-key aides that "No-Drama Obama" surrounded himself with during his campaign.

Political Cartoon

 

I can't help it - this is too funny...

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

Senator McCain's concession

I just wanted to post, somewhere publicly, how much I was blown away by John McCain's concession speech. I did not hope to hear it, but since I did, my respect for the man has grown even more, if that is possible.
Since he was 17-years old, this man has served his country in ways most of us can't even imagine. I may not have always agreed with his stances but I can never question his devotion to the United States of America.
May God bless John McCain.

ELECTION RESULTS

First off, let me extend my congratulations to President-Elect Obama and his supporters. In no way do I agree with most of his policies and I am not looking forward to 4 years of liberal leadership.
However, this is America and we choose our President by voting in our individual states and appointing our Electors in the Electoral College. It is by this method that Barack Obama has been elected and he is the rightful President-Elect. Let’s have none of this crap about election fraud, cheating, lying, media bias, etc.
Yes, all of those things happened and probably had a major effect on the race. It is our job as citizens to go out and fix those problems going forward.
For now, we get behind our President and extend our prayers that God will guide him to do the right things for our country and the world.

There were some very interesting things that came out of the election tonight:

- I have never seen so many important states come in so close for so long. As I sit here now, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida and Indiana all are showing 51-49 or closer for either candidate. That a lot of electoral votes that were truly up for grabs. Unfortunately, all of those states went for George W. Bush last time around.
- The popular vote, at least to this point, is much closer than the polls thought it would be.
- We did not lose as many seats in the Senate as were expected.
- I don’t think we will lose as many seats as expected in the House of Representatives.

Ohio will end up being MUCH closer than the networks thought. Heck, they may even end up switching to McCain before it’s over, in which case, I reserve the right to amend my comments :)

Relax, people. America is bigger than Barack Obama or John McCain. We will survive and we will recover. Be proud of your country for being able to conduct and endure elections like these.

Let the Democrats have their day in the sun.

The revolution begins tomorrow…

Things to do and expect on election day.

First of all, if you haven’t already, go vote! There are many states where your vote will help make a difference. Even if it doesn’t decide the Presidency, every vote counts in the national total and there are local races that need your input.

Second, make sure anyone you know that said they would vote McCain/Palin has done so. If they haven’t – take them and wait with them.

After that –relax. What will be, will be.

I’d love to tell you that McCain will stomp Obama and the Republicans will regain control of the House and Senate. That ain’t gonna happen.

If McCain wins, it will be by a slim electoral margin – I still hold out hope that states like Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin will lean our way and make it more convincing but we shall see. Even without any of those states, McCain can win. If there is any stomping to be done tonight, it will be done by Obama – let’s hope that’s not the case.

Here are some early election results to look for (not exit polls!! Results!!):

New Hampshire – We could really use a win here and it could make for very interesting electoral math if we do. Remember, urban areas tend to submit results before suburban and rural areas so the first reports will probably lean Democratic. If McCain wins here, we are probably in for a very good night. If he loses but is close (say 4 points or less), we are in for a long night of counting, and if he gets trounced here, things aren’t looking good.

Virginia – put very simply, if McCain loses Virginia, we have probably lost the night. The polls have tightened and things look ok but this state is crucial. Remember, early returns will favor Obama.

Georgia – I don’t think there’s any way McCain loses Georgia. If he does, go to bed.

Remember, exit polls mean squat – there are way too many early voters this time around – don’t listen good or bad and it may be good. Ignore the exit polls!
One interesting note: if McCain wins New Hampshire, we may see a scenario where one of Maine’s 4 electoral votes decides the Presidency. It’s highly unlikely but that sure would get people learning even more about the Electoral College.

Palin cleared by Alaska panel in power abuse probe

Imagine that!  and on the day before the election after the evening news cycle.  I wonder why the first (and wrong!) report came out so early.

Things that make you go 'hmmm'...

 Palin cleared by Alaska panel in power abuse probe - Yahoo! News

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) – Alaska Gov. and Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was cleared on Monday of wrongdoing in an abuse-of-power investigation into the firing of the state's public safety commissioner.

The Alaska Personnel Board report ran contrary to findings from a legislative inquiry that concluded in October she had abused the power of her office by pressuring subordinates to fire a state trooper involved in a feud with her family.

Palin, who is Republican presidential candidate John McCain's running mate, brought the issue to the personnel board herself. The board, a three-member panel under Palin's authority, was responsible for determining if she had broken any laws.

The legislative inquiry, which Palin called a partisan effort led by Democrats, carried no penalty.

Obama Tells SF Chronicle He Will Bankrupt Coal Industry

 

I'll be the folks in Pennsylvania would love to know this...

Hidden Audio: Obama Tells SF Chronicle He Will Bankrupt Coal Industry | NewsBusters.org

"Let me sort of describe my overall policy.

What I've said is that we would put a cap and trade system in place that is as aggressive, if not more aggressive, than anybody else's out there.

I was the first to call for a 100% auction on the cap and trade system, which means that every unit of carbon or greenhouse gases emitted would be charged to the polluter. That will create a market in which whatever technologies are out there that are being presented, whatever power plants that are being built, that they would have to meet the rigors of that market and the ratcheted down caps that are being placed, imposed every year.

So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it's just that it will bankrupt them because they're going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that's being emitted."

OBAMA 2012: HIS TRIUMPHS ABROAD

OBAMA 2012: HIS TRIUMPHS ABROAD - New York Post

OUR GREATEST FOREIGN POLICY PRESIDENT?

By RALPH PETERS

Looking back on the four years of his first administration, President Obama can be proud: He made the US welcome among the family of nations again; he reduced our reliance on military force; and he gave us peace by reaching sensible accommodations with our enemies.

The lies told about him in the 2008 election were exposed as sheer bigotry. Far from being "soft on radical Islam," President Obama was the first world leader to welcome Jewish refugees after Iran's nuclear destruction of Israel's major cities (his only caveat - a fair one - was the refusal to accept Zionist military officers and their families, in light of Israel's excessive retaliation)...

This would be funny if it wasn't so damned scary...and possible...

What you were never intended to know in this election

 

I have absolutely no idea whether this is legitimate or not, but it makes for very interesting reading.

RedState: What you were never intended to know in this election

After a long and careful consideration of all the implications and possible consequences of my actions today, I have decided to go through with this in the hope that our country can indeed be guided into the right direction. First, a little personal background… I am a female grad student in my 20’s, and a registered Democrat. During the primaries, I was a campaign worker for the Clinton candidacy. I believed in her and still do, staying all the way to the bitter end. And believe me, it was bitter. The snippets you’ve heard from various media outlets only grazed the surface. There was no love between the Clinton and Obama campaigns, and these feelings extended all the way to the top...

Study: Media coverage has favored Obama campaign

 

File this under the category of "duh!" 

Study: Media coverage has favored Obama campaign

NEW YORK (AP) - John McCain supporters who believe they haven't gotten a fair shake from the media during the Republican's candidacy against Barack Obama have a new study to point to.

Comments made by sources, voters, reporters and anchors that aired on ABC, CBS and NBC evening newscasts over the past two months reflected positively on Obama in 65 percent of cases, compared to 31 percent of cases with regards to McCain, according to the Center for Media and Public Affairs.

ABC's "World News" had more balance than NBC's "Nightly News" or the "CBS Evening News," the group said.

Meanwhile, the first half of Fox News Channel's "Special Report" with Brit Hume showed more balance than any of the network broadcasters, although it was dominated by negative evaluations of both campaigns. The center didn't evaluate programs on CNN or MSNBC.

"For whatever reason, the media are portraying Barack Obama as a better choice for president than John McCain," said Robert Lichter, a George Mason University professor and head of the center. "If you watch the evening news, you'd think you should vote for Obama."

Obama Lays Plans to Kill Expectations After Election Victory - FOXNews.com Elections

Obama Lays Plans to Kill Expectations After Election Victory -

By Tim Reid, The Times of London

Confident in an Election Day win, the campaign looks to lower supporters' expectations on concerns their hopes of 'change' are unrealistic, a senior aide says

Barack Obama's senior advisers have drawn up plans to lower expectations for his presidency if he wins next week's election, amid concerns that many of his euphoric supporters are harboring unrealistic hopes of what he can achieve...

State employee says she was ordered to check out Joe the Plumber

oh, my...

The Columbus Dispatch : State employee says she was ordered to check out Joe the Plumber

State employee says she was ordered to check out Joe the Plumber

Friday,  October 31, 2008 10:21 PM

By Randy Ludlow

The Columbus Dispatch

Vanessa Niekamp said that when she was asked to run a child-support check on Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher on Oct. 16, she thought it routine. A supervisor told her the man had contacted the state agency about his case.

Niekamp didn't know she just had checked on "Joe the Plumber," who was elevated the night before to presidential politics prominence as Republican John McCain's example in a debate of an average American.

The senior manager would not learn about "Joe" for another week, when she said her boss informed her and directed her to write an e-mail stating her computer check was a legitimate inquiry.

The reason Niekamp said she was given for checking if there was a child-support case on Wurzelbacher does not match the reason given by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Director Helen Jones-Kelley said her agency checks people who are "thrust into the public spotlight," amid suggestions they may have come into money, to see if they owe support or are receiving undeserved public assistance.

Niekamp told The Dispatch she is unfamiliar with the practice of checking on the newly famous. "I've never done that before, I don't know of anybody in my office who does that and I don't remember anyone ever doing that," she said today.

Democrat Gov. Ted Strickland and Jones-Kelley, both supporters of Democrat Barack Obama, have denied political motives in checking on Wurzelbacher.

Some interesting headlines as we head into November

Yes, these are all real news stories out there on the wires right now. Someone tell me again why I'm supposed to be a depressed, demoralized conservative???

Crude Oil Is Poised for Record Monthly Drop as Demand Declines

Oct. 31 (Bloomberg) -- Crude oil fell in New York, poised for its biggest monthly drop since trading began in 1983, on concern that the decline in the U.S. economy will curb fuel demand in the world's largest energy user.

ZOGBY: MCCAIN MOVES INTO LEAD 48-47 IN ONE DAY POLLING

ZOGBY SATURDAY: Republican John McCain has pulled back within the margin of error... The three-day average holds steady, but McCain outpolled Obama 48% to 47% in Friday, one day, polling. He is beginning to cut into Obama's lead among independents, is now leading among blue collar voters, has strengthened his lead among investors and among men, and is walloping Obama among NASCAR voters.

U.S. stocks rose, capping the biggest weekly gain since 1974

Oct. 31 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. stocks rose, capping the biggest weekly gain since 1974, after JPMorgan Chase & Co. took steps to end the housing crisis, bank lending rates declined and earnings from companies outside the financial industry expanded four times faster than the previous quarter.

CBS swings to $12.46B 3Q loss after hefty charge

CBS Corp. posted a massive third-quarter loss on Thursday after taking a $14.12 billion charge to write down the value of media assets on its books.

Washington Post Co. Earnings Plummet in Third Quarter

The Washington Post Co. today reported an 86 percent decline in third-quarter earnings compared with the same period last year, as a significant loss at the flagship newspaper offset gains at the company's education and cable divisions.

Obama aunt from Kenya living in US illegally

WASHINGTON – Barack Obama's aunt, a Kenyan woman who has been quietly living in public housing in Boston, is in the United States illegally after an immigration judge rejected her request for asylum four years ago, The Associated Press has learned.

Palestinians toil for Barack Obama win

Palestinian students in Gasa are cold-calling US voters to urge them to support their hero Barack Obama.

Obama: those who don't want higher taxes 'selfishness'

"John McCain and Sarah Palin they call this socialistic," Obama continued. "You know I don't know when, when they decided they wanted to make a virtue out of selfishness."