A daily compilation edited by Brent H. Baker, CyberAlert items are drawn from daily BiasAlert posts and distributed by the Media Research Center's News Analysis Division, the leader since 1987 in documenting, exposing and neutralizing liberal media bias.
Tracking Liberal Media Bias Since 1996
Thursday May 06, 2010 @ 10:13 AM EDT1. Shahzad's Motive 'Unclear' to CBS, Cites Money Pressure Since He 'Hasn't Realized Any American Dream'
Botched bomber Faisal Shahzad's failure to achieve the "American dream" may have been an important motive for his terrorist act, CBS's Bob Orr contended Wednesday night in a story in which he declared: "Shahzad's motive also remains unclear." After noting how Shahzad "told interrogators he's upset with U.S. policies which he feels unfairly target Muslims and he's angry over Predator strikes that have killed both terror leaders and civilians in his native Pakistan," Orr proposed: "Investigators say a quest for revenge seems to have played some role, but personal financial pressures may also have pushed Shahzad to act. He became a U.S. citizen just a year ago, but he has not realized any American dream. He quit his job, lost his house, and was separated from his family."
2. AP Humanizes Times Square Terror Suspect, Cites 'Unraveled' Life
John Christoffersen's article for the Associated Press on Tuesday night highlighted the life woes of Faisal Shahzad, the suspect in the failed Times Square bombing plot, citing how "his life seemed to unravel." Christoffersen also noted Shazad's "outspokenness about [former] President George W. Bush and the Iraq war." The AP writer's article, titled "Times Square bombing suspect's life had unraveled," first detailed the suspect's past "enviable life:" how he had become a U.S. citizen, his wealthy Pakistani family, his MBA, his "well-educated wife and two kids" and the house he owned "in a middle-class Connecticut suburb." Christoffersen then continued with the recent difficulties he faced : "In the past couple of years, though, his life seemed to unravel: He left a job at a global marketing firm he'd held for three years, lost his home to foreclosure and moved into an apartment in an impoverished neighborhood in Bridgeport. And last weekend, authorities say, he drove an SUV loaded with explosives into Times Square intent on blowing it up."
3. Matthews Tracks Down True Culprit in Oil Spill Mess – Dick Cheney
The Dick Cheney obsessed Chris Matthews, on Wednesday's Hardball, served up a softball to liberal Democratic Congressman Ed Markey as he pondered if the former vice president could, in any way, be blamed for the BP oil spill. Matthews, who it seems can't go a week without mentioning Cheney, even though he's no longer in office, questioned Markey if the oil spill occurred because of lax oversight by Cheney-installed regulators as he asked: "To what extent is the current regulatory regime, that governs people like BP, in place because of the previous administration, which was run by Cheney, based upon the Haliburton lifestyle that he came from?"
4. MSNBC and NYT Surprised Black GOP Candidates Aligned With 'Racist' Tea Parties
Near the end of Wednesday's 10AM ET hour of live coverage on MSNBC, correspondent Luke Russert highlighted a report in Tuesday's New York Times about the number of African-Americans running for Congress as Republicans and observed: "these candidates are actually soliciting support from the tea party, a group that a lot of folks have claimed to be racist against African-Americans." In the Times article, Jennifer Steinhauer noted how the Republican hopefuls were "insisting that the racial dynamics of that movement have been overblown."
5. Washington Post Cherry-picks Poll to Portray Tea Parties as on Defensive About Racism Charges
"Tea party groups battling allegations of racism," reads a May 5 page A3 Washington Post print headline. The online version header softened the word choice a tiny bit, substituting the word "perceptions" in for "allegations." The underlying poll data which prompted the story tells us more about the Post's prism through which it views the Tea Parties than how the public at large does.
6. MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan Gives 'Kudos' to Arizona Basketball Team for Protesting Immigration Law, 'a Slam Dunk'
MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan on Wednesday gave "kudos" to the Phoenix Suns basketball team for protesting Arizona's tough new policy on illegal immigration. The host touted, "The team is set to wear Los Suns jerseys tonight on Cinco de Mayo in response to Arizona's controversial [law]."
7. Flashback: Newsweek as Obamaweek; Might It Help Explain Their Downfall?
News today that the Washington Post Company has put the money-losing Newsweek up for sale reminded me of how during the last presidential campaign the "news" weekly repeatedly showcased their favorite candidate, Barack Obama, on the cover. Might such obvious blatant liberal advocacy, which anyone could see in the grocery store checkout line, help explain its decline in fortunes – in credibility followed by finances?
Shahzad's Motive 'Unclear' to CBS, Cites Money Pressure Since He 'Hasn't Realized Any American Dream'
Botched bomber Faisal Shahzad's failure to achieve the "American dream" may have been an important motive for his terrorist act, CBS's Bob Orr contended Wednesday night in a story in which he declared: "Shahzad's motive also remains unclear." After noting how Shahzad "told interrogators he's upset with U.S. policies which he feels unfairly target Muslims and he's angry over Predator strikes that have killed both terror leaders and civilians in his native Pakistan," Orr proposed:
Investigators say a quest for revenge seems to have played some role, but personal financial pressures may also have pushed Shahzad to act. He became a U.S. citizen just a year ago, but he has not realized any American dream. He quit his job, lost his house, and was separated from his family.How about the hypothesis Shahzad became a U.S. citizen as a ruse to make it easier to carry out his Islamic jihad – and so quitting his job, moving his family to Pakistan and not paying his mortgage were not what drove him to terrorism, but were what he did to get training and rid himself of encumbrances.
Audio: MP3 clip
Earlier in his piece, Orr maintained "the crude nature of the device he left in the smoking SUV showed little evidence of training" and "sources say it's not consistent with the kind of bombs that we usually see from Islamic extremists."
So, Orr did at least utter the "Islamic extremist" term, if only to suggest the possibility Shahzad isn't one, or at least isn't a competent one.
Earlier:
"AP Humanizes Times Square Terror Suspect, Cites 'Unraveled' Life"From Orr's lead story on the Wednesday, May 5 CBS Evening News:
"ABC Sees Optimistic Terrorist: Wife Enjoys American Sit-Coms While He Dots 'i' with a Heart"
— Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.BOB ORR: ...Shahzad claims he was schooled in explosives at a Pakistani terror camp, but sources say investigators have not been able to verify that. The crude nature of the device he left in the smoking SUV showed little evidence of training, and sources say it's not consistent with the kind of bombs that we usually see from Islamic extremists.
JUAN ZARATE, CBS NEWS NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: This individual may have been trained, be he wasn't trained very well. This was a sloppy, amateurish device that had multiple points of failure.
ORR: Shahzad's motive also remains unclear. He's told interrogators he's upset with U.S. policies which he feels unfairly target Muslims and he's angry over Predator strikes that have killed both terror leaders and civilians in his native Pakistan.
Investigators say a quest for revenge seems to have played some role, but personal financial pressures may also have pushed Shahzad to act. He became a U.S. citizen just a year ago, but he has not realized any American dream. He quit his job, lost his house, and was separated from his family.
While the FBI builds the criminal case...
AP Humanizes Times Square Terror Suspect, Cites 'Unraveled' Life
John Christoffersen's article for the Associated Press on Tuesday night highlighted the life woes of Faisal Shahzad, the suspect in the failed Times Square bombing plot, citing how "his life seemed to unravel." Christoffersen also noted Shazad's "outspokenness about [former] President George W. Bush and the Iraq war."
The AP writer's article, titled "Times Square bombing suspect's life had unraveled," first detailed the suspect's past "enviable life:" how he had become a U.S. citizen, his wealthy Pakistani family, his MBA, his "well-educated wife and two kids" and the house he owned "in a middle-class Connecticut suburb." Christoffersen then continued with the recent difficulties he faced : "In the past couple of years, though, his life seemed to unravel: He left a job at a global marketing firm he'd held for three years, lost his home to foreclosure and moved into an apartment in an impoverished neighborhood in Bridgeport. And last weekend, authorities say, he drove an SUV loaded with explosives into Times Square intent on blowing it up."
The writer seems to imply that these downturns lead directly to his alleged terror attack. While Christoffersen did mention how Shahzad "admitted getting explosives training in his native Pakistan" and how "[a]uthorities say Shahzad returned to Pakistan then came back to the United States," these were mentioned only in passing, compared to the 23 paragraphs dedicated to additional details on the suspect and his family's history, including his dislike for the former president:
Shahzad's behavior sometimes seemed odd to his neighbors, and he surprised a real estate broker he hardly knew with his outspokenness about President George W. Bush and the Iraq war. "He mentioned that he didn't like Bush policies in Iraq," said Igor Djuric, who represented Shahzad in 2004 when he was buying a home....
Shahzad, 30, is the son of a former top Pakistani air force officer, according to Kifyat Ali, a cousin of Shahzad's father. He came to the United States in late 1998 on a student visa, according to an official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the investigation into Saturday's failed car bombing.
He took classes at the now-defunct Southeastern University in Washington, D.C., then enrolled at the University of Bridgeport, where he received a bachelor's degree in computer applications and information systems in 2000.
"He was personable, a nice guy, but unremarkable," said William Greenspan, adviser for undergraduate business students at the University of Bridgeport. "He would just come in and take the course as needed so he could graduate in a timely manner."...
In 2004, he and his wife, Huma Mian, bought a newly built home for $273,000 at the height of the market in Shelton, a Fairfield County town that in recent years has attracted companies relocating to Connecticut's Gold Coast.
Like her husband, Mian was well educated. She graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2004 with a bachelor of science in business with an emphasis in accounting, the school said.On her profile on the social networking site Orkut, she described herself as "not political" and said she spoke English, Pashto, Urdu and French. She listed her passions as "fashion, shoes, bags, shopping!! And of course, Faisal."...At the end of the article, the AP writer went so far to describe the tender messages an unidentified person once sent the suspect, which were found by The Connecticut Post and The New York Times outside his now foreclosed home: "The newspaper also found greeting cards, including one in which someone named Fayeza addressed him as 'sweetest Faisal.' 'Wish you happiness and joy now and always,' the card said. 'Praying for your bright future.'"
Last year, the couple abandoned the home.
Neighbor Davon Reid and his girlfriend, Heatherlee Tyler, said they were puzzled that the couple moved out abruptly and left behind a mess of food, broken dishes and baby formula in the cabinets....He [Reid] said Shahzad was generally friendly but had some quirky habits, including jogging at night while wearing dark clothing.
Shahzad worked from mid-2006 to May 2009 as a junior financial analyst for the Affinion Group, a marketing firm in Norwalk. Company spokesman Michael Bush said Shahzad held a lower-level position dealing with the company's budget and projected income and left on good terms.
Still, Shahzad defaulted on a $200,000 mortgage on his Shelton home, and the property is in foreclosure, court records show. Shahzad took out the mortgage on the property in 2004, and he co-owned the home with Mian.
Earlier in the day on Tuesday, CNN's Jim Acosta also expressed sympathy for Shahzad after a former neighbor described the foreclosure: "One would have to imagine that that brought a lot of pressure and a lot of heartache on that family."
—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. You can follow him on Twitter here.
Matthews Tracks Down True Culprit in Oil Spill Mess – Dick Cheney
The Dick Cheney obsessed Chris Matthews, on Wednesday's Hardball, served up a softball to liberal Democratic Congressman Ed Markey as he pondered if the former vice president could, in any way, be blamed for the BP oil spill. Matthews, who it seems can't go a week without mentioning Cheney, even though he's no longer in office, questioned Markey if the oil spill occurred because of lax oversight by Cheney-installed regulators as he asked: "To what extent is the current regulatory regime, that governs people like BP, in place because of the previous administration, which was run by Cheney, based upon the Haliburton lifestyle that he came from?" [audio available here]
The following exchange was aired on the May 5 edition of Hardball:
CHRIS MATTHEWS: In the last administration, which put in place apparently a lot of these people that are regulators, these headless nails that are in there, supposedly regulating the oil industry, had a role. They got in there because Cheney was in there with his secret task force. They met at the White House. We never found out who, in the oil industry, was involved. To what extent is the current regulatory regime, that governs people like BP, in place because of the previous administration, which was run by Cheney, based upon the Haliburton lifestyle that he came from?—Geoffrey Dickens is the Senior News Analyst at the Media Research Center. You can follow him on Twitter here
REP. ED MARKEY: Well, the Clinton administration recommended, for example, that an acoustical trigger that would have made it possible to shutdown the well by remote control be installed as an essential piece of equipment. But when the Bush/Cheney administration took over, they made a determination that it was too costly to build in that extra safety precaution. And, again, when there is an assumption that an accident cannot occur, $500,000, which is what that acoustical trigger would have cost, seems very expensive. But when 5,000 barrels of oil per day is spilling out into the Gulf destroying people's livelihoods it doesn't seem that costly at all. And so that was the ethos that existed inside the Bush/Cheney era, and I'm afraid we're now living with the consequences of those assumptions.
MSNBC and NYT Surprised Black GOP Candidates Aligned With 'Racist' Tea Parties
Near the end of Wednesday's 10AM ET hour of live coverage on MSNBC, correspondent Luke Russert highlighted a report in Tuesday's New York Times about the number of African-Americans running for Congress as Republicans and observed: "these candidates are actually soliciting support from the tea party, a group that a lot of folks have claimed to be racist against African-Americans."
In the Times article, Jennifer Steinhauer noted how the Republican hopefuls were "insisting that the racial dynamics of that movement have been overblown." She then cited evidence of the supposed racism of tea partiers: "Videos taken at some Tea Party rallies show some participants holding up signs with racially inflammatory language. A recent New York Times/CBS News poll found that 25 percent of self-identified Tea Party supporters think that the Obama administration favors blacks over whites, compared with 11 percent of the general public."
Steinhauer added: "The black candidates interviewed overwhelmingly called the racist narrative a news media fiction. 'I have been to these rallies, and there are hot dogs and banjos,' said Mr. [Allen] West, the candidate in Florida, a retired lieutenant colonel in the Army. 'There is no violence or racism there.'"
On MSNBC, anchor Peter Alexander introduced Russert's report by declaring: "A little bit of an odd political twist for you right now. More than a year after Barack Obama became America's first African-American president, today's New York Times reports that at least 32 black Americans are running for Congress this year as Republicans." Russert cited Obama as inspiration for the GOP candidates: "Kind of an ironic twist of fate, President Obama, when he was elected, a lot of folks close to him said this will now create a real surge in terms of African-American participation in politics....It has actually empowered African-Americans, to not only to run as Democrats, but also an unusually high number as Republicans."
Seeming to forget the number of black Republicans who ran for office in recent election cycles, Russert concluded: "I'll tell you what, after November of 2010, if we wake up with four African-American Republicans congressional House members, that is a huge story that nobody in Washington saw coming."
Here is a full transcript of Russert's report:
10:53AM
PETER ALEXANDER: A little bit of an odd political twist for you right now. More than a year after Barack Obama became America's first African-American president, today's New York Times reports that at least 32 black Americans are running for Congress this year as Republicans. NBC's Luke Russert saw this one for us and is joining us live right now. It wasn't since, what, seven years ago, J.C.Watts, the Republican from Oklahoma, the last African-American Republican to serve in the House, Luke.
LUKE RUSSERT: That is – that's true, indeed, Peter. And this 32 number of African-Americans running for Congress as Republicans is actually the highest number since Reconstruction. Kind of an ironic twist of fate, President Obama, when he was elected, a lot of folks close to him said this will now create a real surge in terms of African-American participation in politics, because folks will believe they can be elected. And no doubt it has. It has actually empowered African-Americans, to not only to run as Democrats, but also an unusually high number as Republicans.
Of these 32 Republicans, GOP sources I spoke to said about four have a clear path to victory. That's Mr. West of Florida, Mr. Parker of Arizona, Mr. Frazier of Colorado, Mr. Scott of South Carolina. And it's quite interesting, these candidates are actually soliciting support from the tea party, a group that a lot of folks have claimed to be racist against African-Americans. These folks actually see them as the ones they want in their tent as a path to victory. That being said, a very unique, interesting article. And Peter, I'll tell you what, after November of 2010, if we wake up with four African-American Republicans congressional House members, that is a huge story that nobody in Washington saw coming. Peter.
ALEXANDER: Certainly getting some inspiration from Michael Steele, the head of the RNC, as well. Luke Russert at the Capitol for us. Luke, thanks.
RUSSERT: Take care.—Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. You can follow him on Twitter here.
Washington Post Cherry-picks Poll to Portray Tea Parties as on Defensive About Racism Charges
"Tea party groups battling allegations of racism," reads a May 5 page A3 Washington Post print headline. The online version header softened the word choice a tiny bit, substituting the word "perceptions" in for "allegations."
The underlying poll data which prompted the story tells us more about the Post's prism through which it views the Tea Parties than how the public at large does.
After three paragraphs pounding readers with the meme that "the [Tea Party] movement is struggling to overcome accusations of racism," the Post's Amy Gardner and Krissah Thompson quickly dispatched with the fact that most Americans see Tea Parties fueld by distrust of big government and opposition to the Obama/congressional Democratic agenda before highlighting how a minority of poll respondents think race is a motivating factor:
In a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, most Americans see the movement as motivated by distrust of government, opposition to the policies of Obama and the Democratic Party, and broad concern about the economy. But nearly three in 10 see racial prejudice as underlying the tea party.Of course, in the very next paragraph we learn that:
About 61 percent of tea party opponents say racism has a lot to do with the movement, a view held by just 7 percent of tea party supporters.That disparity seems to show that liberal Democrats and liberal independents who despise the Tea Party movement are, shall we say, prejudicial in their view of Tea Party activists.
But instead of calling into question how liberal voters unfairly tarnish their fellow Americans of a conservative persuasion as racist, the Post puts the conservatives and Tea Parties on the defensive.
Gardner and Thompson closed their article by citing Nigel Coleman, a black TEA Party Patriots leader from Danville, Virginia complaining that
"As long as people who oppose us can frame the debate that way, then they can get people to stop listening to us," Coleman said. "The charge of racism is one that can be thrown out there, and it really doesn't have to be proven. But it has such a negative connotations that it can pretty much halt the debate."The way that the Post is reporting its own poll data shows that the Post is part of the mainstream media chorus amplifying the racism charges that liberals have "thrown out there."
— Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters. You can follow him on Twitter here
MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan Gives 'Kudos' to Arizona Basketball Team for Protesting Immigration Law, 'a Slam Dunk'
MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan on Wednesday gave "kudos" to the Phoenix Suns basketball team for protesting Arizona's tough new policy on illegal immigration. The host touted, "The team is set to wear Los Suns jerseys tonight on Cinco de Mayo in response to Arizona's controversial [law]."
Ratigan enthused that congratulations were in order and added, "Around here we call that a slam dunk." The cable anchor quoted the team's owner playing up the move as one to honor Hispanics.
Clearly, however, there is a political angle. The same Robert Sarver also derided the legislation as "a flawed state law." Suns point guard Steve Nash attacked the bill as "very misguided, and unfortunately, to the detriment of our society and our civil liberties."
MSNBC in recent days has repeatedly fretted about potential racists in America. On Tuesday, Ratigan highlighted the failed Times Square bombing and worried about violence: "How do you deal with these types of crimes without resulting in racism, effectively, towards people of Pakistani or Middle Eastern descent?...is there not a natural backlash to this?"
Also on Tuesday, fellow MSNBC anchor Contessa Brewer appeared on the liberal Stephanie Miller Show and lamented, "There was part of me that was hoping this was not going to be anybody with ties to any kind of Islamic country."
A transcript of the brief segment, which aired at 4:55pm EDT on May 5, follows:
DYLAN RATIGAN: Finally, some kudos in order for the Phoenix Suns out of the National Basketball Association. The team is set to wear Los Suns jerseys tonight on Cinco de Mayo in response to Arizona's controversial new immigration law. Los Suns take on the San Antonio Spurs tonight in game two of the Western Conference semifinals. Team owner Robert Sarver says the Spanish jersey is meant to, quote, "honor our Latino community and the diversity of our league, the state of Arizona and our nation." Around here we call that a slam dunk.—Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.
Flashback: Newsweek as Obamaweek; Might It Help Explain Their Downfall?
News today that the Washington Post Company has put the money-losing Newsweek up for sale reminded me of how during the last presidential campaign the "news" weekly repeatedly showcased their favorite candidate, Barack Obama, on the cover.
Might such obvious blatant liberal advocacy, which anyone could see in the grocery store checkout line, help explain its decline in fortunes – in credibility followed by finances?
By July of 2008, the Weekly Standard had dubbed the magazine "ObamaWeek" in creating this graphic of six covers which had already featured Obama's image.
— Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Fwd: MRC Alert: Shahzad's Motive 'Unclear' to CBS, Cites Money Pressure Since He 'Hasn't Realized Any American Dream'
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