Fwd: MRC Alert: ABC Hypes NAACP Indictment of Tea Party as Racist, a Smear the Network Stoked

 

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
Wednesday July 14, 2010 @ 09:42 AM EDT

1. ABC Hypes NAACP Indictment of Tea Party as Racist, a Smear the Network Stoked
Four months after ABC's World News spent a weekend defaming anti-ObamaCare Tea Party protesters as "very ugly" with "reports of racial and homophobic slurs," citing "protesters roaming Washington, some of them increasingly emotional, yelling slurs and epithets," Tuesday's newscast, unlike those on CBS and NBC, credentialed the NAACP's charge that the "Tea Party movement is a threat to the pursuit of human rights, justice and equality for all." Sans any ideological label, anchor Diane Sawyer set up the full July 13 story: "The nation's oldest civil rights organization, the NAACP, has just adopted a resolution this evening at its annual convention condemning quote, 'racist behavior by Tea Party members.'" Reporter Dan Harris relayed: "The NAACP points to the racial epithets allegedly hurled at black members of Congress by Tea Party members during the health care debate and to the racist signs that critics say they spotted at Tea Party events..."

2. ABC's George Stephanopoulos Touts Negative Poll Numbers for GOP, Spins for Obama
Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos on Tuesday spun a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, emphasizing problems for the Republican Party over dour news for Barack Obama. The co-host ignored a finding that likely voters want the GOP to take control of Congress by a margin of 56 to 41. He did, however, repeat the lower number of registered voters who prefer the Republicans, 51 percent. Stephanopoulos quizzed former McCain strategist Nicolle Wallace and Democrat James Carville on problems for the GOP: "[Voters] don't necessarily want Republicans...On the economy, voters, 42 to 34 still trust Democrats over Republicans on the economy."

3. As Laura Ingraham Sells New Book, NBC's Lauer Sells Idea That Dems, GOP Equally Hated
Laura Ingraham was invited on Tuesday's Today show, to plug her new book The Obama Diaries, and predict how the midterm elections will go but she couldn't get out of the segment without Today co-anchor Matt Lauer suggesting Republicans are just as unpopular as the Democrats. Lauer read from a Washington Post poll that stated 6 in 10 Americans don't have faith in President Obama and 7 in 10 don't have faith in congressional Democrats but then also pointed out that 7 in 10 Americans don't have much confidence in Republicans either as he asked Ingraham: "So what's the message here? A pox on all their houses." Ingraham agreed there's "a lot of cynicism out there," but went on to point out the folly of assuming Democrats are somehow safe as she retorted to Lauer: "I think that's a little facile to say, 'Oh everyone who's in power is just a disaster and no one trusts anyone.' I don't think that's true. I think what people are seeing, that the nation is in debt. We have a lack of focus on things like the Gulf Coast." In fact Lauer completely glossed over the fact that the Washington Post poll article he read from clearly stated that "those most likely to vote in the midterms prefer the GOP over continued Democratic rule by a sizable margin of 56 percent to 41 percent."

4. CBS Continues to Pressure Congress to Extend Unemployment Benefits
On Saturday's CBS Evening News, anchor Jeff Glor decided what should be at the top of Congress's agenda as it returned from the July 4th recess: "Congress returns to Washington next week to face a big backlog of unfinished business, and topping the list is the future of unemployment benefits." In a report that followed, Bill Plante chided elected officials for going on vacation without resolving the issue: "It's been ten days since senators went home for their July 4th vacation without extending unemployment benefits....They've now run out for more than 1.3 million people and the Labor Department says that number could rise to 3 million by the end of this month."

5. CBS: 'Tough' Pennsylvania Immigration Law, Like 'Controversial' Arizona Law, Faces 'Fierce Opposition'
On Saturday's CBS Evening News, anchor Jeff Glor reported on an immigration protest in Boston: "...hundreds opposed to Arizona's controversial immigration law protested the presence of Arizona Governor Jan Brewer at a meeting there." One protestor held a sign that read: "Jan Brewer is a Bigot." Glor then turned to a report on a similar immigration law proposed in Pennsylvania. Elaine Quijano later declared: "In Pennsylvania, bipartisan measures to compel construction companies to check worker's status are moving swiftly through the legislature." She then warned: "Republican state representative Daryl Metcalfe wants to go further, introducing a tough measure modeled after Arizona's law." She went on to declare: "Metcalfe's proposal is already facing fierce opposition."

---

 

ABC Hypes NAACP Indictment of Tea Party as Racist, a Smear the Network Stoked

 

Four months after ABC's World News spent a weekend defaming anti-ObamaCare Tea Party protesters as "very ugly" with "reports of racial and homophobic slurs," citing "protesters roaming Washington, some of them increasingly emotional, yelling slurs and epithets," Tuesday's newscast, unlike those on CBS and NBC, credentialed the NAACP's charge that the "Tea Party movement is a threat to the pursuit of human rights, justice and equality for all."

Sans any ideological label, anchor Diane Sawyer set up the full July 13 story: "The nation's oldest civil rights organization, the NAACP, has just adopted a resolution this evening at its annual convention condemning quote, 'racist behavior by Tea Party members.'" Reporter Dan Harris relayed:

The NAACP points to the racial epithets allegedly hurled at black members of Congress by Tea Party members during the health care debate and to the racist signs that critics say they spotted at Tea Party events to support its conclusion that the "Tea Party movement is a threat to the pursuit of human rights, justice and equality for all."

Going to a Tea Party leader who is black, Harris pressed: "We've all seen the signs. There have been signs that compare Baarck Obama to a monkey, there have been signs that have had the 'n' word on them. When you see those signs, how do you feel?"

Harris, however, did at least quote Sarah Palin's tweet asking: "Are liberty-loving, equality-respecting patriots racist?" And, citing an ABC News/Washington Post survey, he noted "the biggest reasons people join the Tea Party are politics and ideology, rather than views on race."

Back in March, BiasAlert archive:

Saturday, March 20: "ABC: Anti-ObamaCare Protest 'Turned Very Ugly' with 'Racial and Homophobic Slurs'"

Sunday, March 21: "ABC's Sawyer: 'Protesters Roaming' DC, 'Increasingly Emotional, Yelling Slurs and Epithets'"

Plus, from March 21: "CBS: 'Mean from the Start' Health Debate 'Turned Even Nastier Yesterday' with 'Racial Epithets' and 'Sexual Slurs'"

From the Tuesday, July 13 ABC World News:

DIANE SAWYER: Also on politics, a controversy surrounding the Tea Party. The nation's oldest civil rights organization, the NAACP, has just adopted a resolution this evening at its annual convention condemning quote, "racist behavior by Tea Party members." Tonight, the   Tea Party is fighting back and here's Dan Harris.

DAN HARRIS: The NAACP points to the racial epithets allegedly hurled at black members of Congress by Tea Party members during the health care debate and to the racist signs that critics say they spotted at Tea Party events to support its conclusion that the "Tea Party movement is a threat to the pursuit of human rights, justice and equality for all." At the group's annual meeting in Kansas City, the resolution had plenty of support.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: When we turn on the television and see posters and fliers that send very frightening messages to our community, we have to address it.

HARRIS: Tea Party favorite Sarah Palin called the resolution "divisive," asking today on Twitter: "Are liberty-loving, equality-respecting patriots racist?" David Webb is the co-founder of the New York City Tea Party.

DAVID WEBB, TEA PARTY 365: I think the NAACP, in its march towards irrelevancy as an organization, needs an enemy to maintain its power base.

HARRIS, TO WEBB: Let me push you a little bit.

WEBB: Sure.

HARRIS, TO WEBB: We've all seen the signs. There have been signs that compare Baarck Obama to a monkey, there have been signs that have had the "n" word on them. When you see those signs, how do you feel?

WEBB: They're offensive. They don't belong there, but there will always be fringe elements.

HARRIS: The biggest reasons people join the Tea Party are politics and ideology, rather than views on race. But today, the NAACP rejected the charge that it's playing politics.

BENJAMIN TODD JEALOUS, PRESIDENT, NAACP: We have no problem with the Tea Party, we have a problem with the Tea Party tolerating racists in their ranks.

HARRIS: This race-based fight shows no signs of letting up. The NAACP is planning an anti-Tea Party march on Washington this fall. Dan Harris, ABC News, New York.

— Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.

ABC's George Stephanopoulos Touts Negative Poll Numbers for GOP, Spins for Obama

 

Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos on Tuesday spun a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, emphasizing problems for the Republican Party over dour news for Barack Obama. The co-host ignored a finding that likely voters want the GOP to take control of Congress by a margin of 56 to 41.

He did, however, repeat the lower number of registered voters who prefer the Republicans, 51 percent. Stephanopoulos quizzed former McCain strategist Nicolle Wallace and Democrat James Carville on problems for the GOP: "[Voters] don't necessarily want Republicans...On the economy, voters, 42 to 34 still trust Democrats over Republicans on the economy."

What did Stephanopoulos leave out? The same poll found that 40 percent of likely voters trust Republicans, compared to 39 percent for the Democrats. But, the former Democratic operative persisted, "So, there's still, Nicolle, no- not a lot of confidence in the Republican Party."

Later, he prompted Wallace, "Is there anything else, right now, that Republicans can do, Nicolle, now, to address that number, that lack of confidence?"

It seems likely that if this poll were about President Bush, Stephanopoulos would be much more likely to emphasize the negatives, such as the fact that 90 percent of Americans think the economy is in bad shape. The poll's data can be found here.

A transcript of the segment, which aired at 7:06am EDT on July 13, follows:

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: We're going to turn now that ABC News/Washington Post poll. You know, the White House, for the first time over the weekend, admitted that Democrats could lose the control of Congress in November. And this poll shows why.

Starting out with this frustration index, which we first showed you last month. That tries to capture how people feel about government, the economy, Congress and the President. Back in June, it was at 67 percent, a very high level.

Right now in July, still stuck at 67 percent. We haven't seen numbers that high since the past two big change elections of the last 25 years. 1992, when President Clinton took office, 2008, when President Obama took office.

And it could have a direct impact on the congressional elections this fall. Another key number in the poll, we asked people who do you want to control Congress in November? Only 43 percent said they wanted to support Democrats to support [sic] President Obama's policies.

 51 percent said they wanted to give Congress to the Republicans, as a check on President Obama's policies. And this is all rooted in concern over the economy. 90 percent of the country right now thinks the economy's in bad shape.

And President Obama's approval ratings on the economy are dropping. Down to 43 percent. That's down seven points in one month. 54 percent now disapprove of the job that President Obama is doing on the economy. Now, his overall approval ratings are holding up about 50 percent.

 That's a little bit down. But, they're being held up because his numbers on commander in chief, are a little higher. But, most of this is bad news for the Democrats. Let me bring in our strategists, James Carville for the Democrats, Nicolle Wallace, for the Republicans.

And, James, Robert Gibbs over the weekend, the White House press secretary, did say they're looking at similar numbers. He said that Democrats could lose control of the Congress. All the intensity is on the Republican side.

JAMES CARVILLE: You know, and Robert and I have had our problems in the past. And he went to Auburn, so, therefore, he's is a little limited. But, saying that, this was brilliant. This is a time to say-

STEPHANOPOULOS: To tell the truth?

CARVILLE: Look- to say, you're not casting- you're not just casting a protest vote here. These guys will actually take charge. And if you want this drug companies putting the faulty drugs out, that's fine. If you want BP, if you want Wall Street, these are the consequences of your vote. And I thought that was smart of Robert to do that. And I think Democrats-

STEPHANOPOULOS: Not to sugar-coat.

CARVILLE: Not to sugar-coat it. Every Democratic consultant is telling me they're coming out of a focus group and saying, "Yeah, but they're not going to do that if they go in there." Yeah, focus group here in Kentucky or Nevada, you say, "Yeah, they're crazy. But if they get to Washington, they won't do all the other stuff. I want to vote against a Democrats to send a message." At a point, you have to say, no. "You're actually going to be voting for a policy here."

NICOLLE WALLACE: Well, the truth is, 51 percent of Americans, as you just pointed out, want Republicans in control because they want to put the brakes on this agenda. I think it confirms what people long suspected, which is that while some people still like Obama personally, I think that's where the approval numbers come from, they want desperately now to put the brakes on his agenda.

STEPHANOPOULOS: They don't necessarily want Republicans. Another key number in the poll, we asked people who do you trust more, Democrats or Republicans on key issues? And let's show that: On the economy, voters, 42 to 34 still trust Democrats over Republicans on the economy. On who is going to make the right decisions for the country's future, same thing, 32, to 26. So, there's still, Nicolle, no- not a lot of confidence in the Republican Party.

WALLACE: Well, and that's the needle in the haystack in this otherwise very grim assessment of voter sentiment. And, certainly, that is what, when they pull themselves away from the bars this morning, the Democrats will be waving that statistic around. But, I think, you know, they're also going to point to the analogy of Reagan. But, what Reagan did when his numbers were down, was he crafted an agenda that appealed to independent voters who were running, not walking away, from Obama and his agenda.

CARVILLE: I think that the key word that 51 percent is a protest vote. This is not a protest vote. This may be a vote for a policy and policy change. It's much easier to say, I'm going to vote for somebody I don't like because I want to protest someone else I don't like.

WALLACE: Well, how do you think Obama won? I mean, you know, Obama ran as a protest vote candidate for President.

CARVILLE: I understand that people knew he was going to win. And they knew the policy he was running. My point is, right now, congressionally, people are saying "I just want to send the Democrats a message. And Republicans won't be able to do anything of the things they say." To some extent, you have to remind them there could be a policy involved in this.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Is there anything else, right now, that Republicans can do, Nicolle, now, to address that number, that lack of confidence?

WALLACE: Well, I think Republicans have to say laser-focused on what your poll shows is largest group of self-identified independents that most polls have seen. And I think that group is looking for common sense. They are looking for lower taxes. They're very wary about an expanded role, size and cost of the federal government. And they're worried about the deficit. I think that's the jam Obama finds himself in. To grow the economy, most measures expand the deficit.

STEPHANOPOULOS: You said Robert Gibbs was brilliant. What more should Democrats do to keep the House?

CARVILLE: To keep the House? Well, we have a three-prong strategy to keep the House. It's called the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. [Laughs]

WALLACE: We tried that.

STEPHANOPOULOS: You think that it's impossible?

CARVILLE: I think to keep the House- no. I think we can. Look, it's possible to keep the House. But I think first, that to remind people that there's consequences to this election. I think also, honestly, they need a few good months of decent job numbers and sort of make the case. And I felt the White House on this, they never say they have a strategy. There's a plan in place. It may not be working as fast as you want. The Republicans are blocking a lot of it. But this is what we're doing. And if they get a sense, they could do better than they are currently doing in this poll.

—Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.

As Laura Ingraham Sells New Book, NBC's Lauer Sells Idea That Dems, GOP Equally Hated

 

View the Video Here

Laura Ingraham was invited on Tuesday's Today show, to plug her new book The Obama Diaries, and predict how the midterm elections will go but she couldn't get out of the segment without Today co-anchor Matt Lauer suggesting Republicans are just as unpopular as the Democrats. During the segment Lauer read from a Washington Post poll that stated 6 in 10 Americans don't have faith in President Obama and 7 in 10 don't have faith in congressional Democrats but then also pointed out that 7 in 10 Americans don't have much confidence in Republicans either as he asked Ingraham: "So what's the message here? A pox on all their houses."

Ingraham agreed there's "a lot of cynicism out there," but went on to point out the folly of assuming Democrats are somehow safe as she retorted to Lauer: "I think that's a little facile to say, 'Oh everyone who's in power is just a disaster and no one trusts anyone.' I don't think that's true. I think what people are seeing, that the nation is in debt. We have a lack of focus on things like the Gulf Coast." [audio available here]

In fact Lauer completely glossed over the fact that the Washington Post poll article he read from clearly stated that "Those most likely to vote in the midterms prefer the GOP over continued Democratic rule by a sizable margin of 56 percent to 41 percent."

After the poll question, Ingraham went on to poke fun at the First Lady's appearance in the Gulf Coast:

I mean I know the First Lady dropped by the Gulf Coast. That was a beautiful image. She went to an ice cream shop. I thought dessert was not a right. But she had a, you know, a chocolate hurricane yesterday. That was a nice image. But we're losing part of the country, Matt. We're losing the Gulf Coast day by day by day. I hope the cap works. We'll see if it does.

Ingraham actually had a lot of fun at not only the Obamas' expense, but also cheekily mocked Lauer's colleague Brian Williams as seen in the following interview as it was aired on the July 13 Today show:

MATT LAUER: Let me ask you about midterm elections. You heard in Chuck's piece that, that a lot of people are now talking about the possibility Republicans could regain control of the House and the Senate, likelihood of it happening is what?

INGRAHAM: Pretty likely in the House, not sure about the Senate. I should say that -- this is actually breaking news today – Barack Obama in his diaries actually predicts gaining seats in both the House and the Senate, the bravado is quite something.

LAUER: That's because you write them as fictional entries in his diary.

INGRAHAM: Well what's fiction? What do you mean fiction?

LAUER: Let, let me ask you this.

INGRAHAM: Fiction?!

LAUER: If they do, if Republicans do regain control of the House and make substantial gains in the Senate, will it be a general dissatisfaction voters are showing with Democrats in Congress or the administration or would you point to a specific tipping point?

INGRAHAM: Well, who's in charge? I mean we were promised hope and change. We were promised turning the page. A transparent White House. These are, are regular people but they have a new vision for America. Well a vision is unfolding and it's not working out so well. That, that's not political. That's not ideological. That's factual. I think people are seeing that jobs are not the focus. We're doing a lot of, you know, fun partying at the White House, which is also cataloged in The Obama Diaries. There's a lot of partying. A beautiful family, wonderful image. But the image for the country is not a comedy, Matt, it's a tragedy.

LAUER: If you look, if you look at the front page of the Washington Post there's a poll and it kind of tells two stories.

INGRAHAM: Yeah.

LAUER: One it says, about 6 in 10 Americans are, do not have faith in President Obama. Almost 7 in 10 Americans don't have faith in Democrats in Congress. But it also says-

INGRAHAM: But? What's the but?

LAUER: -it also says that just slightly more than 7 in 10 Americans don't have faith in Republicans in Congress. So what's the message here? A pox on all their houses?

INGRAHAM: Well I think there's, yeah, there's, there's a lot of cynicism out there. But I think that's a little facile to say, "Oh everyone who's in power is just a disaster and no one trusts anyone." I don't think that's true. I think what people are seeing, that the nation is in debt. We have a lack of focus on things like the Gulf Coast. I mean I know the First Lady dropped by the Gulf Coast. That was a beautiful image. She went to an ice cream shop. I thought dessert was not a right. But she had a, you know, a chocolate hurricane yesterday. That was a nice image. But we're losing part of the country, Matt. We're losing the Gulf Coast day by day by day. I hope the cap works. We'll see if it does.

LAUER: So, so-

INGRAHAM: There's been a failure in leadership. That's why the polls are where they are. A failure in leadership.

LAUER: Let me put you in charge. So if I put you in charge of the campaigns-

INGRAHAM: Oh gosh, that'd be fun.

LAUER: -campaigns of all the Republicans running in the midterm elections, what's your bumper sticker? Is it, "We're not Democrats" or is it something more?

INGRAHAM: Well it might be "America First." It might be focus on American families and American jobs. Period. America. Reignite a love affair with our country! We don't need someone apologizing for America. We don't need someone saying, "Well, American exceptionalism yes but there's also Greek exceptionalism and British exceptionalism." We need to reignite a love affair with America. That's what I write about in The Obama Diaries. That's the, that's the comedy, the tragedy that's kind of unfolding today.

...

LAUER: The Obama Diaries. Fictional entries in Obama's diary.

INGRAHAM: First of all is it fictional to say that the, the President with the burger runs. Remember last, last year Matt, last June when Brian Williams was in the backseat. Now that was funny. In the burger run with Obama? I love Brian Williams at that moment. You know, petting Bo the dog. That was comedy. The Obama Diaries? It's revealing.

LAUER: But, but what, four months or three-and-a-half months before midterm elections-

INGRAHAM: Yeah.

LAUER: -what do you want people to take away from this? Is this a fun romp? Is this?

INGRAHAM: The book is revealing arrogance, incompetence, horror, and, Matt, Barack Obama and Joe Biden. You didn't know this, they're two of the funniest people on the face of the planet. You add Marian Robinson, Michelle Obama's mother? She is, this woman is one of the best people, funniest, common sense. And she wants those daughters to eat junk food when they want to eat it, okay?

LAUER: The book is The Obama Diaries. Laura it's nice to have you.

INGRAHAM: It's great to see you Matt, as always.

LAUER: Good to see you as well.

—Geoffrey Dickens is the Senior News Analyst at the Media Research Center. You can follow him on Twitter here

CBS Continues to Pressure Congress to Extend Unemployment Benefits

 

On Saturday's CBS Evening News, anchor Jeff Glor decided what should be at the top of Congress's agenda as it returned from the July 4th recess: "Congress returns to Washington next week to face a big backlog of unfinished business, and topping the list is the future of unemployment benefits."

In a report that followed, senior White House correspondent Bill Plante chided elected officials for going on vacation without resolving the issue: "It's been ten days since senators went home for their July 4th vacation without extending unemployment benefits....They've now run out for more than 1.3 million people and the Labor Department says that number could rise to 3 million by the end of this month."  

Plante then touted Democrats blaming the GOP for the inaction: "As he campaigns for Democrats, the President paints the lack of new benefits as Republican heartlessness....There were protests this week from labor unions against some Senate Republicans. This one in Lexington, Kentucky directed at the GOP leader Mitch Mcconnell, calling for action when the Senate returns next week." Plante noted the Republican response to such claims: "But Mcconnell blames Democrats for refusing to cut spending to pay the $34 billion cost of the extension."

Saturday's broadcast was taking over where CBS had left off prior to the holiday. As Congress adjourned on July 1, fill-in Evening News anchor Scott Pelley proclaimed: "We have decided to start with the 1.3 million Americans whose unemployment benefits have run out, stopped cold, in the last 30 days. And we're starting there because the U.S. Senate went on vacation today without solving the problem." Correspondent Chip Reid then reported: "So who's fault is that? On the surface, it appears Senate Republicans are to blame. Led by Mitch McConnell, they killed the bill with a filibuster. But McConnell points the finger at Democrats, especially Leader Harry Reid, for refusing to pay for the bill in this age of sky-high deficits."

Unlike the July 1 coverage, Saturday's Evening News briefly highlighted the debate among economists over whether unemployment benefits even should be extended. Plante explained: "Some economists contend that unemployment benefits did not help that much in earlier recessions." A clip was played of University of Maryland Professor Peter Morici citing past abuse of such benefits. Plante then noted: "Others believe the time paid for unemployment benefits is when the economy improves. They argue that the extension is needed right now." A clip of Moody's Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi was played: "It's the most effective stimulus that can be provided....They get a check and they spend it and it helps the economy immediately."

Despite that back and forth, Plante concluded his piece by anticipating an extension of benefits: "When the Senate returns next week they will bring the benefit extension to another vote, but not until West Virginia's governor appoints someone to fill the Senate seat of the late Robert Byrd. That should give the Democrats enough votes to pass the extension."

Also on the economic front, on Tuesday's Early Show, Plante reported the results of a new CBS News poll, which "shows that the public, when it comes to the economy, has very little confidence in either Congress or the President." He described how 54% of respondents disapprove of the President's handling of the economy and that a majority believe the recession will last at least another two years. However, Plante tempered the bad news for the White House by noting: "He'll [Obama will] blame Republicans for the policies which led up to the recession. And it may be small comfort for Democrats, but the public has just as low an opinion of Republicans in Congress."

Here is a full transcript of Plante's July 10 Saturday Evening News report:

6:35PM ET

JEFF GLOR: Congress returns to Washington next week to face a big backlog of unfinished business, and topping the list is the future of unemployment benefits. Senior White House correspondent Bill Plante has more tonight.

BILL PLANTE: It's been ten days since senators went home for their July 4th vacation without extending unemployment benefits.

ROLAND BURRIS [SENATOR, D-ILLINOIS]: The motion is not agreed to.
                                
BILL PLANTE: They've now run out for more than 1.3 million people and the Labor Department says that number could rise to 3 million by the end of this month. As he campaigns for Democrats, the President paints the lack of new benefits as Republican heartlessness.

BARACK OBAMA: They said no to extended unemployment insurance for folks who desperately needed help.

PLANTE: There were protests this week from labor unions against some Senate Republicans. This one in Lexington, Kentucky directed at the GOP leader Mitch Mcconnell, calling for action when the Senate returns next week. But Mcconnell blames Democrats for refusing to cut spending to pay the $34 billion cost of the extension.

MITCH MCCONNELL: The only reason the unemployment extension hasn't passed is because our friends on the other side simply refuse to pass a bill that does not add to the debt.

PLANTE: Some economists contend that unemployment benefits did not help that much in earlier recessions.

PETER MORICI [UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND]: Unemployment was a terribly intractable problem and we had big benefits. And many folks abused those benefits to stay out of the labor force to do other things they were interested in doing.

PLANTE: Others believe the time paid for unemployment benefits is when the economy improves. They argue that the extension is needed right now.

MARK ZANDI [CHIEF ECONOMIST, MOODY'S ANALYTICS]: It's the most effective stimulus that can be provided. Many of these people are very hard pressed. They get a check and they spend it and it helps the economy immediately.

PLANTE: When the Senate returns next week they will bring the benefit extension to another vote, but not until West Virginia's governor appoints someone to fill the Senate seat of the late Robert Byrd. That should give the Democrats enough votes to pass the extension. Jeff.

GLOR: Bill Plante at the White House tonight. Bill, thank you. 

—Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. You can follow him on Twitter here.

CBS: 'Tough' Pennsylvania Immigration Law, Like 'Controversial' Arizona Law, Faces 'Fierce Opposition'

 

On Saturday's CBS Evening News, anchor Jeff Glor reported on an immigration protest in Boston: "...hundreds opposed to Arizona's controversial immigration law protested the presence of Arizona Governor Jan Brewer at a meeting there." One protestor held a sign that read: "Jan Brewer is a Bigot." Glor then turned to a report on a similar immigration law proposed in Pennsylvania.  

Correspondent Elaine Quijano explained how a CBS News poll showed 52% of Americans support the Arizona's immigration law and that "other states are preparing to follow Arizona's lead": "In Pennsylvania, bipartisan measures to compel construction companies to check worker's status are moving swiftly through the legislature." She then warned: "Republican state representative Daryl Metcalfe wants to go further, introducing a tough measure modeled after Arizona's law." She went on to declare: "Metcalfe's proposal is already facing fierce opposition."

Quijano described one source of that "fierce opposition," the Democratic mayor of Philadelphia: "Michael Nutter says the solution lies with the federal government, not the states." Nutter repeated Obama administration talking points on the issue: "We should not have a patchwork of immigration policies for every state in the United States of America. That's insane." Quijano added: "Nutter believes the law could create problems for law enforcement, making illegal immigrants afraid to report crimes to police."

In addition to highlighting Nutter's objections to the proposal, Quijano began her report by describing the plight of one illegal immigrant from the state: "Every day 23 year-old Jose fears he could be deported. His parents brought him to America illegally from Mexico when he was two." Quijano lamented: "He grew up in Pennsylvania, feeling every bit American, but it wasn't until high school that he realized what it meant to be an illegal immigrant. That he could not pursue his dream of joining the Air Force."

While Quijano's report featured five sound bites from Nutter and Jose, it only included two from state representative Metcalfe. She described how "Metcalfe argues illegal immigrants strain city and state budgets by siphoning off health and social services that Americans pay for." In the clip that followed, Metcalfe argued: "For decades in the past the federal government has been AWOL in securing or borders and protecting American lives, liberty, and property, so we at the state level need to join together to do so."

Quijano concluded the segment by observing: "As politicians grapple with these issues, people like Jose wait and worry." Jose remarked: "I don't remember Mexico. To me this is my only home." Quijano added: "A country that continues to struggle with this divisive issue."

Here is a full transcript of the July 10 report:

6:38PM

JEFF GLOR: In Boston, hundreds opposed to Arizona's controversial immigration law protested the presence of Arizona Governor Jan Brewer at a meeting there. The law's facing legal challenges from the Justice Department. Arizona was the first, but likely will not be the last. Dozens of states right now are considering enacting similar immigration laws in the coming months. Elaine Quijano has this report from Pennsylvania.

JOSE: We want to come out of the shadows.

ELAINE QUIJANO: Every day 23 year-old Jose fears he could be deported. His parents brought him to America illegally from Mexico when he was two. He grew up in Pennsylvania, feeling every bit American, but it wasn't until high school that he realized what it meant to be an illegal immigrant. That he could not pursue his dream of joining the Air Force.

JOSE: I lost all hope. I said I can't join the armed forces, I can't get a good job. So basically I got pushed into the shadows like any other undocumented.
    
QUIJANO: Jose is one of the country's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants, whose status is sparking heated debate. Debate and demonstrations have also interrupted over a new Arizona law allowing police to check the immigration of status of anyone suspected of being involved in crime. A recent CBS poll found a majority of Americans, 52%, support the law. Now other states are preparing to follow Arizona's lead. In Pennsylvania, bipartisan measures to compel construction companies to check worker's status are moving swiftly through the legislature. Republican state representative Daryl Metcalfe wants to go further, introducing a tough measure modeled after Arizona's law.

DARYL METCALFE: As a nation, we have to set a no amnesty policy and we have to be very black and white about that. That there's no reward for violating our border.

QUIJANO: Metcalfe's proposal is already facing fierce opposition. Here in Philadelphia, where more than half of the immigrant population is illegal, Mayor Michael Nutter says the solution lies with the federal government, not the states.

MICHAEL NUTTER: We should not have a patchwork of immigration policies for every state in the United States of America. That's insane.

QUIJANO: Nutter believes the law could create problems for law enforcement, making illegal immigrants afraid to report crimes to police.

NUTTER: We do not want to send the wrong message to victims or witnesses.

QUIJANO: But Representative Metcalfe argues illegal immigrants strain city and state budgets by siphoning off health and social services that Americans pay for.

METCALFE: For decades in the past the federal government has been AWOL in securing or borders and protecting American lives, liberty, and property, so we at the state level need to join together to do so.

QUIJANO: As politicians grapple with these issues, people like Jose wait and worry.

JOSE: I don't remember Mexico. To me this is my only home.

QUIJANO: A country that continues to struggle with this divisive issue. Elaine Quijano, CBS News, Philadelphia.

—Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. You can follow him on Twitter here.