Topic: Newsmax
John Lott's brief Feb. 1 Newsmax column asserts that "Virtually no criminal guns are obtained from gun shows" and "Background checks do not stop criminals from getting guns." The FBI begs to differ.
Media Matters has more.
Friday, February 4, 2011
CNS' Latest Gotcha Question Is False
Topic: CNSNews.com Nicholas Ballasy -- the CNSNews.com ambush reporter who we last saw getting pwned by Barney Frank -- tells about his latest gotcha attack in a Feb. 1 article:
But the idea that federal workers make twice as much as private-sector employees is not a meaningful analysis. FactCheck.org points out two serious flaws with the BEA analysis Ballasy is citing:
Further, according to FactCheck, other studies have found that while lower-skilled federal workers make more than private sector workers (but not as much as the flawed numbers Ballasy cites), high-skilled federal workers make less.
Posted by Terry K.
at 11:07 AM EST
WND Keeps Shilling For Its Favorite Dictator
Topic: WorldNetDaily The Mubarak mouthpieces at WorldNetDaily are apparently all in for their favorite dictator -- and the unsubstantiated sources it's relying on to push its attacks on President Obama. A Feb. 3 article by Bob Unruh keeps up the attack by repeating a pair of unverified claims:
The first is from an article by Aaron Klein whose only source is an anonymous "Egyptian intelligence official" who can be presumed to be working for the Mubarak regime.The second comes from DEBKAfile, which -- like Klein -- cites no on-the-record sources. The Jerusalem-based DEBKA is considered a sympathizer of right-wing Israeli politics, which like WND wants to see Mubarak stay in power. It's also known for peddling false rumors alongside whatever scoops it manages. Further, DEBKA used to have a business arrangement with WND, which sold DEBKA's intelligence newsletter through its online store and publish regular articles based on DEBKA claims. Unruh then repeats some random columnist for an Egyptian paper mouthing the Mubarak -- and WND -- line that Obama has an agenda of subversion against Israel. WND picked that up from a group called MEMRI that is known for selectively translating Arabic media and for having, yes, a bias toward rifht-wing Israeli politics. Indeed, MEMRI offered no translation of the entire column cited by WND, and Unruh filled out his article from other columnists MEMRI offered translations of. This gives us further insight into WND's fealty toward a dictator -- it's following the orders of right-wing Israelis. As we know, Klein is fond of Israeli right-wingers -- has repeatedly parroted the right-wing Israeli line and even whitewashes far-right Israeli extremists. He has even proclaimed his admiration for extremist activist Meir Kahane, who advocated expelling all Arabs from Israel and whose Kach party (and its successor Kahane Chai) has been outlawed in Israel for its connections to violence. If Klein is so cozy with such violent extremists, why would he lead WND in cozying up to a brutal dictator? By the way, here's the fruit of Klein's propping up of Mubarak: the long list of journalists who have been threatened, attacked or detaining while covering the unrest in Egypt. And here's the video of CNN's Anderson Cooper and his camera crew getting attacked by Mubarak supporters. Does Klein have a conscience? Does he remain so blinded by his hatred of Obama that he doesn't whose blood ends up on his hands in the process of feeding that hate? OR does he think the journalists who have been attacked in Egypt deserve it? It's time for Klein to explain why he is so actively working against America -- and for WND to explain why it's paying Klein to do so.
Posted by Terry K.
at 3:55 AM EST
Thursday, February 3, 2011
WND Publishes Homophobic Screed By 'Pink Swastika' Author
Topic: WorldNetDaily WorldNetDaily has already embraced the discredited anti-gay book "The Pink Swastika," even as editor Joseph Farah baselessly insists it hasn't been. So it's a very short leap for WND to print anti-gay screeds by the book's author. And that's just what WND does. Here's Lively's homophobic rant regarding Uganda:
Lively is reportedly one of the inspirations behind a Draconian anti-gay law in Uganda, which would permit the death penalty for homosexuality. Accuracy in media's Cliff Kincaid and WND's own Molotov Mitchell have defended that law while peddling the lie that it doesn't kill gays for being gay. Lively also defensively weighs in on one of the apparent fruits of the homophobic sentiment he's whipping up there, the murder of Ugandan gay activist David Kato:
That explanation for Kato's death is what Ugandan police are claiming, but Reuters reported that Ugandan police have offered no evidence to back up their claim, and some have noted that police may try to cover up a motive of homophobia in Kato's death to protect the Western aid upon which the country relies. The disregard of human life if that human is homosexual is the agenda WorldNetDaily has signed onto when it partnered with Lively. Is WND comfortable with that?
Posted by Terry K.
at 3:15 PM EST
Updated: Thursday, February 3, 2011 3:16 PM EST
Graham Prematurely Gloats Over Alleged NPR Errors
Topic: NewsBusters Tim Graham uses a Feb. 1 NewsBusters post to gloat over NPR purportedly getting things wrong in its coverage of the hoax video pushed by anti-abortion activist Lila Rose conducting a sting against Planned Parenthood clinics. But is NPR really as wrong as Graham claims? Graham writes:
While it appears that Live Action did not conduct the ACORN stings, NPR overstated its correction. Live Action is very much associated with O'Keefe -- Rose collaborated with O'Keefe to devise the scheme to entrap Planned Parenthood clinics using the same methods O'Keefe used to entrap ACORN and participated in some of those early entrapment efforts, and Live Action's newsletter, the Advocate, lists O'Keefe as an adviser. Graham then notes that NPR is calling Live Action a "conservative group," which he (and Rose) insists is misleading: "Political reporters may find it natural to assign pro-life activists to the right, but not only are there pro-life Democrats and even pro-life socialists -- there's the problem that political reporters almost never describe 'abortion rights' groups as liberals." Of course, generally speaking, it is hardly inaccurate to assume that anti-abortion groups like Live Action as "conservative," given that opposition to abortion provisions is a central part of Republican politics. Rose has provided no evidence that she is not conservative in her politics or that her motivation comes from anything other than a right-wing viewpoint, so until she does, the description of her group as "conservative" should stand.
Posted by Terry K.
at 12:26 PM EST
WND Keeps Up Whining That Gibbs Didn't Answer Question That Wasn't Asked
Topic: WorldNetDaily WND keeps up its record of complaining that Robert Gibbs didn't answer a question that wasn't asked with a Feb. 1 article:
As we've previously noted, Kinsolving has not explained why a right-wing hack like himself working for a so-called "news" organization whose only real mission these days is to destroy a sitting president by any means necessary (treason, anyone?) is entitled to ask questions every day of the White House press secretary, no matter how biased or stupid.
Posted by Terry K.
at 11:53 AM EST
CNS Body Count Watch
Topic: CNSNews.com CNSNews.com's selective obsession with the number of soldiers killed in Afghanistan continues like clockwork with a new article by Edwin Mora detailing how many were killed in January. Also, as usual, the word "Iraq" does not appear in the article. Thus, when Mora writes that last year "was the deadliest year of the war for American troops" in Afghanistan, it lacks the context of the fact that it's still far lower than the casualty rate in the peak years of the war in Iraq. And when Mora writes that "approximately one American soldier has died in Afghanistan each day since Obama officially became president," you don't learn that an average of approximately two soldiers died every day of the Iraq war under George W. Bush's leadership.
Posted by Terry K.
at 10:25 AM EST
WND, Klein Collaborate With Mubarak Regime Against Obama
Topic: WorldNetDaily Who knew that WorldNetDaily hates President Obama so much that it would provide anti-Obama propaganda to a brutal, repressive dictator? And that it would be proud to do so? A Feb. 2 WND article conveys that pride:
That's right -- WND is apparently giving copies of Klein's factually flawed smear book to a foreign government that currently in the midst of brutally suppressing freedom-seeking protesters. Klein has already declared his allegiance with the Mubarak regime by granting them anonymity in order to smear Obama with unsubstantiated allegations. Of course he's more than happy to give him some of his propaganda. Of course, when Klein puts his propaganda in the hands of foreign powers with the express purpose of destabilizing the the leader of the country he purports to be a citizen, he is also harming America itself by creating anti-America animus in an Egyptian regime where there was relatively little.In other words, that makes Klein not just anti-Obama but anti-America. It's doubtful that Egyptians see any meaningful difference between Bush and Obama. Once Klein's propagandacirculates around the dying Mubarak regime, he will have created a new American enemy. Klein is so blinded with rage in his hatred for Obama that he's apparently willing to destroy America in order to destroy the president. And his employer is all too happy to see this happen -- and make it happen. The ultimate consequence of Klein's propaganda mission is that he's collaborating with brutal foreign governments to harm America. Some might call that treason. P.S. WND columnist Barry Farber is fully on the repressive-regime bus, declaring in his Feb. 2 column, "I have no difficulty throwing democracy under the bus in the case of post-Mubarak Egypt."
Posted by Terry K.
at 2:05 AM EST
Updated: Thursday, February 3, 2011 2:40 AM EST
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
New Article: WorldNetDaily's Whitewashed Poster Boys
Topic: WorldNetDaily The people WND is portraying as champions of its favorite causes have histories of abuse, racism, and more that it doesn't want you to know about. Read more >>
Posted by Terry K.
at 3:33 PM EST
Will NewsBusters' Sheppard Renounce Limbaugh?
Topic: NewsBusters Noel Sheppard used a Feb. 1 NewsBusters post to go on a tirade about Rachel Maddow falling for a claim on a satire website, then noting in her apology that the claim wasn't much crazier than what comes out of Glenn Beck's mouth:
By this same standard, Sheppard must denounce his fellow conservatives -- in particular Rush Limbaugh -- for making the same excuse in treating a satirical article as fact. In 2009, a blog post circulated purporting to offer quotes from Barack Obama's college thesis. Limbaugh, Fox News' Fox Nation website, and anti-Muslim blogger Pam Geller, among others, breathlessly repeated the quotes. After it was debunked as satire, Limbaugh declared he didn't care if the quotes are fake because "I know Obama thinks it." So when can we expect Sheppard to assert that since Limbaugh can't discern between fact and fiction, he can’t possibly be trusted or taken seriously about anything, for who knows what her next source will be and whether or not it’s actually legitimate? Don't count on it -- Sheppard isn't interested in the truth.
Posted by Terry K.
at 2:00 PM EST
Another Anti-Gay Rant By WND's Kinsolving
Topic: WorldNetDaily WorldNetDaily's Les Kinsolving unleased yet another homophobic tirade in his Feb. 1 column, in the form of "imagined letters of gratitude" to the White House for allowing "no limitation at all regarding who any Americans love" and still serve in the military. The letters start with someone who wants to serve in the military with his horse "whose nuptials were solemnized by a Massachusetts notary public who must remain anonymous (as must Mable and I)," and ends with, "We who have suffered rejection, denunciation and prosecution due to our sexual orientation of necrophilia rejoice in your announcement that "no American will be forbidden from serving the country they love because of who they love." We hope for your assistance in making it possible for our orientation to serve in hospitals and in the Graves Registration Command," with stops at pedophilia and polygamy. Kinsolving concludes by asking, "Do any of these four other alternate sexual orientations have anywhere near the HIV/AIDS and syphilis rates – or the hundreds of thousands of deaths – as this nation's homosexuals?" Why does Kinsolving spend so much time obsessing over what pedophiles and necrophiliacs think? Is there something he wants to tell us?
Posted by Terry K.
at 1:35 PM EST
Newsmax Columnist: Obama Just As Intolerant As Mubarak
Topic: Newsmax Wayne Allyn Root uses his Feb. 1 Newsmax column to fearmonger about the extremely unlikely occurrence of Egypt-style protests in the U.S., smearing President Obama by asserting that "small signs hint that Obama might turn out to be just as intolerant to dissent as Mubarak":
Root doesn't mention that the backers of the bill that would give the president the authority to "shut down the Internet" are a Republican and an independent -- not Obama. Even if Obama was pushing for a return of the Fairness Doctrine -- which he's not -- it would not "shut down talk radio and Fox News"; it would merely require opposing viewpoints to be presented. Further, the Obama White House has not stated what positions Obama will take regarding guns, so Root cannot possibly know that he would "tighten gun control." The rest of Root's rant is just fearmongering sleaze.
Posted by Terry K.
at 12:46 PM EST
Klein's Attacks On Obama Over Egypt Are Totally Anonymous
Topic: WorldNetDaily In recent days, WorldNetDaily's Aaron Klein has been accusing the Obama administration of fomenting unrest in Egypt, with the presumed goal of helping the country's Muslim Brotherhood faction. But all of Klein's major claims rely on anonymous sources, and he has given his readers no reason why they should be trusted. The claims and their anonymous sources: Jan. 29: "The Egyptian government suspects elements of the current uprising there, particularly political aspects, are being coordinated with the U.S. State Department." Source: "A senior Egyptian diplomat." As we've noted, this same story also misleadingly portrays Mohamed ElBaradei as an "ally of the Muslim Brotherhood" by cropping a quote. Feb. 1: "The Egyptian government has information a diplomat at the U.S. embassy in Cairo secretly met yesterday with a senior leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, the nation's major Islamist opposition group." Source: "an Egyptian intelligence official." It sounds like Klein is shilling for the Mubarak regime, doesn't it? Does Klein really despite Obama that much? In another Feb. 1 article, Klein attempts to build a case that Obama andhis administration "have an extended history of reaching out to the organization representing the main opposition now in Egypt's unrest, quietly building ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and its worldwide allies." But that article is filled with spurious claims as well. Klein writes that "Muslim Brotherhood members reportedly were invited to attend President Obama's 2009 address to the Muslim world from Cairo." In fact, Obama did not invite them as Klein suggests; Fox News reported at the time that "officials said invitations were only sent out by Cairo University and Al-Azhar University." Klein writes, "Also in 2009, the Egyptian daily newspaper Almasry Alyoum ran a report claiming Obama had met with U.S. and European-based representatives of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood that year." But that report is unsubstantiated; when Haaretz repeated the Egyptian paper's claim, it offered no evidence that the claim was investigated and verified. Keep in mind that WND has a habit of treating any old claim in a foreign newspaper as true if it conforms to its agenda. Remember how desperately WND clung to the claim that Obama's trip to India cost $200 million a day well after the claim was discredited by every other news organization that cared about facts? Klein also asserts that 'there have been multiple reports the past two years of behind-the-scenes contact with Hamas, which was founded as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood." Again, Klein names no actual person making the claim, only "Multiple top leaders of Hamas in Gaza." But if they're terrorists who hate America, why should anyone believe what they have to say? And why is Klein granting anonymity to terrorists in the first place? Klein his a long history of granting anonymity to anyone who will hurl claims he think will hurt Obama -- even terrorists. Yet he's allowed to appear on Fox News channels to spout fearmongering claims about Egypt. If Klein will protect a terrorist, what moral authority can he possibly cite for any reader to trust his reporting?
Posted by Terry K.
at 3:07 AM EST
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
CNS Baselessly Portrays Health Care Waivers As Political Payback
Topic: CNSNews.com CNSNews.com has suddenly become desperate to portray temporary waivers to the new health care reform as payback to political supporters. Here are the headlines of three Jan. 31 articles by Fred Lucas:
Of course, Lucas has no proof of any such payback -- all he's doing is embracing the correlation-equals-causation fallacy. Lucas largely ignores the fact that most waivers have gone to businesses, at least some of which, such as restaurants, actually opposed health care reform. Lucas also lays bare his right-wing, anti-Obama agenda by highlighting in one article how 'Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) recently told CNSNews.com he believed a congressional investigation will show the waivers were politicized." In other words, Lucas is serving as a Republican public relations agent. Is that really the role a self-proclaimed reporter should be taking?
Posted by Terry K.
at 2:34 PM EST
Klayman Invokes Vince Foster In Death of Shah's Son
Topic: WorldNetDaily Larry Klayman uses his Jan. 29 WorldNetDaily column to spin a bizarre conspiracy theory regarding the suicide of Alireza Pahlavi, the son of the exiled shah of Iran. After fluffing Pahlavi as "a dashing heir to the Iranian monarchy" whose "moving and beautiful memorial funeral" he attended, Klayman goes off on a familiar track:
Klayman then laughably claims, "I am not equating the death of Alireza to Vince Foster, but instead only pointing out that our government has the motive and means to cover up tragedies such as this." After smearing President Obama again as the "mullah in chief," Klayman plays the conspiracy card again: "So here is the question: Have President Obama and his government minions also covered up a plausible act of terrorism by Iran on American soil, so as to make it easier for him to continue his failed policy of appeasement toward the regime?" This is just one reason Klayman's influence is limited these days only to readers of WorldNetDaily.
Posted by Terry K.
at 2:11 PM EST
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