Group Files Law Suit Against Texas’
Pre-Abortion Sonogram Bill

post from ThinkProgress on 13 June 2011 06:00:01 PM. © ThinkProgress

The Center for Reproductive Rights has filed a class action lawsuit against Texas? mandatory pre-abortion sonogram bill, a “controversial legislation that passed this session requiring women seeking abortions to undergo a sonogram at least 24 hours before the procedure.” Under the law, doctors “must also show and describe the images to the woman and play sounds of the fetal heartbeat.” ?We filed a challenge today because this bill is incredibly intrusive; it hijacks the doctor-patient relationship and is another part of the anti-choice agenda,” BeBe Anderson, the group’s senior counsel said. CRR will also attempt to “block the Texas bill with a preliminary injunction, preventing it from going into effect.”

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http://thinkprogress.org/health/2011/06/13/244146/group-files-law-suit-against-te
xas-pre-abortion-sonogram-bill/

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UPDATED: Fox News' Long History Of Race-Baiting

post from Media Matters for America - Latest Items on 13 June 2011 05:52:19 PM. © Media Matters for America - Latest Items

Howard Dean and Joan Walsh recently called out Fox News, criticizing what they called its "racist" handling of the deceptively edited Shirley Sherrod video clip. Indeed, Fox News and its personalities have a long history of aggressive race-baiting and racially charged commentary.

[NOTE: This item has been updated to include racially charged commentary by Fox Business host Eric Bolling]

Walsh, Dean Describe Fox As "Racist," Highlight Sherrod, New Black Panthers Coverage

Fox Pushes Phony Sherrod Video, Keeps Pushing After Full Video Debunks "Racism" Attack

Fox's Nonstop Hyping Of The Phony NewBlack Panthers Scandal

Racially Charged Rhetoric A MajorPart Of Fox News' History

Other Fox Personalities

Attacking The NAACP

Attacks On Sonia Sotomayor

Walsh, Dean Describe Fox As "Racist," Highlight Sherrod, New Black Panthers Coverage

Howard Dean: Fox acted "absolutely racist." In a July 25 appearance on Fox Broadcasting Co.'s Fox News Sunday, former Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean told host Chris Wallace: "Let's just be blunt about this. I don't think Newt Gingrich is a racist, and you're certainly not a racist, but I think Fox News did something that was absolutely racist. They took a -- they had an obligation to find out what was really in the [Sherrod] clip. They have been pushing a theme of black racism with this phony Black Panther crap and this [Sherrod] business and [Justice Sonia] Sotomayor and all this other stuff."

Walsh: "It's true" that Sherrod is a victim of Fox racism. On the July 25 edition of CNN's Reliable Sources, Walsh, Salon.com editor in chief, stated of Sherrod: "I'm not giving her a pass, but I think the idea that she shouldn't be able to say Fox or Breitbart is racist is preposterous. She gets to say that because it's true, and because, from her vantage point, it's especially true."

Walsh describes "Fox News's 50-state Southern strategy." In a July 25 Salon.com post, Walsh noted that Fox News is hyping "one 'scary black people' and 'Obama's a racist' story after another" and wrote: "Fox News has, sadly, become the purveyor of a 50-state 'Southern strategy,' the plan perfected by Richard Nixon to use race to scare Southern Democrats into becoming Republicans by insisting the other party wasn't merely trying to fight racism, but give blacks advantages over whites (Fox News boss Roger Ailes, of course, famously worked for Nixon)."

Fox Pushes Phony Sherrod Video, Keeps Pushing After Full Video Debunks "Racism" Attack

Fox's reaction to Breitbart's bogusvideo: "Racist" Sherrod "must resign." On the July 19 edition of his show, Bill O'Reilly played theout-of-context clip of Sherrod and said: "[T]hat is simply unacceptable.And Ms. Sherrod must resign immediately." Sean Hannity asserted that Sherrod's comments were"[j]ust the latest in a series of racial incidents." Guest-hostingFox News' On the Record, Dana Perino suggested Sherrod's remarks wereracist, full video of Sherrod's remarks surfaced,indicating that her story was one of racial reconciliation rather thandiscrimination, some Fox News figures continued to attack Sherrod. Hannity asserted: "She still admits that she wasdiscriminating against this white farmer." On Fox & Friends,guest host Juliet Huddy suggested that keeping Sherrod at the USDA wouldrepresent a "huge problem" for President Obama, adding, "It'slike he has Reverend Wright on his staff." On The O'Reilly Factor,Fox News contributor Monica Crowley suggested that Sherrod may be among"radicals, racists, socialists" in the Obama administration.

Fox's Nonstop Hyping Of The Phony NewBlack Panthers Scandal

Fox relentlessly pushes phony NewBlack Panthers scandal and uses it as an excuse for race-baiting. Fox News has hyped the manufactured scandal surrounding theNew Black Panther Party more than 100 times. On America's Newsroom,Fox's Peter Johnson Jr. responded to a question from co-host Megyn Kelly about"what ... we know about [Attorney General] Eric Holder and his history ofprosecuting this kind of case," by saying that "at Columbia college, he[Holder] was active in black student association[s] there" and that"at some point, there had been a takeover of the dean's office atColumbia." Morris used the New Black Panthers scandal to declare that Obama is "stereotyping himselfas a racial president."

Fox baselessly links Obama andHolder to New Black Panthers case.Fox News figures baselessly asserted that Obama and Holder were involved in theJustice Department's decision in the New Black Panthers case. Kelly teased an interview with former Bush DOJ officialHans von Spakovsky by saying: "[S]eriousallegations today that the decision to drop the now-infamous voter-intimidationcase against members of the New Black Panther Party may have reached all theway to the White House." Beck stated that "Obama comes in and decidessuddenly in May of 2009 to drop the case." O'Reilly baselessly claimed that Obama made a "veryracist comment" and that Glenn Beck's characterization of Obama as a"racist" was "right." Murdoch also hired Roger Ailes as FoxNews Channel president despite his prior history of using race for politicalgain.

Murdoch says Beck's"racist" comment "was right." Responding to Beck's description of Obama as a "racist" whohas "a deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture,"Murdoch said in a November 6, 2009, interview with Sky News Australia that while that"was something which perhaps shouldn't have been said about the president,but if you actually assess what he was talking about, he was right."Murdoch also claimed that Obama "did make a very racist comment." ANews Corp. spokesperson reportedly later told Politico that Murdoch "does notat all, for a minute, think the president is a racist."

When asked what "very racistcomment" he was referring to, Murdoch says he "denied thatabsolutely." On November 19, 2009, MediaMatters asked Murdoch to explain what he meant by hisremark that Obama made a "very racist comment." Murdoch said, "Idenied that absolutely." He added: "I don't believe he's aracist."

Roger Ailes

Before launching Fox News Channel,Ailes worked as a media consultant for several Republican campaigns in whichevidence shows he appealed to racial fears and biases for political gain, andas executive producer for Rush Limbaugh's television show, during whichLimbaugh made controversial statements about race. Under Ailes, Fox News hasroutinely engaged in race-baiting, as evidenced by the comments of Beck,O'Reilly, Hannity, and other Fox News personalities.

As Nixon campaign consultant, Ailesreportedly looked for a "Wallaceite cab-driver" to bring up race attelevised town hall meetings. Asmedia consultant for Richard Nixon's 1968 presidential campaign, Ailes directed televised town hall meetings in whichNixon answered questions from a supportive audience. According to historianRick Pearlstein, Ailes suggested Nixon take a question from a "good, mean,Wallaceite cab-driver. Wouldn't that be great? Some guy to sit there and say,'Awright, Mac, what about these niggers?' " Pearlstein wrote, "Nixonthen could abhor the uncivility of the words, while endorsing a 'moderate'version of the opinion. Ailes walked up and down a nearby taxi stand until hefound a cabbie who fit the bill."

Ailes on 1988 strategy againstDukakis: "The only question is whether we depict Willie Horton with aknife in his hand or without it."Along with Lee Atwater, Ailes was credited with helping George H.W. Bush come frombehind to beat Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis in the 1988 presidentialelection. Part of that winning strategy included portraying Dukakis as"soft on crime" and connecting him with convicted felon Willie Horton.Horton committed assault, armed robbery, and rape in Maryland during a weekendfurlough -- a program granting temporary release to prisoners that Dukakissupported but was created under the previous governor. While the Bush campaigndid not produce the Horton ad that was widely criticized as"racist," Ailes did produce the "Revolving Door" ad that similarly attackedDukakis for the furlough program. The campaign also created "The Risk," a negative ad that referenced"a furlough escapee" who "terrorized a Maryland couple."Ailes has been quoted as saying, "The only question iswhether we depict Willie Horton with a knife in his hand or without it."

Ailes was media consultant for 1989Giuliani campaign, whose attacks on Dinkins "prey[ed] upon the fears ofthe Jewish community." WhileAiles was media consultant for Rudy Giuliani's firstcampaign for New York City mayor, the campaign placed an ad in a prominent Yiddish newspaper, TheAlgemeiner Journal, that featured an image of Giuliani's opponent DavidDinkins -- who would become New York City's first African-American mayor --alongside Jesse Jackson. The ad also displayed a photo of Giuliani withPresident George H.W. Bush, with the headline reading: ''Let the people of NewYork choose their own destiny" [New York Times, 9/30/1989]. Howard Kurtz reported that "IraSilverman, vice president of the American Jewish Committee, said the Giulianiad seemed a 'legitimate campaign tactic,' but said that he found it 'troubling'because it 'preys upon the fears of the Jewish community' " [WashingtonPost, 9/29/1989]. National Public Radio has further reported: "Giuliani also tagged Dinkins as a'Jesse Jackson Democrat.' That was an appeal to the city's large contingent ofJewish voters, who had despised Jackson ever since he used an anti-Semiticepithet to describe New York City. In this context, Giuliani's signature issueof crime took on racial overtones, says political consultant NormanAdler." One of Giuliani's ads featured a New Yorker stating, "I'mtired of living in New York and being scared."

Ailes produced Limbaugh's televisionshow. Ailes served as executive producer for Limbaugh'ssyndicated television show, which ran from 1992 to 1996. On his TV show, inresponse to Spike Lee's recommendation that African-American children bepermitted to skip school to view Malcolm X, Limbaugh once said:"Spike, if you're going to do that, let's complete the educationexperience. You should tell them that they should loot the theater and thenblow it up on their way out" [Nexis transcript of Limbaugh's show onOctober 29, 1992]. And after Sen. Strom Thurmond -- who in 1948 ran forpresident on a States Rights Democratic Party (Dixiecrat) platform that advocated racial segregation --told a gay service member during a 1993 Senate Armed Services Committee hearingon gays in the military, "Your lifestyle is not normal," and asked ifhe had every sought psychiatric help, Limbaugh stated of Thurmond: "He isnot encumbered by trying to be politically correct. He's not encumbered by allof the -- the so-called new niceties and proprieties. He just says it, and ifyou want to know what America used to be -- and a lot of people wish it stillwere -- then you listen to Strom Thurmond." Limbaugh added, "He got astanding ovation. Now people -- people applauded that. People applaud --because -- you know, Strom Thurmond can say it because he's 90 years old andpeople say, Ah, he's just an old coot. He's from the old days,' and so forth.But that's what most people think. They just don't have the guts to say it.That's why they applaud when somebody does say it that directly and thatsimply" [Nexis transcript of Limbaugh's show, May 11, 1993].

Glenn Beck

Beck's comment that Obama is a"racist" with a "deep-seated hatred for white people or thewhite culture" was one in a long line of similar racially charged remarks.In fact, Beck's comment followed on the heels of his claim that Obama hasa "desire for racial justice" that he is "setting out toachieve" through "intimidation, vilification, bullying, a system, anunderground shell game."

Beck was hired by News Corp. inspite of a number of racially insensitive comments he had previously made,including claiming in 2007 that he "can't win"because he is "American," "white," "Christian,"and "conservative." And on the January 25, 2008, edition of his CNNHeadline News show, Beck claimed of the Democratic primaries: "[I]fHillary Clinton wants to be consistent, I believe, affirmative action, sheshould give Barack Obama an additional 5 percentage points just for the yearsof oppression."

Beck's racially charged statementson Fox News programs include:

Beck calls Obama a"racist" with "a deep-seated hatred for white people." During the week of July 23, 2009, Beck put forth a steady stream of race-baiting and race-basedfearmongering on his Fox News show. Beck's comments culminated in his remarksthat Obama "has a deep-seated hatred for white people or the whiteculture" and "is, I believe, a racist," a statement hesubsequently claimed to stand by, in spite of growing criticism.

Fox News defends Beck's claim thatObama is a racist. Hannity and Ailes joined Murdoch indefending Beck's comment that Obama is a "racist." Discussing Beck'scomment, Hannity stated, "When the president hangs out withJeremiah Wright for 20 years ... can one conclude that there are issues withthe president?" Ailes asserted that "it is a seriousquestion" and apologized only for "the way it was phrased,"noting that "living in a sound bite world [is] really a nasty place tolive."

Beck warns of progressives' coming"race war." On July 16, Beck stated that progressives are "poking,poking, poking, poking, poking. They need people to react. They need anger inthe streets." He later stated: "[T]hey need a race war or any kind ofwar pulling each other apart. Divided we will fall."

Beck attacks Hispanic group NCLR. On April 19, Beck attacked the National Council of La Raza,suggesting it is similar to the"bloodthirsty," "notoriously violent drug gang" MS-13. Beckalso said: "Everything that is getting pushedthrough Congress, including this health care bill, are transforming America,and they are all driven by President Obama's thinking on one idea:reparations." Beck went on to state: "These massive programs areObama-brand reparations -- or in presidential speak -- leveling out the playingfield." Beck also said Obama's goal is "creating a new America, a newmodel, a model that will settle old racial scores through new socialjustice."

Beck: "I'm tired of the racething," doesn't "think the race thing works anymore." On the September 11, 2009, edition of The O'Reilly Factor,Beck claimed the he was "tired of the racething." He continued: "I don't think the race thing worksanymore." O'Reilly replied: "It works in the hip hop community."

Beck: Obama satisfying his"desire for racial justice" though "intimidation, vilification,bullying." On July 27, 2009, Beck claimed that American health care is superiorbecause we have "high-tech hospitals and doctors who studied at Harvardrather than Gajra Raja medical school." He also said that American homes have "somethingthat we in America like to call flush toilets" and said the Ganges River"sounds like a disease." Beck apologized for his comments several days later.

Beck frequently claims things are"slavery" or will lead to slavery.Beck has stated that recipients of federal aid have been"taught to be slaves"; said that "illegal immigration is modern-dayslavery"; asserted that progressive policies cause"slavery to government, welfare, affirmative action, regulation,control"; repeatedly said that the stimulus bill "isslavery"; and ranted that Obama is "addicting this countryto heroin -- the heroin that is government slavery" and that "the government's irresponsiblespending is turning us into slaves."

Beck frequently attempts to co-optthe legacy of the civil rights movement.Beck Petition Against Fox's Racist & Hate-Filled Smears"during the 2008 presidential campaign, O'Reilly asserted that "despite the heatedrhetoric" regarding immigration, "most Americans ... don't want tohurt any poor Mexican people. ... [T]hey want to know who they are. They wantto know where they are, what they're doing. They don't want them clustering inneighborhoods and changing the tempo of the whole neighborhood."

O'Reilly: "white Americans areterrified" to complement blacks out of fear "they may be taken ascondescension." During a conversation about formerPresident George W. Bush's description of Obama as "articulate,"O'Reilly told then-Temple University professor Marc LamontHill: "Instead of black and white Americans coming together, whiteAmericans are terrified. They're terrified. Now we can't even say you'rearticulate? We can't even give you guys compliments because they may be takenas condescension?"

O'Reilly tells "racehustlers" and "race baiters" to "watch it." Discussing what he claimed to be the "white backlashagainst Reverend [Jeremiah] Wright and racist accusations," O'Reilly named Hannity the 2008 Misinformer of the Year inpart because of his racially charged attacks on President Obama and MichelleObama. In these attacks, Hannity repeatedly referenced Wright, going so far asto say, "I think he [Obama] is Reverend Wright."

Hannity just can't "getover" his Rev. Wright obsession.Hannity mentioned Wright on at least 45 different episodes of his Fox News showbetween Obama's inauguration and July 31, 2009. Indeed, his repeated references to Wright have prompted hisown guests to comment, "You always want to bring up Reverend Wright,"and "Sean, you need to get over it."

Years later, Hannity and his guestsstill using Rev. Wright to attack Obama.Discussing the NAACP's "standard" for condemning racism in the teaparty, Hannity stated: "[W]ould that standard apply toBarack Obama in this sense -- sitting in Jeremiah Wright's church?" TuckerCarlson said Obama is "destroying America" andthat "Obama in all honesty is the Congressional Black Caucus, he is LouisFarrakhan, he is Reverend Wright, his minister. He is all of them wrapped up inone," and "if we allow this health care thing to happen, he's goingto turn America into Detroit."

Hannity: "Nobody in theRepublican Party" is bringing up race.On the October 9, 2008, edition of Fox News' now-defunct Hannity &Colmes, Hannity said of Sarah Palin: "[T]here are some extreme,left-wing Democratic lawmakers accusing her of resorting to race tactics on thecampaign trail. Why? Palin recently referred to Barack Obama as, quote, 'notone of us,' prompting New York Congressman Greg Meeks to say the following,quote: 'They know they can't win on issues, so the last resort they have israce and fear.' " Hannity went on to assert: "If it wasn't soridiculously idiotic and absurd, it'd be funny. But -- you know, but this -- thissounds a lot like Barack Obama: 'They're going to tell you I have a funny name,and I don't look like those guys on the currency. And they're going to say,'Oh, he's black?' " Hannity added: "Nobody in the Republican Party isbringing this up except him and his supporters."

Hannity repeatedly distortedMichelle Obama's 1985 thesis to claim she has divisive views on race. During the 2008 presidential campaign, Hannity repeatedly distorted Michelle Obama's 1985 senior thesisfrom Princeton University, suggesting that she was asserting her own views whenshe wrote that "[i]t is possible that Black individuals either chose to orfelt pressure to come together with other Blacks on campus because of thebelief that Blacks must join in solidarity to combat a White oppressor."As the context of the quote makes clear, however, she was purporting to documentattitudes among black Princeton alumni who attended the school in the '70s andnot expressing her own opinions. Hannity employed this distortion at one pointto ask, "Do the Obamas have a race problem of their own?"

After asking whether the Obamas"have a race problem of their own," Hannity continued to smear them. Hannity falsely suggesting that former Labor SecretaryRobert Reich, speaking at a congressional forum, favored excluding white malesfrom jobs created by the economic stimulus package. Hannity claimed that Reich"expressed concern that the current [stimulus] package is, well, tooinclusive." After airing a clip of Reich in which Reich addressed concerns from women's advocacy groups and othersabout the composition of the proposed stimulus, Hannity stated: "Now hereI thought the package was intended for everybody. So aren't pink slips colorblind?" In fact, Reich repeatedly stated that he favored a stimulus planthat "includ[es] women and minorities, and the long-term unemployed"in addition to skilled professionals and white male construction workers, notone that is solely limited to them.

Dick Morris

Morris: "Nobody on the rightwing has criticized Obama over race. There isn't a vestige of that." Morris called charges of right-wing racism"ridiculous" and claimed that "nobody on the right wing hascriticized Obama over race. There isn't a vestige of that." When Hannityasked Morris about a Politico article headlined, "Dems see racefactor for Obama foes," Morris replied: "They wish."

Morris: If not for Sen. Clinton,Americans would be afraid of "the first black man ... running forpresident." Referring to Obama in 2007, Morris Commenting on referred to the Rutgers University women'sbasketball team as "nappy-headed hos," MSNBC dropped its simulcast ofImus' radio program, and CBS eventually fired him from that program. Imus' remarks werepart of a long history of inflammatory commentary on his show: he previously called Hillary Clinton "that buck-toothedwitch, Satan" and referred to the "Jewish management" ofCBS radio as "money-grubbing bastards." Despite his history of makingsuch comments and tolerating such comments from his co-hosts and guests, FoxBusiness began simulcasting Imus' radio program inOctober.

John Gibson

John Gibson previously hosted Fox News'The Big Story with John Gibson where he once encouraged his viewers to"make more babies" and then fearmongered about the birthrates ofimmigrants in Europe. Gibson also has a history of making inflammatory andracially insensitive comments on his radio show, which Fox News Radio advised viewers during the "My Word"segment of his Fox News program to "[d]o your duty. Make morebabies." He then cited an article that reported nearly half of allchildren under the age of five in the United States are minorities. Gibsonadded: "By far, the greatest number [of children under five] are Hispanic.You know what that means? Twenty-five years and the majority of the populationis Hispanic." Gibson later said: "Now, in this country, Europeanancestry people, white people, are having kids at the rate that does sustainthe population. It grows a bit. That compares to Europe where the birth rate isin the negative zone. They are not having enough babies to sustain theirpopulation. Consequently, they are inviting in more and more immigrants everyyear to take care of things and those immigrants are having way more babiesthan the native population, hence Eurabia." After discusing Russia'sprojected decline in population, Gibson said, "To put it bluntly, we needmore babies." Gibson claimed: "So far, we are doing our part here inAmerica but Hispanics can't carry the whole load. The rest of you, get busy.Make babies, or put another way -- a slogan for our times: 'procreation notrecreation'."

Gibson responded to criticism of"make more babies" remarks by invoking Europe's rising Muslimpopulation. Gibson subsequently claimed on Fox that there had been"[s]ome misunderstandings" regarding his "make more babies"comments, adding that he's "been accused of being a racist." Gibsonexplained: "My concern was simply that I didn't want America to becomeEurope, where the birth rate is so low the continent is fast being populated byimmigrants, mainly from Muslim countries, whose birth rate is very high."

John Stossel

Stossel calls for repeal of publicaccommodations section of Civil Rights Act.On America Live, John Stossel stated that "it's time now to repeal"the public accommodations sections of the Civil Rights Act. Stossel went on tosay that "private businesses ought to get to discriminate" and that"it should be their right to be racist."

Stossel defends his remarks. In a May 25 post to his Fox Business blog, Stossel wrote that"two other provisions -- which ban private companies from discriminating-- are a mistake. They violate individuals' freedom to decide with whom toassociate, and what to do with one's own property." He further wrote:"Instead of just eliminating segregation, the Civil Rights Act imposedmandatory association. Rand Paul had it right. Neither mandatory segregation,nor mandatory association, is appropriate in a free society."

Laura Ingraham

Ingraham: The Obama administrationhas "set back race relations in this country perhaps a generation." Discussing the Sherrod tape, Laura Ingraham said: "This president was ushered intooffice with this great media concoction -- and unjustified -- that he was goingto be some racial healer." She went on to say: "I believe much ofwhat's been done in this administration unfortunately has set back racerelations in this country perhaps a generation. I predicted that would happen ayear ago on my radio show, and I stand by that today."

Guest-hosting O'Reilly, Ingrahamclaims Obama "channeled his best Jeremiah Wright accent" in NAACPspeech. Talking about a speech Obama gaveto the NAACP, Ingraham disbelief that there are Americans who are"deeply anxiety ridden" about the fact "that an African-Americanman is president of the United States," asking, "Who are thesepeople?" Ingraham went on to say that "I'm sure there are bad applesin every crowd," but that, in the end, Democrats "always go back tothe well of race."

Ingraham: Obama "goes to therace card." Discussing Obama's "role in the O.J. Simpson murder trial; after hehad retired from the LAPD, Fuhrman pleaded no contest to a perjury charge inwhich he was accused of lying under oath about using a racial slur. Fox Newssubsequently hired Fuhrman as a Fox News contributor and has turned to him to discuss such racially chargedtopics as Gates' arrest.

Fuhrman on "people" he"dealt with ... for 20 years": "They will kill somebody and gohave some chicken at KFC."Fuhrman has stated: "I think we all agree that BarackObama was elected by, mostly by black racists and white guilty people." Hefurther claimed that "most black Americans -- 96% of them -- areracist." Peterson then suggested that people are "not going to beable to speak out against [Obama] at all unless you're being -- you will becalled a racist."

Peterson: Most blacks "lackmoral character," Katrina victims "turned the [Super]Dome into aghetto." Discussing the controversysurrounding argued that Bennett's remarks were simply"an attempt by the liberals to prevent white, conservative Republicansfrom speaking the truth about black America." Peterson then suggested that"the root cause of crime is a lack of moral character." He explainedthat "crime and out-of-wedlock birth, black folks having babies withoutbeing married, and stuff like that is out of control." According toPeterson, "Not all ... but most of them lack moral character. Look whatthey did to the [Louisiana Super]dome. In three days, they turned the Dome intoa ghetto."

Tucker Carlson

Carlson: When Dems say Reid supportscivil rights, "what they're saying is he's for racial set-asides." On Happening Now, discussing 2008 comments by SenateMajority Leader Harry Reid, Carlson criticized Obama's "Vote 2010"message. After host Bret Bair played a clip of the ad, Carlson said:"So how is this different substantially from Nixon's Southern Strategy?What he's doing is, saying, 'You have reason to fear on racial grounds,therefore vote for me.' I think he is using racial anxiety for politicalgain."

Bernie Goldberg

Goldberg claimed that"left-wingers" "threw Oreo cookies" at Michael Steele. On The O'Reilly Factor, Bernard Goldberg revived the claim that, in 2002, Republican NationalCommittee chairman Michael Steele, an African-American, had Oreo cookies thrownat him. In fact, Steele, who was running for Maryland lieutenant governor atthe time of the alleged incident, Robert Erlich, Steele's then-running mate,and Paul Schurick, Erlich's then-spokesman, have recounted several different --sometimes contradictory -- versions of the alleged incident. Indeed, inNovember 2002, Steele reportedly speculated that Oreos allegedly present at thedebate may just have been "someone having their snack."

Goldberg: Liberals "love thefact" Obama is black because if "you criticize his policies, you runthe risk of being called ... a racist."Goldberg suggested that "an awful lot of liberals,who supposedly don't want to see race in anything, they love the fact thatBarack Obama's a black man because -- in addition to the historical significance-- because anytime you criticize his policies, you run the risk of being calledby them a racist."

Eric Bolling

Fox Business host Eric Bolling has made a number of unacceptable and bizarre racially charged comments.

Bolling: "What's With All TheHoods In The Hizzy?" Duringthe June 10 edition of his Fox Business show, Follow the Money, Bollingteased a segment about Obama hosting Ali Bongo Ondimba, president of Gabon, bysaying: "Guess who's coming to dinner? A dictator. Mr. Obama shares alaugh with one of Africa's kleptocrats. It's not the first time he's had ahoodlum in the hizzouse." In a subsequent tease, Bolling said, "Smilefor the birdie," while footage of a smiling Bongo with a flashing tooth,apparently made to resemble a gold-plated tooth, was shown on-air. Bollingcontinued: "Our president's sitting with one of Africa's most wanted. It'snot the first time he's had a hood in the big crib." Footage of rapperCommon appeared on air as Bolling spoke. Bolling began the actual segment by saying:"So what's with all the hoods in the hizzy?" [Fox Business, Followthe Money, said: "A fist bump? A pound? A terroristfist jab? ... We'll show you some interesting body communication and find outwhat it really says." In the ensuing discussion with a "body languageexpert," Hill referred to the "Michelle and Barack Obama fist bump orfist pound," but at no point did she explain her earlier reference to"a terrorist fist jab."

Banderas called Obama a"Halfrican." On RedEye, Fox News host Julie Banderas referred to Obama as a "Halfrican."Host Greg Gutfeld asked Banderas, who said she is of Colombian descent,"[D]o minorities hate other minorities?" Banderas responded: "Ihave something in common with Obama, and I don't even know what the big dealis. He's a Halfrican anyway, so I'm not really quite sure why the Asians andthe Hispanics have no -- you know, have a problem with him."

Dietl dismisses Muslims as "AbaDaba Doo and Aba Daba Dah," argued for racial profiling in "your7-Elevens." On Your World with Neil Cavuto,Fox News contributor Richard "Bo" Dietl, a private investigator andformer New York City Police Department detective, stated: "[I]f I see two guys that look likeAba Daba Doo and Aba Daba Dah, I'm gonna pull 'em over, and I wanna find outwhat you're doing." Dietl and host Neil Cavuto were discussing the arrestsof two college students from Kuwait and Egypt who were allegedly found withpipe bombs in their car near a Navy base in South Carolina. Dietl hadpreviously suggested that instead of flying, passengers suchas the six imams who were removed from a US Airways flight in 2006 should"call their cousin up there, Ali Baba Boo, and go by cab." Dietl atone point argued that seven men arrested on charges ofconspiracy, which allegedly included plans to bomb the Sears Tower in Chicago,were a "crew of mutts," suggesting that "[t]he people that arecoming in to our country" are "like a cancer" and "[w]eneed some chemotherapy now." He further stated that law enforcementofficials should "[g]o into your 7-Elevens or go into one of these storesthat keep rotating young men who are Muslims," and say "identifyyourself."

Matalin: Civil rights leaders are"nothing more than racists" who are keeping "their African-Americanbrothers enslaved." Talkingabout the speakers at Coretta Scott King's funeral in 2006, Mary Matalin said: "I think these civil rights leadersare nothing more than racists" who are keeping "theirAfrican-American brothers enslaved."

Project 21's Borelli: A "bigmessage" in black community is "you are owed something ... and don'thave to work hard." On Hannity,Project 21's Deenan Borelli claimed that "a big message that's goingaround in the black community, unfortunately, is that you are owed something,and you are deserving, and you don't have to work hard, and that's a badprecedent to set."

Santorum: In "mainstreammedia," conservative African-American is an "Uncle Tom." Discussing Palin's resignation as Alaska governor and hertreatment in the media, Fox News contributor Rick Santorum claimed that "nobody gets beat up worse inthe mainstream media than a woman conservative or an African-Americanconservative." Santorum continued by suggesting the media consideredClarence Thomas an "Uncle Tom."

Taranto claimed Democrats' chargesof racism are "part of the effort to keep blacks from leaving theparty." On The O'Reilly Factor, WallStreet Journal editorial board member James Taranto claimed that "[t]he media like brown people,but they like black people more." He then added: "[W]hat they reallydislike, of course, is white people."

Malkin: "Oh, geez. Here we gowith the 'blame whitey' again."Malkin responded to guest Opio Sokoni's statement thatthose making money from hip-hop music are "[w]hite people that you coddleto in almost all your articles" by saying: "Oh, geez. Here we go withthe 'blame whitey' again. Blame whitey."

Attacking The NAACP

Fox figures push back on NAACP'sconcerns about racism in tea party by attacking NAACP as racist. On Fox & Friends, Ingraham stated: "The NAACP has become a pushorganization for racist sentiments in many ways." She further claimed thatpeople with "racist sentiment" "have burrowed their way into theObama administration." On Hannity, Breitbart responded to criticismof his advancing the deceptively edited Sherrod videos by saying that the full video shows racism "farworse than anything that has ever been alleged against the tea party."

Not looking very hard: Fox ignorestea party racism in attacks on NAACP.Criticizing the NAACP for passing a resolution condemning racism in the teaparty movement, Fox News figures and guests -- including Hannity, Monica Crowley, and Thomas Sowell -- repeatedly claimed or suggestedthat there was no evidence of such racism. They made this claim despite allegations of racial epithets hurled atAfrican-American congressmen and documentation of racially charged signs andslogans from various tea party protests.

Attacks On Sonia Sotomayor

Numerous Fox News figuresmisrepresented remarks Justice Sonia Sotomayor made during a speech at Berkeleyin 2001 to smear her as a racist and bigot while she was under considerationfor the Supreme Court.

O'Reilly: "[S]hould whiteAmericans be concerned about Judge Sotomayor?" Referring to Sotomayor's nomination, O'Reilly stated that he thought Sotomayor's "wiseLatina" "was a racial statement, if not a racist statement."

Hannity: Comments like Sotomayor's"would never be tolerated" if said by a "white male." Hannity asked: "This would never be tolerated by awhite male," then asked guest Julie Menin: "Why do you, as a liberal,accept this double standard?" Hannity twice repeated the hypothetical,asking Menin: "To use the Newt Gingrich example, 'My experience as a whiteman makes me better than a Latina woman.' If anybody said that, would they haveany chance today of getting on the court?" Hannity subsequently said toMenin: "And if a white male said that, you liberals would be excoriatingthem."

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http://feeds.mediamatters.org/~r/mediamatters/latest/~3/w0Gl_mW9J7k/201106130023

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New Romney ad slams Obama on jobs

post from Daily Kos on 13 June 2011 05:15:03 PM. © Daily Kos

GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney is zeroing in on President Obama's Achilles heel for 2012: jobs. Here's his new ad.

Romney himself does not appear in the video, which turns Obama's June 3 comment that "there are always going to be bumps on the road to recovery" into an attack highlighting historically high unemployment of about 9.1 percent.
Instead, the ad shows people lying in a road, then standing up each in turn to declare "I'm an American, not a bump in the road" and holding up a placard with their name followed by "stands with Mitt."

It's surely no accident that the people appearing in Romney's ad are emblematic of the demographic groups that turned out for Obama in such high numbers in 2008: young people, minorities, women. They're also the demographic that Obama is going to be counting on in 2012, and those who stayed home in 2010.

Romney gets that jobs and the economy are what can beat Obama in 2012. Let's hope that Obama and his team realize that, too.

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bama-on-jobs

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Today on The Stars Hollow Gazette

post from Docudharma - Front Page on 13 June 2011 05:05:40 PM. © Docudharma - Front Page

Our regular featured content-6 In The Morning by mishimaOn This Day In History June 13 by TheMomCatPunting the Pundits by TheMomCatEvening Edition by ek hornbeckEvening Edition experienced some technical difficulties last night.This featured[...]

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w-gazette

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Tom Ridge discusses Marcellus Shale on Colbert

post from Keystone Progress Blog on 13 June 2011 05:00:58 PM. © Keystone Progress Blog

The Colbert Report
Tags: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

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http://keystoneprogress.blogspot.com/2011/06/tom-ridge-discusses-marcellus-shale-
on.html

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From US Dept of Awesome!

post from Talking Points Memo on 13 June 2011 05:00:55 PM. © Talking Points Memo

Wash Times pulls piece claiming that Rep. Weiner is secret Muslim. [...]

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_awesome.php

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Chart of the Day

A really must see chart from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Workers' Share of National Income over recent decades. A stunning fall over the last couple decades. [...]

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y_3.php

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Republicans are hiding the truth on immigration
reform efforts

In Sunday's Clarion-Ledger, the leader of a group called "MFIRE" (Mississippi Federation for Immigration Reform and Enforcement) had a letter to the editor that tried to blame immigration issues on House Democrats, specifically Rep. Bobby Moak of Bogue Chitto. Specifically, the letter says:

An effort was made this past legislative session to strengthen SB 2988 in Mississippi's "Arizona Style" enforcement bill by "requiring" the attorney general to enforce our E-Verify law. Unfortunately, House Democrats who have routinely worked against enforcement changed the sanctions against employers to monetary fines - specifically prohibited by federal statute. This amendment was handled by Rep. Bobby Moak, D-Bogue Chitto, one of Speaker Billy McCoy's lieutenants. Either they didn't know the law or this unlawful fine was the Democrat leadership's way to kill the bill.

The letter, of course, doesn't reveal what legislation Rep. Moak amended, presumably because that would lead to someone doing a little research on the issue.

What the letter is referring to is SB 2179, which was the god-awful legislation that would have put monetary fines on law enforcement officials, mayors, supervisors, and aldermen who didn't "effectively" enforce anti-immigrant laws. This was a hot topic during the legislative session, and is covered in depth here, here, here, and here. In short, Rep. Moak's amendment took the fines against local officials and put them on the businesses who employ illegal immigrants in the first place. And guess what? House Republicans agreed. Republicans voted almost uniformly for Moak's amendment. Which, I guess, makes it a bipartisan amendment.

The letter goes on to say:

Don't let your incumbent Democrat come home and tell you how conservative they are when their first vote will be to elect a speaker like Rep. Moak who has been a part of the coalition that has stopped significant legislation.

To be accurate, I guess the letter should be rewritten to say:

Don't let your incumbent ~~Democrat~~ legislator come home and tell you how conservative they are when their first vote will be to elect a speaker like Rep. Moak, Rep. Jeff Smith (R-Columbus), Rep. Phillip Gunn (R-Clinton), Rep. Sid Bondurant (R-Grenada), or Rep. Mark Baker (R-Brandon), who ~~has~~ have been a part of the coalition that has stopped ~~significant~~ wrongheaded legislation.

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g-truth-on.html

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Police: Nothing Sexual In Weiner Contact With
17-Year-Old Delaware Girl

Can we all stop hyperventilating now?

WILMINGTON - Police have closed an investigation into the online contact between Rep. Anthony Weiner and a 17-year-old Delaware girl who started following the New York Democrat online after a class trip to the nation's capital earlier in the spring.
C.R. McLeod, a spokesman for the New Castle County government, told the Associated Press on Saturday that investigators had concluded their probe and planned no further comment "unless something new arises that needs their attention."
Delaware police spoke with the girl and her mother on Friday, and, according to the girl's Philadelphia lawyer, Daniel P. McElhatton, took the girl's laptop and cellphone for analysis. The girl's family voluntarily handed over the computer and phone, and police did not have a warrant, McElhatton said.
"There was nothing of a sexual nature or any innuendo," McElhatton said of the communications between Weiner and the girl. He previously said in a statement that there was no exchange of photographs between the high school junior and the 46-year-old congressman.

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http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/police-nothing-sexual-weiner-contact-

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Scientist who once said global warming "not
significant" now says new data shows it is

Another right-wing data point gone with the increasingly warm wind. From the BBC:

Climate warming since 1995 is now statistically significant, according to Phil Jones, the UK scientist targeted in the "ClimateGate" affair.

Last year, he told BBC News that post-1995 warming was not significant - a statement still seen on blogs critical of the idea of man-made climate change.

But another year of data has pushed the trend past the threshold usually used to assess whether trends are "real".

Dr Jones says this shows the importance of using longer records for analysis.