http://mediamatters.org/tools/syndication/tag_rss/contessa_brewer This link is for use by RSS-enabled software to retrieve Media Matters items matching the term: Contessa Brewer en-US Copyright 2008, Media Matters for America http://mediamatters.org/items/200810100021 On <em>MSNBC Live</em>, after citing a <em>New York Times</em> article reporting that voters are being removed from rolls or being blocked from registering, Contessa Brewer asserted that at a campaign stop, Sen. John McCain "was talking about the importance of making sure that voters who register get a chance to go vote." But in the clip she aired, McCain was not talking about alleged voter disenfranchisement or allegations that people were being illegally barred from voting; rather, he was criticizing alleged efforts to register people who are not eligible to vote. http://mediamatters.org/items/200810100021 Fri, 10 Oct 2008 20:45:37 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200809290010 On <em>MSNBC Live</em>, Contessa Brewer asserted that President Clinton "seemed to give" Sen. Barack Obama "a half-hearted endorsement" during an interview broadcast on NBC's <em>Meet the Press. </em>She then aired a heavily cropped version of Clinton's remarks, falsely suggesting that Clinton had not said he "admires" Obama and omitting his statement that Obama's "greatness will ... become apparent" when he is elected. http://mediamatters.org/items/200809290010 Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:03:13 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200809180015 Contessa Brewer cited the Tax Policy Center's finding that Sen. Barack Obama's spending and tax plan would add $3.4 trillion to the national debt while ignoring its finding that Sen. John McCain's plan would increase the debt by more than $5 trillion. http://mediamatters.org/items/200809180015 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:15:02 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200809100036 On MSNBC, PolitiFact.com's Bill Adair said that Gov. Sarah Palin's claim to have put a jet airplane owned by the state of Alaska on the Internet auction site eBay was true and noted that "[t]he state was unsuccessful selling it on eBay, and they had to hire an aircraft broker to sell it, ended up selling it for considerably less than the state had paid for it." However, neither Adair nor Contessa Brewer noted that Sen. John McCain falsely claimed that Palin "took the luxury jet that was acquired by her predecessor and sold it on eBay. And made a profit." http://mediamatters.org/items/200809100036 Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:55:53 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200809100032 Contessa Brewer aired a clip of a McCain campaign ad without noting that the clip falsely suggests that Sen. Barack Obama was behind "attacks on Governor [Sarah] Palin" that have been called "completely false" and "misleading" by FactCheck.org. In fact, while FactCheck.org stated that many "dubious Internet postings and mass e-mail messages" about Palin are "completely false, or misleading," it made no reference to the Obama campaign. Further, Brewer did not note that the Obama campaign has reportedly denied the ad's second claim, that "Obama airdropped a mini-army of 30 lawyers, investigators, and opposition researchers into Alaska to dig dirt on Governor Palin." http://mediamatters.org/items/200809100032 Wed, 10 Sep 2008 18:28:42 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200808050004 While interviewing Jerome Corsi, author of the recently released book <em><em>The Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality</em></em>, MSNBC's Contessa Brewer cited a <em>Media Matters</em> report detailing what she said were "some eight, nine, 10 pages of factual errors" in the book, and asked Corsi: "[I]f they are finding one, then why do you get credibility for the book?" http://mediamatters.org/items/200808050004 Tue, 5 Aug 2008 12:37:29 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200807240009 On <em>MSNBC Live</em>, Alex Witt reported on a statement by Sen. John McCain's campaign criticizing Sen. Barack Obama for reportedly having "already set up a White House transition team." Witt did not challenge the suggestion that it is unusual or inappropriate for a presumptive nominee to plan for a presidential transition; indeed then-Gov. George W. Bush did in the summer of 2000. Nor did Witt note that Bush-Cheney transition director Clay Johnson said at the time that it would be "irresponsible not to be doing this." http://mediamatters.org/items/200807240009 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:20:05 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200807080004 Responding to Democratic strategist Keith Boykin's assertion that Sen. John McCain "switched positions" on immigration, MSNBC's Contessa Brewer asked "how?" and described McCain's position not as a reversal, but as "prioritiz[ing] border security" after his immigration bill failed in the Senate. But, in fact, McCain has reversed himself on a key component of comprehensive immigration reform. http://mediamatters.org/items/200807080004 Tue, 8 Jul 2008 15:24:44 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200806300007 On <em>MSNBC Live</em>, Contessa Brewer falsely claimed that former President Bill Clinton "reportedly told London's <em>The Telegraph</em> paper that [Sen.] Barack Obama was going to, quote, 'have to kiss my you-know-what,' unquote, if he wanted the former president's help." In fact, the <em>Telegraph</em> article quoted an anonymous "senior Democrat who worked for Mr Clinton," who in turn cited another anonymous source: "One person told me that Bill said Obama would have to quote kiss my ass close quote, if he wants his support." http://mediamatters.org/items/200806300007 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:47:41 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200806090012 MSNBC's Contessa Brewer uncritically aired President Bush's assertion that the "United States has an opportunity to help increase the supply of oil on the market, therefore taking pressure off gasoline for our hardworking Americans, and that I've proposed to the Congress that they open up ANWR, and open up the continental shelf, and give this country a chance to help us through this difficult period." However, federal researchers have found that any benefit from the oil exploration Bush suggests would not impact the U.S. oil supply for at least a decade. http://mediamatters.org/items/200806090012 Mon, 9 Jun 2008 19:05:04 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200805140005 While discussing John Hagee's apology for his controversial remarks concerning the Catholic Church, MSNBC's Contessa Brewer stated that Sen. John McCain "has pointed out" that Hagee was not his personal pastor for 20 years, "and says, 'Look, I'm not going to repudiate the endorsement of this man. I don't like the comments that he made, but I'll take his endorsement if he wants to give it.' " However, Brewer did not mention that McCain has admitted that he sought Hagee's endorsement. http://mediamatters.org/items/200805140005 Wed, 14 May 2008 14:27:39 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200804170001 MSNBC anchor Contessa Brewer introduced a report about Sen. Barack Obama's appearance on HBO's <em>Real Sports</em> by saying, "[T]he Democratic presidential hopeful talked about how basketball shaped his life. And he seemed to take a shot at -- potentially -- his rival, Hillary Clinton." Brewer did not include the fully context of Obama's comments, which makes clear that he was not "tak[ing] a shot at" Clinton. http://mediamatters.org/items/200804170001 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:32:10 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200803270001 After playing a video clip of Sen. John McCain's March 25 speech on the housing crisis, MSNBC's Contessa Brewer asked, "Is this a real turning point for him, being this specific and detailed on what the economy needs?" Brewer provided no examples from the speech to support her claim that McCain was being "specific and detailed on what the economy needs." In fact, in the speech, McCain's "specific" proposals consisted of changes to the tax code that he has previously endorsed, raising the down payment requirement for Federal Housing Authority loans and convening two meetings. http://mediamatters.org/items/200803270001 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:30:36 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200803260001 After noting former first lady Nancy Reagan's endorsement of Sen. John McCain, MSNBC's Contessa Brewer uncritically reported, "Mrs. Reagan says she typically waits until after the GOP convention to announce her support but says it's clear the Republican Party has chosen its nominee." However, Reagan endorsed George W. Bush well before the convention in 2000. http://mediamatters.org/items/200803260001 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:09:25 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200803200012 On <em>Today</em>, Tim Russert discussed the schedules from Sen. Hillary Clinton's time as first lady and asserted: "Senator Clinton has made her experience such a part of this campaign, particularly her eight years as first lady. So this may be very rich in terms of exactly how did she spend her time, who did she meet with?" Russert added that "this, I think, today will be analyzed very closely by all of us at NBC News and media organizations across the country." Indeed, while NBC and MSNBC journalists discussed more substantive issues related to her schedules, they also repeatedly discussed what the schedules say, or do not say, about where Hillary Clinton was during Monica Lewinsky's encounters with President Clinton, in many cases teasing segments or leading them with that information. http://mediamatters.org/items/200803200012 Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:52:20 EST