Media Matters - Wolf Blitzer

Media Matters - Wolf Blitzer http://mediamatters.org/tools/syndication/tag_rss/wolf_blitzer This link is for use by RSS-enabled software to retrieve Media Matters items matching the term: Wolf Blitzer en-US Copyright 2008, Media Matters for America Despite evidence to the contrary, Blitzer continues to assert McCain "suspend[ed]" campaign http://mediamatters.org/items/200809280008 Days after CNN's Jeffrey Toobin asserted that the media are "being kind of gullible in falling for" Sen. John McCain's announcement that he was going to suspend his campaign, and noting that McCain "didn't suspend his campaign," Wolf Blitzer asserted as fact, not for the first time, that McCain "temporarily suspend[ed] his campaign." http://mediamatters.org/items/200809280008 Sun, 28 Sep 2008 16:55:59 EST CNN's Toobin knocks media for "gullib[ility]," which Blitzer and Todd had just demonstrated http://mediamatters.org/items/200809260011 On CNN's The Situation Room, Jeffrey Toobin asserted that the media are "being kind of gullible in falling for" Sen. John McCain's announcement that he was going to suspend his campaign. Minutes earlier, however, Wolf Blitzer and correspondent Brian Todd had repeatedly asserted as fact that McCain "suspend[ed]" his campaign, without noting, as Toobin did, that McCain ads were running; that his surrogates repeatedly attacked Sen. Barack Obama on cable networks; or that McCain gave interviews with the three broadcast networks following his "suspension." http://mediamatters.org/items/200809260011 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:46:04 EST Media affix "maverick" label to Palin as well http://mediamatters.org/items/200808290022 Since Sen. John McCain named Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, media outlets including the Associated Press, MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, the Detroit Free-Press, and the washingtonpost.com blog The Fix have taken the "maverick" label the media have frequently and uncritically applied to McCain and affixed it to Palin as well. http://mediamatters.org/items/200808290022 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:46:29 EST Minutes after Begala debunked the falsehood, CNN caption claimed Casey "was denied a speaking role ... because he opposed abortion rights" http://mediamatters.org/items/200808270010 During CNN's Democratic National Convention coverage, Paul Begala debunked the claim that Bob Casey Sr. was not allowed to speak at the 1992 Democratic convention because of his opposition to abortion rights. Less than 15 minutes later, CNN displayed the false on-screen caption: "FACT: Casey's father was denied a speaking role at the 1992 Democratic convention because he opposed abortion rights." MSNBC's Chris Matthews also repeated the false claim. http://mediamatters.org/items/200808270010 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:08:31 EST CNN's King, Blitzer selectively cited poll showing less support for Obama among Clinton backers http://mediamatters.org/items/200808240006 On Late Edition, Wolf Blitzer and John King both cited an August 15-18 Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll in which 52 percent of Sen. Hillary Clinton's supporters said they will support Sen. Barack Obama, but neither noted that an August 19-22 Washington Post/ABC News poll found that 70 percent of Clinton supporters "back Obama," according to the Post. http://mediamatters.org/items/200808240006 Sun, 24 Aug 2008 19:12:34 EST Blitzer ignored facts undermining "tough" McCain attack ad, Castellanos' reported link to McCain campaign http://mediamatters.org/items/200807290005 On The Situation Room, Wolf Blitzer aired portions of an advertisement by Sen. John McCain's campaign without noting key facts undermining several of the ad's attacks on Sen. Barack Obama. Blitzer also solicited analysis of the ad from CNN political contributor Alex Castellanos without disclosing that Castellanos reportedly advises McCain on his campaign ads. http://mediamatters.org/items/200807290005 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:15:39 EST NY Times reported McCain's criticism of Obama plan without noting McCain recently said 16 months is "a pretty good timetable" http://mediamatters.org/items/200807280006 The New York Times reported that during an interview on This Week, Sen. John McCain criticized Sen. Barack Obama "for proposing to withdraw American forces from Iraq within 16 months," but did not mention that only days earlier, McCain told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that 16 months is "a pretty good timetable." The Times not only failed to mention McCain's comment about a timetable, it did not report that McCain denied having used the word "timetable" when asked about it by George Stephanopoulos. http://mediamatters.org/items/200807280006 Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:44:43 EST Blitzer did not challenge McCain on his own war-funding vote http://mediamatters.org/items/200807270002 On Late Edition, Wolf Blitzer did not challenge Sen. John McCain's assertion that "Senator [Barack] Obama opposed it [the troop surge], said it wouldn't work, even voted to cut off the funds for the men and women who are fighting over there." Blitzer did not point out that McCain himself voted against legislation that would have provided funds for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. http://mediamatters.org/items/200807270002 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:07:54 EST CNN's Situation Room aired McCain's ad attacking Obama, but ignored McCain's own record on issues highlighted in ad http://mediamatters.org/items/200807180013 On CNN's The Situation Room, Dana Bash uncritically aired an ad by Sen. John McCain that states that Sen. Barack Obama "never held a single Senate hearing on Afghanistan. He hasn't been to Iraq in years. He voted against funding our troops -- positions that helped him win his nomination." Neither Bash nor host Wolf Blitzer noted that McCain himself "voted against funding our troops" when he voted against legislation that would have provided funds for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. http://mediamatters.org/items/200807180013 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:07:52 EST Blitzer on McCain: "I know he's a straight-talker" http://mediamatters.org/items/200806270006 Discussing Sen. John McCain's statement that "if the election were tomorrow ... Republicans would lose seats in both the House and the Senate," Wolf Blitzer asserted of McCain, "Should he be saying that right now? I know he's a straight-talker, but what do you think?" Blitzer has, on several previous occasions, pronounced McCain a straight-talker. http://mediamatters.org/items/200806270006 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:18:30 EST Blitzer lets Graham off hook on how McCain would "pay for $300 billion in new tax cuts" http://mediamatters.org/items/200806270004 On The Situation Room, Wolf Blitzer asked Sen. Lindsey Graham how Sen. John McCain would "pay for $300 billion in new tax cuts" and said, "But there's no waste -- with all due respect, Senator ... you're going to find $300 billion in waste, are you?" But when Graham replied, "No, no, $35 billion from earmarks, but there are other programs up here that can be reined in, including the Department of Defense," Blitzer did not press Graham to identify which specific "programs" McCain would "rein[] in" to "pay for $300 billion in new tax cuts." http://mediamatters.org/items/200806270004 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:50:27 EST Blitzer did not challenge Pawlenty's false claim that under Obama plan, taxes will increase if "you have an IRA or a 401(k)" http://mediamatters.org/items/200806230008 On Late Edition, Wolf Blitzer did not challenge Gov. Tim Pawlenty's false claim that under Sen. Barack Obama's proposal to increase the capital gains tax rate, "if you have an IRA or a 401(k), which a lot of middle Americans do, and you go to retire or, you know, use that money, you're going to pay almost double the rate in taxation." In fact, most distributions from retirement accounts are taxed as regular income, not as capital gains. http://mediamatters.org/items/200806230008 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:55:36 EST Blitzer did not ask Fiorina why other McCain economic adviser disputes her balanced-budget projections http://mediamatters.org/items/200806120005 On The Situation Room, Wolf Blitzer did not challenge Carly Fiorina's assertion that Sen. John McCain "will balance his budget by the end of 2013." In fact, both McCain economic adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin and McCain himself have reportedly said that he would balance the budget in eight years. http://mediamatters.org/items/200806120005 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:42:15 EST CNN joined other media in reporting McCain's attempted wooing of Clinton supporters, but not his prior attacks http://mediamatters.org/items/200806050004 Reporting on Sen. John McCain's efforts to court Clinton supporters, by "speaking right to them and flattering his old friend," neither CNN correspondent Carol Costello nor host Wolf Blitzer noted that notwithstanding his recent "flattering" words about Clinton, McCain has previously distorted Clinton's record on issues such as health care, taxes, the environment, and housing, and also issued several personal attacks against Clinton and her family. http://mediamatters.org/items/200806050004 Thu, 5 Jun 2008 14:45:13 EST Blitzer misrepresented McCain's position on "a constitutional amendment on the issue of marriage" http://mediamatters.org/items/200805280006 While discussing Sen. John McCain's position on gay marriage, Wolf Blitzer said: "Because on that issue, he doesn't really disagree all that much with [Sens. Hillary] Clinton or [Barack] Obama. He opposes a constitutional amendment on the issue of marriage, is that right?" CBN's David Brody replied: "That's right." In fact, McCain supports amendments to state constitutions to ban same-sex marriage and would also support under certain circumstances an amendment to the federal Constitution banning same-sex marriage. http://mediamatters.org/items/200805280006 Wed, 28 May 2008 17:39:07 EST