News Junkie - Live Wire

FOX/CNN/MSNBC DISSECTED

Some great analysis of the current cable media landscape from CJR today. I disagree with a few points (especially the bit about MSNBC offering a rainbow of opinons) but this quote is interesting:

From personal experience covering news around the world, you almost always run into a CNN crew or stringer. You almost never run into a Fox reporter, and never one from MSNBC.

Read the whole thing at CJR’s website.

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ROY ASHBURN: “I’M GAY”

California State Senator Roy Ashburn admits to being a homosexual in an interview today on KERN. You can listen to the interview in this post and read the details here. Ashburn vows to carry on.

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BETTY WHITE TO SNL

After a massive online movement to draft her into the hosting duties at Saturday Night Live, Betty White confirms she will appear on the show.

But will she host?

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PETA TARGETS SEAWORLD

PETA sees a wounded opponent in SeaWorld after last month’s killer whale attack. Their latest mantra: “Let whales and dolphins ‘out of prison.’

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ADAM GADAHN CAPTURED

HUGE news out of Pakistan: American-born al-Qaeda leader Adam Gadahn has been arrested.

Update: It’s not him?

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NYT ON SCIENTOLOGY

‘Breaking With Scientology’ won’t hit print until tomorrow but you can read the New York Times assault on Scientology online right now.

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PHOTOS: TOYOTA HEARINGS

Executives from Toyota Motor Corp made the journey to Washington D.C. this morning to face down angry customers seething over their company’s recall follies. Take a look at these pictures from today’s event.

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THE BLOOM BOX

I can’t decide if the Bloom Box is the greatest invention ever or if I’m a bit like an old lady being conned by a slimy auto mechanic. Regardless, you have to watch this video. [Video]

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SCOTTY LAGO PHOTOS

Snowboarder Scotty Lago leaves the Olympic village in Vancouver after sexually suggestive photos of the bronze medalist and his trophy surfaced online. Lago says he’s in a ‘blackout’ and can’t talk about the event until next month. [View The Photos]

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RAY GOSLING ARRESTED

What happens when you admit to a murder on British public television? Well, you get arrested, of course. BBC presenter Ray Gosling arrested on suspicion of murder. [Details]

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TIGER WOODS PRESSER

Tiger Woods will finally reemerge from the shadows this Friday. The golf pro and reported sex addict is planning on holding a press conference at the PGA headquarters at 11AM Eastern. [Details]

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JOE BIDEN’S FOREHEAD

As I was watching President Obama’s stimulus update presser today, several readers emailed to ask ‘What’s that spot on Joe Biden’s forehead?’ Joe Biden is the first Catholic Vice President the U.S. has seen so each Ash Wednesday these questions float in like crazy. It’s Ash Wednesday, folks.

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Capitol Hill Evacuated: Airspace Violation Causes Panic

Both Capitol Hill and the White House were evacuated just after noon today. Apparently there was an airspace violation and, out of an abundance of caution, they ran up the red flag and send people running. About 10 minutes later, the all-clear was given and lawmakers and White House officials returned to work.

The airspace violation was by a small, private plane who, was responsive and quickly corrected it’s path.


Boom: 2,340 Climate Change Lobbyists

At least one industry is booming these days… climate change lobbyists:

The total number of climate change lobbyists has more than tripled in the past 5 years, reaching a total of 2,340 in 2008, according to the San Francisco Chronicle article.

–Climate change lobbyists now outnumber members of congress by a margin of 4 to 1.

–Compare this number to the total number of Washington lobbyists, which has decreased from 15,397 to


Michael Moore Stalks Various Lawmakers

Michael Moore has rushed into production on a film about the banking crisis. He’s openly soliciting for interviews with Wall St. bigwigs on his website and now it seems he’s stalking Capitol Hill lawmakers. Yesterday while working on ‘Bailout’…

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Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore has spent the last two days on Capitol Hill buttonholing members of Congress and quizzing them on their banking-sector bailout votes.

“All the usual suspects have dodged us, but


Frank: Justice Scalia Is A ‘Homophobe’

Yanked this from Hot Air… the video speaks for itself, really:

“At some point it’s going to have to go to the United States Supreme Court,” he continued. “I wouldn’t want it to go to the United States Supreme Court now because that homophobe Antonin Scalia has too many votes on this court.”

Well, one things for sure, Congressional Democrats are fairly comfortable behind the wheel. Frank saying this about a…


The Rove/Axlerod Battle Continues

It looks like David Axlerod isn’t fond of advice from Karl Rove:

You know, the last thing that I think we’re looking for at this juncture is advice on fiscal integrity or ethics from Karl Rove. I’ve never seen anything really like it . . . [former White House chief of staff] Andy Card saying that we were somehow denigrating the presidency because people were wearing short sleeves in the Oval Office.


Live: Geithner Confirmation Hearing

Timothy F. Geithner, President Obama’s nominee to be Treasury secretary, is testifying before the Senate Finance Committee at his confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

As president of the New York Federal Reserve since 2003, Mr. Geithner has been a central player in building the vast bailout plans that the government has extended to Wall Street firms and other troubled financial institutions, such as the giant insurer American International Group. After his nomination, it


Hillary Clinton Confirmation Hearings

The hearing is scheduled to start around 9:30AM Eastern.

Standby for live updates…

Update: Here are her talking points. Be prepared to hear ’smart power’ a lot.

Well, we’re off to an incredibly boring start. Senator Kerry is hosting the show and his introduction put CNN’s entire audience to sleep. Hopefully no one was listening on the radio. Chris Dodd has to jet off to a HUD meeting and he’s only giving…


6 In 10 Oppose Auto Bailout

A follow up to our running narrative on the auto industry bailout…:

WASHINGTON (CNN) — A national poll suggests that six in 10 Americans oppose using taxpayer money to help the ailing major U.S. auto companies.

Sixty-one percent of those questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey out Wednesday are dead set against the federal government providing billions of dollars in assistance the the auto makers, with 36 percent favoring such


Harry Reid Mocks D.C. Tourists

“My staff tells me not to say this, but I’m going to say it anyway. In the summer because of the heat and high humidity, you could literally smell the tourists coming into the Capitol. It may be descriptive but it’s true.”

What a jackass. He can’t keep his foot out of his mouth even for a second.


Big Three Back To Congress

The Big Three auto bosses will present Congress with an actual plan today to not just throw $25 billion of taxpayer money down the bottomless bailout hole. (If reports are to be believed, these executives will also endure the punishment of actually having to use their own vehicles to drive from Detroit to a new round of hearings scheduled for later this week. Everyone loves a road trip, right?)

The question is,…


Chuck Hagel Officially Jumps Ship

(CNN) — As his Senate career nears its end, Republican Chuck Hagel isn’t holding back when it comes to criticizing members of his own party — including conservative talk radio hosts.

“We are educated by the great entertainers like Rush Limbaugh,” Hagel said Tuesday during a speech in Washington, according to the Huffington Post.

“You know, I wish Rush Limbaugh and others like that would run for office,” a sarcastic Hagel continued.


Audio: Tim Mahoney Fires Mistress


[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

West Palm Beach Congressman Tim Mahoney (D-FL), whose predecessor resigned in the wake of a sex scandal, agreed to a $121,000 payment to a former mistress who worked on his staff and was threatening to sue him, according to current and former members of his staff who have been briefed on the settlement, which involved Mahoney and his campaign committee.

The affair between Congressman Tim


House Passes $700 Billion Bailout

WASHINGTON (AP) — With the economy on the brink and elections looming, Congress approved an unprecedented $700 billion government bailout of the battered financial industry on Friday and sent it to President Bush for his certain signature.

The final vote, 263-171 in the House, capped two weeks of tumult in Congress and on Wall Street, punctuated by daily warnings that the country confronted the gravest economic crisis since the Great Depression if


Take 2: House To Vote On Bailout

WASHINGTON — Rejected once amid public fury about bailing out reckless financiers, a $700 billion rescue package is getting a second chance in the U.S. House of Representatives as voters anxiously ponder an economic meltdown that could wipe out their ability to borrow, plunder their savings and put them out of work.

Republicans and Democrats were jumping aboard the bailout as the House sped toward a make-or-break vote — a much-anticipated do-over


Ted Kennedy Has A Brain Tumor

Ted Kennedy Has Been Diagnosed With A Malignant Tumor:

ted kennedy

BOSTON (AP) – Sen. Edward M. Kennedy say he has a malignant brain tumor.

Doctors for the Massachusetts Democrat say tests conducted after Kennedy suffered a seizure this weekend show a tumor in his left parietal lobe. His treatment will be decided after more tests but the usual course includes combinations of radiation and chemotherapy.

The 76-year-old senator has been hospitalized in Boston