March 12th, 2010 // comments (0)
It’s a subject I’ve left mostly alone, not because I’ve been told not to address it but because I’m hesitant to give airtime or blog space to a man who still calls Web traffic ‘hits‘ and has an unhealthy obsession with WGN Radio. Tonight, on the podcast, I’ll dive into the mud on this one. Stay tuned.
-- Shawn Wasson
March 9th, 2010 // comments (0)
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.
-- Shawn Wasson
March 8th, 2010 // comments (0)
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.
-- Shawn Wasson
March 8th, 2010 // comments (0)
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?
-- Shawn Wasson
March 8th, 2010 // comments (0)
PETA sees a wounded opponent in SeaWorld after last month’s killer whale attack. Their latest mantra: “Let whales and dolphins ‘out of prison.’
-- Shawn Wasson
March 7th, 2010 // comments (0)
HUGE news out of Pakistan: American-born al-Qaeda leader Adam Gadahn has been arrested.
Update: It’s not him?
-- Shawn Wasson
March 6th, 2010 // comments (0)
‘Breaking With Scientology’ won’t hit print until tomorrow but you can read the New York Times assault on Scientology online right now.
-- Shawn Wasson
February 23rd, 2010 // comments (0)
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.
-- Shawn Wasson
February 22nd, 2010 // comments (0)
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]
-- Shawn Wasson
February 21st, 2010 // comments (0)
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]
-- Shawn Wasson
February 17th, 2010 // comments (1)
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]
-- Shawn Wasson
February 17th, 2010 // comments (0)
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]
-- Shawn Wasson
July 22nd, 2009 // comments (0)
This post will be updated throughout the night on TheNewsJunkie.com.

Though I’m guessing Fox will win the night with their decision not to pick up President Obama’s prime time presser on health care tonight, it doesn’t make it any less important for the administration. The audience will still be quite large across all networks and people will be watching. This is a make or break moment for the President and his…
June 23rd, 2009 // comments (0)
As I noted in a Facebook update earlier, imagine for a second, if you will, if President Bush orchestrated a presser question with a blogger from Red State or Free Republic. Do you think the response would be different? Not that there’s much of a response to this at all. But there should be. The President took another question from The Huffington Post today.

This is an openly partisan (in…
June 17th, 2009 // comments (0)
Odds are you have no idea who Gerald Walpin is. Don’t worry, it’s not your fault. The network newscasts have almost completely ignored this story. The mainstream outlets have had a rabid appetite for stories about a few firings under the previous President that may have been politically motivated, but this story isn’t attracting their attention. So why was IG Gerald Walpin fired? Well, if you ask him, he says he’s…
June 3rd, 2009 // comments (0)
NBC News went behind-the-scenes at the White House last week and they’re playing back the captured video all week long. Sure, the administration put on their best faces for the cameras and controlled the message. But there’s some great insight to be gained from this footage. Below, spread out across several videos, you’ll see the lions share of the coverage. From Axlerod’s office to the daily activities of Rahm Emanuel and the assistants…
May 26th, 2009 // comments (0)
Just a few hours ago, the sirens went up and Obama announced he would nominate Sonya Sotomayor for the open Supreme Court slot. In those few hours, the arguments for and against are already quite apparent. Obama supporters and those on the left seem to like the pick. They paint Sotomayor as a bright, accomplished jurist destined for the nation’s highest court. Detractors are already digging up money quotes sure to be repeated…
May 22nd, 2009 // comments (0)
Another day in the ‘most open administration‘ ever.
The ‘report’ is above. Click play and watch away.
Let’s start this discussion with a flashback. It’s 2005, the Bush administration is producing reports on the war in Iraq and the media is ripping them to pieces for it. And it wasn’t just the Iraq war being featured in government-produced news segments, there were reports on administration policies, farm prices and a…
May 13th, 2009 // comments (1)
It looks like the President has changed his mind about releasing ‘thousands’ of new detainee photos before the end of the month. Generals Odierno, McKiernan and Petraeus have all argued Obama’s move to release the controversial snapshots (some of which are said to feature detainees who appear to have been beaten) would endanger troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In truth, the tidal wave of retaliation would go much further than the…
May 8th, 2009 // comments (0)
President Obama originally promised this would happen in the first 100 days of his Presidency but I imagine the ‘economic issues kept us busy’ argument will be his defense of not keeping that promise. Regardless, the President is heading to Egypt to deliver a speech to the Muslim world. No details have been released as to the setting of the speech but I’m guessing the security will be incredibly thick, rightfully so.…
May 5th, 2009 // comments (0)
No, seriously, Obama and Biden grabbed a burger from Ray’s Hell Burger. This is clearly an attempt to show the lead figures of the Obama administration in the roles of ‘regular guys’. But it wasn’t just any regular lunch. First, Secret Service officials cleared the burger joint out. Then, Obama bought the press corps whatever they wanted for lunch.
Before downing his burger, Obama slipped a $5 in the tip jar.…
May 5th, 2009 // comments (0)
Henrik Hertzberg of the New Yorker is salivating over the possibility of a Justice Gore. But would President Obama even consider Al Gore for the open Supreme Court slot? No. Even Hertzberg admits ‘it ain’t gonna happen’.
Let me give you three reasons why…

First, Al Gore is too old. President Obama wants to appoint justices who will last decades on the court. He wants to have influence of the direction…
April 30th, 2009 // comments (0)
NPR has learned that Supreme Court Justice David Souter is planning to retire at the end of the current court term.
The vacancy will give President Obama his first chance to name a member of the high court and begin to shape its future direction.
I’ll have much more on this and the pick that is to come… tomorrow AM.
April 30th, 2009 // comments (0)
First we hear that a man who greeted President Obama in Mexico died the next day from the swine flu virus, now this. The unnamed agent passed the disease along to several members of his family, all of which are being treated and are, by all accounts, going to be just fine. Still, it’s a bit shocking that the President of the United States has come in contact with not one, but…
April 29th, 2009 // comments (0)
100 days in to an administration that promised ‘post-partisanship’ and we have a President taking potshots at Fox News and tea party protesters? This is just asinine.
“Those of you who are watching certain news channels on which I’m not very popular, and you see folks waving tea bags around, Obama said, “let me just remind them that I am happy to have a serious conversation about how we are going to
…
April 28th, 2009 // comments (0)
White House Website: (President Barack Obama speaks by phone to Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania on
April 28, 2009 about the Senator’s decision to become a member of the
Democratic Party. White House Photo, Pete Souza)

April 27th, 2009 // comments (0)
I’ve never watched the Fox show ‘Lie To Me’ but the network has just chose the drama over Obama. The President is set to address the nation in yet another prime-time address this week. The reason: Obama wants to give himself a report card to mark his first 100 days in the White House. This will be the President’s third prime-time address in only 100 days. Before you starting screaming ‘partisan network’…