![CNN reporter pushes back at accusations that Steubenville reporting was soft on the rapists.
[photo via Wikimedia Commons]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/5f1a53076e5e822191fd4a9f6ba06630/tumblr_mjzaayXo671qfengno1_1280.jpg)
Michele Bachmann, a profile in courage.
Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota on Tuesday refused to answer questions about a recent speech she gave at a conservative conference.
Bachmann claimed at the Conservative Political Action Committee on Saturday that Obama was living in opulence at the White House. She alleged the President was enjoying an excess of tax-payer funded luxuries.
But when confronted by CNN reporter Dana Bash, the Republican congresswoman refused to elaborate on her remarks. Bash was forced to keep pace as Bachmann briskly walked away, insisting her speech was about the attack in Benghazi. Bachmann even turned the questions against the CNN reporter, chiding her for talking about Obama’s White House budget rather than Benghazi.
“But you’re the one who brought it up,” Bash responded as Bachmann raced off.
Not surprisingly, the report tells us “that several of Bachmann’s claims of excess were untrue. He noted that by her own estimates Obama was actually spending $2 million less than Bush and the allegation that the President hired a designated dog walker was simply false.”
But how stupid is the argument anyway? Are we supposed to believe that Ronald Reagan and GWB lived in tar paper shacks on the White House’s back lawn, eating only what they could forage from local birdfeeders? And how could this possibly have any damned thing to do with Benghazi?
No wonder Shelly took off running when asked about it. If we had more reporters actually challenging politicians on their lies, we see a lot more politicians hightailing it away from intrepid reporters. And that in turn would mean we’d see a lot fewer dishonest Republicans.
CNN’s Dana Bash: reporting done right.
CNN goes wall-to-wall Carnival cruise ship.
I really did laugh out loud at that one.
(via underthemountainbunker)
![CNN undertakes pundit purge. [image source]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/fa163888953c7629fc78ea45b30de4df/tumblr_mheh7kp43i1qfengno1_1280.jpg)
Four phrases I never thought I’d use
- Those shoes make you look Hawaiian.
- It’s a lamp made entirely from Edam cheese.
- I totally get why you’d tattoo Tweety Bird across your face.
- CNN refused to join in on the hype.
Romney’s announced policy toward Israel, Palestine represents yet another flip-flop.
CNN host Soledad O’Brien on Monday held Romney senior campaign adviser Tara Wall’s feet to the fire on the former Massachusetts governor “completely contradictory” positions about whether Israel and the Palestinians could live in peace.
In a secretly recorded video published by Mother Jones last month, Romney had told a group of wealthy donors: “I look at the Palestinians not wanting to see peace anyway, for political purposes, committed to the destruction and elimination of Israel, and these thorny issues, and I say there’s just no way.”
But during major foreign policy speech scheduled for Monday, the Republican presidential nominee is expected to say that he is committed to “a Democratic, prosperous Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with the Jewish state of Israel.”
O’Brien on Monday asked Wall to describe Romney’s true position because his two earlier statements were “completely contradictory.”
This is one of the things I find so troubling about Mitt Romney. He’ll say anything it takes to become president, which means we have no idea what it is he actually believes and what it is he’d actually do. The result of all this contradiction is that we have no actual idea who Mitt Romney really is.
CNN talking heads tie themselves in knots trying to avoid saying Ryan lied.
Blitzer: So there he is, the republican vice presidential nominee and his beautiful family there. His mom is up there. This is exactly what this crowd of republicans here certainly republicans all across the country were hoping for. He delivered a powerful speech. Erin, a powerful speech. Although I marked at least seven or eight points I’m sure the fact checkers will have some opportunities to dispute if they want to go forward, I’m sure they will. As far as mitt romney’s campaign is concerned, paul ryan on this night delivered.
Burnett: That’s right. Certainly so. We were jotting down points. There will be issues with some of the facts. But it motivated people. He’s a man who says I care deeply about every single word. I want to do a good job. And he delivered on that. Precise, clear, and passionate.
If I said that Paul Ryan shot and killed orphans as a hobby, I would certainly be offering fact-checkers an opportunity to dispute that assertion. I wonder what they’d say?
