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Right-wing media responded to President Obama’s May 21 high school commencement speech in Joplin, Missouri, by claiming that Obama “preache[d] socialist BS,” called for “military-style community action during crises,” and that he “uncorked a campaign speech.” Obama Gave High School Commencement Address In Tornado-Ravaged Joplin, MO Obama Delivered Address On One-Year Anniversary Of Devastating Tornadoes. From The Kansas City Star : President Barack Obama told the graduating seniors of Joplin High School Monday night that they and their city had inspired the world. Speaking on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the mile-wide tornado that shredded their city, Obama said Joplin’s lesson is that lives are defined not by what happens to people, but by how they respond. “The story of Joplin is the story of what happened the next day,” the president said. “And the day after that. And all the days and weeks that followed.” Even in the face of devastation, people can choose to carry on and make a difference, Obama said. “And in doing so, we can make true what’s written in Scripture — that ‘tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance, character, and character, hope.’ ” The president’s visit was his second to Joplin in a year. Obama walked the city’s streets one week after the EF-5 tornado struck, promising then that the country would stand at Joplin’s side for years to come. [ The Kansas City Star , 5/21/12 ] Right-Wing Media Respond To Obama’s Speech With Wild Attacks Daily Caller: Obama “Pushed A Sharply Ideological Message And Included Partisan Jabs And A Call For Military-Style Community Action During Crises.” A May 22 Daily Caller article about Obama’s speech claimed that Obama “pushed a sharply ideological message and included partisan jabs and a call for military-style community action during crises.” From The Daily Caller: President Barack Obama’s high school commencement speech in the tornado-stricken town of Joplin, Mo., pushed a sharply ideological message and included partisan jabs and a call for military-style community action during crises. “You are from America. No matter how tough times get, you will be tougher,” he told the students and parents May 22. “The road has been hard. The day has been long. But we have tomorrow, so we march. We march together,” he said on the first anniversary of the deadly tornado strike. The military imagery was entwined with stump-speech language that repeatedly contrasted the president’s progressive ideology of organized acton against what he caricatured as the spiteful and selfish alternative of individualism. “As you begin the next stage in your journey, you will encounter greed and selfishness; ignorance and cruelty. … You will meet people who try to build themselves up by tearing others down; who believe looking after others is only for suckers,” he said. “My deepest hope for all of you … [is that] you can serve as a reminder that we’re not meant to walk this road alone; that we’re not expected to face down adversity by ourselves,” he told his audience. “We’re stronger together than we are on our own.” The “stronger together” phrase is the main slogan used by Obama’s campaign to rally young and first-time voters. [The Daily Caller, 5/22/12 ] Jim Hoft: “How God-Awful … Obama Preaches Socialist BS To Graduating Students In Joplin.” In a May 22 Gateway Pundit post, Jim Hoft linked to The Daily Caller article and wrote: “Haven’t they been through enough, Barack? Their town was devastated by a massive tornado and now they’re forced to listen to Barack Obama push his socialist BS at graduation.” From Hoft’s post: Haven’t they been through enough, Barack? Their town was devastated by a massive tornado and now they’re forced to listen to Barack Obama push his socialist BS at graduation. What a nightmare. Barack Obama returned to Joplin, Missouri to push his socialist dogma to the class of ’12. [Gateway Pundit, 5/22/12 , emphasis in original] Fox Nation: “Obama Uncorks Campaign Speech At Joplin Graduation Ceremony.” On May 22, Fox Nation linked to The Daily Caller article under the headline “Obama Uncorks Campaign Speech at Joplin Graduation Ceremony.” From Fox Nation: [Fox Nation, 5/22/12 ] Right-Wing Media Have Shown They’ll Attack Obama Over Just About Anything Disney World Speech. In January, right-wing media used Obama’s speech at Walt Disney World as an opportunity to attack him, despite the fact that previous presidents, including Ronald Reagan, had given speeches at Disney parks while in office. [ Media Matters , 1/19/12 ] Halloween. In October 2011, right-wing media attacked the Obamas for handing out fruit along with candy to trick-or-treaters at the White House. [ Media Matters , 10/31/11 ] Paper Clips. In September 2011, the New York Post and Fox News attacked Obama for using a “chintzy” paper clip to hold together a copy of his jobs plan. [ Media Matters , 9/13/11 ] Hurricane Irene. While Hurricane Irene slammed the East Coast in August 2011, right-wing media responded by criticizing Obama, claiming that he “politicize[d]” Irene and that his hurricane briefings were nothing more than a “pathetic” “command center photo-op.” [ Media Matters , 8/29/11 ] East Coast Earthquake. Following an earthquake that struck the East Coast in August 2011, right-wing media attacked Obama for being on a golf course during a family vacation when the earthquake struck. [ Media Matters, 8/24/11 ] Dijon Mustard. In May 2009, conservative media attacked Obama as an elitist because he ordered a hamburger with Dijon mustard. [ Media Matters ,  5/7/09 ] Latin America Jobs Trip.  In March 2011, right-wing media attacked Obama’s long-planned jobs trip to Latin America as a “vacation,” even though the trip was focused on economic opportunities for the U.S. and trade relationships with Latin American nations. [ Media Matters , 3/18/11 ] Children’s Easter Egg Roll.  Also in March 2011,  Fox & Friends attacked the White House Easter Egg Roll for making the souvenir eggs more environmentally friendly and encouraging children to exercise. [ Media Matters ,  3/30/11 ] Osama Bin Laden’s Death.  In May 2011,  The Washington Times attacked  Obama following the successful raid in Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden, complaining that he golfed before the mission took place and that he “snub[bed] Bush” in his speech following bin Laden’s death. [ Media Matters ,  5/3/11 ]

Tags: conservative, earthquake, environment, friends, iraq, sarah-palin, video, white house

The Oklahoman ‘s straight news coverage of the controversial natural gas extraction process of hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) has been slanted in favor of the process under the ownership of energy tycoon Philip Anschutz, who acquired the paper in September 2011. The paper’s opinion page has been one-sided – devoid of voices warning readers about the potential health risks and environmental dangers of loosely regulated fracking activities. The Oklahoman  Is Owned By Philip Anschutz, Billionaire Oil And Gas Tycoon  The Oklahoman  Was Purchased In September By Billionaire Drilling Magnate Philip Anschutz.  From the  Tulsa World : Thursday’s announcement that The Oklahoman newspaper will be sold along with the rest of parent company OPUBCO’s assets to the Anschutz Corp. of Denver leaves the Tulsa World as the state’s largest local family-owned newspaper and one of the largest in the country. “We welcome the new owners,” said Tulsa World Publisher Robert E. Lorton III, “but at the same time I think it’s a loss for Oklahoma City to lose a family-owned newspaper.  The Anschutz Corp. is a subsidiary of the Anschutz Co., which encompasses the empire of billionaire Philip Anschutz and includes oil and gas drilling, railroads, communications, entertainment, professional sports and publishing . [ Tulsa World ,  9/16/11 , emphasis added]  Anschutz’s Empire Includes Oil And Gas Drilling . According to a company brochure, The Anschutz Corporation controls both the Anschutz Exploration Corporation, which has “participated in significant discoveries and development of oil and gas worldwide,” and the Oklahoma Publishing Company, which includes  The Oklahoman . [Anschutz-Exploration.com, accessed  Feb. 2012 ] Anschutz Exploration Corporation Sued A Town That Banned Fracking . Reuters reported: In a blow to the oil and gas industry, a judge has ruled small towns in New York have the authority to ban drilling – including the controversial method known as fracking – within their borders. In a ruling released late Tuesday, state Supreme Court Justice Phillip Rumsey held that the Ithaca suburb of Dryden’s recent ban on gas drilling falls within the authority of local governments to regulate local land use. Anschutz Exploration Corporation, which owns leases on more than 22,000 acres (8,900 hectares) in the town and has invested $5.1 million in drilling operations there, argued the ban violated a state law designed to create uniform regulations for oil and gas drilling and encourage the extraction of those resources. [Reuters,  2/21/12 ] The Oklahoman  Showcased Fracking Advocates Far More Than Fracking Critics The Oklahoman ‘s Straight News Coverage Quoted Fracking Advocates Far More Than Fracking Critics.  The Oklahoman  cited 118 sources in articles on fracking (excluding opinion pieces) from Sept. 1, 2011 to April 26, 2012. The majority of the voices quoted were in favor of fracking and critical of increased regulation. The following chart displays the coverage included in our study: METHODOLOGY Media Matters  conducted a Nexis search of all news articles (excluding opinion pieces) in  The Oklahoman  pertaining to “fracking” or “hydraulic fracturing,” going back to September 1, 2011. We evaluated sources used in the articles to determine whether the source was in favor of the fracking industry and/or skeptical of the necessity to regulate fracking, whether the source was anti-fracking or skeptical of the industry’s safety record, or whether the source was neutral on the issue. (NOTE: Wire service reports appearing in a newspaper are not always included in the Nexis database.) Opinions Showcased In  The Oklahoman ‘s Op-Ed Page Have Been Almost Entirely Pro-Fracking . According to a  Media Matters  Nexis search,  The Oklahoman  has published 18 opinion pieces on the subject of fracking (excluding readers’ letters to the editor) from September 1, 2011 to April 30, 2012. Of these, 17 pieces pushed a pro-fracking viewpoint, while one was neutral on the subject. The paper did not publish any opinion pieces advocating against the potentially dangerous practice or urging stricter regulation of the industry. The Oklahoman ‘s Editorial Board Has Whitewashed The Potential Dangers Of Fracking Oklahoman  Editorial Trivializes Evidence That Fracking Is Harming Water Supplies The   Oklahoman  Dismisses Fracking Safety Concerns As One Of ”The Usual Straw Man Arguments Against Domestic [Energy] Supply.”  From   a December 7, 2011 editorial in   The   Oklahoman : While we’re talking, the supply of energy is walking and it’s moving west, from the Mideast to the Americas. Decreasing foreign oil dependence is happening by default and it’s happening because of technology and free enterprise and despite U.S. government policy and interference. And what is the federal government’s response to trends that could ensure ample supply for the United States from within our own borders and from our neighbor to the north? It’s to delay a pipeline project linking Canada to U.S. refineries, to hint at a federal takeover of fracturing oversight, and continued hostility to offshore drilling.This is lunacy, not policy. To say that the Obama administration is clueless on energy would be to give Washington too much credit.  The usual straw man arguments against domestic supply are pumped out – fracking, the pipeline and offshore drilling will destroy the water supply and decimate wildlife; fossil fuels have no long-term future – but these arguments don’t hold oil or water . Bounteous supplies of gas await production, if we don’t succumb to the fracking panic merchants. Canadian oil is on offer, if we don’t let the Sierra Club turn off the tap. [ Oklahoman , 12/7/11, Via Nexis, emphasis added] In Fact, Studies Suggest That Fracking Poses Health Risks And Pollutes Water And Air NY Times : EPA Study Shows Fracking Poses ”Dangers To The Environment And Health … Greater Than Previously Understood.”  From the  New York Times : With hydrofracking, a well can produce over a million gallons of wastewater that is often laced with highly corrosive salts, carcinogens like benzene and radioactive elements like radium, all of which can occur naturally thousands of feet underground. Other carcinogenic materials can be added to the wastewater by the chemicals used in the hydrofracking itself. While the existence of the toxic wastes has been reported, thousands of internal documents obtained by The New York Times from the Environmental Protection Agency, state regulators and drillers show that the dangers to the environment and health are greater than previously understood. The documents reveal that the wastewater, which is sometimes hauled to sewage plants not designed to treat it and then discharged into rivers that supply drinking water, contains radioactivity at levels higher than previously known, and far higher than the level that federal regulators say is safe for these treatment plants to handle. The Times also found never-reported studies by the E.P.A. and a confidential study by the drilling industry that all concluded that radioactivity in drilling waste cannot be fully diluted in rivers and other waterways.But the E.P.A. has not intervened. In fact, federal and state regulators are allowing most sewage treatment plants that accept drilling waste not to test for radioactivity. And most drinking-water intake plants downstream from those sewage treatment plants in Pennsylvania, with the blessing of regulators, have not tested for radioactivity since before 2006, even though the drilling boom began in 2008. In other words, there is no way of guaranteeing that the drinking water taken in by all these plants is safe. Air pollution caused by natural-gas drilling is a growing threat, too. Wyoming, for example, failed in 2009 to meet federal standards for air quality for the first time in its history partly because of the fumes containing benzene and toluene from roughly 27,000 wells, the vast majority drilled in the past five years. In a [sic] sparsely populated Sublette County in Wyoming, which has some of the highest concentrations of wells, vapors reacting to sunlight have contributed to levels of ozone higher than those recorded in Houston and Los Angeles. [ New York Times ,  2/26/11 , emphasis added] EPA Found Chemicals Consistent With Fracking In Drinking Water Wells In Wyoming.  From the press release on EPA’s draft findings of its Pavillion, Wyoming ground water investigation, which are currently undergoing independent scientific review: Findings in the Two Deep Water Monitoring Wells: EPA’s analysis of samples taken from the Agency’s deep monitoring wells in the aquifer indicates detection of synthetic chemicals, like glycols and alcohols consistent with gas production and hydraulic fracturing fluids, benzene concentrations well above Safe Drinking Water Act standards and high methane levels. Given the area’s complex geology and the proximity of drinking water wells to ground water contamination, EPA is concerned about the movement of contaminants within the aquifer and the safety of drinking water wells over time.  Findings in the Private and Public Drinking Water Wells: EPA also updated its sampling of Pavillion area drinking water wells. Chemicals detected in the most recent samples are consistent with those identified in earlier EPA samples and include methane, other petroleum hydrocarbons and other chemical compounds. The presence of these compounds is consistent with migration from areas of gas production. Detections in drinking water wells are generally below established health and safety standards. [EPA,  12/8/11 ] ProPublica: NY Fracking Wastewater Contained “Level[s] Of Radium-226 … Thousands Of Times The Limit Safe For People To Drink.”  From a November 2009 ProPublica report: As New York gears up for a massive expansion of gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale, state officials have made a potentially troubling discovery about the wastewater created by the process: It’s radioactive. And they have yet to say how they’ll deal with it.  The information comes from New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation, which analyzed 13 samples of wastewater brought thousands of feet to the surface from drilling and found that they contain levels of radium-226, a derivative of uranium, as high as 267 times the limit safe for discharge into the environment and thousands of times the limit safe for people to drink. [ProPublica,  11/9/09 ] Fracking Is Exempted From Safe Drinking Water Act.  From  The New Yorker : In the 2005 energy bill, largely crafted by Vice-President Dick Cheney, fracking was explicitly exempted from federal review under the Safe Drinking Water Act. As a result of this dispensation, which has been dubbed the Halliburton Loophole, drilling companies are under no obligation to make public which chemicals they use. Likely candidates include such recognized or suspected carcinogens as benzene and formaldehyde. [ The New Yorker ,  12/5/11 ] Oklahoman  Editorials Summarily Dismiss Studies Linking Fracking To Earthquakes The Oklahoman  Editorial Board: ”It’s Beyond Specious” To Claim That Fracking Can “So Influence Seismic Activity That We Should Think Twice About Allowing” It.  From a November 10, 2011 editorial in   The   Oklahoman : That mankind is chiefly responsible for extant climate change is a pompous idea. Another pomposity is the view that oil and gas drilling is responsible for extant seismic activity in Oklahoma. [W]e’re not ready to accept that major earthquakes are connected to oil and gas drilling. In fact, it’s beyond specious to make the claim that hydraulic fracturing and saltwater injection wells can so influence seismic activity that we should think twice about allowing them. [ The   Oklahoman , 11/10/11, via Nexis]  The Oklahoman  Editorial Board: Study Linking Fracking And Earthquakes Is “Only A Supposition .” From an April 11, 2012 editorial in  The Oklahoman : WE like our scientific conclusions to come with a high degree of certainty, but smart scientists know better than to flatly declare that the earth is round until they’re darn sure that it is round. A new conclusion about seismic activity says that man is “almost certainly” responsible for a spate of recent earthquakes in Oklahoma and elsewhere. This is not a certainty, mind you, but an “almost” certainty. That’s enough for political activists to seize on the conclusion, tie the earthquake outbreak to hydraulic fracturing and strike another blow for environmentalism.  Some isolated earthquakes may be related to saltwater injection, a byproduct of fracturing, but that’s only a supposition at this point. To conclude that a swath of earthquakes across America is attributable solely to oil and gas activity is a seismic leap. We’d like a little more certainty in the link between earthquake frequency and fracking activity before concluding that a decades-old technique is suddenly rocking the universe and needs to be stopped. We’ve all seen what’s happened with climate change and how the “almost” certainties in that area are incorporated into expensive and sometimes radical public policy. [ The Oklahoman ,  4/11/12 ] In Fact, Studies Have Found A Correlation Between Earthquakes And Fracking Activities An Oklahoma Geological Survey Found That Earthquakes “Could Have Possibly Been Triggered” By Fracking.  According to a report by The Oklahoma Geological Survey: Determining whether or not earthquakes have been induced in most portions of the stable continent is problematic, because of our poor knowledge of historical earthquakes, earthquake processes and the long recurrence intervals for earthquakes in the stable continent. In addition understanding fluid flow and pressure diffusion in the unique geology and structures of an area poses real and significant challenges. The strong spatial and temporal correlations to the hydraulic – fracturing in Picket Unit B Well 4 -18 certainly suggest that the earthquakes observed in the Eola Field could have possibly been triggered by this activity. Simply because the earthquakes fit a simple pore pressure diffusion model does not indicate that this is the physical process that caused these earthquakes. The number of historical earthquakes in the area and uncertainties in hypocenter locations make it impossible to determine with a high degree of certainty whether or not hydraulic -fracturing induced these earthquakes. [Oklahoma Geological Survey,  August 2011 ] British Firm Admitted “It Is Highly Probable” That The Company’s Fracking Activity Triggered “A Number Of Minor Seismic Events.”  According to Reuters: Shale gas exploration triggered small earthquakes near Blackpool in northwest England earlier this year, UK firm Cuadrilla Resources said, adding to concerns about the safety of a technology that is transforming U.S. energy markets. A spokesman said on Wednesday tremors were triggered by pumping vast quantities of water at high pressure 3 kilometres underground through drill holes in a process known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which is designed to prop open shale rocks and release trapped gas. “It is highly probable that the hydraulic fracturing of Cuadrilla’s Preese Hall-1 well did trigger a number of minor seismic events,” a report commissioned by the company said. [Reuters,  11/2/11 ] AP: “In The Past, Earthquakes Have Been Linked To Energy Exploration And Production, Including From Injections Of Enormous Amounts Of Drilling Wastewater.”  According to the Associated Press: In the past, earthquakes have been linked to energy exploration and production, including from injections of enormous amounts of drilling wastewater or injections of water for geothermal power, experts said. They point to recent earthquakes in the magnitude 3 and 4 range – not big enough to cause much damage, but big enough to be felt – in Arkansas, Texas, California, England, Germany and Switzerland. And back in the 1960s, two Denver quakes in the 5.0 range were traced to deep injection of wastewater. Still, scientists would like to know if human activity can trigger a larger event. The National Academy of Sciences is studying the seismic effects of energy drilling and mining and will issue a report next spring. “This is an area of active research,” said Rowena Lohman, a Cornell University seismologist. “We’re all concerned about this.” One issue is that areas that are prone to earthquakes are also places where oil and gas flow along fractures, experts said. In some studies, scientists have taken earthquake data and, like detectives, tracked its causes to deep injections of lots of liquid under high pressure, such as ones that peaked at magnitude 3.3 at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport in 2008 and 2009, said USGS geophysicist William Ellsworth. The Switzerland quake was in the city, Basel, so it did cause damage, he and others said. “How big an earthquake might we trigger? That is an open question at this point,” Ellsworth said. “We do know we can trigger magnitude 5 earthquakes.” [AP,  11/7/11 , Via  Huffington Post ]

Tags: barack-obama, earthquake, earthquakes, government, pennsylvania, student loans, technology, universe

It’s down to the final wire for public comments on the proposed regulations to allow for industrial gas drilling and fracking in New York.

Tags: arizona, director, earthquake, economy, environment, environmental issue, feeds, gender, health, sponsor

While Hurricane Irene slammed the East Coast over the weekend, right-wing media responded by criticizing President Obama, claiming that he “politicize[d]” Irene and that his hurricane briefings were nothing more than a “pathetic” “command center photo-op.” This comes days after the right-wing media’s latest bout of Obama Derangement Syndrome, when they absurdly attacked Obama for being on a golf course when the East Coast earthquake struck. “Paparazzi President At Work”: Right-Wing Media Respond To Obama’s Hurricane Actions Powerline: “How To Politicize A Hurricane.” In an August 27 Powerline post, John Hinderaker wrote: It remains to be seen whether Irene turns out to be the Comet Kohoutek of hurricanes, but President Obama is taking no chances. He posed for a photo-op today, pretending to have something to do with the potentially-severe weather event. I’m sure it’s a relief to everyone on the East Coast to know that Obama is personally directing hurricane response efforts. Never mind that he isn’t competent to organize a Little League baseball team; today’s charade obviously is a corollary of the Hurricane Katrina fiasco, in which America’s mass media committed group malpractice, somehow managing to blame the inevitable consequences of a severe weather event, magnified by incompetent local authorities in New Orleans, on the Bush administration. Obama is setting the stage to receive praise, rather than blame, no matter what actually happens between now and when Hurricane Irene blows itself out. [Powerline, 8/27/11 ] Hoft: “Fail. Yahoo Readers Not Very Impressed With Obama’s Command Center Photo-Op.” In an August 28 Gateway Pundit post titled, “Fail. Yahoo Readers Not Very Impressed With Obama’s Command Center Photo-Op,” Jim Hoft Wrote: President Downgrade cut his vacation short to make an appearance at the Hurricane Command Center for a few pictures yesterday. Apparently, not everyone was impressed with this obvious publicity stunt. Here is a sampling of the comments from the Yahoo report: [Gateway Pundit, 8/28/11 ] Weasel Zippers: “Fearless Leader” Gives A “Pathetic Photo-Op.” In an August 27 post to Weasel Zippers titled, “Fearless Leader ‘Takes Charge’ At Hurricane Command Center,” a picture of Obama in the hurricane command included a caption reading, “More like a pathetic photo-op.” [Weasel Zippers, 8/27/11 ] Hoft: “Horray [Sic]!… Obama Takes Photos Charge At Hurrricane [Sic] Command Center.” In an August 27 post titled, “Horray [Sic]!… Obama Takes Photos Charge At Hurrricane [Sic] Command Center,” Hoft wrote: Obama took photos  charge at the Hurricane Command Center today. That’s not exactly a picture of confidence, huh? Feel safe yet? [Gateway Pundit, 8/27/11 ] Malkin: “Paparazzi President At Work.” In an August 29 blog post titled, “Paparazzi President at work,” Michelle Malkin posted numerous photos from the White House Flickr feed documenting the president’s Hurricane Irene briefings. Malkin further wrote: There’s one employee of the White House — other than the Teleprompter of the United States, that is — who never gets a break. His name is Pete Souza. He’s the official presidential photographer. Last week, Souza was hard at work making President Obama look hard at work while vacationing on Martha’s Vineyard. Souza’s  Twitter feed  and  Flickr uploads  serve as Agitprop Central for all White House-approved, Behind-The-Scenes Leadership Glamour Shots. Such visual hagiography is to be expected in any administration. But the hasty frequency with which the White House “Message: I’m working here, I’m really working here” photos have been disseminated over the past few weeks is striking. In fact, it’s become a  running   joke   now  on Twitter. Candid Camera or Taxpayer-funded Campaign Camera? You decide: Hold the phone, America! President Obama’s…holding a phone. *** Judging from the  latest Gallup numbers , voters are not impressed. Looks like overworked White House photog Pete Souza is going to have to step up the framing and gaming of the Paparazzi President. For all the daily attempts to manufacture images of competence, strength, decisive, and leadership,  this  is the stubborn perception Obama’s stage managers can’t shake: [MichelleMalkin.com, 8/29/11 ] Biden Derangement Syndrome? Right-Wing Media Highlight Biden Golfing Before Storm Drudge: “Biden Golfed In Hours Preceding Hurricane…” From the Drudge Report on August 28: [Drudge Report, 8/28/11] Fox Nation: “Biden Golfed In Hours Preceding Hurricane.” On August 28, Fox Nation posted an article by Fox News chief White House correspondent Ed Henry titled, “Biden Golfed in Hours Preceding Hurricane”: Delaware was pounded by Hurricane Irene on Saturday night, but Vice President Biden got in one last round of golf in his home state before the heavy stuff started coming down, Fox News has learned. Biden played golf at a Wilmington-area course on Saturday morning, according to two sources familiar with his schedule. Asked directly whether Biden played golf on Saturday, Biden’s office would not comment to Fox News. [Fox Nation, 8/28/11 ; FoxNews.com, 8/28/11 ] Obama Derangement Syndrome: Right-Wing Media Repeatedly Attack Obama For Trivial Reasons Obama Derangement Syndrome: Earthquake Edition. Following an earthquake that struck the East Coast on August 23, right-wing media attacked Obama for being on a golf course during a family vacation when the earthquake struck. [ Media Matters, 8/24/11 ] Obama Derangement Syndrome: Michelle Obama Uses An iPod. Right-wing media figures highlighted a photograph of first lady Michelle Obama using headphones while in her husband’s presence, writing that this signified that she “doesn’t seem all that happy with the man she married 19 years ago.” [ Media Matters, 8/22/11 ; The Washington Times , via Media Matters, 8/29/11 ] Obama Derangement Syndrome: Happy Meals. Following McDonald’s decision to offer “more nutritionally-balanced” Happy Meals and Michelle Obama’s praise of its move, the right-wing media jumped to attack McDonald’s for supposedly bending to the will of the “fat police” and making Happy Meals “less happy.” [ Media Matters, 7/27/11 ] Obama Derangement Syndrome: Dijon Mustard. In May 2009, conservative media attacked Obama as an elitist because he ordered a hamburger with Dijon mustard. [ Media Matters ,  5/7/09 ] Obama Derangement Syndrome: The Color Purple. In March 2010, conservative blogger Pamela Geller incited outrage over Obama “Flying The Gangsta Colors At The White House: SEIU, The Color Purple.” Geller went on to criticize Obama’s purple tie color choice, despite the fact that Obama’s tie appeared to be blue, not purple. [ Media Matters, 3/26/10 ] Obama Derangement Syndrome: Wal-Mart Healthy Foods Initiative.  In January, right-wing media accused the Obama administration of threatening or “bullying” Wal-Mart when the company announced a healthy food initiative that would make “thousands of the packaged food items that it sells more healthful and affordable by 2015,” according to  The Washington Post . [ Media Matters ,  1/21/11 ]  Obama Derangement Syndrome: Latin America Jobs Trip.  In March, the right-wing media attacked Obama’s long-planned jobs trip to Latin America as a “vacation,” even though the trip was focused on economic opportunities for the U.S. and trade relationships with Latin American nations. [ Media Matters , 3/18/11 ] Obama Derangement Syndrome: Children’s Easter Egg Roll.  Also in March,  Fox & Friends attacked the White House Easter Egg Roll, a family event, for making the souvenir eggs more environmentally friendly and encouraging children to exercise. [ Media Matters ,  3/30/11 ] Obama Derangement Syndrome: Osama Bin Laden’s Death.  In May,  The Washington Times attacked  Obama following the successful raid in Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden, complaining that he golfed before the mission took place and that he “snub[bed] Bush” in his speech following bin Laden’s death. [ Media Matters ,  5/3/11 ]

Tags: america, climate-change, earthquake, feeds, friends, joke, politics, social security, united-states, white house

Fox News is spinning Rep. Eric Cantor’s statement that disaster relief should be paired with spending cuts — comments consistent with statements Cantor has made in the past — as a simple “word of caution” against future government stimulus. Cantor Has “Consistently” Sought To Pair Federal Disaster Relief With Spending Cuts Cantor Spokeswoman: Cantor Has “Consistently Said That Additional Funds For Federal Disaster Relief Ought To Be Offset With Spending Cuts.” Laena Fallon, a spokeswoman for Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), reiterated Cantor’s position on disaster relief in an email to Talking Points Memo, saying that Cantor “has consistently said that additional funds for federal disaster relief ought to be offset with spending cuts.” [Talking Points Memo, 8/25/11 ] Eric Cantor: Money For Earthquake Relief “Will Be Offset With Appropriate Savings Or Cost-Cutting Elsewhere.” According to CBS News: House Majority Leader Eric Cantor assured his constituents on Wednesday that Congress “will find the monies” to assist earthquake victims in Mineral, Virginia – but the Republican lawmaker noted that “those monies will be offset with appropriate savings or cost-cutting elsewhere.” Cantor and Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, speaking together in a news conference, had previously toured Mineral to assess the amount of damage the city sustained in the wake of Tuesday’s 5.8 magnitude earthquake. Mineral, which was at the epicenter of the quake, falls in Virginia’s 7th district, which Cantor represents. [CBS News, 8/24/11 ] Cantor Insisted That Disaster Relief In Tornado-Ravaged Joplin, MO “Will Be Offset.” In an interview with CBS News’ Face the Nation, Cantor called for tornado relief to be offset: House Majority Leader Eric Cantor on Sunday said that the government would “find the money” for emergency assistance to disaster-struck regions like Joplin, Mo., but that any aid would be offset by cuts to the federal budget. Joplin is the latest American city to face devastation at the hands of a powerful tornado in what has been the deadliest tornado season on record since 1950. As of Sunday, the Joplin death toll was at 139, but is expected to go higher as the search continues for more than 100 people still missing. In an appearance on “Face the Nation,” Cantor (R-Va.) emphasized that, in dealing with the devastation, “there is an appropriate federal role” – but that, like any family, the government doesn’t have unlimited resources. “Congress will find the money,” Cantor told CBS News senior correspondent Harry Smith. “And it will be offset.” [CBS News, 3/29/11] Fox Spins Cantor’s Comment As A “Word Of Caution” Against Government Stimulus Fox’s Andrea Tantaros: Cantor Is “Being Anticipatory” And Saying “We’re Not Going To Use This As An Excuse To Blow More Money On Another Failed Stimulus.” From Fox News’ The Five : ANDREA TANTAROS (Co-host): I do think Cantor’s being anticipatory in the fact that Democrats will likely use this as an excuse for more stimulus. And they will use it as an excuse for more stimulus funding. You already heard Biden on the plane back from China talking about it. So, he’s trying to get out there early in front and say look, we’ll do what we can, of course, to take care of the destruction and the damage. But we’re not going to use this as an excuse to blow more money on another failed stimulus. We’re just not. KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE (Co-host): And that’s all he’s saying. It’s a word of caution, I guess. [Fox News, The Five, 8/26/11]

Tags: congress, earthquake, economy, flash, government, israel, media, talking points memo, taxes, the nation

@PajamasMedia: Why an American #Earthquake is Propaganda for Middle Eastern Anti-Americans (by @ProfBarryRubin): http://t.co/GVlJrsU.

Tags: earthquake, progressive news, progressive tweets, top progressive tweeters, topprog, topprogtweeter, topprogtweeter top progressive tweeters, tpot, tweets

Fox News host Dave Briggs claimed that a new immigration policy, which will postpone deportation proceedings of certain undocumented workers in order to prioritize convicted criminals, is “perhaps blanket amnesty.”  Fox News has a long history of labeling immigration policies “amnesty,” a term that has been shown to produce a more negative reaction than describing a policy as “a path to citizenship.” Fox’s Briggs Claims New Immigration Policy Is “Perhaps Blanket Amnesty” Fox’s Briggs Claims New Immigration Policy Is “Perhaps Blanket Amnesty.” On the August 19 edition of Fox News’ Fox & Friends , guest host Dave Briggs teased a story about the Obama administration’s decision to prioritize convicted criminals for deportation by saying: BRIGGS: And the courts want them out, but the president wants to give illegal immigrants, [who are] ready to be deported, a second chance. He’s going around Congress — perhaps blanket amnesty. [Fox News, Fox & Friends , 8/19/11 ] Poll Shows “Amnesty” Is Loaded Term … Pew Research Poll Found More Respondents Opposed Immigration Reform When Described As “Providing Amnesty To Illegal Immigrants.” From a research brief published by the Pew Research Center on November 23, 2009: When Congress and the president abandoned efforts to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill in 2007, public opinion was quite conflicted. A Pew Research poll found that, among those aware of the legislation, more people opposed (41%) than supported (33%) the bill being considered by the Senate, but a solid majority of 63% of the general public supported the bill’s main objective to provide a “path to citizenship” for undocumented immigrants. At the time, support for this principle was bipartisan, with nearly as many Republicans as Democrats favoring it. And even when the provision was described as “amnesty,” a majority still supported it — though by a smaller margin of 54%-39%. Republicans were evenly divided on the question when the policy was described as “amnesty.” The report included this chart: [Pew Research Center, 11/23/09 ] … And Fox Routinely Uses “Amnesty” When Discussing Immigration Policy DREAM Act Kelly: “Critics Call” The DREAM Act “A Pathway To Amnesty For Illegals.”  On the November 23, 2010, edition of Fox News’  America Live , host Megyn Kelly introduced a segment on the DREAM Act by saying, in part, “Critics call [the bill] a pathway to amnesty for illegals.” She then brought on Fox host Gregg Jarrett, who said: “You know, for millions of illegals, the DREAM Act is a propitious title because it would fulfill their dream of jumping right to the front of the line and becoming U.S. citizens. Those who oppose it call it a veritable nightmare, granting amnesty right away to more than 2 million illegal immigrants, and in the end, maybe as many as 6 million or more illegals.” [Fox News, America Live , 11/23/10 , via Media Matters ] Gallagher: “I Think It’s Front Door Amnesty.”  On the November 23, 2010, edition of Fox News’  America Live , Fox News contributor Mike Gallagher described the DREAM Act by saying: “The analogy I keep using … is that we feel sorry for these children of adults who made a bad decision and broke the law to come into the United States, but it would be like saying if one’s parent is a bank robber, the child gets to keep the money and the proceeds from the bank robbery. I’m sorry, most Americans don’t accept this.” Gallagher later said of the bill: “I don’t think it’s backdoor amnesty; I think it’s front door amnesty.” [Fox News, America Live ,  11/23/10 , via Media Matters ] Guilfoyle: DREAM   Act “Encourages People To Essentially Seek An Amnesty.”  On the November 23, 2010, edition of Fox News’  The O’Reilly Factor , Fox News legal analyst Kimberly Guilfoyle claimed that the DREAM Act “incentivizes illegality and encourages people to essentially seek an amnesty by saying, ‘Sure, I’m going to be in the military.’” [Fox News, The O'Reilly Factor ,  11/23/10 , via Media Matters ] Fox Nation: “Shamnesty: Reid Putting The ‘Lame’ In ‘Duck.’”  In a December 1, 2010, post, Fox Nation linked to a story about Democrats attempting to advance the DREAM Act with the headline, “Shamnesty: Reid Putting The ‘Lame’ In ‘Duck.’” [Fox Nation,  12/1/10 ] Malkin Called DREAM Act ”Reckless Illegal Alien Amnesty.”  On the December 2, 2010, edition of Fox News’  Fox & Friends , Fox News contributor Michelle Malkin said: “There are so many political payoffs that are currently in the pipeline. Foremost among them, Harry Reid trying to ram through this very unpopular, expensive, and reckless illegal alien amnesty DREAM Act.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends , 12/2/10 , via Media Matters ] Hannity Called The DREAM Act “Basically Amnesty.”  From the December 8 edition of Fox News’  Hannity : SEAN HANNITY (Host): Actress Salma Hayek admits she was once an illegal immigrant in the U.S. Now the House this very night by the way passed 216-198 the DREAM Act, which is basically amnesty. [Fox News, Hannity , 12/8/10 , via Media Matters ] Chris Wallace On Bloomberg’s “Path To Citizenship” Support: “Isn’t That Amnesty?” On Fox Broadcasting Company’s Fox News Sunday , host Chris Wallace asked New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, “You support a path to citizenship. Question: Isn’t that amnesty?” [Fox Broadcasting Co., Fox News Sunday , 4/24/11 ]  Temporary Protections For Haitians Following Earthquake In Haiti Fox Nation Equated Temporary Protections For Haitians In The U.S. With “Amnesty” For “Illegal Aliens.” A January 15, 2010, Fox Nation headline asserted, “Obama Moves to Grant Amnesty to Haitian Illegal Aliens.” [ Media Matters , 1/15/10 ] For the truth behind Fox Nation’s “amnesty” headline, SEE HERE . ICE Policies And Border Enforcement Fox Botched ICE Policy To Claim Feds Were Granting “Backdoor Amnesty.” In August 2010, several Fox News anchors claimed that a new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policy meant that only illegal immigrants with criminal records would be deported, with several Fox News hosts labeling it “amnesty.” For the truth about the ICE policy, SEE HERE . Dobbs Claimed Obama’s Border Efforts Are A “Foundation” For “Unconditional Amnesty.”   On the August 9, 2010, edition of Fox News’ America Live , guest Lou Dobbs called a pending border security bill “a modest border security piece of legislation,” and claimed “it would give [the Obama administration] the foundation to say, we did something about border security … and then move ahead and have their way on the issue of unconditional amnesty.” Dobbs later claimed that “we are not seeing a commitment to actual detention and apprehension.” [ Media Matters , 8/30/10 ] Immigration Reform Fox Nation Relabeled Immigration Bill “Amnesty Bill.” In a July 9, 2009, post, Fox Nation linked to an Associated Press (AP) article about an upcoming immigration bill under the headline, “Schumer: Amnesty Bill Ready by Labor Day.” The original AP headline was, “Schumer: Immigration bill to be ready by Labor Day.” [Fox Nation, 7/9/09 , via Media Matters ] Fox Nation: “House Dems Introduce Illegal Alien Amnesty Bill.” In a December 16, 2009, post, Fox Nation linked to an article about a proposed immigration reform bill under the headline, “House Dems Introduce Illegal Alien Amnesty Bill.” [Fox Nation, 12/16/09 , via Media Matters ] Kelly Said Immigration Reform Bill Would Grant “Amnesty To Illegals.” On the March 19, 2010, edition of Fox News’ America Live , host Megyn Kelly claimed that a bill that would launch a “major immigration overhaul” would “grant amnesty to illegals after asking them to pay a fine, among other things.” [Fox News, America Live , 3/19/10 ] Fox Aired “Hate” Group’s Claim That Obama Promised “Mass Amnesty” In Exchange For Health Care Votes. On the March 21, 2010, edition of Fox News’ Fox & Friends Sunday , co-host Dave Briggs introduced a segment by asking, “Did [President Obama] agree to amnesty for illegals in exchange for votes [for the health care bill]?” During the segment, Briggs’ guest Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), claimed that Obama “promised mass amnesty for 13 million illegal aliens in exchange for getting the support of the Hispanic caucus” for health care reform. The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated FAIR an anti-immigrant hate group. [Fox News, Fox News Sunday , 3/21/10 ; Media Matters , 3/30/11 ] Fox & Friends Referred To Immigration Reform As “Amnesty.” On the May 12, 2010, edition of Fox News’ Fox & Friends , co-host Gretchen Carlson referred to upcoming immigration reform as “amnesty.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends , 5/12/10 ] Fox Reporter La Jeunesse: Senator Boxer Is A “Big-Spending Liberal” While Carly Fiorina Opposes “Amnesty” For Immigrants. On the June 9, 2010, edition of America’s Newsroom , reporter William La Jeunesse described the senatorial race in California by calling Senator Barbara Boxer (D) a “big-spending liberal” and saying that her opponent, Carly Fiorina, opposed “amnesty” for undocumented immigrants. [Fox News, America's Newsroom , 6/9/10 ] Kelly: “A Group Of Republican Senators … Are Demanding To Know If The Administration Plans To Grant Amnesty To 11 Million Illegals.” On the July 27, 2010, edition of America Live , Kelly said, “A group of Republican senators — a dozen, to be exact — are demanding to know if the administration plans to grant amnesty to 11 million illegals here in the United States.” [Fox News, America Live , 7/27/10 ]

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Via Climate Progress :Evidence for climate change is now undeniable – scientists. Ah, New Zealand, home of kiwis, the filming of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and blunt climate science reporting: …

Tags: atmosphere, bicycle, calculator, california, commondreams, earthquake, hostage, insurance, peace, science, star-trek, university