Politico Treats Pro-Gun Controller’s Win in Far-Left Congressional District With $2 Mil of Bloomberg Money as a ‘Referendum’
Knock me over with a feather. A well-known local pro-gun control official, helped by an overwhelming $2 million in funding from a Michale Bloomberg-backed group, won last night's splintered Democratic congressional primary in the Illinois district (IL-02) formerly represented by Jesse Jackson Jr., which includes much of the South Side of Chicago, with 52% of the vote. A "whopping" 30,872 people pulled the lever for winner Robin Kelly.
Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit noted how little this really means: "It's setting the bar pretty low to say that electing an anti-gunner to Congress in Chicago would be proof of Bloomberg's strength." That of course is not how Alex Isenstadt at Politico reported it, virtually giving the platform to Bloomberg:
Unlike NBC, MSNBC Continues to Fail To Identify Jesse Jackson Jr. as Democrat
Sadly, MSNBC cannot follow sister network NBC’s lead in reporting the story of disgraced Democrat Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill) and his impending prison sentence for illegally using campaign funds for personal usage.
On the February 20 edition of NBC Nightly News as well as on the February 21 edition of Today, both shows correctly identify Jesse Jackson Jr. as a Democrat, but their MSNBC morning show Morning Joe skipped the important detail. [See video after jump. MP3 audio here.]
Big Three Network Double Standard on Labeling Scandalous Politicians
All too often when reporters are discussing Democrats caught in scandals, they develop a peculiar speech impediment that prevents them from uttering the "D" word. However, when members of the GOP stumble, the word "Republican" cascades out of the mouths of reporters.
When news broke on February 15 that former Democratic Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. was charged with improperly spending campaign funds on (among other items) Michael Jackson and Bruce Lee memorabilia, the Big Three (ABC, CBS, NBC) network anchors and reporters struggled to get their lips to form the word "Democrat." In 15 total stories on Jackson, reporters failed to utter the "D" word in 11 of them (73 percent). On the February 21 CBS This Morning Jackson was labeled a Democrat, but only in an on-screen graphic.
Big Three Network Double Standard on Labeling Scandalous Politicians
All too often when reporters are discussing Democrats caught in scandals, they develop a peculiar speech impediment that prevents them from uttering the "D" word. However, when members of the GOP stumble, the word "Republican" cascades out of the mouths of reporters.
Big Three Network Double Standard on Labeling Scandalous Politicians
All too often when reporters are discussing Democrats caught in scandals, they develop a peculiar speech impediment that prevents them from uttering the "D" word. However, when members of the GOP stumble, the word "Republican" cascades out of the mouths of reporters.
Big Three Network Double Standard on Labeling Scandalous Politicians
All too often when reporters are discussing Democrats caught in scandals, they develop a peculiar speech impediment that prevents them from uttering the "D" word. However, when members of the GOP stumble, the word "Republican" cascades out of the mouths of reporters.
Big Three Network Double Standard on Labeling Scandalous Politicians
All too often when reporters are discussing Democrats caught in scandals, they develop a peculiar speech impediment that prevents them from uttering the "D" word. However, when members of the GOP stumble, the word "Republican" cascades out of the mouths of reporters.
Big Three Network Double Standard on Labeling Scandalous Politicians
All too often when reporters are discussing Democrats caught in scandals, they develop a peculiar speech impediment that prevents them from uttering the "D" word. However, when members of the GOP stumble, the word "Republican" cascades out of the mouths of reporters.
WashPost Personal Finance Columnist Omits Jackson Junior’s Party ID, Mentions Wealthiest Member of Congress a Republican
In a February 20 column which lamented as a tragedy the mess that former Rep. Jesse Jackson (D-Ill.) got himself into by improperly using campaign resources for extravagant personal expenses, Washington Post personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary scolded her readers to "think about the mess you might have made of your finances or the financial follies of people you know" before "pass[ing] judgment on the Jacksons."
In a column in which she never mentioned Jackson's party affiliation, Singletary suggested that the Illinois Democrat procured luxury items including a $43,350-gold-plated Rolex watch because he and his wife Sandi were "eager to impress their more wealthy colleagues or the people who run with them in their circle of power and privilege," but she added that it was "[n]ot an excuse, just an observation."
WashPost Personal Finance Columnist Omits Jackson Junior’s Party ID, Mentions Wealthiest Member of Congress a Republican
In a February 20 column which lamented as a tragedy the mess that former Rep. Jesse Jackson (D-Ill.) got himself into by improperly using campaign resources for extravagant personal expenses, Washington Post personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary scolded her readers to "think about the mess you might have made of your finances or the financial follies of people you know" before "pass[ing] judgment on the Jacksons."
In a column in which she never mentioned Jackson's party affiliation, Singletary suggested that the Illinois Democrat procured luxury items including a $43,350-gold-plated Rolex watch because he and his wife Sandi were "eager to impress their more wealthy colleagues or the people who run with them in their circle of power and privilege," but she added that it was "[n]ot an excuse, just an observation."
WashPost Personal Finance Columnist Omits Jackson Junior’s Party ID, Mentions Wealthiest Member of Congress a Republican
In a February 20 column which lamented as a tragedy the mess that former Rep. Jesse Jackson (D-Ill.) got himself into by improperly using campaign resources for extravagant personal expenses, Washington Post personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary scolded her readers to "think about the mess you might have made of your finances or the financial follies of people you know" before "pass[ing] judgment on the Jacksons."
In a column in which she never mentioned Jackson's party affiliation, Singletary suggested that the Illinois Democrat procured luxury items including a $43,350-gold-plated Rolex watch because he and his wife Sandi were "eager to impress their more wealthy colleagues or the people who run with them in their circle of power and privilege," but she added that it was "[n]ot an excuse, just an observation."
Politico Joins Other Media Outlets Failing to List Jesse Jackson Jr. as Democrat
**UPDATE** Ginger Gibson recently updated her article to include party ID of Jesse Jackson Jr.
In a 615- word article on Politico’s website on February 20, author Ginger Gibson failed to inform her readers that the disgraced former Illinois congressman was a Democrat, a fact that Politico and a growing list of media outlets continue to do. Instead, Politico simply refers to Jackson as a “[f]ormer Rep.”
Gibson's article was published just moments after Jackson Jr. pleaded guilty in federal court to charges stemming from the misuse of campaign funds, including spending $43,450 on a gold Rolex watch.
Name That Party: MSNBC’s Jansing, Roberts Note Jesse Jackson Jr. Guilty Plea, Omit Party Label
Twenty minutes into her February 20 Jansing & Co. program, MSNBC anchor Chris Jansing noted that former Illinois Democrat Jesse Jackson was entering a federal courtroom later that hour to plead guilty to campaign finance violations. Only Jansing left out the part about Jackson being a Democrat.
What's more, while Jansing noted that Jackson's wife Sandi was answering charges of filing false tax returns, she failed to note that Sandi Jackson, also a Democrat, resigned her seat as Chicago city alderman in January.
Jesse Jackson Jr. Charged With Blowing $750,000 in Campaign Cash; ABC Allows 18 Seconds
Former Democratic Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. was charged on Friday with improperly spending $750,000 of campaign funds on items such as Michael Jackson and Bruce Lee memorabilia (among other things). Yet, ABC's World News did not cover the story at all. On Saturday, Good Morning America allowed the news a mere 18 seconds. Over the course of the weekend, NBC's Nightly News, the CBS Evening News, Saturday Morning, Today and GMA never mentioned that Jackson is a Democrat. There was no coverage on Sunday.
Most, such as Evening News guest-host Anthony Mason, simply referred to Jackson as the "former Chicago Congressman." CBS correspondent Nancy Cordes spun, "Jackson, Jr., came to Congress in 1995, the promising and personable son of a civil rights leader, the Reverend Jesse Jackson." Cordes did highlight how the ex-representative spent his campaign funds, including "$43,000 on a gold-plated men's Rolex watch, $5,000 on fur capes and parkas and a long list of Bruce Lee and Michael Jackson memorabilia."
Politico: Jesse Jackson Jr. and His Wife ‘Lost Track of the Line Between Campaign Cash and Personal Funds’
In anticipation of Jesse Jackson Jr.'s indictment on Friday afternoon, Jonathan Allen and John Bresnahan at the Politico seemed all too willing to hand out sympathy cards to Jackson and his wife, both of whom stand to do time in prison for offenses relating to their raid of the congressman's campaign funds.
Specifically, the Politico pair wrote: "It’s a story of a Chicago power couple that lost track of the line between campaign cash and personal funds in a spiral of money troubles." Gosh, I didn't know that line was so blurred. Excerpts from the write-up follow the jump:
NYT Double Standards on Race, Religion on Display in Contest to Fill Jesse Jackson Jr. Seat
Double standards on race and religion in the New York Times. The paper's liberal concerns about racism in voting patterns or separation of church and state, so prevalent when discussing white conservative voters in southern states, were markedly absent in Monday's report by Steven Yaccino from Chicago on candidates lining up for the congressional seat vacated by the resignation of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., amid worries that a white candidate might win it: "In Race to Fill Jackson's House Seat, Candidates Court Chicago's Black Clergy."
Politico: Blacks Fear a White Person Will Win Seat Formerly Held by Jesse Jackson Jr.
This is really too easy. Imagine the hue and cry in the press and elsewhere, which to be clear would be quite appropriate, if an accurate story about a special congressional election to replace a white congressperson began as follows: "White leaders are growing increasingly worried that a black candidate might seize the seat of former Rep. ____ in the upcoming special election."
Well, a story by Alex Isenstadt at Politico with a truth-obscuring headline ("Blacks fret free-for-all for Jesse Jackson Jr. seat"; the headline should be "Blacks fear a white person will win 'their' seat") clearly shows that Chicagoland's black establishment thinks it has first dibs on IL-02, and apparently believes that "Jackson's seat" (as if he ever owned it) can't be appropriately represented by a white person, even though the early frontrunner is clearly liberal on most issues (bolds are mine):
Jesse Jackson Jr. Could Be Faking Bipolar to Dodge Feds, Says BuzzFeed Reporter
Don't be surprised if you hear less from John Stanton out of left-wing media in the foreseeable future.
Why? Stanton's penchant for speaking candidly, as he did yesterday on Bill Press's radio show about embattled former congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.'s resignation from Congress only weeks after winning re-election. (video after page break)
Jesse Jackson Jr. Resigns, Sending a Letter Full of Howlers the Press Will Likely Let Slide
Jesse Jackson Jr. resigned from office today. The timing of the Democratic congressman's resignation (even beyond it taking place on Thanksgiving Eve) is convenient, coming just two weeks after his reelection and prior to what in apparently an imminent indictment. The former enables Democratic Party kingpins in Chicago and its south suburbs to ensure that the seat stays with someone they like and can control (a general election situation with a preceding mini-primary might have been more problematic), while resigning before an indictment makes it likely that Jackson will be eligible for a congressional pension he might have lost had he still been in office when charged.
We are told that Jackson is too distraught to get through a publicly spoken resignation and that he cancelled a conference call with his staff. His resignation letter (original here; Washington Post transcription here) to House Speaker John Boehner, our best potential window to his current state of mind, reveals a man who is utterly full of himself and his wonderfulness. In the process of building this monument to himself, Jackson delivered several self-evident falsehoods the press would never let a Republican in a similar position get away with making without sharp criticism. Since it's a public document, the letter follows the jump (bolds and numbered tags are mine):
Not Yet News at AP or Politico: Jesse Jackson Jr. Said to Be in Plea Deal Talks
As of shortly before 1 p.m. ET, at the Associated Press, aka the Administration's Press, there is no story about what the Chicago Sun-Times reported Wednesday evening about just-reelected Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., namely that he " is in the midst of plea discussions with the feds probing his alleged misuse of campaign funds." There is also no story on the home page at Politico.
Selected paragraphs from Michael Sneed's Sun-Times report follow the jump (bolds are mine):
ABC Finally Covers the Swirling Mystery Surrounding Jesse Jackson Jr.’s Disappearance
ABC on Wednesday finally reported on the mysterious disappearance of Democratic Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. from Capitol Hill. Good Morning America's Jon Karl explained that the Representative "has been missing in action for more than a month, skipping some 80 votes and prompting speculation about where he is and what's wrong with him." CBS and NBC also covered the story on Wednesday. Unlike ABC, however, this wasn't their first report.
Having finally gotten to the story, Karl actually labeled Jackson as "one of the more outspoken liberals on Capitol Hill." He also noted that the Congressman's disappearance comes "days after his former fundraiser was arrested by the FBI for allegedly paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to doctors." On Tuesday's Today, news reader Natalie Morales mentioned the latest, but skipped any reference to the ethics investigation against Jackson.
However, on July 5, the NBC Nightly News covered the story and anchor Kate Snow related Jackson's health issues and the "investigation over whether [Jackson] broke any rules while pursuing the Senate seat that became available when Barack Obama was elected President."
Jackson's office has released cryptic updates that the Congressman is suffering from "exhaustion."
CBS This Morning co-anchor Erica Hill on Wednesday wondered, "Nancy [Cordes], he's also facing this ethics investigation. Is there any way this is any way related to that and where does that stand?"
Regarding the investigation, Cordes speculated, "...Obviously Jackson has been under some personal strain. Whether that strain has contributed to the emotional and medical problems his doctors alluded to, we don't know now."
The CBS Evening News reported on Jackson's disappearance for the June 26 program. Hill mentioned the investigation then, too.
A transcript of the July 11 GMA segment can be found below:
7:07
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: We're going to go to Washington now where a prominent congressman is at the center of a growing mystery. Jesse Jackson Jr. has been missing from Capitol Hill for weeks. All we've been told is that he's being treated for a serious medical condition. But that's set off all kinds of speculation and pressure to release more information. ABC's congressional correspondent Jon Karl is covering the story. Good morning, Jon.
JON KARL: Good morning, George. Members of Congress take great pains to avoid missing a single vote. But Jesse Jackson Jr. has been missing in action for more than a month, skipping some 80 votes and prompting speculation about where he is and what's wrong with him. For nearly 20 years, Jesse Jackson Jr. has been one of the more outspoken liberals on Capitol Hill.
JESSE JACKSON JR: -Used race as a partisan advantage-
KARL: But he has not spoken in Congress since early May. And hasn't even cast a vote since June 8th.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: The amendment is adopted.
KARL: His whereabouts has become something of a Capitol Hill mystery. For more than two weeks, his office said nothing. And now, just says he is suffering from exhaustion, which has prompted even more questions and increased frustrations about where the congressman may be. Late Tuesday, his father said he has a medical condition. But wouldn't say what.
JESSE JACKSON SR: The fact is, the congressman is under medical supervision. And right now is regaining strength.
KARL: Senator Dick Durbin, a member of the Illinois congressional delegation, says Jackson needs to explain more.
DICK DURBIN: His health is the number one priority. As a public official, though, there reaches a point where you have a responsibility, to tell people what you're facing and how things are going.
KARL: Chicago radio station WLS set off a frenzy of speculation Tuesday, by quoting unnamed sources, saying Jackson had attempted suicide.
UNIDENTIFIED RADIO HOST: Did he try to kill himself?
KARL: Something a senior aide close to Jackson called "absolutely not true. Completely erroneous." Jackson's disappearance came just days after his former fundraiser was arrested by the FBI for allegedly paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to doctors. The Chicago Sun Times is reporting that Jackson's doctors will soon issue a statement on his condition. But when will he return to Congress? A source close to Jackson tells us he may not be here until September or even later. Robin?