SNL mocks FOX News again which is always a good thing. This time they highlight the coverage of the possible repealing of DADT.
I love the "hot blonde chick" and Karl Rove characters. Teh odious Oliver North and Palin stalker, Greta are always welcome characters for a parody.
When he was elected in 1992, Bill Clinton openly admitted that Hillary Rodham Clinton would be an active and engaged member of his inner team, with jokes about "two Clintons for the price of one!", much to the disgust and outright hostility of the right wing. How dare Hillary Clinton be so presumptuous as to believe that her non-elected status as the spouse of the President gave her the right to sit in policy meetings and advise her husband on matters of national importance?
Don't look now, GOP, but it appears we have another case of "two for the price of one":
Nearly 3,000 pages of e-mails that Todd Palin exchanged with state officials, which were released to msnbc.com and NBC News by the state of Alaska under its public records law, draw a picture of a Palin administration where the governor's husband got involved in a judicial appointment, monitored contract negotiations with public employee unions, received background checks on a corporate CEO, added his approval or disapproval to state board appointments and passed financial information marked "confidential" from his oil company employer to a state attorney.While 1,200 separate e-mails were released this week, 243 others were withheld by the state under a claim that executive privilege extends to Todd Palin as an unpaid adviser to the government. Still, just the subject lines of those e-mails provide a glimpse of the ways the Palins divvied up their responsibilities when she became governor in December 2006, less than two years before Republican Sen. John McCain pulled her onto the national political stage by nominating her as his vice presidential candidate.You can read all those e-mails in msnbc.com's searchable online archive.
While there is no instruction manual for First Spouse involvement, there's little doubt that Todd's input on Alaskan governmental issues was more than merely 'advising' Sarah Palin. Given that they sought to suppress knowledge of Todd's membership in the extremist AIP party, it does beg the question how much his far-right secessionist beliefs played into his influence on matters of judicial appointments and other matters of state.
It also shines a new light on the news that the Palins jointly cheated on their taxes by never declaring two properties built on parcels they owned as Palin ran on a platform of cleaning up Alaskan corruption:
It was things like this that really made Sarah Palin stand out as a gubernatorial candidate. Republicans in the state were sick of the corruption that was running rampant in their own party, and they wanted change. They wanted a "fresh face" who had new ideas and ethical standards. They wanted someone who was actually bothered by a public official who would cheat his community by passing his personal tax burden on to others.
Ironically, Palin refused to do a commercial endorsing another candidate when it came out that he had an unpaid tax debt.
The Congress shouldn't consider important civil rights issues while the country is facing a recession and two wars, according to the House Minority Leader. NBC's David Gregory asked John Boehner about President Barack Obama's call to end the military's controversial "Don't ask, don't tell" policy. Boehner believes this is the wrong time.
"In the middle of two wars and in the middle of this giant security threat, why would we want to get into this debate?" Boehner asked.
"While at a time when Americans are asking where are the jobs, why do we want to get in this debate?" he continued.
The House Minority Leader continued his argument, "While we're fighting over health care and trying to find some way to come to common ground, why do we want to get into a divisive debate that will do nothing more than distract the real debate about helping to get our economy going again and getting American people back to work."
Obviously not all Americans agree with Boehner. People took to twitter to voice their dissent. "Boehner, there will NEVER b a perfect time 2 address #DADT. if not now, WHEN? what a load of crap!" Jenci Spradlin wrote.
Simon Byrd of Burnsville, Minnesota sees an economic benefit to ending the discriminatory military policy. "'Why are we debating DADT when we should be debating getting people back 2 work?' sez Boehner. Because it WOULD result in gays having JOBS??" he asked.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says that President Barack Obama would have had more support in the Senate if he just governed more towards the middle. "As I've said all year, if he wants to meet us in the middle of the political spectrum we'll be there to help," McConnell told NBC's David Gregory Sunday.
For McConnell, the president's whole problem is that he isn't moderate enough. "The president decided to go hard left," he said. "That's why he doesn't have many of my members. If he chooses to govern in the middle he will have broader support," said McConnell.
January 22, 2010 NBC Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
George W. Bush's former campaign director appeared on NBC Sunday to defend his record on the economy. According to Karen Hughes, Bush rescued the economy from collapse.
Speaking about President Barack Obama's successes, Mark Halperin praised the current president's handling of the economy. "I think an extraordinary job as John said under difficult circumstances. He managed the economic crisis, kept the world from going into depression," said Halperin.
But Hughes quickly took objection to Halperin's assessment. "I have to disagree with you, Mark, about rescuing the economy," she said. "I think that happened before President Bush left office when they took the action that they did on TARP."
SNL's Seth Meyers explains the NBC/Conan/Leno kerfluffle.
And Happy Birthday to First Lady Michelle Obama!
President George W. Bush is warning Americans not to fall for scams trying to raise money off the disaster in Haiti.
"I need to put a pitch in for the clintonbushhaitifund.org," Bush told NBC's David Gregory. "One of my concerns is shysters show up and take advantage of people's good will and generosity. So people want to help, one avenue besides the established NGO's would be to tap on that website and we'll help make sure your money is spent in a transparent accountable way," he said.
January 14, 2010 NBC Jay Leno Show
(Nicole:) I'm not so sure this is a laughing matter:
Scott Ritter, the former top U.N. weapons inspector in Iraq, was arrested in November, months after police said he sent sexual messages to a police officer posing as a 15-year-old girl named Emily, the Barrett Township, Pennsylvania, Police Department said in a news release Thursday.[..]
According to an affidavit of probable cause, "delmar4fun" contacted Barrett Township Detective Ryan Venneman -- who was posing as "Emily," from Poconos, Pennsylvania -- in an online chat room on February 7, 2009, saying he was a 44-year-old man from Albany, New York.
Ritter, 48, lives in Delmar, New York, according to police. Delmar is in Albany County.
"Delmar4fun," whom police identified as Ritter, sent "Emily" a link to his Web camera and then masturbated on camera and said he was fantasizing about having sex with her, the affidavit said.
"Emily" told "delmar4fun" what her age was twice, the affidavit said. The second time, "delmar4fun," turned the camera off and said he didn't realize he was speaking to a 15-year-old and didn't want to get into trouble, the affidavit said.
However, Ritter allegedly later resent the camera link, and masturbated and ejaculated on camera, the affidavit said.
Venneman called a phone number that "delmar4fun" had given, and told him that "Emily" was a police officer. "Delmar4fun" identified himself to Venneman, the affidavit said.
You may recall, this is not Ritter's first run in with the law over inappropriate sexual propositioning of minors over the internet. He was arrested twice in the spring of 2001 in sex stings. At that time, Ritter claimed he was getting railroaded because of his vocal opposition to the invasion of Iraq. However, it's a little hard to use that excuse now, especially considering we have his proclivities on video.
January 11, 2010 NBC Jay Leno Show
January 11, 2010 NBC Conan O’Brien
January 12, 2010 FOX News
Conan O'Brien released the following statement.
People of Earth:
In the last few days, I've been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me. For 17 years, I've been getting paid to do what I love most and, in a world with real problems, I've been absurdly lucky. That said, I've been suddenly put in a very public predicament and my bosses are demanding an immediate decision.
Six years ago, I signed a contract with NBC to take over The Tonight Show in June of 2009. Like a lot of us, I grew up watching Johnny Carson every night and the chance to one day sit in that chair has meant everything to me. I worked long and hard to get that opportunity, passed up far more lucrative offers, and since 2004 I have spent literally hundreds of hours thinking of ways to extend the franchise long into the future. It was my mistaken belief that, like my predecessor, I would have the benefit of some time and, just as important, some degree of ratings support from the prime-time schedule. Building a lasting audience at 11:30 is impossible without both.
But sadly, we were never given that chance. After only seven months, with my Tonight Show in its infancy, NBC has decided to react to their terrible difficulties in prime-time by making a change in their long-established late night schedule.
Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35. For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn't the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.
So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn't matter. But with the Tonight Show, I believe nothing could matter more.
There has been speculation about my going to another network but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next. My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff, crew, and I can do a show we can be proud of, for a company that values our work.
Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair; it's always been that way.
Yours,
Conan
SOURCE Conan O’Brien
After telling Sean Hannity that the GOP wasn't ready to take back Congress in 2010, RNC Chairman Michael Steel changed his tune Sunday. "We absolutely can take the Congress back this year," Steele told NBC's David Gregory.
From Democracy Now--A Look at the Future of TV: Media Consolidation Opponent Byron Dorgan to Retire, Comcast Takeover of NBC Under Review:
Sen. Byron Dorgan’s decision to retire from the Senate stunned many in Washington. Dorgan has been a leading opponent of media consolidation and US trade policy. We speak with the Center for Digital Democracy’s Jeff Chester about Dorgan’s retirement, as well as what the future holds for the digital media landscape with Comcast’s deal to acquire a controlling interest in NBC Universal under review, and the dispute resolved between Time Warner Cable and News Corp.
AMY GOODMAN: We turn now to another guest in Washington, particularly on Byron Dorgan. Juan?
JUAN GONZALEZ: We’re joined by Washington—by Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy.
Jeff, talk about Byron Dorgan’s role as an opponent of media consolidation and a supporter of net neutrality.
JEFF CHESTER: Well, Senator Dorgan’s departure is going to be missed. He has really been consistently, over the last dozen years, the leading Senate critic of media consolidation, promoting policies for the FCC that would rein in the media giants and try to restore some accountability that the public should have over the cable and broadcasting and online giants. He has been a voice of conscience. He has been an effective legislator. He led the effort to overturn in the Senate the rules that Bush FCC chairman Michael Powell pushed through that would have deregulated almost everything in the US electronic media system. So we are going to need someone to fill his very large and important shoes, especially at this critical moment with the US media system.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Well, Jeff, specifically with the Obama administration, the issue of net neutrality is increasingly a big topic at the FCC. What’s your sense how the administration has begun dealing with the issue of net neutrality?
JEFF CHESTER: Well, this is a very critical moment for the future of US and, of course, global digital communications. I mean, the reason you’re seeing Comcast buying NBC, this fight between Time Warner and Fox, the battle over network neutrality, is that our media system is in this fundamental transition, how we consume media and how we distribute media. And the big media giants want to have as much control over the new system as they’ve been able to do over the old system of broadcasting and cable. I think the FCC under the Obama administration is on a course to enshrine rules around network neutrality, but whether or not they will truly be effective, given these new mergers that are emerging and other powerful interests shaping the future of media, remains to be seen.
I think the Comcast-NBC potential merger is a real test case for the Obama administration, Juan, and I hope you don’t mind me moving to that beyond network neutrality, because we’re going to see whether or not the Obama administration is willing to take a proactive media democracy stand on the future of media, because if you allow that merger to occur, Comcast taking over one of the largest broadcasting and cable networks, and if you don’t have some limits on their power, then even rules on network neutrality won’t be able to dent the very powerful control that a very tiny handful of big companies are able to leverage throughout broadcast, cable, and potentially online.
January 06, 2010 NBC Jay Leno Show
