Amanpour Accuses Paul Ryan Of 'Reverse Robin Hoodism, ' Freeland Urges 'Courage' To Raise Taxes

Tracking Liberal Media Bias Since 1996
Monday May 02, 2011 @ 10:29 AM EDT

1. Amanpour Accuses Paul Ryan of 'Reverse Robin Hoodism,' Freeland Urges 'Courage' to Raise Taxes

“This week -- budget blowback,” Christiane Amanpour trumpeted in framing her Sunday look, at reaction to Republican Congressman Paul Ryan’s proposed budget plan, through those hostile to it, asserting: “As town halls across America erupt in anger over a plan to slash spending, Republicans find themselves under fire.” Amanpour maintained: “Congressman Ryan is at the center of the storm. It's his plan, of course, that has sparked the outcry. Across the country, the anger is palpable.” Instead of adding some light, however, Amanpour fueled the fire by legitimizing left-wing talking points, confronting Ryan: “People who have been studying your numbers very carefully have been saying that the numbers don't add up,” since: "It also says two-thirds of the savings that you want to make in spending cuts come at the expense of programs designed for the poor, for the disadvantaged. And this is reverse Robin Hoodism, if you like – take from the poor, give back to the rich again."

2. ABC Highlights Democrat Claims of 'Drastic' Medicare Cuts as Political 'Gift' to Democrats

Saturday’s World News on ABCCCP highlighted complaints from Democrats about the Medicare reform plan proposed by Congressman Paul Ryan as the Wisconsin Republican seeks to restrain the growth of Medicare spending by having private insurers compete for seniors as customers. Kerley concluded by passing on Democratic hopes of the Medicare plan being a political "gift" that would hurt Republicans: "Democrats believe that Republicans have really handed them a gift with their vote to change Medicare. It's a vote that Democrats are already using in TV ads and fundraising calls as well."

3. NYT's Steinhauer Cites Conservative Representative Allen West's 'Incendiary Remarks,' 'Hard-Right' Stands

New York Times reporter Jennifer Steinhauer says that Republican Allen West of Florida is an "ally of hard-right Israelis" who "is frequently featured on the Fox News Channel and in other conservative settings where he enjoys explaining, reiterating or unleashing any number of incendiary remarks concerning what he often calls 'the other side.'"

4. 'Confused' Chuck Todd: Don't Blame Obama for Rising Gas Prices

MSNBCCCP's Chuck Todd rattled off a list of reasons to explain the sharp rise in the price of oil – none of which included Barack Obama's offshore drilling moratorium – and was "confused" about why anyone would blame the president for the prospect of $4 per gallon gasoline. On the April 28 Daily Rundown, Todd suggested the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing measures and increases in global demand account for the dramatic spike in oil, but he absolved the president of any blame.

5. Joy Behar Exploits Birther Debate to Slam Swift Boat Vet 'Lies'

Apparently, the Left will never get over John Kerry's loss in the 2004 presidential election. On Thursday's Joy Behar Show, Joy Behar used a discussion of the "birther" claims against Barack Obama to slam what she called the "lies" of the Swift Boat veterans, who challenged Kerry's account of his service in Vietnam. "Does this treatment remind you of the swift-boating that went on when John Kerry was running?...These people make up a lie, they continue the lie, they perpetuate the lie, and then people start to believe it. They destroyed Kerry," Behar ranted to a liberal guest, Colunbia University professor Marc Lamont Hill.