http://mediamatters.org/tools/syndication/tag_rss/2008_elections This link is for use by RSS-enabled software to retrieve Media Matters items matching the term: 2008 Elections en-US Copyright 2009, Media Matters for America http://mediamatters.org/items/200901060017 Ann Coulter asserted that "the inestimable economist" John Lott Jr. has said the "500 corrections" made to unofficial Senate election returns prior to the beginning of the recount is a "statistical impossibility." In fact, Lott -- a discredited <em><em>research scholar -- </em></em>wrote in a FoxNews.com column that the "sizes of the errors" in some Minnesota precincts which led to the 504-vote correction were "surprisingly large," but did not claim they were statistically impossible. Further, an election analysis by Minnesota Public Radio has shown that changes in vote totals of up to 1,000 votes after polls close are "fairly typical in Minnesota." http://mediamatters.org/items/200901060017 Tue, 6 Jan 2009 17:39:44 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200901050012 MSNBC's Joe Scarborough falsely suggested that assertions in <em>The Wall Street Journal</em> about the Minnesota Senate race were the result of "reporting," including the <em>Journal</em>'s reference to "double counting" in the race. But in claiming that there was "double counting," the <em>Journal</em> did not cite reporting and echoed an accusation by the campaign of the incumbent, Republican Norm Coleman. http://mediamatters.org/items/200901050012 Mon, 5 Jan 2009 15:56:10 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200901050009 On <em>MSNBC Live</em>, Contessa Brewer suggested that there is "a cloud over" Al Franken because a potential legal challenge by Sen. Norm Coleman or filibuster by Sen. John Cornyn could impede efforts to seat Franken in the Senate. Additionally, Brewer said that despite a potential legal challenge or filibuster, Sen. Chuck Schumer is "saying we should get him [Franken] in right away." But in purporting to represent Schumer's remarks, Brewer did not mention that Schumer reportedly said "there are still possible legal issues that will run their course." http://mediamatters.org/items/200901050009 Mon, 5 Jan 2009 13:45:26 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200901050002 ABC News' Jonathan Karl uncritically quoted Sen. John Cornyn's assertion that "[o]ne can't help but wonder why Senator [Chuck] Schumer believes Al Franken should be seated without an election certificate signed by both the Secretary of State and Governor, as Minnesota law requires." In fact, Schumer has not advocated bypassing legal requirements; he reportedly said that "it is now clear that Al Franken won the election," but added that "there are still possible legal issues that will run their course." http://mediamatters.org/items/200901050002 Mon, 5 Jan 2009 09:40:22 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200812190003 On <em>Morning Joe</em>, Joe Scarborough again claimed that Al Franken "can steal" enough votes in the Minnesota Senate race to emerge victorious, marking at least the sixth time Scarborough has invoked "steal[ing]" votes since the recount began. Scarborough later denied that he was "saying Al Franken's stealing votes" but was instead "just saying how easy would it be for Al Franken to steal 150 [votes]." He added: "I'm like a scientist. This is a theory that I'm trying out there." http://mediamatters.org/items/200812190003 Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:01:04 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200812180006 On <em>Hannity &amp; Colmes</em>, Sean Hannity suggested that President-elect Barack Obama -- the first African-American elected president -- was named <em>Time </em>magazine's Person of the Year because Vice President-elect Joe Biden chose <em>Time</em>'s Jay Carney as his communications director. Hannity stated: "Shocker: The president-elect is crowned <em>Time</em> magazine's Person of the Year; this after <em>Time</em> magazine's D.C. bureau chief accepts a job in the Obama White House. Ah, I'm sure it's a coincidence." http://mediamatters.org/items/200812180006 Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:04:07 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200812170002 Guest-hosting <em>The Lee Rodgers Show</em>, Brian Sussman said: "I'm noticing this -- pictures of Sarah Palin. No getting around it: She's a babe. She really is an attractive woman. And the left loathes her for that." Sussman later challenged co-host Tom Benner to "show me one liberal, female politician who is a babe." Benner responded, "Yeah, I can't. I can't do it. I mean, all I think of is a frowsy -- frowning, annoyed, downturned." Sussman later called Rep. Barney Frank a "queen." http://mediamatters.org/items/200812170002 Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:17:03 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200812160014 Previously having stated that Democrat Al Franken "only needs to steal 130 more votes to win" his race against Republican Sen. Norm Coleman for Minnesota's U.S. Senate seat, MSNBC's Joe Scarborough again raised the subject of "steal[ing]" votes on the December 16 edition of <em>Morning Joe</em> -- at least the fifth time he has made such comments since the recount began on November 19. After co-host Mika Brzezinski reported that Franken is behind Coleman by 188 votes, Scarborough asked Pat Buchanan, "Buchanan, can you steal 188 out of 1,500? That's easy, right?" http://mediamatters.org/items/200812160014 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:49:20 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200812160012 On <em>Hannity &amp; Colmes</em>, Ann Coulter announced that she will appear on the January 6, 2009, edition of NBC's <em>Today </em>show to promote the release of her new book. NBC has repeatedly provided Coulter a platform to spew her inflammatory rhetoric even as NBC-affiliated hosts and anchors have expressed disapproval of Coulter's statements or criticized the media for promoting her. http://mediamatters.org/items/200812160012 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:15:21 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200812150004 On <em>Hannity's America</em>, Sean Hannity asserted that "the word 'president-elect' was mentioned ... 44 times" in the criminal complaint against Gov. Rod Blagojevich, which, Hannity said, "is a pretty high, high number." Hannity had previously described the number of mentions of the word "president-elect" in the complaint as "pretty troubling." In fact, with one exception, none of the 44 instances in which "president-elect" was used in the complaint actually mentioned any alleged conduct or statement by President-elect Barack Obama, much less any conduct or statement amounting to wrongdoing. The one exception was an allegation that Blagojevich complained that Obama would not give him anything other than "appreciation." http://mediamatters.org/items/200812150004 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:15:23 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200812110013 On his radio show, Bill Cunningham advanced baseless speculation that President-elect Barack Obama will not be inaugurated because of the scandal involving Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Also, accusing the media of "latch[ing] on" to evidence undermining any suggestion of wrongdoing by Obama, Cunningham falsely claimed that "parts" of the criminal complaint against Blagojevich "clearly indicate that Obama is up to his eyeballs in fraud." But as U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald made clear, the complaint indicates nothing of the sort. <br /> http://mediamatters.org/items/200812110013 Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:14:41 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200812100016 On <em>Hannity &amp; Colmes</em>, Hannity asserted that President-elect Barack Obama is "all over" the criminal complaint against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, adding, "The pres -- the word 'president-elect' is mentioned 44 times in the document. Pretty troubling." However, nowhere in the complaint was a single allegation against Obama made. Further, U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald stated during a December 9 press conference that the criminal complaint "makes no allegations about the president-elect whatsoever -- his conduct." http://mediamatters.org/items/200812100016 Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:23:00 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200812090007 On <em>Hannity &amp; Colmes</em>, Dick Morris revived the myth that Sen. Hillary Clinton became a New York Yankees fan only after she decided to run for the Senate, saying: "What I've always hated about Hillary is the phoniness. 'I'm from New York.' 'I'm a Yankee fan.' 'Oh, I love to chug-a-lug.' 'I'm a hunting -- or a hunter.' You know, all of this absolute garbage that you know isn't true." http://mediamatters.org/items/200812090007 Tue, 9 Dec 2008 12:50:45 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200812090004 <em>The Washington Post</em>'s Michael A. Fletcher quoted political strategist Mark McKinnon in an article criticizing the Employee Free Choice Act but failed to identify him as a spokesman for the Workforce Fairness Institute, which Fletcher described, elsewhere in the article, as "one of a growing number of business coalitions working to defeat the measure." http://mediamatters.org/items/200812090004 Tue, 9 Dec 2008 11:32:56 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200812090002 Joe Scarborough responded to <em>Media Matters</em>' highlighting of his assertions that Al Franken "only needs to steal" a small number of votes to win his Senate race, by saying: "Can I have my <em>Media Matters</em> moment here, because it drives them crazy when I say this. How many -- how many votes does Al Franken have to steal to get elected in Minnesota? OK, there, I've said it. Now you guys can write another article. That's my little present to you." He continued: "Now, for the record, <em>Media Matters</em>, I've never accused Al Franken of stealing votes. I just asked Pat Buchanan, 'Hey, how many -- he needs 250 votes. Would those votes be hard to steal?' And, of course, Pat said, 'No, I've got those in the back of my station wagon, Joe.' "<br /> http://mediamatters.org/items/200812090002 Tue, 9 Dec 2008 09:51:18 EST