Word: fleischered
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...Recount: As an example of liberal bias in the press, Fleischer asserts that the coverage of the Florida Supreme Court's 4-3 decision to re-start the counting of votes during the 2000 election was reported without modifiers because it favored Al Gore. When the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to settle the election controversy in George Bush's favor, the papers described the justices as "bitterly divided." He cites a Washington Post story the day after the Florida decision as an example, saying the paper made "no reference to a close or bitter decision...
...Well, maybe not in the story that Fleischer cites. But that piece ran on A17, and was narrowly focused on how the Gore camp was reacting. The story about the decision itself ran on the front page, however, and cited "the bitterly divided court." The paper not only used the very expression Fleischer says was missing, but the editors put it at the top of the paper's lead story about the Florida ruling...
...moment that the story wasn't about Moveon.org, as he makes it seem. It was about Texas redistricting and included a single passing mention of the group. If you look at all the 14 Washington Post mentions of the organization from July to September-the months surrounding the citation Fleischer chooses-Moveon was referred to as "liberal" or "left-leaning" or as "an organ of the left," 10 times. The instances in which it goes un-labeled are either unnecessary because the political leaning is clear, or incidental. That's almost the exact treatment The Post gives Americans...
...Taking Sides: Early in his term, George Bush issued an executive order banning federal funding from overseas family planning clinics that performed abortions. It was a reversal of a measure Bill Clinton issued early in his first term. Fleischer argues "the White House press corps didn't like" Bush's decision. To make his case he sites several examples, including a comparison of ABC Newscasts from 2001 versus 1993. In 2001, he says, ABC's Terry Moran reported that George Bush "made anti-abortion conservatives happy." Yet in 1993, ABC anchor Peter Jennings had softer language about Clinton's decision...
...Beyond the shoddy examples, there is the rickety logic. After decrying how the press and partisans in Washington reflexively think the worst of the other side-President Bush floats above, according to Fleischer-he then quotes, without irony, the President talking about the Florida recount. "If they're going to steal the election, they're going to steal it," Bush serenely said to me at his ranch the day I left Texas." "Stealing" is not, by most people, considered a value-neutral term...