Fox News Literally Parrots Senate Republican Talking Points From Press Release

[MadBadger]

http://mediamatters.org/items/200902100019?f=h_latest

Summary: In purporting to "take a look back" at how the economic recovery plan "grew, and grew, and grew," Fox News' Jon Scott referenced seven dates, as on-screen graphics cited various news sources from those time periods -- all of which came directly from a Senate Republican Communications Center press release. A Fox News on-screen graphic even reproduced a typo contained in the Republican press release.







you get the picture...

http://insidecablenews.wordpress.com/2009/02/10/smoking-gun/

[rusty quoin]

1. But that's quality journalism at Fox News.

I think it's more important how good Jon Scott looked when reporting this...'story.'

[Lerkfish]

2. and this is surprising...why?

LOL

[underpants]

3. Here is the GOP Senate press release

http://republican.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=blogs.view&blog_id=d0191280-8be3-4e74-8d22-2015ef4d977e


REMEMBER WHEN…AGAIN

$827 Billion Spending Bill Becomes $838 Billion According To Latest CBO Report

CBO: $838 BILLION

ASSOCIATED PRESS: “Moments before the vote, the Congressional Budget Office issued a new estimate that put the cost at $838 billion, an increase from the $827 billion figure from last week.” (“Stimulus bill narrowly survives Senate test vote,” Associated Press, 02/09/09)

EARLIER MONDAY: $827 BILLION

THE NEW YORK TIMES: “The Senate agreement on a roughly $827 billion economic stimulus bill sets up tough negotiations with the House, primarily over tens of billions of dollars in aid to states and local governments, tax provisions, and education, health and renewable energy programs.” (“Divisions Over the Competing Stimulus Bills,” The New York Times, 02/07/09)

FIRST REPORTED “DEAL”: $780 BILLION

ABC NEWS: “After hammering out a deal on a now-$780 billion stimulus package this evening, Senate leaders believe they have a bill that likely can pass a Senate vote some time in the coming days.” (“Senate Debates $780 Billion Stimulus Deal,” ABC NEWS, 02/06/09)



FLASHBACK… “STIMULUS” STARTED AT $56 BILLION

$56 BILLION

POLITICO: “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) today announced a $56.2 billion stimulus package.” (“Second stimulus announced,” Politico, 09/25/08)

$61 BILLION

CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY: “The House Friday passed a $60.8 billion economic stimulus package designed to pump money into infrastructure projects, unemployment insurance and Medicaid, but a similar measure failed to advance in the Senate.” (“House Passes Stimulus Measure; Senate Proposal Fails,” CQ, 09/26/08)

$100 BILLION

McCLATCHY: “Washington is poised during the next 90 days to approve spending perhaps $100 billion to jolt the ailing economy.” (“Can a $100 billion stimulus save a $14 trillion economy?,” McClatchy, 11/09/08)

$150 BILLION

DENVER POST: “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for a new $150 billion economic-stimulus package today and suggested Congress may need to act this year.” (“Pelosi: New stimulus package needed,” Denver Post, 10/08/08)

$200 BILLION

WASHINGTON TIMES: “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi vowed Wednesday to hold a lame-duck session to pass a $200 billion economic-stimulus package likely to include rebates to middle-class taxpayers, despite recent failure to enact less ambitious plans and Republican charges it is a ‘spending hike to exploit the nation's economic troubles.’” (“ Lame-duck session eyed to OK stimulus,” Washington Times, 10/16/08)

$300 BILLION

WASHINGTON POST: “With fears rising that the nation stands on the precipice of a prolonged recession, House Democrats are contemplating a huge infusion of public cash -- as much as $300 billion -- to stoke economic growth by creating public jobs and padding the wallets of struggling consumers.” (“House Democrats Consider Large, New Economic Stimulus Package,” Washington Post, 10/14/08)

$400 BILLION

THE NEW YORK TIMES: “The programs will be a part of a larger economic stimulus package whose outlines are faint but which is expected to cost $400 billion to $500 billion.” (“Proposal Ties Economic Stimulus to Energy Plan,” The New York Times, 12/04/08)

$500 BILLION

McCLATCHY: “President-elect Barack Obama and Democratic congressional leaders have agreed to a $500 billion economic-stimulus package that they want to move next month even before Obama takes office.” (“Obama, Democrats Agree to $500 Billion Stimulus Package,” McClatchy, 12/13/08)

$600 BILLION

POLITICO: “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has increased the size of the economic stimulus package she will support when Congress reconvenes next month, saying it will need to be $500 billion to $600 billion.” (“Pelosi sees bigger, greener stimulus,” Politico, 12/12/08)

$700 BILLION

WASHINGTON POST: “Facing an increasingly ominous economic outlook, President-elect Barack Obama and other Democrats are rapidly ratcheting up plans for a massive fiscal stimulus program that could total as much as $700 billion over the next two years.” (“Democrats' Stimulus Plan May Reach $700 Billion,” Washington Post, 11/24/08)

$775 BILLION

WALL STREET JOURNAL: “President-elect Barack Obama's economic team is crafting a stimulus package to send to Congress worth between $675 billion and $775 billion over two years, according to officials familiar with the package...” (“Stimulus Package Heads Toward $850 Billion,” The Wall Street Journal, 12/19/09)

$800 BILLION

THE NEW YORK TIMES: “Ask just about anyone in Washington involved in the $800-billion-plus economic stimulus legislation churning its way through Congress and they will tell you it is a milestone — but without question the less expensive, and politically and technically less chancy, part of the Great National Bailout of 2009.” (“Spending More Than $800 Billion Is the Easy Part,” The New York Times, 02/08/09)

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SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTER