Yesterday on Fox News's Special Report, senior national correspondent John Roberts did a segment on the controversy surrounding gay marriage.  A version of his report also appears on the Fox News Web site.  In it, Roberts interviewed a gay marriage proponent saying that young Republicans "overwhelmingly support the freedom to marry." And then:

Roberts:  It isn't just young Republicans who are changing their minds. Conservative David Blankenhorn fought fiercely for Prop 8, California's measure to ban gay marriage.  In June, he wrote an op-ed in the New York Times with the headline: "How My View On Gay Marriage Changed".  Blankenhorn is now fully in favor of same-sex marriage.

Blankenhorn may have "evolved" on gay marriage, but he cannot fairly be described as a conservative.  In a September, 2008 opinion piece in the Los Angeles Times, Blankenhorn starts: "I'm a liberal Democrat." A 2007 USA Today article noted ". . .Blankenhorn says he's a liberal Democrat."  A few weeks ago in The Nation, Richard Kim wrote Blankenhorn is "a self-described liberal and Obama voter. . ."

Perhaps Roberts just assumes that anyone opposing gay marriage must automatically be a conservative. Years at CNN must have had its impact.        

Liberals look to government, often the Federal government, for solutions to almost everything.  Chicago's murder rate is appalling, with at least six people killed and another 31 shot  last weekend.  So to whom does Chicago Sun-Times columnist Stella Foster turn for help?  President Barack Obama.

On the newspaper's Web site today appears Foster's plea, titled "Letter to President Obama: Please help address city violence."  The article also appears in the newspaper's print edition with the headline "Dear Mr. President: Help our city!"  It begins:

PRESIDENT OBAMA, you came into your hometown of Chicago last weekend to attend the backyard wedding of the daughter of your personal friend and senior advisor Valerie Jarrett in your Kenwood neighborhood. I am sure the affair was lovely and heartwarming. Hopefully, your schedule, one day soon, will allow you to return to Chi Town to spearhead an anti-violence rally of huge proportion to speak out against the senseless gun violence that has overwhelmed various areas of our city. . .

Later she writes:

. . . I truly do care that our people — yes, I said “our people” or minorities — are continuing to hurt, kill and disrespect each other, especially when the hot sun comes out to play.

I VOTED for you, Mr. President, and now I am personally asking you to care enough to come back to Chicago and speak out. Who knows, coming straight from the president’s mouth may just deter potential criminal activity or touch the soul of a person contemplating killing someone!

She ends by preparing for less than a positive response:

BUT, Mr. President, if you can’t make it, I will certainly understand, and will still continue to catch you whenever you are on the news and talk shows. . .

Over the years, Chicago has held dozens, perhaps hundreds, of anti-violence marches.  They've been headed by Chicago mayors and other politicians, police superintendents, and community activists such as Jesse Jackson and Father Michael Pfleger.  The killing continues.

Thinking that Obama showing up at a rally would have any significant impact on Chicago crime is, charitably, unrealistic.  Despite his disastrous record on jobs, the debt, deficits, home foreclosures, gas prices, etc., some in the mainstream media still view him as The One.  OK, OK, so the rise of the oceans hasn't slowed and our planet hasn't healed like he promised.  The mainstream media know what the solution is:  Four more years.  In the meantime, marching in Chicago would sure help.

On CNN Newsroom this morning, anchor Carol Costello reported on "Nuns on the Bus:"

COSTELLO: Normally, you see nuns working in their closely knit communities and religious orders. But a group of nuns in the United States, they are hitting the road. There are taking a bus on nine- state tour.

They are protesting the Ryan budget cuts they say will hurt the poor the most. The nuns are in Milwaukee today and that's where Ted Rowlands is. So the nuns are jumping into the political fray.

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Well, they -- Carol, say, along with their bus, they want to just get their message out and what they are doing is defending the poor.

He then continued with a flattering account, noting "there's no doubt that these ladies have the energy to get their message out."   At the end of it, Costello couldn't restrain herself:

COSTELLO: You go, girls. Ted Rowlands, many thanks.

If these nuns were traveling across the country in support of the the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church, we know Costello would not be cheering them on with "You go, girls."  But since the nuns are liberals attacking modest GOP efforts to control Federal spending, they qualify.  The election is already heating up, and it looks like Costello feels less need to inhibit her
approval.  

Setting aside any pretense of objectivity, MSNBC host Martin Bashir and guests ferociously attacked GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney during a segment of Thursday's program.  In a discussion with Professors James Peterson and Michael Eric Dyson, Bashir bemoaned the pernicious impact of money in politics, particularly money raised by Romney. (video here)

Bashir: Professor Dyson, isn't that the problem that you have here a vacuous candidate who doesn't have any principles, who is surrounded by cash from individuals who have an agenda?

Naturally, Dyson was more than pleased to pile on, warning of a plutocracy representing "the vapidity and vacuity of an empty suit whose ideological perspective is shaped by the cash that flows into him."  To lend intellectual strength to his contention, Dyson quoted from the hip hop song "Cash Rules Everything Around Me."

Gee, imagine that. Political candidates take money from people with money.  Not only that, but those contributors have - gasp! - an agenda.  And if I were an Obamabot, as these guys obviously are, I'd take it easy with those "empty suit" references.

No mention was made of Barack Obama setting records scarfing up cash and who would do even better if that darn day job didn't occasionally interfere with his bagman duties.  Emotions are already running high at MSNBC.  If someone there doesn't have an an apoplectic fit by Election Day, I'll be surprised.  

On Friday's edition of CNN's Erin Burnett OutFront, the host was upfront in her enthusiasm for President Obama's immigration announcement, even including sound effects and grimacing when she spoke of "Republicans hissing like an angry cat cornered by the neighborhood dog." (video here):

ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: OUTFRONT next, the president makes an MVP-like political move that leaves Republicans flat footed. But is it the best policy for our country?

Mentioning two other stories, she resumed:

Let's go OUTFRONT.

OUTFRONT tonight. Backed into a corner. It's an awful noise, whenever you hear it. Love them or not, Republicans are the cats today. That's the sign of the Republicans hissing like an angry cat cornered by the neighborhood dog. Why? The president's order. Allowing immigrants under the age of 30 to stay in this country with two-year work visas. Those visas can be
renewed unlimited times.

And later:

And the most pathetic part about the story today is that Republicans, the cats hissing in the corner, only have themselves to blame. They gave the president the upper hand.

After an Obama film clip:

BURNETT: All right, well, Republicans have kept the Democrat's version of the Dream Act on hold for a few years.

Contrary to Burnett's implication, Republicans were not alone in their opposition to the DREAM Act immigration bill.  In December of 2010, five Democratic senators joined Republicans in opposition.  Yet another Democratic senator opted
to go to a holiday party rather than vote on the bill.

Good news for Obama and accomplices isn't easy to come by these days.  Spoilsports persist in examining his record on unemployment, deficits, foreclosures, the nation's credit rating, etc.  So when Erin can gush about "an MVP-like political move"by Obama, she will.  Then again, with her program contributing to CNN's ratings collapse, maybe she's just auditioning for a gig on ESPN.      

Appearing on the Chicago Tribune's Web site is "Undocumented immigrants fight for lifesaving liver transplants: Without insurance, brothers are denied care."  The story also appears in today's print edition with the title "Struggles for the sick and undocumented."

The story centers on two illegal immigrant brothers suffering from a deadly liver disease.  Contrary to the Web site's headline, however, it seems both of them are receiving care even though uninsured:

Lorenzo Arroyo is being treated at the University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago, but that institution has not agreed to place him on a transplant list, (Rev. Jose) Landaverde said.

So, while he's not been placed on a waiting list, he's still getting treated. And insofar as the other brother is concerned:

"Since then, Elfego Arroyo has been placed on a wait list for a liver transplant at Rush (University Medical Center), where he had been receiving care, Landaverde said.

A headline claiming that "Without insurance, brothers are denied care" is misleading.  Both are receiving treatment, and one has even been placed on a waiting list for a transplant.

Not detailed in the article is who is paying for the illegal immigrants's medical expenses, although we can guess.  The writer quotes a family friend complaining, "They are treating us like criminals."  Sorry, lady.  They are.  We can sympathize with their serious illnesses, but they are.

This week the Los Angeles Times's Web site carries the story "Kirk Douglas on the blacklist: Why Hollywood showed so little
courage," referencing  the actor's recently released memoir.  The article also appears in today's Chicago Tribune print edition, titled "How Douglas took on blacklist with 'Spartacus.'"  Author Patrick Goldstein reports Douglas is particularly proud of hiring former Communist and unrepentant member of the  Hollywood Ten Dalton Trumbo to write the movie "Spartacus."

Several paragraphs into the piece, Goldstein writes:

Looking for headlines, the House Committee on Un-American Activities called a host of showbiz talent to testify about their associations, real or otherwise, with the Communist Party. Trumbo, in fact, was a member of the Communist Party from 1943 to 1948.

Goldstein, writing of Communist associations "real or imagined," then goes on to acknowledge Trumbo's party membership. He suggests the committee was merely looking for publicity, but the truth is that Communism was a significant problem
in Hollywood and warranted investigation.  Numerous members of the film industry confirmed Red penetration and one is quoted
in the February, 2012 Los Angeles Times Magazine  A Hollywood screenwriter testified that John Howard Lawson, another screenwriter and first president of the Screen Writers Guild, told students at a school for actors:

“It is your duty to further the class struggle by your performance. If you are nothing more than an extra wearing white flannels on a country-club veranda, do your best to appear decadent, do your best to appear to be a snob, do your best to create class antagonism.”

He would instruct writers: “Do not try to write an entire Communist picture. The producers will quickly identify it, and it will be killed by the front office. Try to get five minutes of the...party line in every script you write...If you can make the message come from the mouth of Gary Cooper or some other star who is unaware of what he is saying, by the time it is  discovered, he is in New York, and a great deal of expense will be involved to bring him back and reshoot the scene.”

The magazine also quotes Paul Jarrico, screenwriter, movie producer and Communist Party member:

“Oh, we were certainly involved in efforts to affect the content of films,” says Jarrico. “We were wide-eyed about the possibility of writing movies that would affect millions and millions of viewers."

Asserting the House Committee on Un-American Activities was solely looking for headlines in its Hollywood investigations is a disservice to history.  There's ample evidence that Communists and their minions actively worked on transmitting their views to unwitting audiences.   

Economic conditions are getting better, or so it would seem if you read today's Associated Press story at the ABCNews.com website titled "Weekly US Jobless Aid Applications Dip to 370,000."  Yes, indeed, those many initiatives of President Barack Obama are finally kicking in.  But you may be somewhat confused if you had also read last week's AP article on ABCNews.com.  That was headlined "US Unemployment Aid Applications Stay at 370,000."  How could the number "dip" to 370,000 if it were already at 370,000?

Every Thursday the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration turns out a press release reporting the previous week's jobless claims.  Today's release, as last week's release, revised the number of jobless claims reported earlier upward.  Interestingly, every single press release issued this year revises the previous week's number upward.  Talk about coincidences.  Human error is understandable, but you'd think that at least once in a while they'd have to make a downward revision.  Not in the Age of Obama.

The AP, ABCNews.com stories, however, don't mention DOL's constant revisions, which would provide necessary context for readers.  Nor do other mainstream media outlets.  They should.         

The rainbow halo over President Barack Obama's head on Newsweek's cover isn't sufficient for some in the mainstream media.  Now the meme is shifting to the inevitability of his re-election.  Or so it would seem based on CNN's Your Money today.  Anchor Ali Velshi devoted his heavy intellectual resources to the subject after discussing Mitt Romney's opposition to the auto bailout:

VELSHI: Joining me now from Washington is, CNN's chief national correspondent John King. John, I have a thesis I want to run by you. Mitt Romney has already lost the election because of this.

Voters in Ohio, auto workers and union members are alienated by his stance on the bailout. You know, John, because you spend a lot of time in Ohio like I have. It is GM country in large part.

They will hand that state to President Obama and without Ohio, probably Romney doesn't get to the White House. What do you think?

King at least partially agreed with Velshi's thesis: "You're absolutely right about the last part, without Ohio Romney most likely doesn't get to the White House."  He went on to say that "Romney needs to get off this," meaning the topic of the auto bailout.  "Would have, could have, should have, this is not a winning argument for him," said King.

Would have, could have, should have might well qualify as an Obama campaign slogan.  Obama's successes were denied him by George W. Bush, Congressional Republicans, earthquakes, Fox News, tsunamis, the Arab Spring, ATMs. . . the list is endless.

The one thing he's got on his side are huge segments of the mainstream media.  Having assiduously labored to get Obama elected, they're not about to admit their complicity in his many failures.  The canonization, complete with rainbow halo, will continue.  If Americans can be persuaded that the election's already been decided and Obama will work his miracles for the next four years, so much the better.  It might tamper down GOP turnout.

President Barack Obama has apparently completed his evolution on gay marriage.   On CNN Newsroom's 3:00 pm segment today, anchor Brooke Baldwin spoke with chief national correspondent John King on the subject and he began by noting "we should say up front it's a bold, personal choice for the president to decide to do this publicly."  His analysis included what he perceives as possible risks:

Critically to me, Brooke, in this calculation, African-Americans and Latinos. Many Latinos who are Catholics. They go to
Catholic Church, where their priest tells them every Sunday homosexuality isn't just wrong, it's evil. That's what their priest tells them. It's evil.

A lot of African-American preachers in the Southern Baptist -- Southern churches across this country, but particularly in Virginia, North Carolina, states the president carried last time, say the same thing.

King should, if he can, document his sweeping assertion on what priests say "every Sunday."  Having attended more than a thousand Catholic Masses in my lifetime, I don't recall homosexuality being mentioned very often.  I'm pretty certain that if it were regularly condemned I'd recollect that.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says in part: "tradition has always declared that 'homosexual acts are intrinsically
disordered.'  They are contrary to the natural law."  It further states:

The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity.

King should apologize for his gross exaggeration of what takes place on Sundays in Catholic Churches, but perhaps he was just caught up in the moment.  He's clearly dazzled by Obama's "bold, personal choice:"

KING: And this is a -- this is a big risk by this president. And give me him credit for taking the risk. Many politicians duck from risks. . .

But not Barack the Bold, right, John?

On today's 3:00 pm edition of CNN Newsroom, anchor Brooke Baldwin teased her next segment:

BALDWIN: Coming up next, House Republicans they want to cut billions of dollars in food stamps. We will talk about who exactly in terms of numbers this would impact and why my next guest calls this whole suggestion appalling -- back in 60 seconds.

Baldwin interviewed Edward Cooney, executive director of the Congressional Hunger Center.  She didn't note that, despite its official-sounding name, the center is just another 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization taking money from companies such as Walmart, Kraft, and Archer Daniel Midland, as well public funding for fellowships.  Nor that Cooney had worked at the Department of Agriculture during the Clinton administration.  Nor that Cooney has made political contributions to Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and ActBlue, which characterizes itself as "the online clearing house for Democratic action."

Given that, it was to be expected that Cooney is less than sympathetic to GOP efforts to reduce the skyrocketing costs of food stamps, also referred to as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program):

COONEY: I think I should also point out though that tomorrow morning, they're going to cut an additional $33 billion that has not gotten the press this other cut has. And they indicated that there will be no harm involved. No one will be hurt because these are technical cuts. I would just like to say to you if you hear that expression from Congress, no one will be
harmed, that's your first notice that you should be running for cover.

BALDWIN: Well, when you mentioned millions of people would be affected, I imagine in that millions we're talking millions of children.

And you do have, as we talk millions, record numbers of people who are in the SNAP, the food stamp program. The numbers they began spiking -- when you look back here, they spiked during the great recession. Then you look from 2007 to today, we have seen the food stamp rolls go from 27
million to 47 million.

Doubtless the recession has had a significant impact on the number of recipients.  But the Department of Agriculture  itself
reported:

The historical relationship between unemployment and SNAP caseloads diverged in the middle of the decade, however. As the unemployment rate fell 1.4 percentage points between 2003 and 2007, SNAP caseloads increased
22 percent, or by 4.8 million participants.

The cost of food stamps has increased from under $18 billion in 2001 to $76 billion now.  As part of President Obama's stimulus, states received additional funding for signing up more participants.  Little wonder food-stamp expenditures have doubled in the past four years.  According to an Associated Press story on ABCNews's Web site:

Many of the immediate (GOP) cuts would return benefit levels to where they would be had Democrats not temporarily increased them in the stimulus measure.  Democrats themselves tapped the benefit increases in 2010 to pay for earlier legislation.

So the GOP's proposed reduction may not be as appalling as opponents contend.  Moreover, the Government Accountability Office states that in Fiscal Year 2011 SNAP had an improper payment rate of 3.8%, costing taxpayers an estimated $2.5 billion.  And that probably doesn't include lottery winners.

Baldwin could have alerted viewers to her guest's background so they could take that into account while hearing his views.  But perhaps that's too much to expect from the self-styled "Most Trusted Name in News."    

On today's CNN Newsroom, anchor Kyra Phillips interviewed Rep. Allen West (R-FL) about several topics.  One was gay marriage (video here).  West said that it's a states' issue and he didn't want to be taken "down a rabbit hole to discuss things that really aren't that important.  This disturbed Phillips:

PHILLIPS: Wait, are you saying that gay marriage is not important?

WEST: I think if you poll the American people, Kyra, I don't think they'll bring up gay marriage as one of the top concerns."

He went on to speak about a troubled small business he'd recently visited and how the economy was affecting it.  The anchor wasn't satisfied:

PHILLIPS: I think no doubt people are concerned about jobs and the economy, but gay marriage is a big issue. You were military. Don't ask, don't tell ...

West returned to his theme of economic security.  Phillips was still not satisfied, becoming increasingly aggravated and pushed back once again, speaking of millions of gay Americans and states that have legalized gay marriage: "I'm just laying out the facts here."

West's assertion that most Americans are more interested in other issues appears to be supported by a survey
commissioned just last month by Phillips's own CNN.  The CNN/ORC Poll asked which issue is the most important facing the country today. "Policies toward gays, lesbians" was one of the selections, which were presented in random order.  The economy, the federal budget deficit, health care, Afghanistan and illegal immigration topped the results.  Only two percent of respondents thought policies toward gays and lesbians were the most important issue.

Yet over at CNN, Kyra Phillips insists it's right up there with major concerns of Americans.  She energetically works on advancing a liberal agenda.  Can Current TV be in her future?    

Today on the Chicago Tribune's front page, above the fold, is the headline "Pricey gas seen as good, in a way."  The story also appears on the Los Angeles Times's Web site with the title "Gas prices' jump attests to upbeat economy."  Yes, happy days are here again and much of the mainstream media are feeling glad all over, hoping the purported much-improved economy will
enhance President Barack Obama's re-election bid.  The article notes:

The U.S. recovery has solidified through the fall and so far this year, as shown by strong job reports and last week's news of 1.1% increase in retail sales in February.

The job reports aren't really that strong when you consider the recession ended almost three years ago, as determined by National Bureau of Economic Research, and this is the most sluggish recovery in post-WWII history.  As to the increase in February's retail sales, the Associated Press reported:

One factor driving the retail sales increase was a 3.3% rise in gasoline sales last month. It was the biggest increase in nearly a year and reflected a surge in gas prices.

So let's see how this works: Higher gas prices are a significant factor in increased retail sales, which in turn are a reflection of a stronger economy, which in turn is a reason gas prices are higher.  Yep, definitely a win-win situation.  And ain't Obama doing just one heck of a job?

In recent weeks we've seen press items contending the president can do little, if anything, about higher gas prices.  Also we've seen the stories suggesting that, placed in "proper" perspective, gas prices aren't really all that high.  Now
we're instructed that sky-high prices are just more evidence that the economy is rebounding.

The truth is the mainstream media, having helped sell the American electorate on an unvetted empty suit in 2008, are heavily invested in making him appear a success.  We can expect much more of the same through November.  

On the Chicago Tribune's Web site and in its print edition today, columnist Clarence Page asks hopefully "Could this be the end of Limbaugh?"  

Seizing on the usual Democratic points regarding Rush Limbaugh's comments about law student Sandra Fluke, Page writes that Limbaugh wasn't suspended, "despite his breathtaking assault against a private citizen whose only crime, after all, was to testify before a congressional committee hearing in support of mandatory health insurance for contraception."

But Sandra Fluke didn't testify before a legitimate congressional committee hearing.  As noted by CBS News senior political producer Jill Jackson On February 23:

Led by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, the Democrats held a pretend hearing while Congress is not in session to listen to the views of a third-year Georgetown Law student and activist who was not allowed to attend a Republican run hearing on the matter last week.

Jackson's report also refers to "Thursday's fake hearing" and the "mock hearing." Pretend, fake and mock.  Not, as Page suggests, a genuine congressional committee hearing.

It was merely a session orchestrated by House minority leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and other liberals to bolster their spurious contention of a "war on women."  Page has been around Washington long enough to know the difference.  But it might interfere with the narrative he and some other members of the mainstream media wish to advance.           

Saturday morning, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) appeared alongside Rev. Jesse Jackson on his weekly Rainbow PUSH program, prior to her endorsement of Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) in this month's Democratic primary.  The Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, WLS AM, and the local affiliates of NBC and ABC all covered the the event.

Moments after saying it's "a badge of honor" for President Barack Obama to be known as the food stamp president, Pelosi made an incredible assertion (video here):   

Look, remember the inauguration? Remember that, OK.  There he was, saying I'm calling for swift, bold action now to create jobs, to educate our children. you know the list goes on, to protect our seniors, (garbled).  One week and one day after the president's inaugural address, the House of Representatives passed his recovery stimulus package.  And that, not by us, don't take it by me, by the economists who studied this, three and a half million jobs saved or created.  And that was the beginning of taking down this 800,000 jobs being lost on a regular basis.  He had inherited a terrible thing.  Professional and statesman that he is, he was about getting the job done rather than pointing fingers, but I'll do it for him.

Obama doesn't point fingers?  That's absurd.  He's repeatedly blamed President George Bush, and there are many examples of that.  Here are but a few. In his very first presidential press conference, Obama said: "What I won't do is return to the failed theories of the last eight years that got us into this fix in the first place."  In August of the following year, CNN's Ed Hornik asked, "Will Bush-bashing help Democrats win over weary voters?"  From the article:

President Obama has made a point recently to invoke Bush's name in what many say is a calculated effort to remind voters of the previous administration's economic policies, which Democrats argue led to the worst recession in modern history.

In June of last year, the Washington Times headlined, "Obama wants credit for cleaning up ‘big mess.’"  The article begins:

President Obama told supporters at a fundraiser in Miami on Monday night that he deserves credit for cleaning up the mess he inherited.

“My job over these first two years has frankly been to clean up a big mess,” Mr. Obama said at a $10,000-per-ticket event at a gated mansion in Miami Beach.

Yet Pelosi's ridiculously over-the-top contention wasn't reported by any of the news outlets.  Serving as stenographers, they dutifully detailed the Pelosi-designated story of the day, her endorsement of the younger Jackson.  When it comes to satisfying the wishes of liberal Democrats, the mainstream media can be most compliant.