Watching the latest contortions of Drudge, the White House, etc., in their attempts to promote the "terror tape" and push back against the al Qa Qaa scandal, I was inspired to make the following list. It documents various recent news stories that conservatives have pointed to as signs of liberal bias in the media... and other stories that, strangely, they have no comment on.
If you can think of any stories or incidents I've missed, feel free to post them below -- I may add them to my list...
In early October, ABC News' political director sends out a memo, telling employees that if the Bush campaign is telling more lies about Kerry than Kerry is about Bush, their coverage should reflect this reality, rather than portraying a false "even-handedness." Conservatives say: liberal media conspiracy!
For years, Fox News executives send out a memo every day, telling their employees how to spin the day's news in favor of President Bush. Conservatives are silent.
Over a month before the election, Dan Rather uses faulty documents in a story critical of President Bush, without taking time to authenticate them. Conservatives say: liberal media conspiracy!
The week before the election, ABC decides not to air a videotape from an alleged al Qaeda operative until they HAVE taken the time to authenticate it. Conservatives say: liberal media conspiracy!
Several weeks before the election, a Fox News reporter files a story with fictitious quotes from John Kerry about getting manicures and being a "metrosexual." Conservatives are silent.
The week before the election, the New York Times and CBS run a story claiming that the Bush administration allowed a known explosives dump in Iraq to be looted. But an NBC story says troops found no explosives at the facility. Conservatives say: liberal media conspiracy!
The next day, the NBC reporter who was with those troops, and the troops' commander, both say the troops didn't search the place for explosives, just stopped there briefly. More evidence emerges that the NY Times and CBS story appears to be correct. Conservatives are silent.