A conservative advocacy group backed by the Koch brothers won a First Amendment victory this week denying California Attorney General Kamala Harris access to the names of conservative nonprofit members and contributors.
Month: May 2016
Obama: Trump Ran for President to Promote His Hotel Business
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Obama said in his remarks at Saturday’s White House Correspondents Dinner that Republican Donald Trump ran for president to promote his hotel business.
Heidi Cruz: ‘Ted Is an Immigrant’
Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-TX) wife Heidi Cruz, while campaigning in Greenfield, Indiana just days before the Hoosier state’s primary, said her husband “is an immigrant.”
Heidi Cruz: ‘Ted Is an Immigrant’
Heidi Cruz said on the Indiana campaign trail Saturday that her husband Ted Cruz “is an immigrant.” “Ted is an immigrant. He is Hispanic,” Heidi Cruz said of her Texas senator husband, an American citizen who renounced his Canadian citizenship though he was born north of the border. “He can unify this party.” “We have libertarians joining our cause. I have people every day from the Democrat Party telling me that they re-registered to vote for Ted as a Republican. Because they understand what he stands for, and he represents America.” As of press time, it is unclear whether Heidi meant to say that Ted Cruz is the son of an immigrant father, or whether her line was a Freudian slip referring to the fact that Ted Cruz was born in Canada. Cruz moved to the United States as a toddler in 1974 after being born in Canada in December, 1970.
Obama To Press: You Have ‘Responsibility’ ‘To Question,’ Thanks For Working ‘Side-By-Side’ With Me
During Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, President Obama told the media they have a “responsibility to dig, and to question,” and “It has been an honor and a privilege to work side-by-side with you to strengthen our democracy.” Obama told the press, “[I]t’s not enough just to give people a megaphone, and that’s why your power and your responsibility to dig, and to question, and to counter distortions and untruths is more important than ever. Taking a stand on behalf of what is true does not require you shedding your objectivity. In fact, it is the essence of good journalism.” He concluded, “I want to close my final White House Correspondents’ Dinner by just saying, thank you. I’m very proud of what you’ve done. It has been an honor and a privilege to work side-by-side with you to strengthen our democracy.” Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
CNN’s Stelter: Obama Administration ‘In Many Ways’ ‘The Least Transparent Ever’ In Terms of Media Access
In the lead-up to Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, CNN Senior Media Correspondent Brian Stelter discussed the Obama administration, calling it “In many ways…the least transparent administration ever,” when it comes to media access. Stelter stated, “[T]he reality of this administration is that access is very limited. In many ways, this is the least transparent administration ever, in terms of access by media to what’s going on in this administration.” CNN White House Correspondent Michelle Kosinski agreed with Stelter, saying the media’s relationship with the Obama administration has been “extremely controlled.” Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent
CBS’ Giles: ‘At Least Say’ That Wilmore’s WHCD N-Word Was ‘Said By a Man of Color’
During MSNBC’s coverage of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday, “CBS Sunday Morning” Contributor Nancy Giles expressed some unease with host Larry Wilmore using two racial slurs during his speech, but stated, “it was said by a man of color, let’s just at least say that.” After MSNBC host Craig Melvin stated that Wilmore’s speech “was all fun and good, Nancy, until he dropped the n-word.” Giles responded, “That was wild, but look, it was said by a man of color, let’s just at least say that. I mean, he also said the other — the j-word, the jb-word, so.” Giles then expressed discomfort with the language that Wilmore used. Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
Watch: Don Lemon Flips Off Larry Wilmore After ‘Alleged Journalist’ Comment
While mocking the media on Saturday, White House Correspondents’ Dinner host Larry Wilmore pointed out that CNN’s Don Lemon was in the crowd. He then called Lemon an “Alleged journalist Don Lemon,” sparking Lemon to laugh and raise his hand before giving Wilmore the finger. Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent
Wilmore to Obama: ‘You Did It, My N*gger’
White House Correspondents’ Dinner host Larry Wilmore closed his speech on Saturday by telling President Obama, “Yo Barry, you did it, my n*gger.” Earlier in the speech, Wilmore said that former President Andrew Jackson reacted to Dr. Ben Carson’s defense of Jackson being kept on the $20 bill by asking, “What did that j*gaboo say?” At the tail end, “Mr. President, I’m going to keep it 100. Yo Barry, you did it, my n*gger.” Wilmore then thumped his chest, to which Obama replied with a chest thump of his own. Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett