April 13, 2006

Hotline After Dark -- Lost Edition

If you want model behavior, you're better off with cable, not UPN.

There was no dominant topic on TV last night. Among the issues discussed: immigration, the Flight 93 tapes, Pres. Bush's approval ratings, and the situation with Iran.

TWO NETS AGREE AND THE WORLD PAUSES TO TAKE NOTICE

Both FNC and CNN reported on the WH's fury with the Washington Post and ABC News, over their reports questioning Bush's credibility on Iraq.

FNC's Cameron: "The White House blasted the Washington Post and ABC News for suggesting that the administration knew they were not weapons labs, but said so anyway" ("Special Report," 4/12).

CNN's Malveaux: "The White House is really taking issue with this report, calling it irresponsible and reckless from the Washington Post, as well as ABC News, any suggestion that the president knew that the bad intelligence that he was putting forward was leading our country to war" ("Situation Room," 4/12).

Washington Post's Warrick responded to the WH criticism: "It's a misinterpretation of the story and what
we're trying to say. We don't ever say in the piece that President Bush ... knowingly misled the public about these trailers. What we do say is that by the time he spoke, very early on -- after the invasion of Iraq -- there was solid evidence, really authoritative reporting, about these trailers that showed them not to be weapons labs. It was in the hands of the Pentagon, and yet it didn't seem to raise a red flag. If it was communicated to the White House, or to anyone else in the political realm, there's no evidence of that from their statements" ("Countdown," MSNBC, 4/12).

'08ers STOP BY

Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) talked about his health care plan on "Hardball." Romney: "It will work for Massachusetts, and that's of course the thing that I had to focus on. There are certain aspects of it that I think would work across the country, perhaps better in some states than others. Of course the great thing about federalism is you let a state try it and see how it works before you spread it out" (MSNBC, 4/12).

Newt Gingrich was on "Hannity & Colmes," where he was asked about his statements on Iraq. FNC's Colmes: "Yesterday you said we have to pull back; we have to recognize it. Very much like what John Kerry said last week. He came up with certain dates but he actually came up with a plan about pulling back, just like you suggested."

Gingrich: "I actually am the opposite of John Kerry. All I want to do is exactly what General Abizaid is doing, which is maximize the rate of training of Iraqi forces and minimize the direct exposure of Americans in trying to police the country. I am not for any precipitous withdrawal from Iraq, and I think Senator Kerry was advocating a policy of absolute defeat when he suggested he would set a date, which I think he said could be as early as May" (FNC, 4/12).

BROWNIE'S BACK

Ex-FEMA dir. Michael Brown was in the "Situation Room." On his new job: "It's not a job I sought. They came after me and I'm willing to provide them whatever advice they want." More: "I can help them understand what exactly it is that FEMA is looking for when it comes to documentation. I can explain to them what they are doing in terms of their procurement process. What they are trying to do to get the debris removed. The ways that they might be able to do that, within the confines of the law, what meets the law, that yet expedites it and makes it occur quicker" (CNN, 4/12). [EMILY GOODIN]

Posted at 07:19 AM

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