Tuesday, April 17, 2007

About Those Campaign Promises...0-6 for Dems

Media Research Center has a post pointing out that only ABC actually covered the Democrats' dismal record for passing legislation in its first 100 days.

Back in January, ABC anchor Charles Gibson was the most triumphant over supposed Democratic achievements after taking control of Congress. But on Friday night, only Gibson's World News, of the three broadcast network evening newscasts, reported on the failure of Democrats to pass the bills they promised in their first one hundred days. (Brian Williams' lead on NBC: "A new and growing political problem for the White House: Missing e-mails.") Gibson had trumpeted on January 4 how video of Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the House floor holding a baby while she talked to colleagues demonstrated "the ultimate in multitasking: Taking care of the children and the country" and two weeks later he celebrated how House Democrats "completed their scheduled hundred hours of work in just about 42 hours, so they can put the other 58 in the bank."

On Friday night's World News, Gibson explained: "When Democrats took control of the Congress in January, they promised it would be a new day. They'd get things done. They even had a checklist. Well, a hundred days after taking control, we've checked the checklist." Jake Tapper made clear how they've come up very short, pointing out how the Democrats "have no major legislative accomplishments to mark this anniversary. None of their 'Six for '06' campaign promises last year have made it to the President's desk." Tapper listed several bills which passed in the House but have yet to be reconciled with the Democratic Senate and he noted how Democrats have "conducted twice as many oversight hearings over the Bush administration as Republicans did last year." Tapper concluded, through the perspective of Democrats, on a hopeful note: "Democratic leaders know conflict with the White House is not enough for voters. So in the next hundred days they'll try to deliver on the promises of their first hundred days."

Maybe if Nancy put the baby down she would have been more effective as a leader instead of a poseur.