CBS Early Show

[Dr. Shane]

I am going to have to switch from the CBS Morning Show to watching Good Morning America. Harry Smith is just too bias for me to put up with him any more.

I have been watching the Early Show for a few years now and have long been aware of Harry Smith's liberal bias but this morning he was just in the Obama tank that I completely lost trust in his ability to deliver the news in a useful manner.

Smith sat down with Mayor Bloomberg to talk about Obama's stimulus package. What is the big question about Obama's plan? What is it that every American wants to know?

Will it work?

Guess what Harry Smith never asked? His interview started out with the assumption that Obama's plan will work. The entire interview was about how urgently Congress needs to act. There was never any question raised about if Obama's plan will work, how it will work or what the long term consequences will be.

Now I am on the fence when it comes to Obama's plan. I am not sure it will work or that it won't. I really want to hear a debate about the details and how they will or won't work. Harry Smith and the Early Show have obviously decided that they are going to assume the role of the Obama public relations machine so I am going to have to look for another morning show with a least a little bit of objectivity.

[Dr. Shane]

Too bad 3ABN doesn't have a morning show. They should start one. Instead of 3ABN Today, they could call it 3ABN Morning.

[Kountzer]

The people at 3ABN are too smart and focused to get caught up in republican, GW Bush type politics.

DB

[fccool]

I hope they are.

[Dr. Shane]

A morning show doesn't have to be political. A good segment is normally about the weather. Another segment about human interest stories. If 3ABN had a morning show (which would be difficult to pull off) I would suspect it would not be political at all.

[Amelia]

Several minutes and no answers

‘Whatever it takes’ to fix economy

Jan. 4: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid discusses the proposed economic stimulus package.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/28493083#28493083

[Neil D]

Ann Coulter faces off against Harry Smith

The conservative author says she was 'flattered' to be taken to task by 'The Early Show' anchor.

By Matea Gold

January 7, 2009

Reporting from New York -- Conservative author Ann Coulter initially seemed pleased Tuesday to appear on CBS' "The Early Show," especially after an interview she was set to do on NBC's "Today" the same morning was canceled.

"You are the most brilliant person in the mainstream media, the most manly," she told CBS anchor Harry Smith.

But by the end of the segment, she was no longer lavishing compliments on Smith, who aggressively confronted the controversial writer about the allegations in her latest book, "Guilty: Liberal 'Victims' and Their Assault on America."

At one point, he suggested that she was crying victim herself and "should have a cross."

"Here's my problem," Smith told Coulter at the outset. "Because you try to be funny, because you have this kind of sophomoric, sort of simplistic kind of view of so many things . . . who's going to take you seriously?"

"I think any comedy writer will tell you that sophomoric is New York Times code for funny, so I thank you for that," Coulter retorted.

Smith said afterward that he hadn't planned for the interview to get contentious, noting that Coulter devotes much of her book to challenging the mainstream media.

"I was just going to challenge her back," he said in an interview. "The thing is, there are things she says that have a real place in our ongoing political conversation in terms of issues of importance to everybody. The point I was trying to make to her was that if she was more serious, she would be taken more seriously."

In an e-mail, Coulter said she was flattered by Smith's questioning. "He treated me like a Republican vice presidential candidate!" she wrote.

Their seven-minute exchange was the latest dust-up involving Coulter, a polarizing personality who is adept at generating attention for her bestselling books. Monday, she cried foul when an appearance she was set to make on "Today" was canceled, telling Fox News’ Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes that NBC had only booked her as a "charade" to keep her from going on other shows.

NBC disputed that, saying that Coulter was bumped so the program could devote more time to covering the developments in the Gaza Strip, for which host Matt Lauer interviewed former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

"We've had Ann Coulter on 'Today' many times, but because of the news in Washington and the Middle East, we decided to cancel her appearance on Tuesday morning," said NBC spokeswoman Megan Kopf. "Understanding the media as well as she does, we are sure she knows this happens from time to time."

After Coulter's complaints -- and coverage on the Drudge Report, which reported that NBC had banned her for life, which the network denied -- she was invited to appear on "Today" Wednesday.

That adds up to a media bonanza for Coulter, who also appeared Tuesday on the Fox News morning program "Fox & Friends." But it was her interview on "The Early Show" that has so far generated the most attention.

Smith, who is known for his even-keeled, affable demeanor, noted in his tease for the segment that Coulter called him "certifiably insane" in her book. "Perhaps I am, for having her on the program this morning," he added.

In their interview, he objected to her criticizing him in her book for asking Sen. Edward Kennedy last year about whether Barack Obama was a target for assassination, saying, "that was a legitimate question to ask."

When Coulter responded that all would-be or successful presidential assassins were "anarchists, communists, liberals, they were some form of basically Obama's base," Smith urged her five times to "take a breath."

"I'm breathing fine," she responded.

Smith said that as he read her book, "the more I kept thinking, well, you're the whiner. You're the one who's claiming victimhood here."

"You should put yourself up on a cross," he added, extending his arms wide.

Later, Smith said he didn't have any regrets about how he conducted the interview, but he was "not satisfied that we served any public good."

"People sort of verbally wrestling with each other -- you get a lot of heat and a lot of sweat, but I'm not sure there's any particular satisfaction for either side," he added.

Sounds to me like he gave a nominal nod to Coulter, while attempting to pull the media back to mainstream. This lady should never have had the microphone to begin with and be considered as someone who has a valid point of view....A point of view she has, as to whether it is valid or not, is pretty much mute at this point... -ND

[Dr. Shane]

Ann Coulter is the to the right what John Stewart is to the left. They are just extremist feeding the extremes that already believe as they do. I think most people in the media know that. They have them on as guests for one reason: ratings.

[Tom Wetmore]

Comparing Coulter with Stewart as being at opposite ends of the same spectrum is like suggesting that fish and asteroids have some elements in common. Yes, they are as far apart on the political spectrum as fish are from asteroids, but that is about the closest you can get to similarities.

Coulter thinks she is is doing comedy, thinks she is witty and clever. She isn't. Her idea of supposedly poking fun at the other side is to be extremely partisan rude, insulting, abrasive and beyond mean-spirited. On the other hand, Stewart is naturally very funny, witty and an equal opportunity jokester, happily lampooning left and right. (He can't help it that the right gives him a whole lot more to work with...), But whereas Coulter is rude , insulting and disrespectful to those she disagrees with to their faces, conservatives routinely come on his show and after a few good pokes, their is some serious and respectful dialog. She is arrogant, Stewart generally is modest and self-effacing.

And Stewart's brand of humor and his program will likely endure as it has for quite awhile already. I think Coulter has used up about 13 minutes of her 15 minutes of fame.

[Dr. Shane]

Perhaps Bill Mar is a better example. Regardless, many on the far right find Ann Coulter to be humorous and witty while they find Stewart to be rude, insulting and abrasive. So I guess it depends upon where a person stands. On the right they like Ann Coulter. On the left they like Stewart and Mar. In the middle (like me) both seem extreme.

[Tom Wetmore]

I agree Bill Mahr probably comes closer in the tone of his humor.

[Bravus]

Bill Maher seems like more of a 'Republican Party Reptile' in P.J. O'Rourke's wonderful phrase. Two conservatives I enjoy very much, btw.

[Dr. Shane]

Bill Maher is generally considered a liberal.

[Bravus]

You're right of course. There's another guy with a similar style who is more to the right - or was I thinking that it was Maher who was a cheerleader for the Iraq war? I dunno, one of those guys... I'm confused.

Jon Stewart's main thing is actually pointing out that the emperor has no clothes. Hardly his fault the latest one barely had skin. Give him a few months after Bush goes and see whether he still seems as far right. To me he always just seemed reality-based: one of the few.

[Dr. Shane]

I am amazed some of these people get the traction they have. Rush Limbaugh continues to top the talk radio ratings which surprises me. I thought he would be like California Coolers - the original but replaceable. I think there are other conservatives much better than Rush. Glenn Beck is much funnier and dramatic. Glenn also has humility. Glenn is in a different time slot but if his ratings passed Rush that would change. Sean Hannity can drive me up a wall.

[Bravus]

Oh, by the way, I remembered - I had confused Bill Maher with Dennis Miller.

[fccool]

:). I don't like Bill Maher's show very much. Reminds me of The View, but a bit more dogmatic... and Jeanene Gorafalo is a guest seams like every other show. Since when people start caring about her political opinion?

[Woody]

I am amazed some of these people get the traction they have. Rush Limbaugh continues to top the talk radio ratings which surprises me. I thought he would be like California Coolers - the original but replaceable. I think there are other conservatives much better than Rush. Glenn Beck is much funnier and dramatic. Glenn also has humility. Glenn is in a different time slot but if his ratings passed Rush that would change. Sean Hannity can drive me up a wall.

Glenn Beck could learn a lot from Rush. Rush is not scripted. Glenn is.

[Dr. Shane]

Then it sounds like Glenn needs to learn from Rush.

[olger]

Comparing Coulter with Stewart as being at opposite ends of the same spectrum is like suggesting that fish and asteroids have some elements in common. Yes, they are as far apart on the political spectrum as fish are from asteroids, but that is about the closest you can get to similarities.

Coulter thinks she is is doing comedy, thinks she is witty and clever. She isn't. Her idea of supposedly poking fun at the other side is to be extremely partisan rude, insulting, abrasive and beyond mean-spirited. On the other hand, Stewart is naturally very funny, witty and an equal opportunity jokester, happily lampooning left and right. (He can't help it that the right gives him a whole lot more to work with...), But whereas Coulter is rude , insulting and disrespectful to those she disagrees with to their faces, conservatives routinely come on his show and after a few good pokes, their is some serious and respectful dialog. She is arrogant, Stewart generally is modest and self-effacing.

And Stewart's brand of humor and his program will likely endure as it has for quite awhile already. I think Coulter has used up about 13 minutes of her 15 minutes of fame.

It sounds like the skin was a bit thin upon which Shane's prose rested. But anyhow, our lives get out of order so easily.

Here is the biblical order as a reminder.

God first

spouse second

children

extended family & friends & etc..

all else

It is interesting to note that politics doesn't make the list at all.

oG

[Neil D]

Ann Coulter is the to the right what John Stewart is to the left. They are just extremist feeding the extremes that already believe as they do. I think most people in the media know that. They have them on as guests for one reason: ratings.

Ann Coulter is 'funny'???...Ok, sure like a shark...

Whereas John Stewart truely IS funny....and yes, he pokes fun at the establishment....It's just that the Republicans are so....so....generous of thier time for giving to John Stewart all that information that he can use....Have you noticed that John is nearly NOT so funny with Obama as he is with all the other GOP....and with Blobovich, govener from Illinois....Sure, there is an amazing amount of schtick...It's just the stupid ones that make all them mistakes

[Dr. Shane]

I don't have Comedy Network so I don't see John Stewart except in an occasion YouTube spot. What I have seen he is funny but bent to the left. That could be an unfair judgment as I don't have access to his program to watch him enough to make a fair call.

I don't find Ann Coulter funny but I know conservatives that do. It all depends where a person is on the spectrum. A left-wing person will never find Coulter funny.

[Tom Wetmore]

To say that Ann Coulter has an audience that thinks she is clever or funny is a sad social commentary and if that group is a defined segment or predominately of one group, it doesn't speak well of them. I know that there are people who find racist jokes and insults to be great sport and comedy. But I think most decent folk don't and would rather not associate with those kind of people. To say that conservatives find her funny doesn't speak well of conservatives.

As for Stewart, leaning left, its true. But the target of his humor is not just those on the right. He routinely pokes at goofs on the left. You can see his programs online.

[Dr. Shane]

I find that people at the extremes cannot concede that comedians in the opposite extreme are funny. I think it is safest to be in the middle.

[Woody]

Yes Shane. I like to laugh ... so that is why I position my political beliefs in the center.