Scott Whitlock really did devote an Aug. 4 Media Research Center item to this complaint:
From 2009 to 2014, every year of Barack Obama’s presidency, the networks have observed his birthday, often wishing him a special day. A graphic for CBS This Morning on Monday touted, “Happy Birthday, Mr. President.” Co-host Charlie Rose enthused, “President Obama is waking up a year older. The President turns 53 today, but his birthday weekend began Saturday.” He reiterated, “Happy birthday, Mr. President.”
Guest co-host Vinita Nair parroted, “Happy birthday.” Over on NBC’s Today, Savannah Guthrie reminded, “By the way, we should mention it’s President Obama’s 53rd birthday. So, happy birthday to him.” Fill-in host Carson Daly offered, “Happy birthday.” On America This Morning, the very early ABC show, co-host Devin Dwyer cheered, “Well, happy birthday wishes going out this morning to President Obama.”
How hateful and partisan do you have to be to begrudge anyone wishing the president of the United States a happy birthday? Whitlock can’t even be bothered to do any research on how “the networks” have acted in the past, only vaguely claiming that “George W. Bush’s July 6 birthday only received sporadic note from the networks.”
Yes, we know August is a slow month on the political calendar, but Whitlock has gone beyond “media criticism” and inadvertently exposed the MRC’s partisan political agenda.