Former Rep. Anthony Weiner
(D-NY)
Tuesday, Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-VA) apologized for bringing embarrassment to his state by accepting tens of
thousands of dollars worth of gifts and about $120,000 in loans from a
controversial tobacco executive. But though his actions are the subject of a
federal grand jury and a state investigation, cable news largely ignored this
story — opting instead to focus on the sex life of former Congressman and New
York City mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner (D).
Reports emerged Tuesday
afternoon that Weiner had shared additional explicit conversations and photos
after his 2011 resignation from Congress. Cable news channels reported this
news repeatedly throughout the day. At 5:37pm Eastern time, CNN and MSNBC went
live to Weiner’s press conference about the matter, while Fox News showed
footage of Weiner’s remarks as The Five criticized his behavior. In total, more than 90 segments on cable
news channels focused on Weiner and the his sex life between noon and midnight
on Tuesday (according to the subscription-only TVEyes Media Monitoring Suite).
The news was heavily regurgitated throughout the evening on those channels, as
well as Current TV, Fox Business Channel and HLN.
Just two cable news
segments covered McDonnell’s statement: MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow
Show and Fox News Channel’s Special Report
With Bret Baier MSNBC’s Maddow began her Tuesday broadcast noting the two scandals and the media’s disparate coverage,
observing, “Here, I thought the Bob McDonnell news was going to be the big
political scandal news of the day.” She then joked that McDonnell owed Weiner a
thank-you note, proposing a post-script of, “Please save the next
pictures-of-your-genitals publication date for day I resign from office. Yours
truly, Governor Bob.”
McDonnell currently
represents the nation’s 12th-largest state, with more than eight million
people. He and his family personally helpedStar
Scientific CEO Jonnie R. Williams Sr. market his scientifically-unproven
nutritional supplements and he reportedly arranged a meeting for Williams with Virginia’s health secretary.
In turn, Williams loaned the McDonnells money, paid $15,000 for the costs of
their daughter’s wedding, and bought Mrs. McDonnell a $6,500 Rolex watch so she could give it as a gift to her husband the governor.
Weiner, who currently
represents zero people, has been accused to no legal wrongdoing whatsoever.
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