Dobbs, Bozell join a growing list of media figures who made false comparison of inauguration costs
Please upgrade your flash player. The video for this item requires a newer version of Flash Player. If you are unable to install flash you can download a QuickTime version of the video.
SUMMARY: On his radio show, Lou Dobbs claimed that Obama's "inaugural celebration from start to finish will cost an estimated $170 million, and that dwarfs the $42 million spent on George Bush's inauguration just four years ago." Similarly, Brent Bozell wrote in a column: "For the record, the 'lavish' Bush inaugural cost $43 million. Final tallies are not complete, but according to some sources, like the Guardian newspaper, the Obama inaugural will cost more than $150 million." But the comparison is a false one, as the Bush figure excludes security, transportation, and other incidental costs.
Following President Obama's January 20 swearing-in ceremony, CNN host Lou Dobbs and syndicated columnist L. Brent Bozell joined a growing list of media figures who have repeated a false comparison between projections of the cost of Obama's inauguration and estimates of the cost of former President Bush's 2005 ceremony and surrounding events. The figure given by Dobbs, Bozell, and other media figures for the cost of Bush's last inauguration excludes security, transportation, and other incidental costs to federal, state, and local governments, as Media Matters Senior Fellow Eric Boehlert noted.
On the January 20 broadcast of United Stations Radio Networks' The Lou Dobbs Show, Dobbs claimed that Obama's "inaugural celebration from start to finish will cost an estimated $170 million, and that dwarfs the $42 million spent on George Bush's inauguration just four years ago," echoing other media figures' comments.
Similarly, Bozell wrote in his January 21 column: "For the record, the 'lavish' Bush inaugural cost $43 million. Final tallies are not complete, but according to some sources, like the Guardian newspaper, the Obama inaugural will cost more than $150 million."
But the figures they gave for Bush's inauguration omit costs that are included in the Obama projections. With security, transportation, and other expenses incurred by federal, state, and local governments, which reportedly reached $115.5 million in 2005, the cost of Bush's inaugural events that year was $157 million.
From the January 20 edition of United Stations Radio Networks' The Lou Dobbs Show:
DOBBS: This inaugural celebration from start to finish will cost an estimated $170 million, and that dwarfs the $42 million spent on George Bush's inauguration just four years ago. And what recession, huh? One hundred seventy million made up of both government money and private donations, but the fact remains that it isn't -- isn't exactly frugal in times like these.
You know, I couldn't help but be stuck by something that this Congress, you know, got a lot of -- a lot of airtime over. They were sitting there just -- remember they were haranguing the CEOs of Ford and General Motors and Chrysler: "What are you people doing showing up here in your corporate jets? My gosh, what in the world is wrong with you people?" Now think about it -- those companies are on the verge of bankruptcy, but the federal government has a $56 trillion in unfunded liabilities, a $10 trillion national debt, seven -- $11 trillion national debt, $7 trillion trade debt, and we're throwing a $170 million inaugural party that's gonna last not one but five days. Good Lord.
HI! I'm Lou Dobbs and I'm cold right now! Al Gore is taking all the heat!
That's $150 million that helped our economy.
Oh wait, I was supposed to omit that fact.
The party and the celebration are over. It's now officially "party aftermath time": pick up the trash, and put any and all bottles that can be redeemed in a single place... somebody other than me, get to work on all those dirty glasses and dishes... round up all the leftover coats hats and gloves, and we'll wait for the true owners to miss them and claim them: but after thirty days, they're mine to do with as I like... and any of the partygoers so reckless and so stupid as to somehow wind up in jail, well I'll go pick the ones up who are being released on their own recognizance, and even drive them to the tow yard to get their cars: but I'm not bailing anybody out, and I maybe could lend the money to get the car out of impound, but only if I feel like it, so be nice to me if that's what you want...
And oh yeah, if any of you partygoers find yourselves in "party aftermath time" starting a new job today, like maybe in the new Obama administration of our Federal Government, then get your butts to work, now!
Sober up all: the party and the celebration are over. It's now officially "party aftermath time".
Excuse me.... not FoxNoise.... CNN and Lou Dobbs... but I have little doubt that Fox has been just as, if not more sloppy!! So.....
Even if those numbers are correct, and we forget about the media's noted sloppiness in their inaccurate comparisons to W's inauguration ... wasn't much of the $$ provided by private funds not taxpayers?
"In a time of economic trouble, we're having a $150 million dollar party? Why do we have to spend so much, George Bush, supposedly a big spender, only spent $40 million on HIS Inaugural. But this guy, he's going to fix the economy, but he starts off with this kind of reckless spending?"
Where did I hear this? Hannity? Limbaugh? Faux News?
Nope- Colin Cowherd, ESPN Radio.
I wish I was kidding.
Time to throw in the towel, this has now become the "Al Gore Claimed He Invented the Internet" of our time.
My Republican co-worker not only fell for the media numbers (Bush vs. Obama inauguration costs), but he actually thought the comparison was to Bush's first inauguration (2000). He's sure that Bush didn't spend anything for his 2nd term party.
He gets all of his news from wingnut emails.
Again, the highball on Obama's party is half a day in Iraq, unless somebody has corrected my math. That is, W. has had two of these party's a day for the past 5 years.
On slow sports mornings, this usually happens here in Boston. Especially when Gerry Callahan does his Rush Limbaugh impersonation and hopes for Obama to fail.
Yeah, I just sent Lou-Lu an e-mail...
He has really become a sad case. Media Matters has exposed him dozens of times.
Bottom Line: Lou just doesn't seem to have the intelligence to be a real journalist.
Three full freaking days after MMFA exposes this error thiese jokers are still repeating it. For all the million$ some of them of them earn, they don't have the sense to have a staffer or intern check MMFA befopre each show. HOW STUPID!
i heard it repeated yesterday by my wife's niece who is a high school teacher.
God help us.
Though a lot of them do - Jim Quinn, Neal Boortz, every now and again Michael Savage...
There are a few posters here who are always saying something to the effect of "this is small news. Why are we paying attention to this". Its because its just what was done to Gore, and even Clinton. Small stories that keep get repeated until they become "common knowledge" even though they're false.
Oh yeah. it was also done to Kerry, and Dukakis, and even Carter to some extent as well. And I should have said Clintons instead of Clinton.
There are repulican interests that are trying to hold on to their power by perpetuating an outmoded dialog. Good luck to them I believe that they are further isolating themselves and the president Obama is right when he says that the discusions and tactics of the past are over. I hope that we are a country that seeks true insights rather than false misleading reporting. I am enclosing a link of footage I took of Bush being booed at the inauguration because I heard you could not tell on the television that it had occured. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jgYAvqKrgM
http://SunflowerPipes.com
One might suspect that if the right wing political philosophy was such a good thing that they wouldn't have to be deceitful about its lack of accomplishments, its inability to create patriotic enthusiasm, its callous disregard for the citizens of this country, its belief that they are the best manipulators of fools, and its complete incompetence in foreign affairs. Politically the right wing is like the proverbial "bull in a China shop." They think they are doing just fine as long as they can continue stealing from the public by raiding the Treasury, cutting off essential services, and rewarding the corrupt.
Republicans perceive their election as a license to steal. Their belief is that if people believe the nonsense, propaganda, misinformation, and deceptions then the people deserve what their republican leaders give them. The most spoiled people on this planet are the rich and powerful, yet they whine constantly about the cost of providing a decent education, not letting old people die in the streets, unemployment benefits, and anything else designed to protect the individual from those who have an extreme advantage.
The republicans are not good at protecting America, after all they let 9/11 happen. They are not stronger, because they are willing to torture; they are ill. They are not tougher because they are willing to kill foreigners' children; they are disturbed. They are no wiser because they are willing to rape, pillage, and plunder America; they are just greedy bastards. The last person I would rely on to cover my back is one of these back stabbing yahoos.
We have been witnesses to one of the greatest outrages ever committed against America. Their policies and attitudes broke the country, made enemies around the world, and left Americans worse off then they have been in thirty years, yet they have the gall to show their faces in public. There are no lower rats than the intellectually and factually dishonest criminals that reside in the Republican Party. It is home to traitors, thieves, con men and the mass of ignorant fools who support them even though the republican leader feel nothing but contempt for them.