On the February 27 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, while discussing the controversial remarks made by conservative radio host Bill Cunningham at a Sen. John McCain campaign event in Ohio, in which Cunningham repeatedly referred to Sen. Barack Obama's middle name, Hussein, CNN chief national correspondent John King again called Cunningham “a magnet for controversy” without noting that Cunningham has previously referred to Obama as “Barack Hussein Obama” and "Barack Mohammed Hussein Obama," as Media Matters for America has documented. Indeed, King uncritically aired a video clip of Hamilton County, Ohio, Republican Party executive director Maggie Nafziger asserting: “You're playing with a little bit of fire, but at the same time, I don't think anyone expected the comment,” without noting that Cunningham's history of using Obama's middle name would give observers reason to “expect[] the comment.”

The report in which King called Cunningham a “magnet for controversy” and quoted Nafziger aired again later, in the third hour of The Situation Room. After airing the Nafziger quote in the third hour, King stated: “So, I asked local Republicans, Wolf, who could pick up the phone, call Bill Cunningham and ask him to calm down and get off John McCain's case? They said no one. They said Bill Cunningham will continue this as long as he wants to. And Bill Cunningham told us today 250 days to the election, and every day he is on the air, he's going to take after John McCain -- Wolf.”

From the February 27 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:

[begin video clip]

KING: The best McCain can do is try to turn the dust-up to his advantage.

McCAIN: I will always do what I believe is right no matter what the political consequences are, whether it be on the war in Iraq or things like happened yesterday. That's the only way I know how to conduct my life.

KING: At issue is Cunningham's warm-up act at McCain's Tuesday Cincinnati rally.

CUNNINGHAM: Because now we have a hack Chicago-style, Daley politician. ... And maybe start covering Barack Hussein Obama the same way the ... All's going to be right with the world when the great prophet from Chicago takes the stand.

KING: Cunningham is a local legend, invited by local Republicans who know he's a magnet for controversy.

MAGGIE NAFZIGER (Hamilton County Republican Party): You're playing with a little bit of fire, but at the same time, I don't think anyone expected the comments.

[end video clip]

KING: Now, those local Republicans who invited Bill Cunningham to the event now concede privately that was a big mistake. And, Wolf, yesterday, they were saying Bill Cunningham was critical to the George W. Bush's two victories in the presidential races here in Ohio. Today, though, the party line is he doesn't have that much of an influence, he's a cranky guy on the radio sometimes. And despite his criticism of McCain, which Cunningham says will go all the way through the election, conservatives here say they are confident if they work hard, McCain can still carry Ohio -- Wolf.