Introduction

 

Watch video of the entire evening of the Media Research Center’s annual gala, featuring the “DisHonors Awards,” held on Thursday, September 25, 2014, including pre-dinner activities and then the post-dinner program, starting with the “William F. Buckley Jr. Award for Media Excellence” and then the four annual awards for the worst bias, “funny clips,” and finishing with the “Quote of the Year” selection.

Mark Levin, Congressman Jim Jordan, Alan Robertson, Stacey Dash, Larry Kudlow and Cleta Mitchell highlighted the MRC’s “2014 Gala featuring the DisHonors Awards: Roasting the Most Outrageously Biased Liberal Reporting,” presented on Thursday night, September 25, before an audience of more than 900 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.

In addition to the presentation of the DisHonors Awards videos in four categories and a look at some “funny clips,” the audience decided Eleanor Clift had earned the Quote of the Year dishonor. MRC President Brent Bozell asked the audience to show their derision, via jeers and noisemakers, of quotes from Martin Bashir, Krystal Ball and Clift, each of whom had won a news category earlier in the program. The audience’s pick was assessed by Bozell and the presenters and acceptors brought on stage to judge the audience’s preference.

The MRC opened the post-dinner program with MRC President Brent Bozell honoring Mark Levin with the MRC’s eighth annual “William F. Buckley Jr. Award for Media Excellence.” Levin scolded establishment Republicans and urged conservatives to emulate the examples of ideological integrity set by Buckley and Ronald Reagan. (Video of Levin)

As first implemented in 2013, DisHonors Awards category winners were determined by the audience. After watching the three nominated quotes, attendees at each of the 90 tables discussed the quotes and then, by electronic device, the table captain cast the choice on behalf of the table.

Cal Thomas, the Master of Ceremonies, welcomed the audience and introduced David Limbaugh, who delivered the invocation, and then Abby Moffat, a member of the MRC’s Board of Directors, led the Pledge of Allegiance.

The nominated quotes were narrowed to three beforehand by a distinguished panel of 15 leading media observers, including Rush Limbaugh, Monica Crowley, Neal Boortz, Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham, David Limbaugh, Walter E. Williams, Steve Hayes, Erick Erickson and Thomas S. Winter.

Cal Thomas, an author, TV commentator and nationally syndicated columnist, served as Master of Ceremonies. Larry Kudlow, a senior contributor to CNBC and a nationally syndicated talk radio host, presented the first two award categories before Alan Robertson, a star of A&E’s Duck Dynasty, cued up the “funny clips.” Chris Plante, host of a talk show on Washington DC’s WMAL Radio, handled the third and fourth awards.

In place of the journalist who won each award, a conservative accepted it in jest. Those standing in for the winners: U.S. Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH); Cleta Mitchell, the lawyer representing conservative groups targeted by the IRS; the Benham brothers (David and Jason), whom HGTV removed from Flip It Forward for expressing their Christian values; and actress Stacey Dash who earned liberal enmity when she supported Mitt Romney.

The evening began with an invocation by David Limbaugh. Abby Moffat, a member of MRC’s Board of Directors, led the Pledge of Allegiance.

At the MRC’s 2014 gala featuring the DisHonors Awards, Karl Ottosen, Chairman of the Media Research Center’s Board of Directors, honored Dr. Seymour Fein, outgoing Chairman of the MRC’s Board of Trustees.

During the evening’s program, Karl Ottosen, Chairman of the MRC’s Board of Directors, honored Dr. Seymour Fein, outgoing Chairman of the MRC’s Board of Trustees, for his medical achievements and work on behalf of the MRC.

 
 
Damn Those Conservatives to Hell Award

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Cal Thomas introduced Larry Kudlow who presented the “Damn Those Conservatives to Hell Award” which, by audience vote, was won by Martin Bashir and accepted in jest by U.S. Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH).

 
 

2014 Award Nominees

Bill Press Runner-Up

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“The essence of this Tea Party is a racist institution. It is born of the fact that they cannot stand the fact that a black man is President of the United States. But it also shows me that despite what happened in Virginia — right? — this Republican Party hasn’t learned one lesson. They still will go as far right as they can, as extreme on the extreme fringe of the Republican Party. That’s who’s leading the party today.”

— Left-wing radio host Bill Press on MSNBC’s PoliticsNation, December 16, 2013.

 

Chris Matthews Runner-Up

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“If only the people who voted in 2010 show up this November, you can kiss all this goodbye. You’ll see the beginning of the end to what could have been — what many of us believe should have been — an historic turn toward full democratic government in this country....It will be a double downing of efforts to suppress the votes of those who voted for him in historic numbers, the return to something like Jim Crow days, relevant of all the old anti-black gimmickry of that time: literacy tests and poll taxes and all the rest. The goal will be to erase not just Obama from the history books, but any evidence that someone of his background should ever think of being President. It will mean victory for the haters.”

— Chris Matthews, opening the January 7 Hardball on MSNBC.



Martin Bashir Winner

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“One of the most comprehensive first-person accounts of slavery comes from the personal diary of a man called Thomas Thistlewood, who kept copious notes for 39 years....In 1756, he records that ‘a slave named Darby catched eating canes; had him well flogged and pickled, then made Hector, another slave, s-h-i-t in his mouth.’ This became known as ‘Darby’s Dose,’ a punishment invented by Thistlewood that spoke only of the slave owners’ savagery and inhumanity....When Mrs. Palin invoked slavery, she doesn’t just prove her rank ignorance. She confirms that if anyone truly qualified for a dose of discipline from Thomas Thistlewood, then she would be the outstanding candidate.”

— Then-MSNBC host Martin Bashir on November 15, 2013 reacting to Sarah Palin’s comparison of excessive debt to slavery.

 
#obamacarefail

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Larry Kudlow presented the “#obamacarefail Award” which, by audience vote completed via electronic device at each table, was won by MSNBC’s Krystal Ball and accepted in jest by Cleta Mitchell.

 
 

2014 Award Nominees

Thomas Roberts Runner-Up

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Thomas Roberts: “When it comes to ObamaCare, do you hate ObamaCare more than you love your country?...You’ve taken the government hostage through a shutdown, and all the American people — you’re walking them to a cliff, the economy, and you’re going to push them over one-by-one, based on the fact that you don’t like the ACA. That’s all it is. You don’t like the Affordable Care Act.”
Rep. Marsha Blackburn: “Listen to yourself. Listen to yourself!”

— Anchor Thomas Roberts scolding Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on MSNBC Live, October 15, 2013.

 

Ed Schultz Runner-Up

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“This is the Web site folks, HealthCare.gov. If you go to this Web site, you will find out how easy it is to read, how easy it is to navigate all the information, all the basic questions, and all the direction you need to take to get involved, to get health care. This is a great guide, if I may say, for any of you out there who feel so confused by all of these right-wing commercials that are just permeating through your television screen.”

— Host Ed Schultz on MSNBC’s The Ed Show, September 30, 2013 – the day before the launch of the dysfunctional Web site.



Krystal Ball Winner

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“The GOP is saying to young people, ‘We would like to have the government stick an unnecessary transvaginal probe in you if you want an abortion, but when it comes to health insurance, don’t take any government help....Stay away. Stay uninsured. Skip that pap smear. Skip that tetanus shot. Skip that prenatal care. Skip that cholesterol test. And if you die an agonizing and unnecessary death, one that could have been prevented by the health insurance reform that bears the President’s name, at least you know your death will have not been in vain. You will have died to serve the noble and patriotic cause not of conservatism, but of hurting this President and denying him a victory.’...That is not conservative. It is a national disgrace.”

— Co-host Krystal Ball on MSNBC’s The Cycle, September 24, 2013.

 
The Funnies

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Alan Robertson of A&E’s Duck Dynasty presented funny video clips, from comedy and news shows, identified by Brent Baker and the MRC’s News Analysis Division.

 
The Celebrity Dumb Ass Award

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Chris Plante presented “The Celebrity Dumb Ass Award” which, by audience vote completed via electronic device at each table, was won by Rob Reiner and accepted in jest by the Benham brothers (Jason and David).

 
 

2014 Award Nominees

Emmy Rossum Runner-Up

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“Then I got food poisoning the next day....The hospitals are amazing there. I went to the hospital: Free health care! Incredible....They don’t even ask you for your I.D. You give your name, you give your symptoms, they hook you up to a bunch of fluids. They say just leave when you feel like it. You pay nothing! I paid nothing. They treated me for hours, I paid nothing. Amazing....It was amazing.”

— Emmy Rossum, star of Showtime’s Shameless, on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live, January 8, recounting what happened when she became ill during a visit to Britain.

 

Harvey Weinstein Runner-Up

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“This is the only the country in the world where we don’t have health care. Countries embarrass us around the world. And this is the only country in the world, we don’t have a gun law. I watched you, you know, talk about that. You know, quite frankly it’s embarrassing. Obama’s not embarrassing. The country’s embarrassing.”

— Movie producer Harvey Weinstein on CNN’s Piers Morgan Live, November 15, 2013.



Rob Reiner Winner

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Rob Reiner: “Obama right now, where Obama is, is right around where Reagan was, right around where Nixon was. He’s no more left than those Republicans.”
Bill Maher: “Hardly a socialist. He’s barely a liberal.”
Reiner: “No, as Bob Dole said, he could not go anywhere in this Republican Party and so Obama’s right around where Bob Dole is. I mean, they’re very similar, you know? There’s not much of a difference there.”

— Actor/activist Rob Reiner on the online “Overtime” after HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, November 1, 2013.

 
 
Dan Rather Memorial Award for the Most Stupid Analysis

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Chris Plante presented the “Dan Rather Memorial Award for the Most Stupid Analysis” which, by audience vote completed via electronic device at each table, was won by Eleanor Clift and accepted in jest by Stacey Dash.

 
 

2014 Award Nominees

Hillary Clinton Combo Runner-Up

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“Let me finish tonight with the prospect of Hillary Clinton becoming not just the next President but a truly great President.”

— Chris Matthews, wrapping up MSNBC’s Hardball, May 19.

“And no one feels it would be better to crack that glass ceiling than to have a woman as President, and many believe that should be you.”

— Robin Roberts, ABC’s World News, May 7.

“No matter what their political views, you are someone we admire — and, for me, it’s more than admiration — it’s very deep affection....No matter what she does, she will always, to me, be the most fascinating.”

— Barbara Walters to Hillary Clinton on Walters’ last day as co-host of ABC’s The View, May 16.

 

Don Lemon Runner-Up

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“Whether it was hijacking or terrorism or mechanical failure or pilot error, but what if it was something fully that we don’t really understand? A lot of people have been asking about that, about black holes and on and on and on and all of these conspiracy theories. Let’s look at this. [reads tweets: Noah says, ‘what else can you think about? Black holes, Bermuda Triangle?’ And then Deji says: ‘Just like the movie Lost.’] And then, of course, it’s also referencing the Twilight Zone, which is a very similar plot. That’s what people are saying. I know it’s preposterous, but is it preposterous?”

— Anchor Don Lemon wrapping up a 10pm ET CNN special report on the Malaysian Airlines jet disappearance, as the March 19 on-screen headline blared: “The Theory of Black Holes.”



Eleanor Clift Winner

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“Every media organization has investigated this to death. This animates the right-wing of the Republican Party. And I would like to point out that Ambassador [Chris] Stevens was not murdered. He died of smoke inhalation in the safe room in that CIA installation.”

The Daily Beast’s Eleanor Clift on The McLaughlin Group, May 11.

 
Quote of the Year
via audience applause

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MRC President Brent Bozell asked the audience to show their derision, via jeers and noisemakers, of quotes from Martin Bashir, Krystal Ball and Eleanor Clift, each of whom had won a news category earlier in the program. Clift generated the most noise and thus earned the Quote of the Year dishonor for insisting that “Ambassador [Chris] Stevens was not murdered. He died of smoke inhalation in the safe room in that CIA installation.”

 
 
 

Eleanor Clift Winner

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“Every media organization has investigated this to death. This animates the right-wing of the Republican Party. And I would like to point out that Ambassador [Chris] Stevens was not murdered. He died of smoke inhalation in the safe room in that CIA installation.”

The Daily Beast’s Eleanor Clift on The McLaughlin Group, May 11.

 
8th Annual William F. Buckley Jr. Award for Media Excellence:
Mark Levin

William F. Buckley Jr. (1925-2008) was the intellectual cornerstone of the modern conservative movement. His founding of National Review magazine in 1955 provided the home base for conservatives in an America seemingly overrun by liberalism. With NR, and as host of television's Firing Line for 33 years, William F. Buckley Jr. spread the cause, helped rally conservatives during the Cold War, was instrumental in helping Ronald Reagan win the presidency — twice — and continues to provide the intellectual ammunition, along with grace and wit, to strengthen conservatives in the on-going battles to preserve liberty, peace and justice in America.

In addition to NR, Mr. Buckley wrote 40 books, published a regular column syndicated to 300 newspapers, and penned longer articles for magazines and other outlets. He educated and inspired thousands of conservatives, especially young men and women, through his articles, books and TV appearances. These young conservatives have followed Mr. Buckley's example and relayed the conservative message across the country and through various media, particularly the New Media: cable TV, talk radio and the Internet.

Sixty-five years ago, William F. Buckley Jr. circumvented the liberal media's "Berlin Wall" of bias with imagination and tenacity. His intellectual progeny now populate the airwaves and cyberspace, leaving the old liberal media in the dustbin of history. To recognize and honor the very best of these new conservative leaders, the Media Research Center is proud to present the annual William F. Buckley Jr. Award for Media Excellence.

 


Presentation

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Media Research Center President Brent Bozell presented the eighth annual “William F. Buckley Jr. Award for Media Excellence” to 2014 honoree Mark Levin, who then delivered remarks about the path to success shown by Buckley and Ronald Reagan.

 

Previous William F. Buckley Jr. Award for Media Excellence Recipients

2013: Dr. Charles Krauthammer

2012: Andrew Breitbart

2011: Cal Thomas

2010: Stan Evans (video not available)

2009: Brit Hume

2008: Tony Snow

2007: Rush Limbaugh

 
2014 Judges
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A video montage, of the distinguished panel of 15 judges for the DisHonors Awards, played during the MRC's annual gala. Beforehand, the judges narrowed the quotes to the three shown in each category.

 
 
Neal Boortz

Neal Boortz

Retired national radio talk show host
L. Brent Bozell III

L. Brent Bozell III

Founder and President of the Media Research Center
Monica Crowley

Monica Crowley

Talk host on WABC Radio in New York City, panelist on the McLaughlin Group
Ann Coulter

Ann Coulter

Syndicated columnist and author of ten New York Times bestseller books
Erick Erickson

Erick Erickson

Editor of RedState.com
Stephen Hayes

Stephen Hayes

Senior Editor of The Weekly Standard and Fox news contributor.
Laura Ingraham

Laura Ingraham

Nationally-syndicated talk radio host and the principal substitute host of The O'Reilly Factor.
Mark Levin

Mark Levin

Nationally syndicated radio talk show host, author and President of the Landmark Legal Foundation
David Limbaugh

David Limbaugh

Syndicated columnist and author of The Great Destroyer: Barack Obama's War on the Republic
Rush Limbaugh

Rush Limbaugh

Host of The Rush Limbaugh Show
Al Regnery

Al Regnery

Chairman, Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund, and former Publisher of The American Spectator
Cal Thomas

Cal Thomas

Syndicated and USA Today columnist; Fox News contributor
Brad Thor

Brad Thor

New York Times bestselling author of thriller novels
Walter E. Williams

Walter E. Williams

Professor of economics, George Mason University, and a nationally-syndicated columnist
Thomas S. Winter

Thomas S. Winter

Editor-in-Chief of Human Events