Liberal ABC journalist Brian Ross spent the weekend attacking the conservative Mark Levin as a “conspiracy-loving talk show host.” On Saturday, Sunday and Monday, Ross used the phrase over and over as he dismissed comments the radio host made about attempts by the Obama administration to undermine Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign.
Regarding the President’s tweets about wiretapping, Ross on Saturday’s World News Tonight sneered: “It is not clear tonight whether he based his allegations on a top secret White House briefing or whether it came from reading an article on the conservative Breitbart website, posted Friday, that detailed speculation from a conspiracy-loving talk show host, Mark Levin.”
Ross played this brief clip of Levin from Levin TV: “How many of Trump's people were eavesdropped on? How many had their conversations intercepted, recorded, transcribed? Because this, ladies and gentlemen, is the big scandal.”
Levin responded to the reporter on Twitter, calling Ross a “kook.” Speaking of conspiracy theories, it was the journalist who, in July of 2012, connected an incident of mass murder in Colorado to the Tea Party. There was no evidence at all for this.
On live television, he said of spree killer James Holmes: “There is a Jim Holmes of Aurora, Colorado page on the Colorado Tea Party site as well. Talking about him joining the Tea Party last year. Now, we don't know if this the same Jim Holmes."
It wasn’t. Ross was forced to apologize, tweeting, “Earlier I reported incorrectly that the shooting suspect might be tied to the Tea Party. I apologize for the mistake.”
Ross appeared on Sunday’s Good Morning America and World News Tonight to repeat his “conspiracy-loving talk show host” line. To hammer the liberal talking point home, he did it again on Monday’s GMA, worrying about the “conservative Breitbart website, which Friday highlighted a conspiracy-loving radio talk show host, Mark Levin.”
In an assist, far-left HBO host John Oliver on Sunday also played Ross's attack on Levin and then mocked, “I think we can officially declare that Trump has a worse media diet than the Son of Sam killer and he got all his news from a talking dog who told him to murder.”
Examples of Ross’s fixation with Levin from the weekend:
<<< Please support MRC's NewsBusters team with a tax-deductible contribution today. >>>
World News Tonight
3/4/17
6:33pm ET
BRIAN ROSS: Because the President cited no proof, it is not clear tonight whether he based his allegations on a top secret White House briefing or whether it came from reading an article on the conservative Breitbart website, posted Friday, that detailed speculation from a conspiracy-loving talk show host, Mark Levin.MARK LEVIN: How many of Trump's people were eavesdropped on? How many had their conversations intercepted, recorded, transcribed, because this, ladies and gentlemen, is the big scandal.
Good Morning America
3/5/17
8:04am ETBRIAN ROSS: Because the President cited no proof, it is not clear tonight whether he based his allegations on a top secret White House briefing or whether it came from reading an article on the conservative Breitbart website, posted Friday, that detailed speculation from a conspiracy-loving talk show host, Mark Levin.
Last Week Tonight
3/5/1711:07pm ET
BRIAN ROSS: Because the President cited no proof, it is not clear tonight whether he based his allegations on a top secret White House briefing or whether it came from reading an article on the conservative Breitbart website, posted Friday, that detailed speculation from a conspiracy-loving talk show host, Mark Levin.
JOHN OLIVER: Okay. I think we can officially declare that Trump has a worse media diet than the Son of Sam killer and he got all his news from a talking dog who told him to murder.
Good Morning America
3/6/177:04am ET
ROSS: And on the conservative Breitbart website which Friday highlighted a conspiracy loving radio talk show host, Mark Levin.
MARK LEVIN: How many of Trump's people were eavesdropped on, how many had their conversations intercepted, recorded, transcribed, because this, ladies and gentlemen, is the big scandal.
