It seemed a lot of people recognized that Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann all of a sudden started getting favorable news coverage, a phenomenon that left Howard Kurtz scratching his head this morning on Reliable Sources. Kurtz asked his panel, “why was this a collective newsflash ‘hey, she’s not so crazy’” after she did pretty well in the debate?

On Reliable Sources, Howard Kurtz asked his panel whether it was a big deal that a President Obama impersonator, Reggie Brown, spoke at the Republican Leadership Conference where he received laughs for his racially-sensitive jokes about the President, but was yanked off stage once he turned his attention to the Republican presidential nominees.

Fox News contributor Kirsten Powers spoke out about her past relationship with Congressman Anthony Weiner with Mediaite’s Tommy Christopher and how she believed his communications with various women demonstrated misogynistic behavior. Today she appeared on Reliable Sources and told Howard Kurtz she couldn’t stay silent on his behavior just because Weiner was a former friend.

A recent story on CNN reviewed various political sex scandals in history and strangely didn’t mention a former New York Governor who just so happens to host a nightly show on CNN. CNN’s own Howard Kurtz similarly noticed the “glaring omission” and didn’t hesitate to criticize his own network.

Earlier this week, CNN‘s Fareed Zakaria made the strange admission that he met with President Obama to discuss international issues. Our own Colby Hall called it a “stunning revelation”, which Howard Kurtz quoted on Reliable Sources today as he made the point that in his opinion, such meetings should have been disclosed.

On CNN’s Reliable Sources, ABC News chief investigative correspondent Brian Ross looked back at the reporting on terror–and terror threats–in the days (and years) after 9/11. Reviewing the many potential threats that made for frightening news reports (such as a report of Ross’s in 2006 about a possible attack by suicide bombers on a “major sports facility” in the U.S)–but, in looking back, never came to the point of an attack–Ross had few regrets.

For those wondering where the mainstream media is in covering the brouhaha over Wonkette’s birthday attack on Trig Palin (since deleted), CNN’s Reliable Sources answered the call Sunday morning. Host Howard Kurtz gave a quick recounting of the offensive post (and perhaps too much credit for an apology), and while the panel unequivocally disapproved, the [...]

Eighth-graders, George Carlin fans, and the ghost of Charles Rocket rejoiced this morning, as CNN’s Reliable Sources aired a live, unbleeped expletive from former Bush adviser Mark McKinnon. Referencing Sen. John Kyl‘s now-infamous, “not intended to be factual” statement about Planned Parenthood, McKinnon said Kyl was “acknowledging it was completely bullsh*t!”

During a discussion of Glenn Beck‘s departure from Fox News’ air on Sunday’s Reliable Sources, progressive radio host Bill Press joined host Howard Kurtz in pushing back against the idea that MSNBC’s opinion personalities are somehow equivalent to Beck. While Press and Kurtz were correct in their overall assessment, Press’ declaration that MSNBC hosts are “not calling anyone Nazis” is only true because Keith Olbermann is no longer at the network. Oddly, though, Olbermann’s record of Nazi references only reinforces the contrast between Beck and MSNBC.

On Reliable Sources, Howard Kurtz asked his panel to explain the media’s endless coverage of Republicans who are far away from declaring themselves to be legitimate candidates (like Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and Donald Trump), while a real candidate like Tim Pawlenty gets much more “restrained” coverage. Roger Simon offered up one theory, suggesting “the media loves to gawk at the trainwreck, and some of these candidates are.”

The meta-media feud that united Bill O’Reilly and Keith Olbermann in opposition to Ted Koppel continued this weekend, as Koppel appeared on CNN’s Reliable Sources, and responded to the former Countdown host’s response to Koppel’s November op-ed piece, “The Death of Real News.”

The fallout from the short-lived editorial relationship between The Huffington Post and Andrew Breitbart continues as CNN’s Howard Kurtz has now stepped into the conflict. On today’s Reliable Sources, Kurtz criticized Breitbart and agreed with the decision to remove him from the front page of The Huffington Post. Now Breitbart returns the favor with some criticism of Kurtz’s report.

On Sunday’s Reliable Sources, liberal radio host Bill Press didn’t mince words in discussing Rep. Michele Bachmann‘s (R-MN) presidential aspirations, calling her a “laughingstock.”

Host Howard Kurtz, and panel, wondered if Bachmann’s command of an Iowa audience cut against that notion, and whether sexism is to blame for the gulf in media interest between Bachmann and fellow Minnesotan Tim Pawlenty (R-MN), a notion which Press handily dismissed.

James O’Keefe, the self-described investigative journalist behind the NPR sting video, appeared on Reliable Sources and told Howard Kurtz that he was motivated to look into NPR after they improperly handled the firing of former contributor Juan Williams. Kurtz questioned whether O’Keefe’s journalism tactics were unethical, but O’Keefe argued his form of investigative reporting was necessary to seek and find the truth.

On CNN’s Reliable Sources Sunday, host Howard Kurtz interviewed ABC News’ Andrea Canning, whose 20/20 interview of troubled actor Charlie Sheen kicked off a week of phosphorous-hot Sheensploitation™. While Kurtz did touch on the exploitative nature of the media’s Sheen coverage, Canning defended her interview, and revealed that she was “in a fog” during the interview that made Sheen’s behavior seem almost normal to Canning.

On CNN‘s Reliable Sources, conservatives Jennifer Rubin and David Frum appeared to discuss the declining television ratings of Glenn Beck and recent conservative attacks oh him. Rubin said Beck was creating a bad image for the Republican party, whereas Frum, a longtime Beck critic, suggested audiences are just tired of hearing ludicrous conspiracy theories.

Fox News detractors can say plenty of things about the network, but they certainly can’t say it won’t air dissenting opinions. On tonight’s O’Reilly Factor, regular guest Bernie Goldberg refused to defend Factor house reporter Jesse Waters from CNN criticism of bias for his report on protesters outside Fox News. While host Bill O’Reilly called him “desperately wrong,” Goldberg insisted his colleague didn’t practice journalism and wasn’t, despite appearances, an “objective reporter.”

The ongoing feud between Rachel Maddow and PolitiFact has already caused migraines for some, and don’t expect relief anytime soon. PolitiFact’s editor Bill Adair appeared on Reliable Sources this morning to defend his website’s original assertion that Maddow’s statements on the Wisconsin budget were untrue, and also to address Maddow’s request for a correction.

On Reliable Sources, host Howard Kurtz interviewd Carol Kolb, head writer for the Onion News Network and “Jim Haggerty” co-host of the network’s Today Now! In addition to learning that sexual tension can never be scripted, Kurtz learned a few more nuggets from the humorous exchange.

Conservative commentator Michael Medved appeared on Reliable Sources to continue his claim made earlier this week that some vocal conservatives “make a tremendous mistake on the idiotic proposition that President Obama is deliberately trying to harm the country.” He also dismissed some of the criticism he’s received and stressed that the best way to defeat Obama in 2012 is to focus on his policies rather than alleging he has a “secret agenda.”

On CNN‘s Reliable Sources, Howard Kurtz hosted a discussion regarding whether CNN unfairly elevated Congresswoman Michele Bachmann‘s Tea Party response to the State of the Union by being the only news network to air it live. The consensus amongst all the guests seemed to be since Bachmann always creates news, why not cover it?

The ongoing controversy regarding Keith Olbermann‘s abrupt exit from MSNBC was the main topic of discussion today on CNN‘s Reliable Sources. Columnist for the Baltimore Sun, David Zurawik and former MSNBC anchor David Shuster not only debated the merits of Olbermann as television host, but also the journalistic standards of both Fox News and MSNBC.

On Sunday’s Reliable Sources, former MSNBC anchor and sometime Countdown fill-in David Shuster lent his own insight into Keith Olbermann‘s sudden exit from MSNBC, telling Howard Kurtz that the fan outpouring in the aftermath of his November suspension played a much bigger role than anything else. “Keith was mesmerized, and flattered beyond belief, by the 250,000 people who signed the petition” to get him back on the air, Shuster said.

On CNN‘s Reliable Sources, Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank defended a recent column where he admitted even if there is no evidence that Sarah Palin or Glenn Beck inspired Jared Loughner to shoot Congresswoman Giffords, criticism of Palin and Beck is still deserved because “both are finally being held to account for recklessly playing with violent images in a way that is bound to incite the unstable.”

On CNN‘s Reliable Sources, Mediaite’s Rachel Sklar and conservative radio host Steve Malzberg debated whether excited rhetoric from politicians and media personalities helped to contribute to a climate where the Arizona shooting could take place. Malzberg was quick to point out that aggressive language is used by both sides of the political spectrum while Sklar was in favor of everyone no longer using violent imagery.