NBC

TV Tonight: What Are Parks and Rec’s Politics?

For a big-network sitcom, the show is surprisingly open about dealing with nuts-and-bolts philosophy about government. But besides being sweet and funny, Parks manages to be political without being partisan.

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The General Election Kicks Off, With a Slow Jam and a Quick Pivot

One of them spoke on cable news and one on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. One reminded America of its entrepreneurial roots and one jammed on stage with The Roots. Mitt Romney and Barack Obama both took the spotlight last night, the former to launch his general-election message in a primary-victory speech and the latter [...]

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Ann Romney, and Her Running Mate Mitt, Meet Diane Sawyer

Facing a likeability and gender gap, the presumptive nominee and presumptive nominee’s spouse talked about their money, motherhood and Saturday Night Live. Feel better informed, America?

Miss Representation Doc Director on Why the Media (Still) Hates Women

Girls' Club Entertainment

The documentary that made headlines at Sundance is out on DVD today. Jennifer Siebel Newsom spoke to TIME about the Hollywood boys’ club, the ‘war on women’ and her plan to save the next generation of girls.

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Did I Just Say That Out Loud? Romney Adviser’s Unerasable Etch-a-Sketch Comment

The Mitt Romney presidential campaign has been unusually full of sitcom analogies this election season. Earlier, Romney compared opponent Newt Gingrich to Lucy in the candy factory from I Love Lucy, and characterized Gingrich as “zany,” a la a sitcom neighbor. In a recent debate, Romney alluded to the wisdom of Seinfeld’s George Costanza. But [...]

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Rush Limbaugh, Louis CK, and the Somebody-Else-Did-Something-Bad-Once-Too Argument

FX

It’s the equivalent of a boxer in trouble trying to get into a clinch, in hopes of catching a breather. And it is apparently the tactic of choice for defenders of Limbaugh right now, as Louis CK found out the hard way.

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Election Watch: Hell Fails to Break Loose in Michigan

Ready for a weeklong (at least) orgy of speculation about a new candidate or a brokered convention, TV’s political-analysis teams instead ended up covering an ordinary election night.

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Lou Dobbs Vs. Kids’ Movies: Does Children’s Morality Have a Well-Known Liberal Bias?

Dobbs spun a scary new bedtime story for his audience: “the President’s liberal friends in Hollywood” attempting to “indoctrinate” children by exposing them to the anti-capitalist credos of Occupy Wall Street. The claim is ridiculous on its face—and more so if you take it seriously.

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The Morning After: To Be Continued…?

It may have been the last Republican debate of 2012. And was it just me, or did everyone seem glad that they’re over?

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Dead Tree Alert: The DJ in Chief; or, Running for Office, One Pop Song at a Time

Campaign music doesn’t win elections, but it’s part of that positive feedback loop that’s created when a campaign’s message and its messaging are working well together.

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Election Watch: Romney Wins, Loses Trump Primary

Mitt Romney gets the reality star’s endorsement. But can he gain bona fides with The Donald’s supporters without picking up his political baggage?

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State of the Union: A Call for Unity, in a Political Package

A lengthy, listy speech appealed to Americans’ common goals, but was always conscious of political opponents in the room—and at least one Presidential rival outside the room.

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The Morning After: Come Back, Loud Debate Audiences! All Is Forgiven!

Without the hoots and hollers from a partisan crowd, last night’s Republican candidates in Tampa were like sitcom actors looking for their laugh track.

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Colbert and Cain Do the Charleston: Which One’s the Comedian?

I’ve never been to Charleston, S.C., but I’m pretty sure that, for this afternoon at least, Randolph Hall at the College of Charleston was located at the intersection of Reality and Satire. There it was that Stephen Colbert and Herman Cain, unlikely ballotfellows, held a funny, serious and seriously funny rally to promote Colbert’s bid [...]

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Dead Tree Alert: Truth Vigilantes, Attack!

Last week, New York Times public editor (the equivalent of an ombudsman) Arthur Brisbane wrote a blog post asking whether, in covering the campaign, reporters should challenge in the body of their straight-news stories statements by candidates that are dubious, distorted or outright false. Or as he put it—in a headline that generated unsurprising outrage [...]

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Romney Didn’t Win Iowa After All. Is It Too Late To Change the Story?

Win McNamee / Getty Images

For over two weeks Romney got the benefit of being described as the “winner” of a caucus that journalists should have called a tie. And the difference it made may have been a hell of a lot more than a few votes.

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Not Allowed to Vote for Stephen Colbert? Oh Yes You Cain!

Colbert is urging his supporters to show their support for him by voting for Herman Cain, the GOP now-non-candidate who is still on the ballot in the Palmetto State.

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PAC Man Colbert “Gives” the Money and Runs, for President

With the announcement of a second run, Colbert will hand over the money from his Super PAC to Jon Stewart and give up control of the war chest. Wink, wink.

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Hunting for Drama After a Quick Romney Call

With the New Hampshire primary result called at 8 p.m., what was left to talk about? Expectations, Ron Paul, and scenarios of a theoretical future voter “jihad.”

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Gingrich’s Super-PAC Attack on Romney: Good Lord, Is This Ad Negative

In campaign ads, the Republican race has moved from the “contrast” phase to the “negative” phase to the “from Hell’s heart, I stab at thee” phase.