Action Alert: ABC News Attempts to Hold Bush Accountable

Post by **Linnea** » 10-09-2004 08:18 PM

ACTION ALERT: ABC News Attempts to Hold Bush Accountable and Right Wing Crybabies Attack
By Tom Ball
10/09/04

Today, Drudge and a host of other babbling GOP blowhards are whining about an attempt by the news media to hold Bush accountable for his campaign of distortions, misrepresentations, and outright lies.

At the center of the issue is a memo from ABCNEWS Political Director Mark Halperin. In his role, he works with correspondents and producers for all ABC News programs, including World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, This Week with George Stephanopoulos, Nightline, Good Morning America, 20/20, and news specials. The Memo:

x x x x x

Halperin Memo Dated Friday October 8, 2004

It goes without saying that the stakes are getting very high for the country and the campaigns - and our responsibilities become quite grave

I do not want to set off (sp?) and endless colloquy that none of us have time for today - nor do I want to stifle one. Please respond if you feel you can advance the discussion.

The New York Times (Nagourney/Stevenson) and Howard Fineman on the web both make the same point today: the current Bush attacks on Kerry involve distortions and taking things out of context in a way that goes beyond what Kerry has done.

Kerry distorts, takes out of context, and mistakes all the time, but these are not central to his efforts to win.

We have a responsibility to hold both sides accountable to the public interest, but that doesn't mean we reflexively and artificially hold both sides "equally" accountable when the facts don't warrant that.

I'm sure many of you have this week felt the stepped up Bush efforts to complain about our coverage. This is all part of their efforts to get away with as much as possible with the stepped up, renewed efforts to win the election by destroying Senator Kerry at least partly through distortions.

It's up to Kerry to defend himself, of course. But as one of the few news organizations with the skill and strength to help voters evaluate what the candidates are saying to serve the public interest. Now is the time for all of us to step up and do that right.

Let's let ABC News know that we support them in their attempt to hold the candidates accountable for the truth and to maintain their journalistic integrity in the face of obvious partisan whining.

Contact ABC News: The best contact information I could find from ABC's miserable site was one that listed email forms for various shows that Halperin produces. So show them your support and maybe some other news outlets will get the hint.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/service/Help/ ... _news.html

Post by **Linnea** » 10-09-2004 09:01 PM

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com

'This is simply a news organization trying to grapple with the same reality that every respectable news outlet is now dealing with -- how to report on the fusillade of lies the Bush campaign has decided to use against John Kerry in the final weeks of the campaign.

The plain intent of the memo is to tell ABC reporters that they should feel neither obligated nor permitted to equate the level of deceptiveness of the Kerry and Bush campaign's if and when they are in fact not equal.

Everyone can see that they are not equal. Halperin is just saying it. And in doing so he has run smack into the epistemological relativism that now defines the Republican party.

The most noteworthy thing I've seen in the right-wing response is that there seems to be little effort to deny or engage the question of whether the Bush campaign is being qualitatively more dishonest than the Kerry campaign. All the whining is focused on the fact that any news organization would have the temerity to try to distinguish between them.

Which gets us to a key irony of the conservative assault on the concept of journalistic objectivity and claims of media bias. Though they attack the very notion that journalistic objectivity is practiced by the mainstream (i.e., non-Fox) media, they are most often -- and certainly in this case -- its great beneficiaries in as much as the failing of the current norm of objectivity is that it advantages liars. No surprise they'd want to maintain that advantage'
-- Josh Marshall

mudwoman · Post by **mudwoman** » 10-09-2004 09:54 PM

Thanks for the information Linn. I am actually very surprised by Mark Halperin. I just emailed him and the news department.

This is the email addy I used:

[email protected]

Cherry Kelly · Post by **Cherry Kelly** » 10-10-2004 11:10 AM

This is so bias it reeks. Not to hold EQUAL accountability?? To so readily dismiss Kerry's distortions as NOT significant...

IF this memo had stated that the candidates (that includes third party as well) are all to be held EQUALLY accountable -- and that EACH allegation should be checked for authenticity.... fine.

BUT

IT DIDN'T!

IT makes the claim that Kerry's distortions are NOT important to his running? He's not to be held EQUALLY accountable?

If you cannot see the bias here -- I have to highly question and ask WHY.

I firmly believe that both should be held accountable on an equal basis. STOP THE MEDIA BIAS!!

mudwoman · Post by **mudwoman** » 10-10-2004 11:49 AM

mudwoman wrote: Thanks for the information Linn. I am actually very surprised by Mark Halperin. I just emailed him and the news department.

This is the email addy I used:

[email protected]

My email to ABC using the above addy bounced.

CaptainBeyond · Post by **CaptainBeyond** » 10-10-2004 10:02 PM

Don't hold your breath C K.It seems as if Kerry has pulled the old Svengali trick and his words are either forgotten or ignored.It is not about electing Kerry,it is about getting even for Al Bore(mr. Robato) losing.Some really pissed off people.Al didn't do well here in his home state,just barely winning in his little one horse town.I live in the next county a mere 15 miles away,and Al got beat like a red headed step child.We all knew he sucked a big one around here.Other voters have not been so unfortunate to have Al misrepresent them as we did.Around here,old Al is about as popular as a floater in the punchbowl.

Cherry Kelly · Post by **Cherry Kelly** » 10-11-2004 10:03 AM

CaptB -- ya its sad -- its the old abb stuff and I'm a bit tired of it.

YES hold them responsible (Bush & Kerry) -- but they need to be held EQUALLY responsible... not some lopsided bit being foisted upon us by the media hype...

Corvid · Post by **Corvid** » 10-11-2004 10:36 AM

Cherry Kelly wrote: CaptB -- ya its sad -- its the old abb stuff and I'm a bit tired of it.

YES hold them responsible (Bush & Kerry) -- but they need to be held EQUALLY responsible... not some lopsided bit being foisted upon us by the media hype...

Let's see...two people before the Bar, one has attacked a gumball machine and the other has brutally murdered many people.

... and your "verdict" is...... hang them both?

I am rather glad that you are not a judge.

LIES and DISTORTION are 90% of blowmonkey's campaign. Just listen to him (actually, you will be listening to kkkarl roverer).

Cherry Kelly · Post by **Cherry Kelly** » 10-12-2004 11:09 AM

Yaaa Corvid -- one came home and what did he do - met with the enemy in Paris -- while he was still in service (see treason - see military law) - then LIED to the Senate - his words caused serious problems and greater difficulties for the THOUSANDS of POWs -- ya real good man there --

he can run be he cannot hide from his records....

Corvid · Post by **Corvid** » 10-12-2004 11:24 AM

Cherry Kelly wrote: Yaaa Corvid -- one came home and what did he do - met with the enemy in Paris -- while he was still in service (see treason - see military law) - then LIED to the Senate - his words caused serious problems and greater difficulties for the THOUSANDS of POWs -- ya real good man there --

he can run be he cannot hide from his records....

Cherry,

Burn your rambo movies. Remember the john wayne NEVER served anywhere. Try to stop thinking of the world in pnac slogans.

You have leveled some very serious charges against an American veteran.

PROVE THEM!!!! What treason? What lies?

Legitimate sources ONLY please. Prove these charges (you NEVER DO nor do any reichwingers)..... or stop spewing crap!!!!

Cherry Kelly · Post by **Cherry Kelly** » 10-13-2004 10:11 AM

YA corvid -- and you don't bother reading them by claiming - oh those are freeper bits --

Ever looked up the V V A W??

Ever looked up WHEN Kerry went to Paris??

Ever looked up the picture of KERRY in N Vietnamese museum where he is loved by N Vietnamese leaders??

Ever bothered to listen to former POW's or their wives and what they have said about what Kerry's speech did to those POWs??

Funny how those POWs said that the N Vietnamese captors tried to make them sign statements that they were committing certain atrocities -- .....

Try reading UNFIT FOR COMMAND -- if you dare.

You know how to google - do so.

Corvid · Post by **Corvid** » 10-13-2004 01:30 PM

CherryK,

You have stated elsewhere on this forum that the war in Viet Nam was wrong. You stated that you were against the Viet Nam war. How did you propose to stop a wrong war without speaking out AGAINST that war? Did YOU speak out?

Hundreds of thousands of returning Viet Nam vets were dismayed by our governments policy and prosecution of that war.

Hell, who would ever want to admit, even to themselves, that the major accomplishment of two or ten years of their life was death and suffering? Such an admission would take courage.

While I have a certain sympathy for those swift boat vets and while I do understand the angst that they must feel...... I am afraid that they will not reach any personal solace by blaming John Kerry for their own nightmares. They do not have the personal COURAGE to make that self admission of their deep involvement in needless death and suffering.

John Kerry did have the courage.

John Kerry spoke out against the base of the evil that caused the death and suffering. John Kerry knew that speaking out against the evils of political greed and folly would not bring populararity. John Kerry knew that many of the blind "patriots" would revile him. John Kerry could have far more easily resumed his life... he was home and out and could have indulged himself in the same activities that lil blowmonkey was enjoying for all those years of death and suffering.

John Kerry chose the hard way.... and he helped to stop the death and suffering by telling the truth.

While I have sympathy for the swift boat vets.... I cannot help them.

The only way for them is to ADMIT to themselves their involvement in evil and by that self admission they may begin to heal. But that takes personal courage.

They find it more comfortable to blame John Kerry...... but blaming John Kerry will not help them see themselves.

We the people AS A NATION have complicity in the evil and the death and the suffering of the Viet Nam war.... it was waged in OUR name. It will take courage for us to admit that we were WRONG.

Do YOU have the courage, CherryK, to make that admission?

.... or do you find it easier to blame John Kerry?

Corvid · Post by **Corvid** » 10-13-2004 03:23 PM

Here he was with a VC (Victoria Charlotte).

CindyLouWho · Post by **CindyLouWho** » 10-13-2004 03:29 PM

Corvid!!!!! .... awesome post!!!!!!!

Standing Ovulation, brother!!

Corvid · Post by **Corvid** » 10-13-2004 03:31 PM