Tom DeLay, Sandy Berger, And The Right's 'Silly' Belief In Media Bias

Human Events Online ^ | April 13, 2005 | Linda Chavez

[MisterRepublican]

Tom DeLay is in a heap of trouble -- or so the media would have you believe. For weeks now, the front pages of the Washington Post and New York Times have hammered away at the House majority leader for a series of supposed transgressions. Some editorial staffer at the New York Times went so far as to try to persuade former Republican Congressman Bob Livingston to write an op-ed calling for DeLay to step aside for the good of the party, according to columnist Robert Novak.

But what exactly is it that Tom DeLay is alleged to have done? After hundreds of hours of investigative work by the nation's biggest news organizations, the evidence of any actual ethical -- much less legal -- breach is pretty thin. Now contrast the media coverage of l'affaire DeLay with, say, the admission by former Clinton National Security Adviser Samuel "Sandy" Berger that he stole and destroyed classified documents that might have shed light on the Clinton administration's failure to take seriously the threat posed by al Qaeda. No wonder conservatives are a little paranoid about media bias.

Like many members of Congress and their staffs, DeLay has taken trips overseas paid for by third parties. Frankly, I think this is a lousy practice. If members or their staffs need information that can only be gleaned through traveling abroad, then the government should pick up the tab. My guess is there would be fewer trips, but so what? These trips have earned the term "junkets" for good reason. But DeLay is hardly the only member who has taken the largesse of groups trying to influence government.

[evad]

Media Bias is so blatant that it's laughable.

Conservative=Hang 'em high.
Liberal=Let it lie.

[Jinjelsnaps]

It's just about sex paper

[Spok]

"Media Bias is so blatant that it's laughable."

Peter Jennings was in my town and was asked in an interview what was most important in reporting the news. His answer was "be fair and tell the truth". I was stunned that anyone in the MSM could still be repeating this mantra with a straight face. I also laughed out loud.

[advance_copy]

Why is it that the DeLay story has so dominated the media when the story of former Clinton National Security Adviser Sandy Berger's amazing guilty plea produced barely a footnote?

This question from Linda Chavez "busts" the liberal bias wide open. Everyone knows the answer. Most of the MSM are simply left-wing propaganda organizations that should be required to register with the FEC.

[Nathan Zachary]

" But DeLay is hardly the only member who has taken the largesse of groups trying to influence government."

John Kerry is a shining example, trips to meet with the enemy funded by Communists in Russia come to mind. Not the slightest bit of curiosity by leftist MSM either. The swift boat veterans brought up a whole slew of allegations, none of which has been seriously followed up on by MSM. Why? Because it damages the home team. How come MSM isn't the slightest bit interested in John Kerry's failure to release his COMPLETE military record? Tom Delay by comparison is squeaky clean, so MSM has to fabricate, insinuate, inundate the public with the perception that something is wrong, although there isn't. Not a word about Clinton's connections to another crook who got put behind bars, I guess the press is all wise and knows what people don't want to read about. It seems to be a "liberal" thing. The same thing is happening up in Canada. The lefty news outlets keep the hush hush on the mountain of corruption the liberals there have been involved in, sometimes adding subliminal hints of Innocence, and at the same time increasing attacks on the Conservative party that will replace them. Bias in MSM? heck no. /sarcasm

[GianniV]

I like the use of the word "curious." The liberal press is not curious at all about liberal transgressions. For pete's sake, a woman had irrefutable evidence that she was raped by Bill Clinton. She was never heard from again.

Why isn't the press curious at all about Hillary's fundraising guru being indicted? Why isn't the press curious about Tom Daschle's wife's lobbying efforts when he was Senate Majority Leader? Why isn't the press curious about why Berger stole top secret documents? Why isn't the press curious about how John Edwards made all his millions?

I support the citizens of the US filing a class action lawsuit against the NY Times/Wash Post/ABC/NBC/CBS/NPR for defrauding us for all these years. Maybe our curiousity will kill the cat.

[lilylangtree]

That's how the Washington Post brought down the Nixon Presidency(with Hitlery & her Capitol Hill staff). The Post & the NYT are so blatantly liberal leftist pro-demoncRAT and their policy is to keep hammering on the front page the pubby(ies) "supposed foibles" that people will begin to think where there's smoke there's fire (to use an old cliche). In other words, the Post & Times will try & convict before the public has a chance to review.

[Milhous]

IMHO Soros' Olde Media production of get DeLay looks like a flop.