Posted on 09/23/2004 11:13:13 PM PDT by SFConservative
The CEO of CBS's parent company endorses President Bush.
Friday, September 24, 2004 12:01 a.m.
From The Asian Wall Street Journal
With the scandal at CBS still festering, questions are being raised about whether a felony was committed when the network broadcast apparently forged memos in an attempt to discredit George W. Bush. Yesterday, the chairman of CBS's parent company chose Hong Kong as a place to drop a little bomb. Sumner Redstone, who calls himself a "liberal Democrat," said he's supporting President Bush.
The chairman of the entertainment giant Viacom said the reason was simple: Republican values are what U.S. companies need. Speaking to some of America's and Asia's top executives gathered for Forbes magazine's annual Global CEO Conference, Mr. Redstone declared: "I look at the election from what's good for Viacom. I vote for what's good for Viacom. I vote, today, Viacom.
"I don't want to denigrate Kerry," he went on, "but from a Viacom standpoint, the election of a Republican administration is a better deal. Because the Republican administration has stood for many things we believe in, deregulation and so on. The Democrats are not bad people. . . . But from a Viacom standpoint, we believe the election of a Republican administration is better for our company."
Sharing the stage with Mr. Redstone was Steve Forbes, CEO, president and editor in chief of Forbes and a former Republican presidential aspirant, who quipped: "Obviously you're a very enlightened CEO."
Mr. Redstone's unexpected declaration came at a time when an unwelcome spotlight is directed at him and his board because of the CBS airing of what everyone now believes was a fake memo alleging that Mr. Bush shirked his duties three decades ago in the Texas Air National Guard. On Tuesday, Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie alleged a leftist bias at Viacom. While it was well known that Mary Mapes, the producer who did most of the reporting on the memos, is a liberal, and that anchorman Dan Rather, has always been much tougher on Republicans, the Viacom board had heretofore remained in the background.
Mr. Gillespie said, "This demonstrates a serious lack of judgment separate and apart from the lack of judgment demonstrated in running a report based on discredited documents. Did this producer's own political viewpoint cloud her judgment? Is CBS News's decision to neither suspend nor release the producer in question a result of judgment clouded by Viacom and CBS owner Sumner Redstone's role as a Kerry fundraiser, or Viacom President Tom Freston's public support of John Kerry for President?"
Mr. Redstone's office immediately went into overdrive, denying on Wednesday that he's a raised funds for the Democratic presidential nominee. Then came yesterday's "I vote Republican" vow in Hong Kong.
It was all the more surprising because the Boston-born Mr. Redstone was co-chairman of Edmund Muskie's presidential campaign in 1972. He's also a close friend of the other Massachusetts senator, Ted Kennedy. Monday's New York Sun, quoting the Federal Election Commission, said that since 1998 Mr. Redstone had given $50,000 to the Democratic Party. He's also donated the maximum $2,000 to the Kerry campaign, after supporting Al Gore in 2000.
In his book, "A Passion to Win," Mr. Redstone wrote, "From my early days I have considered myself a liberal Democrat. . . . I had no respect for Nixon. . . . My efforts on Senator Muskie's behalf apparently landed me on Nixon's notorious 'enemies list.' I took that as a badge of honor."
Of his 13-member board, two are former cabinet members for Democratic presidents. It is this board that will ponder what to do about the Rather-Mapes-CBS mess. The bombshell from Hong Kong will not come as welcome news to those responsible for "memogate."
Sumner, money talks, bullfrickinsheet walks.
Leo J Hindery
John Kerry
$2,000
Leo Hindery
Dick Gephardt
$2,000 188 E 78th St
New York, NY 10021
If this is true, then he needs to get a grip on the DNC propaganda machines at CBS and MTV.
I think it's actually a smoke-screen.
You should check every disgusting Hollywood liberal's donation data. McCain is on practically ALL of them. I wouldn't be surprised if McCain took money from Michael Moore.
I believe it's called "having it both ways" ...
Translation: Wink-Wink, Fingers Crossed. (((psssstt! Bush and the Republicans are the party of BIG BUSINESS - pay no attention we're all Democrats!)))
I have a relative who is a 60 Minutes II video editor at CBS and another who is a secretary in Redstone's office. There is probably only one conservative who can claim that distinction - me. I will pass on whatever insight I can get from that without asking them to betray confidentiality or to risk their jobs.
Sumner gave Kerry $1000 4 months ago. With friends like that...
ITS CALLED A MEDIA SHOW FOLKS. HE'LL NEVER VOTE REPUBLICAN~~ Fact is, Redstone's getting MAJOR investor heat. Lots of BIG shareholder are breathing down his neck. And breathing HARD!!!
He wants to keep his job...
New Anti-Dem portal opening, still developing content but check it out...
http://www.noDNC.com
Lovely. Perhaps George Soros and Al Sharpton can be counted as "conservatives" next along with Trotsky and Molotov. Redstone is a filthy slug. The bottom line trumps all with some folks, evidently.
I wouldn't take this declaration too seriously. Think about what he said, voting for a Republican is good for Viacom. At this time, yes it might be a good thing, considering the trouble that Viacom and CBS are in over their not so subtle partisan Democrat activities.
I agree, Redstone is flying a Republican flag of convenience. His half hearted endorsement is not fooling anyone.
____________
"He's trying to paint Bush as the deregulating friend of big business that the little guy should be afraid of."
This was precisely what I thought after reading the article. I know a Republican backer and, sir, you are not one.
Actually the only donation I can find for Michael Moore giving to any politician is:
MOORE, MICHAEL NEW YORK,NY 10024 FILMMAKER
4/19/2000 $1,000 Clinton, Hillary Rodham
Yep, he gave to a bunch of Democrats - along with Orin Hatch and John McCain. All the usual suspects.
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