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Guess Who's a GOP Booster? (Sumner Redstone!)
Tha Asian Wall Street Journal | 09/24/04

Posted on 09/23/2004 11:13:13 PM PDT by SFConservative

Guess Who's a GOP Booster?

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."


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: politicalcover; redstone; viacom
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To: SFConservative

Sumner, money talks, bullfrickinsheet walks.


21 posted on 09/23/2004 11:41:14 PM PDT by gipper81
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To: Mount Athos
When the head of Viacom says this: "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." That's code for--Republican deregulation is good for big bad corporations. This guy is slimey. He's trying desperately to salvage CBS's credibility and at the same time he's doing it in a manner that he still believes will hurt Bush. Get real--he's focus grouped those words. He's trying to paint Bush as the deregulating friend of big business that the little guy should be afraid of. This is just galling. I hope Bush tells him to stick his support up his Clymer.
22 posted on 09/23/2004 11:42:23 PM PDT by CalRepublican
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Leo J Hindery
John Kerry
$2,000

Leo Hindery
Dick Gephardt
$2,000 188 E 78th St
New York, NY 10021


23 posted on 09/23/2004 11:42:24 PM PDT by KneelBeforeZod (Deus Lo Volt!)
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Comment #24 Removed by Moderator

To: SFConservative

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.


25 posted on 09/23/2004 11:43:24 PM PDT by spodefly (A bunny-slippered operative in the Vast Right-Wing Pajama Party.)
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To: ChocChipCookie

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.


26 posted on 09/23/2004 11:46:53 PM PDT by stands2reason (Limousine Liberal--a man who has his cake, eats his cake, and complains that other people have cake.)
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To: spodefly

I believe it's called "having it both ways" ...


27 posted on 09/23/2004 11:52:16 PM PDT by SFConservative
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To: SFConservative

Translation: Wink-Wink, Fingers Crossed. (((psssstt! Bush and the Republicans are the party of BIG BUSINESS - pay no attention we're all Democrats!)))


28 posted on 09/23/2004 11:54:44 PM PDT by UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide (Give Them Liberty Or Give Them Death! - Islam Delenda Est! - Rumble thee forth...)
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To: UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide
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.

29 posted on 09/24/2004 12:03:30 AM PDT by SFConservative
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To: SFConservative

Sumner gave Kerry $1000 4 months ago. With friends like that...


30 posted on 09/24/2004 12:19:45 AM PDT by Once-Ler (Proud Republican. and Neo-Con Bushbot.)
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To: SFConservative

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


31 posted on 09/24/2004 12:23:08 AM PDT by woodb01 (Take out the 'dnC'BS "news" trash... SEE ---> http://www.noDNC.com)
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To: SFConservative
"I look at the election from what's good for Viacom. I vote for what's good for Viacom. I vote, today, Viacom."

Very dubious endorsement. Nobody else will vote for Bush because of the reason's he gave. I think Charlie Wilson made similar statements when he was appointed Defense Secretary by Eisenhower and CBS and related media firms disparaged him big time.
32 posted on 09/24/2004 1:03:05 AM PDT by bilhosty
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To: SFConservative

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.


33 posted on 09/24/2004 1:03:10 AM PDT by Bogolyubski
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To: SFConservative

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.


34 posted on 09/24/2004 1:06:39 AM PDT by Eva
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To: faithincowboys

I agree, Redstone is flying a Republican flag of convenience. His half hearted endorsement is not fooling anyone.


35 posted on 09/24/2004 2:20:00 AM PDT by Eva
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To: SFConservative; MeekOneGOP; JohnHuang2; devolve; Mia T; PhilDragoo; potlatch; Smartass; ...
Has icing on the cake ever been any sweeter - PING!

____________

"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."


36 posted on 09/24/2004 7:36:32 AM PDT by Happy2BMe (Just 39 more days until November 2nd.)
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To: CalRepublican

"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.


37 posted on 09/24/2004 7:53:56 AM PDT by rj45mis
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To: stands2reason
I wouldn't be surprised if McCain took money from Michael Moore.

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

38 posted on 09/24/2004 7:59:43 AM PDT by NotJustAnotherPrettyFace (Michael <a href = "http://www.michaelmoore.com/" title="Miserable Failure">"Miserable Failure"</a>)
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To: NotJustAnotherPrettyFace

Yep, he gave to a bunch of Democrats - along with Orin Hatch and John McCain. All the usual suspects.


39 posted on 09/24/2004 8:07:26 AM PDT by glorgau
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To: SFConservative
Notice that he doesn't personally endorse Bush.
40 posted on 09/24/2004 8:09:54 AM PDT by fso301
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