Posted on 10/01/2004 5:38:27 AM PDT by kattracks
Coral Gables, Fla. (CNSNews.com) - The recent controversy involving CBS News's use of apparently forged memos -- and the reaction to the controversy -- prompted a Newsweek editor to demand that conservatives stop trying to "intimidate" the media.
"I think conservatives ought to quit trying to intimidate the rest of the media," said Eleanor Clift, a contributing editor to Newsweek, in an interview with CNSNews.com following Thursday night's presidential debate at the University of Miami.
The liberal Clift was responding to a question about whether CBS News correspondent Bob Schieffer should retain his role as the moderator in the Oct. 13 presidential debate between President George W. Bush and Democratic nominee John F. Kerry.
"Bob Schieffer is one of the most respected newsmen on all sides of the political debate," she said, defending CBS's role in the third and final debate.
A conservative website, BoycottCBS.com, has called for Schieffer's removal from the debate that will take place in Phoenix and suggested NBC's Tim Russert or former CNN anchor Bernard Shaw as possible replacements.
The group notes that the debate commission selected Schieffer before Dan Rather went on "60 Minutes Wednesday" with phony memos discrediting George W. Bush's National Guard service. (Despite questions about the memos' authenticity, Rather says he believes their content is accurate.)
According to BoycottCBS.com, Schieffer has made "troubling statements" about the memo controversy that raise questions about his "appropriateness" as a moderator for the Oct. 13 debate.
"Far from serving as a 'whistleblower' or someone completely separate from the scandal surrounding his friends and colleagues, Schieffer was parroting the CBS News party line a full week after the documents had been exposed as fraudulent," said Mike Paranzino of BoycottCBS.com.
But prominent media figures and politicians attending Thursday's debate defended CBS News.
CNN senior political analyst Jeff Greenfield called Schieffer "about as straight a shooter I know...He is just the gold standard when it comes to a straight up honest reporter," Greenfield told CNSNews.com.
Greenfield acknowledged that CBS News "took a hit" on the Bush National Guard documents, but he insisted that all major media outlets have had similar incidents. "We have all been through this. It's embarrassing. They have to figure out how it happened," Greenfield said.
Anne Lewis, the national chair of the Women's Vote Center, an arm of the Democratic National Committee, doesn't believe CBS has suffered any damage to its credibility.
"CBS stepped up and said, 'Well, we discovered that the documents weren't so.' They said so. I wish that more people in public life would set that example if they come to a wrong conclusion, perhaps," Lewis told CNSNews.com.
"I think that is rather setting an example, and I would like to see other institutions and individuals in high office live up to that," she added.
Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe also defended CBS News. "I don't think CBS has comprised anything," McAuliffe said.
Republican National Committee chairman Ed Gillespie declined to comment on CBS News except to say that President Bush will not request that Schieffer be replaced as the moderator of the final debate.
"We have agreed to the debates as the [presidential debate] commission put them forward -- and the two campaigns negotiated and agreed to -- and we will abide by the agreement," Gillespie said.
Also see:
Swift Boat Vets Should 'Shut Up,' Says Kerry Spokesman (Oct. 1, 2004)
Protester Says She Prefers 'Serial Rapist' to George Bush (Oct. 1, 2004)
E-mail a news tip to Marc Morano.
Send a Letter to the Editor about this article.
Well, now we know who's scared of us....
Just damn.
If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...
"I think conservatives ought to quit trying to intimidate the rest of the media," said Eleanor Clift
To Eleanor: We have not yet begun to fight you ugly prune faced bitch!
Astonishing
Actually, the fact that the democRATs are siding with the MSM is incredibly enlightening.
Working at CNN makes this a true statement, they never let the truth get in the way of a good story
I'll calm down now, this post raised my bloodpressure
Start interfering with our free speech and we'll show the media what intimidating means.
Eleanor Clift needs to tell the media to STOP LYING.
Of the three women libs I love to see squirm (Katrina Vanden Huvel and Margret Carlason are the other two), the clift whine is always the best.
I absolutely hate this twit.
Eleanor is said to have to same chin surgeon as John Kerry.
Dear Eleanor is right up there with the most arrogant and insufferble ones.
No, Eleanor, the MSM should quit trying to intimidate and undermine conservatives.
Just when I think I can't despise the MSM any more, they prove me wrong.
vaudine
My thoughts exactly...except I'd have used a lot of swear words in my post.
As far as I am concerned, the editor can walk west until his hat floats.
But he is half right. We should totally ignore the main stream media. This means not listening to any of their broadcast, or reading any of their papers and to the extend possible stop doing business with those who sponsor them.
We should, however, contact their sponsors and tell them as I did Home Depot, that the main stream media have been proven to be liars and their continued sponsorship of them reflects upon their reputation. [To Wit] I cannot trust, In my case CBS and Dan Rather, to be honest and since you continus to support them, therefore I cannot trust you to be honest. Since honesty the reason I do business with someone I must stop doing business with you.
ping
I would prefer to see indictments, trials, convictions and sentences myself.
Hey Eleanor! Go complain to AlGore! He invented this internet thing that brought down your precious "media".....
Like their false currency and misleading the American people is not offensive... sheesh.
Your decades of lying to America and getting by with are history. Now if you lie about GW or the Republicans, we will telling the world about your lie in less than 24 hours. Or like the c BS lies and forgeries, in hours.
So from now on, when you lie, we tell the world, the truth. If you consider the truth to be intimidating, then you are a Rathering old b$tch, who should retire with Dan.
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