Posted on 10/09/2004 1:04:02 AM PDT by Cableguy
ABC News was under fire last night after an internal memo surfaced suggesting President Bush should be held more accountable for his statements than John Kerry.
The memo to staffers from the network's powerful political director, Marc Halperin, noted that while both campaigns are distorting the truth, Kerry's bending of the facts shouldn't be hit as hard.
"Kerry distorts, takes out of context, and mistakes all the time, but these are not central to his efforts to win," Halperin wrote.
But "the current Bush attacks on Kerry involve distortions and taking things out of context in a way that goes beyond what Kerry has done," Halperin added.
Halperin further advised the ABC staff to keep that in mind when reporting.
"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," the memo continued.
"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."
A spokesman for ABC news insisted "we are not interested in taking sides, we are only interested in getting at the truth."
Halperin plays a mostly behind-the-scenes role at ABC, and is known as the father of "The Note," a daily political memo that is read by thousands of D.C. insiders, political players and journalists.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
"If you don't mind me asking a question, Will the "Halperin Memo" come back to haunt ABC news & Mark Halperin?"
It won't affect his standing within ABC, but he will never get a pass from Republicans/conservatives from now on. His memo will serve as a talking point as well for Rush, Hannity, Fox, etc.
I have been politically active and a news junky since 1964; in all that time, I don't think I've EVER read a more despicable statement.
And coming from the head of ABC's political division makes it astounding. He should be fired on the spot.
And I personally would like to horsewhip Terry Moran on the Mall in D.C.
No, it was the exact same. As a matter of fact the reason Reagan was dubbed the Great Communicator was because he could cut through all the lies and distortions and out-right hate of the media and break through to the American people.
Bush while no the best communicator is dealing with the same underhanded media hatred, but he also has talk radio and the internet to help.
To me this is Reagan all over again. I find it very strange.
That aside, we cannot let this latest fiasco slide under the rug - it is just too outrageous.
I've never been a democrat, but I remeber back in the '60's and '70's watching demonstrations and riots on the 6:00 news. I used to get so angry watching Uncle Walter and the gang at CBS slant the news to paint a sympathetic view of the protestors and the authorities as bullies trying to squelch free speech. There was nothing we could do about it at the time except yell or throw things at the tv or turn it off. There were no alternatives!!
Today we have the internet, talk radio, email and call-in cable shows. They can't shut us up anymore and that scares them to death. They've lost the power to control the flow of information.
In June, I was at the NW gate, waiting to get into the White House, and little Terry was standing two feet away from me, waiting to get in, too.
If my family had not been with me...
One wonders if we'll see anything at all on this on "The Note" early next week. If not, one wonders if we shouldn't bury them in emails until they do see fit to comment on their colleague and fearless leader
If so, what kept you from seeing it then?
I wasn't really paying attention to the Bork hearings. By the time I had heard of Robert Bork, he had been, well, "borked."
It's not just CBS and ABC. You can also add CNN, NBC, and MSNBC to the list. This behavior MUST STOP because it will eventually bring down the Country. Everyone must take time now to e-mail, fax, or write these networks and inform them that we will no longer tolerate shameless bias in our news content. We must also contact the sponsorship of these networks and put them on notice that we will discontinue purchases of their products until this activity ceases.
Media Research Center. Lots of stuff including videos.
http://www.mediaresearch.org/
Pray for the life of our president....he may be in as much danger as our troops.
The scorched earth tactics of Senate Democrats together with the liberal media where identical, and in either case there is an undeniable basis for justifiable disdain of those that employed them. Even down to use of shameful personal anecdotes to libel the nomonees. In Thomas' case it was the despicable pubic hair on the coke can story, in Bork's case it was the ludicrous revelation that he had rented an R-rated movie from a local video store.
As a results of the Bork hearings (compounded by the Thomas hearings), US politics became a death match in my mind. Once you know how the adversary fights, your tactics have to match to effectively counter.
Helperin's duplicity goes way back.
Yep, if I want to hear a bunch of overspeaking and interruptions I can tune into hannity, o'reilly or the blonde spitter matthews. I would hope Brit would not take that route. If so ... he loses us.
Bill Clinton helped convert me, too! Thanks, Bill! :-)
Listening to both debates on an ABC affiliated radio station, the bias was quite clear to me. The "experts" the chose were shameful and Sam Donaldson was horrid. Not that there is anything suprising about this.
Keep in mind that I then ”hated” Robert Bork because he had fired Archibald Cox during Nixon's "Saturday Night Massacre”, however, as I watched his confirmation hearing, it was obvious that he was eminently qualified and met all the Constitutional requirements and so I figured that, ideology aside, his approval was a slam dunk.
We he got “Borked”, I did not cheer as one might think a partisan would.
Instead, I was startled and so started questioning the motives of the Democratic Party.
The Thomas confirmation hearings confirmed those questions and I have not voted for a Democrat not named Zell Miller since.
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