CBS Disallows White House Rebuttal To Kennedy Tirade - (Britt Hume/FOX provide rebuttal)

GOPUSA,COM ^ | JANUARY 17, 2005 | JIMMY MOORE

[CHARLITE]

Embattled television news network CBS is again at the center of controversy after snubbing a White House request to allow a Republican to appear with one of President George W. Bush's greatest adversaries, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), on "Face the Nation" on Sunday.

Kennedy was allowed to fire away at Bush on Social Security and Iraq without any rebuttal during his appearance on the Sunday morning talk show.

Maintaining that Bush and the Republicans are making up a crisis with Social Security in order "to make a crisis on any political problem," Kennedy said there is not a funding issue with the government retirement program that was started by Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Declaring the crisis in Social Security as "nonexistent" because it will provide 80 percent of current benefits through 2075, Kennedy said the Republicans are fabricating a sudden crisis so they can pass their private investment account program for younger taxpayers.

But there was no Republican reaction to these charges made by Kennedy because CBS denied a White House request to have a representative on the show.

Brit Hume reported on "Fox News Sunday" that the White House was "happy to put [White House Communications Director] Dan Bartlett or somebody else on that program and CBS said, 'Thank you, No.'"

Bartlett had been assured by CBS News President Andrew Heyward just one week prior to this incident that "neither CBS News nor [Dan] Rather had a vendetta against the White House" and that CBS "would do everything it could to be fair and balanced."

However, despite the firing of four CBS News employees last week over the forged document scandal regarding the airing of a "60 Minutes" episode during the height of the 2004 presidential election calling into question President George W. Bush's service in the National Guard, CBS has once again stepped into a controversy which seems to go against their promise to treat the White House more fairly.

Bartlett responded to Kennedy's criticism of Social Security crisis by stating it is "a matter of math, not ideology."

Speaking on Iraq, Kennedy said it "clearly is George Bush's Vietnam" that is the "result of blunder after blunder after blunder."

"Until Iraqis are going to fight for their own country, we are going to have a very, very dangerous situation," Kennedy declared.

Kennedy warned, "[I]s the face of the United States part of the liberation and security and the stability in that country, or are we a force that is perceived to be expanding the kind of uncertainty and savagery and revolution that's taking place there?"/i>

Bartlett again responded to Kennedy on "Fox News Sunday" rather than on CBS that regarding the concerns over Iraq there were "two very different, competing versions or visions of what was happening."

"The American people agreed with [Bush's] assessment," Bartlett commented, reminding Kennedy and others that Bush's decision to go to war was vindicated by his reelection in November. "It was heard by the American people, and they embraced President Bush's vision."

[muawiyah]

Or, and this is where it gets strange, Kennedy is of the impression that facing a 20% shortfall, Social Security will simply liquidate 20% of the folks who would have gotten benefits.

No doubt that makes his old commie heart beat faster eh?!

[Brilliant]

Actually, the TANG story was Moby Dick. Spent 4 years trying to bring this story in.

[AnAmericanMother]

"The Whale! The White Whale . . .

. . . wait . . .

A Black Whale! An Ordinary Black Whale!"

[No Surrender No Retreat]

I am just wondering when the big fat vein in overfed ted's head will burst? = one drop dead ted (Kaboooooooooom.)

[Cicero]

He compare Rather to Captain Ahab chasing Moby Dick. I'd say that's a pretty good analogy.

Actually, I rather like what may have been Captain Ahab's most famous words: "Strike through the mask!"

[DManA]

Heard Brit say tonight that Heyward asked the White House if they could start over again. Promised to be fairer. Brit made it sound like the WH is leaving all CBS correspondents freezing on the stoop outside.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Brit is definitely on the prod for CBS. I wonder if there is something personal going on.

Just a guess, but he probably despises phony, lying, sanctimonious leftist scum-of-the-earth.

[jackbill]

Brit did a segment on CBS/Rather tonight, prior to the panel discussion. He had Bob Zelnick on, chastising Rather and CBS.

I'm glad to see Brit keep going after those bastards.

[Ole Okie]

Old Texas and Oklahoma phrase, relating to prodding cattle.

[F16Fighter]

"Have you ever noticed that Teddy Kennedy and Hillary Clinton always get a free pass? They are never placed in a face to face rebuttal situation with anybody but a cream puff."

To use a baseball analogy, 'Team MSM' showcases the 'talent' of demogogues Hitlery and Fatty Kennedy by letting them hit off the tee.

Meanwhile Republicans are assessed in the batting cage against live Major League pitching.

Truth is, Kennedy and Clinton would be eaten up alive in a debate based upon merit. And the MSM well knows it.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Boink !

[enigma825]

"Over the years the news media have tried to blame the entire Vietnam War on Richard Nixon. But there are more than a few people who remember that it was started by JFK."

Actually, Eisenhower sent in the first "advisers" after the French got their butt kicked. LBJ escalated it by sending in ground forces to fight independently of the South Vietnamese, instead of euphemistically advising them.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

I guess if my checking account can provide 80 percent of the current funds for the checks I write I won't be in any trouble huh?

Never fear. Ted and the Dims have the answer. Just increase federal spending on medicare and other socialist programs. That's the ticket!

[xjcsa]

Maybe it's old age, anyway, you can read mine or the original.

I'm 29 and I couldn't read it. I scrolled down until I saw yours; otherwise this thread was a goner for me. Even worse than all-caps posts.

[rubs eyes]

[Calvin Locke]

When he gets on his tirades, he's a caricature of a loony person.

Tony Snow today basically said the same thing, i.e., he would have let Teddy have the whole show too,, since it
makes for a good show.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

I read that Kennedy kept using unfortunate terms, such as "drowning" and "crash" in his diatribe. He should try to avoid such terms.

[HereInTheHeartland]

Ted Kennedy is such a thug. Why he is given a stage for his views is beyond belief.
Thankfully Bush is trying fix one of worst ideas in this country's history. Social Security has done more to increase govts power than most any other program. When you think about what people could have retired with using even a modest rate of return on the SS $ that they put away, its criminal.

[Indy Pendance]

Thanks, I'm 45. been doing this computer stuff since I was 30, or 1990, still have good eyes or so I thought.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Considering very few people watch Face the Nation,I'd say Brit Hume was more than effective in his characterization of CBS refusal to allow a republican to speak.

Agreed. They should change their name to "Farce The Nation".