ABC Rails Against Congressional "Interference"

There may be a split amongst conservatives over whether congressional action to allow a federal court to have jurisdiction over the Terri Schiavo case represents a proper defense of a citizen's right to life or an abandonment of the conservative principle of state's rights in favor of grandstanding, but ABC's World News Tonight on Friday approached the subject purely from the left, attributing nefarious and illegitimate motives to conservatives without any mention of how virtually no Democrats had risen in opposition.

"We're going to begin tonight with the extraordinary last-minute attempt by members of the Congress to interfere, or to intervene, in the case of Terri Schiavo," Peter Jennings announced before relaying how "the Florida judge...didn't think much of the interference." Linda Douglass highlighted GOP talking points about how "this is a great political issue...this is a tough issue for Democrats." Jennings next stressed how few people showed up to protest outside of the hospice center and Jeffrey Kofman fretted that while before the Florida legislature "there are huge issues -- hurricane recovery, education -- and yet almost a quarter of the legislative calendar has been devoted to Terri Schiavo." Reporter Jake Tapper devoted a whole piece to how "members of Congress made claims contradicting experts in medicine and bio-ethics." He concluded with this blast: "Terri Schiavo and her family deserved better than the way Congress worked this week."

Weekend newscasts were dominated by the Schiavo case, with the cable networks providing live coverage of House action early Monday morning, but none that I saw was as skewed as the condescending approach delivered Friday night on ABC.

The MRC's Brad Wilmouth checked the closed-captioning against the video to provide an accurate transcript of the series of stories on the March 18 World News Tonight.

Peter Jennings teased up top: "On World News Tonight, a judge in Florida says Congress has no business trying to keep Terri Schiavo alive. Today, her feeding tube was removed."

Jennings led: "Good evening, everyone. We're going to begin tonight with the extraordinary last-minute attempt by members of the Congress to interfere or to intervene in the case of Terri Schiavo, the young woman who has been in a vegetative state for seven years. The Florida courts have decided that Schiavo's husband does have the legal right to remove her feeding tube as of today. Not good enough for some members of the Congress. The man in that pickup truck [vide of pickup] flew from Washington to Florida this morning carrying a subpoena from a committee of the Congress for Schiavo and the workers who care for her. The Florida judge, as we hear on the telephone, didn't think much of the interference." Audio of Judge Greer with text on screen: "I don't think legislative agencies or bodies have a business in a court proceeding. And accordingly, I'm going to deny your motion to intervene." Jennings: "This afternoon, with the court's permission, Mrs. Schiavo's feeding tube was removed. But in the last 24 hours, there has been no denying members of the Congress. After seven years, members of the House and of the Senate have decided this is urgent. And so we go to our congressional correspondent first, ABC's Linda Douglass. Linda?

Linda Douglass checked in: "Well, Peter, despite the fact that the feeding tube now has been, as you say, disconnected, some Republicans are saying they're going to continue using their congressional power to try to have it reconnected. The chairman of the House Government Reform Committee is demanding that Terri Schiavo, her husband Michael, two doctors and the hospice administrator appear at a congressional hearing at Schiavo's bedside next week." Tom DeLay, House Majority Leader: "To friends, family, and millions of people praying around the world this Palm Sunday weekend, don't be afraid. Terri Schiavo will not be forsaken." Douglass: "House Republican leaders are trying to keep Schiavo alive by ordering a congressional investigation into 'treatment options provided to incapacitated patients.' That is why the subpoenas demanded that Schiavo remain connected to the tube that provides nutrition and hydration so the committee could see it." Tom Davis, House Government Reform Committee Chairman: "The purpose of the subpoenas is to preserve the evidence so that we can hold a proper hearing." DeLay: "All I know is Terri is alive, and this judge in Florida wants to pull her feeding tube and let her starve for two weeks. That is barbaric." Douglass: "The lawyer for Schiavo's husband was outraged." George Felos, Michael Schiavo's attorney: "What we experienced today in the subpoena issued by the United States House of Representatives is nothing short of thuggery." Douglass: "The subpoenas came from the one House committee that can issue subpoenas without consulting Democrats. Late last night, a small group of Republican leaders decided to act with no vote. Tom DeLay dismissed the notion that Schiavo's husband can decide her medical care." DeLay: "In my opinion, the sanctity of life overshadows the sanctity of marriage." Douglass: "ABC News has obtained talking points circulated among Republican Senators explaining why they should vote to intervene in the Schiavo case. Among them [text on screen], 'This is an important moral issue and the pro-life base will be excited,' and, 'This is a great political issue...this is a tough issue for Democrats.' Now, the House Republicans have gone to federal court to try to have Schiavo's feeding tube reconnected. The Senate may go to court, too, because some Senators say they also want to have the Schiavos at a hearing. And, Peter, this legal wrangling could continue because without the feeding tube Schiavo could still live for another two weeks or so." Jennings: "Many thanks, Linda Douglass on Capitol Hill."

Jennings then lectured: "Just a couple of things about Ms. Schiavo's condition. She has been in this vegetative state for 15 years. It is her parents who want to keep her alive. They say she can be rehabilitated. They also say that she will now die a painful death, though there does not seem to be any support for that argument in the medical community. Some questions this evening for our correspondent in Florida, Jeffrey Kofman. Jeffrey, first of all, this case, as we all recognize, has generated a lot of noise. How many people actually showed up today to demonstrate to keep her connected to the feeding tubes?" Jeffrey Kofman, outside the hospice center: "Far fewer than you might have expected, Peter. At peak, maybe 50, 60. And right now, 8 or 10 are here." Jennings: "Congress is pretty tied up about this, as we've just said. What about the Florida legislature?" Kofman: "Peter, there has been no other issue in Tallahassee for the last two weeks. And here in Florida, the regular session of the legislature is only nine weeks long. There are huge issues -- hurricane recovery, education -- and yet almost a quarter of the legislative calendar has been devoted to Terri Schiavo." Jennings: "And is there anyone in the Florida system -- the governor, the courts, the legislature -- which can do anything about reversing the decision by the judge today?" Kofman: "You know, that congressional committee that Linda was just talking about appealed to the Florida Supreme Court today, and they said no, it's not a federal issue, it's a state issue, it's had thorough hearing in the state courts, stay out of our jurisdiction. And the Florida legislature just isn't comfortable with this. They tried it in 2003. They passed a law on Terri Schiavo, it was struck down as unconstitutional. And they're just not comfortable doing it this time. And they don't have a lot of time. Terri Schiavo, as Linda pointed out, only has 10 to 14 days left." Jennings: "Okay, thanks Jeffrey. Jeffrey Kofman in Florida."

Jennings moved on to the next story: "As we have reported, the judge who ruled that Terri Schiavo's feeding tube may be removed said today Congress had no reason to intervene. Mr. Schiavo told ABC News today the Congress isn't getting its facts straight. And his attorney said that Terri had become a pawn in a political football game. So why is the Congress involved? Here's ABC's Jake Tapper." Jake Tapper: "How serious was Congress really about trying to save this woman's life? Members of Congress made claims contradicting experts in medicine and bio-ethics." Rep. Dave Weldon (R-FL): "To order the withdrawal of food and water from somebody, it's never been done before, to my knowledge." Prof. Bill Allen, University of Florida College of Medicine: "Feeding tubes have been removed in the United States for many years, and it's been a common practice. This has happened in many cases, probably a hundred thousand times in this country." Roy Blunt, House Majority Whip: "It's clear from watching the tapes of Terri Schiavo that she interacts with people. She's aware of her surroundings. She attempts to communicate." Allen: "It's not possible for lay people or even physicians, especially who aren't trained as neurologists, to look at a short segment of videotape and diagnose that somebody's not in a persistent vegetative state." Tapper: "Is the Congress in step with the public on this one? Americans at large, asked if they would want to be kept alive in the condition Schiavo's doctors say she is in, overwhelmingly said they would not [87 to 8 percent]. And those identifying themselves as conservative evangelical Protestants agreed [82 to 14 percent]. Despite those numbers, Congress was flooded with e-mails and phone calls. The bill that the Senate passed was written so only Schiavo's parents could sue in federal court and stop today's action. Instead of adopting that bill, House Republicans faulted the Senate for not voting on their bill, which would have affected thousands of similar cases." Norman Ornstein, American Enterprise Institute: "If they really wanted to intervene and stop the removal of this feeding tube, they had the ability to do so." Tapper concluded with his opinion: "Whatever your beliefs about this case, Terri Schiavo and her family deserved better than the way Congress worked this week. Jake Tapper, ABC News, Washington."

In fact, the ABC News/Washington Post, which Tapper characterized as posing a question about whether people "would want to be kept alive in the condition Schiavo's doctors say she is in," actually presented a fairly broad question which included the term "life support" which many probably interpreted to mean artificial breathing, a condition which does not match the Schiavo case. The question: "As you may know, a woman in Florida named Terri Schiavo suffered brain damage and has been on life support for 15 years. Doctors say she has no consciousness and her condition is irreversible. Her parents and her husband disagree on whether or not she should be kept on life support. In cases like this who do you think should have final say, (the parents) or (the spouse)?" Follow up: "If you were in this condition, would you want to be kept alive, or not?" See (a PDF): abcnews.go.com

I heard on WABC radio this morning that the ABC poll about if congress had the right to step in on the Terri Schaivo case was a whopping 68% (I believe)for NO!! Of course the ABC radio audience went the other way.

PROOF: When you slant your journalism, you get the results you want!!

Audio of Judge Greer with text on screen: "I don't think legislative agencies or bodies have a business in a court proceeding. And accordingly, I'm going to deny your motion to intervene."

One would imagine that such manifest contempt for Congress would engender a response from the Congress. Especially when the act obstructs the investigative power of the Congress, a federal felony.

That's true, but it's still not an excuse. The GOP consistently lets the other side define issues for them. It's bad - they need to communicate a lot better.

I'd MUCH rather have Congress doing something important, like protecting the life of a helpless, innocent woman, that "interfering" (read: grandstanding) on the steroids issue.

If the Deathocrats would have voted in support of saving her,they would have opined in support of her. The lib media will take whatever side the deathocrats take.

"I'd MUCH rather have Congress doing something important, like protecting the life of a helpless, innocent woman, that "interfering" (read: grandstanding) on the steroids issue."

This morning on CNN, (yes I watched to see what the left was saying)they were ranting. CNN says that with the deficit and the war in Iraq, congress needs to stop worrying about "Terri Schaivo" and "Steroids in Baseball" and move on to important business.

The three branches of government are supposed to be a protection against abuse by any one branch. Judges are not unaccountable kings any more than King George was. When a state judge refuses to uphold the constitution, then it is reasonable to let the other two branches step in and say "not so fast." May the federal judge to the right thing and preserve Terri's life.

This should go to the Supreme Court. They will find a 'penumbra' so that innocent Terri can have the same Federal Court review as a murderer.

I hope all of the eggs are not in this federal court basket. Why doesn't the house or senate seek a US Attorney to enforce the subpoenas it issued last week - In most cases federal marshalls could be used to take her into custody.

Another option should be an executive order in the form of a "pardon" or for Jeb Bush to "pardon" her. Could he not send in the national guard. (I know she is not a criminal, etc.) I believe that the reason for pardon powers given to the president and governors is that they can protect the life of the innocent.

Anthony Kennedy has refused to hear it. In appeal cases such as these a different Justice has been appointed for each circuit.

It would be great if the repulicans would keep on apeing the democrat tactics. For too long people have used the argument that we "can't act like them" with respect to federalism etc. While the other side has continued to get their way.

I think it is great that the left is crying about intervention. One this is done the republicans can say "you were right, the government shouldn't interfere, we need to not meddle in states' affairs"

"I think it is great that the left is crying about intervention. One this is done the republicans can say "you were right, the government shouldn't interfere, we need to not meddle in states' affairs""

The Democrats hollering for the States would not be happy if Roe v Wade was reversed and abortion resolved by the States.

"The three branches of government are supposed to be a protection against abuse by any one branch. Judges are not unaccountable kings any more than King George was. When a state judge refuses to uphold the constitution, then it is reasonable to let the other two branches step in and say "not so fast." May the federal judge to the right thing and preserve Terri's life."

My take on that point in a post to another thread:
...Listen, I like Jeb Bush. But here, in his role as chief executive, he is tip-toeing around the tough decision he should make. Which is stand up as the head of a co-equal branch and just say no.
Failing that, let’s stop dancing around the heart of the issue and just declare being disabled to be a criminal act.
At least then Terri Schiavo could be given clemency.

Hmmm, I wonder - if Janet Reno was still AG, would she order the US Marshalls into the hospice at about 3:00AM to rescue Terri and reunite her with her father ?

And if that happened, would liberals react the same way they did to Elian Gonzalez' midnight 'rescue' ??

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