ABC's Peter Jennings sees an ominous new threat in the world (To Hollywood Celebrities)

Media Research Center via E-Mail | April 16, 2003 | Brent Baker

[PJ-Comix]

ABC's Peter Jennings sees an ominous new threat in the world. Not weapons of mass destruction or terrorism, but another vast right-wing conspiracy at home, specifically, the supposedly "well organized and aggressive efforts to make life very difficult for celebrities who speak out against the war."

Jennings ended Tuesday's World News Tonight with this plug for Wednesday's show: "That is our report on World News Tonight. Tomorrow on the broadcast, the well organized and aggressive efforts to make life very difficult for celebrities who speak out against the war. I'm Peter Jennings. Have a good evening, and good night."

I can't wait to hear how all the celebrities who were regularly appearing on cable news before the war were suppressed. And if people choose not to watch their shows or buy their CDs, that's the free market and the public just expressing its disagreement with their views.

Apparently Jennings doesn't consider it newsworthy to examine how celebrities erroneously predicted disastrous events would result from the war or whether some owe an apology, like Janeane Garofalo who promised that she'd admit it if she were proven wrong. (See item #7 below for more on Garofalo.)

That's probably because he too would have to admit that he was wrong.

Jennings' agenda is probably inspired by some recent whining from actor Tim Robbins, who was Tuesday's luncheon speaker at the National Press Club. On Monday's Today show, prompted by the Baseball Hall of Fame cancelling an appearance by him, Robbins contended that the message is that "if you would disagree with this administration you can and will be punished."

MRC analyst Geoffrey Dickens caught how on the April 14 Today Matt Lauer tossed up a bunch of softballs to Robbins, who used Baseball Hall of Fame President Dale Petroskey's decision to cancel an event marking the 15th anniversary of the movie Bull Durham in which Robbins starred, as an excuse to spout off about how he's being oppressed.

Robbins charged: "He basically says that if you do not agree with this President you don't have the right to this particular forum. You do not have the right to come to Cooperstown. Which is a very punitive and, and aggressive kind of way of dealing with the situation....And by doing it in the public way he did, by sending it to the AP at the same time he's sending it to me he's trying to, he's trying to send a message out which is basically, if you would disagree with this administration you can and will be punished."

Robbins echoed himself: "We're sending out messages to the public on an almost daily basis that they have no right to protest against this President." Matt Lauer cued up Robbins: "So when the Dixie Chicks say, 'I'm embarrassed by President Bush being from Texas,' radio stations pull their music and people stomp on their CDs." Robbins spun a conspiracy tale: "But let's not forget the connection between Clear Channel or the Bush administration or the connection between Petroskey and the Reagan administration and prominent Republicans that he's worked for including Elizabeth Dole. This is, this is an endemic problem and it's a terrible situation, a terrible message to be sending out."

If Robbins fears Elizabeth Dole, about as mushy a moderate as you can find, he really has insecurity issues.

Lauer tossed Robbins another softball pitch: "How did this climate get created, in your opinion?" Robbins: "We are fighting, we are fighting for freedom for the Iraqi people right now, so that they can have the freedom of speech, yet we are telling our own citizens that they have to be quiet at home, that they have to acquiesce to this president in a time of war. And he said, okay, he said, 'This war will be lasting a long, long time.' So when can we disagree with him?" Lauer finally challenged him: "You, you've said in the past you think this is a war based largely on oil. When, when you see the scenes of people celebrating in the streets of Baghdad and tearing down statues, does it change your opinion as to our need to go in there at all?" Robbins is still unmoved: "No, I am ecstatic that they feel this freedom. I hope that they, that we have the resolve to, to get in there and make it work. So far we've lost our focus on Afghanistan, it seems to me. And, and we have a terrible track record as far as our military leading to democracy. Look at Panama, look at Nicaragua. It's not, it's not in our best interest for some reason to keep it going."

Back for a second round after the 8:25am local news break, Lauer re-cued Robbins for his spiel: "What do you think about the climate we're living in right now where the Dixie Chicks records are pulled, where Madonna pulls a music video because she's afraid that people will misinterpret as anti-war, anti-troops?" Robbins: "Yeah, well it's, it's kind of scary. It's kind of scary because not, not because of me or Susan or, you know, the, her United Way thing being cancelled or the Baseball Hall of Fame. Those things are in, in the radar, we get, we get to talk about them, we get to discuss them and we get to, you know call Dale Petroskey to the, to the carpet on, on his actions. What, across the country this kind of stuff is happening on a daily basis. We were just down in Florida this weekend at a family reunion and almost everyone I talked to was telling me about something in a school, in a local district, that is not being reported, about, you know kids being intimidated for anti-war views, people being suspended for wearing peace signs. An event cancelled because they chose to pray for Iraqi civilians that were killed. Really crazy stuff. A disc, one of these, a talk radio person in the South calling for the murder of Hollywood celeb, a particular Hollywood celebrity. Crazy stuff. What is going on here?" Lauer: "You mention timing. I mean it seems as if the rules is if troops are engaged do not criticize." Robbins: "We will have troops engaged and we have had troops engaged for the last 20 years somewhere in the world. It's not, you can't go on that, on that basis. This war, according to the President, is going to last a very long time. Do we cancel the next election because we can't criticize this guy? Why, why are they so concerned? Why can't they engage in the debate of it? Don't they have points that they have to, that they can make. I mean the problem is we are dealing with a, with a situation where people are, are abdicating their First Amendment rights in fear. This is not what we, what this country is built on. We, we are supposed to be able to vigorously talk about issues and debate subjects."

How exactly are you being silenced when the most-watched national morning television show gives you a platform?

For a picture of Robbins and a rundown of his film roles, check the page for him on the Internet Movie Database: http://us.imdb.com/Name?Robbins,+Tim

[lavaroise]

Yep, and of course the conspiracy mongers are not conspiring against freely speaking people in America who have had it with their treason and confinement of America.

[HighWheeler]

Quote of the Day nomination.

[Ga Rob]

I thought Progressive=Leftist, Marxists??

[1Old Pro]

The funniest thing about Pierre Jennings and his support of the hollyweed left wingers is that he will deny to his last breath that the media has an extreme, organized left wing bias.

[Happy2BMe]

"Apparently Jennings doesn't consider it newsworthy to examine how celebrities erroneously predicted disastrous events would result from the war or whether some owe an apology, like Janeane Garofalo who promised that she'd admit it if she were proven wrong. (See item #7 below for more on Garofalo.)"

YO - Mack! Those HOLLYWOOD PUKES . . They Ain't Got Nuttin' On Us - NUTTIN'

HOLLYWOOD IS FOR IRAQ - AND ANTI AMERICAN

"Bush is a racist"--Danny Glover

"I think America has no experience with terrorism or even with war. In Europe, we know a little bit more about these things." --Peter Gabriel

"As dumb as this administration is, they don't look ahead. They don't know where any countries are...They don't really know much about anything."

"Now you have people [in Washington] who have no interest in the country at all. They're interested in their companies, their corporations grabbing Caspian oil."-- Gore Vidal

“In my country the atmosphere is poisoned. Unbreathable for those of us who are not on the right. So thank you for inviting me to this festival and allowing me to leave there for a few days.” -- Jessica Lange

"So when I see the American flag, I go, 'Oh my God, you're insulting me.'"

"'We're here, we're queer!' -- that's what makes my heart swell. Not the flag, but a gay naked man or woman burning the flag. I get choked up with pride." -- Janeanne Garofalo

"I believe he thinks this [war against Iraq] is a war that can be won, but there is no such thing anymore...We can't beat anyone anymore" -- George Clooney

"[Bush is a] sad figure: not too well educated, who doesn't get out of America much. He's leading the country towards fascism... he wouldn't understand the word fascism anyway." --Larry Hagman

"It is inappropriate for the [Bush] administration to trump up a case in which we are ballyhooed into war."

But, a few years earlier:

"...the bottom line is that I think it’s appropriate for the international community in situations like this to intervene [in Kosovo]. I am in favor of an intervention. On some level you have to say that at least somebody [Clinton] is doing something." -- Mike Farrell

[HighWheeler]

From Hollywood Halfwits:

Graham recalled seeing this sign at an anti-war march: “We Support Our Troops...When They Shoot Their Officers.” That set off Garofalo:

“That one guy that had that one sign that you'll probably beat into the ground. You're going to use it over and over whether it actually existed or not. That's what all you right-wing radio hosts do. You make shit up all the time.”

Source: http://www.mediaresearch.org/cyberalerts/2003/cyb20030401.asp#6

Here it is, GAROFALO, you blithering idiot:

[gawow]

Here is a great site that lists a whole lot of places and people - like Hollywood halfwits!

http://www.notintheirname.us/

[RJayneJ]

Can you give me the post number? };^D)

[HighWheeler]

Go to post #8

[Tempest]

I wonder about the well organized efforts to squelch the voices of Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Laura, Sean Hannity, etc, etc.

[RJayneJ]

Thanks for the nomination! };^D )