Posted on 10/08/2006 5:54:35 AM PDT by NYer
New York, NY (LifeNews.com) -- CBS News' main anchor Katie Couric is coming under fire for saying some viewers may consider the pro-life views of a recent guest "repugnant." Her statement came after a father of a victim of the Columbine shootings, responding to the recent shooting at an Amish school, said abortion has cheapened people's view of life.
As part of its new evening news format, which Couric hosts, CBS News features a "free speech" segment which allows a wide range of people to comment on issues and headlines of the day.
CBS News featured Denver resident Brian Rohrbough, whose 15-year-old son Daniel was killed in the Columbine massacre. In his interview, aired nationally on the program, Rohrbough said abortion has caused a dimmer view of the sanctity of human life.
"I am saddened and shaken by the shooting at an Amish school today and last week's school murders," Rohrbough said. "When my son Dan was murdered on the sidewalk at Columbine High School on April 20th, 1999, I hoped that would be the last school shooting."
"Since that day, I tried to answer the question why did this happen?" Rohrbough added.
"This country is in a moral free fall. For over two generations, the public school system has taught in a moral vacuum," he explained. "We teach there are no absolutes, no right or wrong. And I assure you, the murder of innocent children is always wrong, including by abortion."
"Abortion has diminished the value of children," Rohrbough, who is a member of the board of directors of Colorado Right to Life, said.
Reacting to criticism from abortion advocates that he appeared on the show, Couric, on her Internet blog, wrote, "We knew when we decided to put on this segment that a lot of people would disagree with it. We also knew some might even find it repugnant."
In an op-ed responding to Couric, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly criticized her remarks.
"Repugnant? Why would any fair-minded person find Mr. Rohrbough's opinion repugnant?" O'Reilly asked. "You can disagree with the man, but using a word like "repugnant" marginalizes his legitimate opinion. Millions of Americans see it the way Mr. Rohrbough does."
"Now I don't believe Ms. Couric meant to demean the man, but her words reflect the elitist attitude common in network news and in the general media," O'Reilly added. "Using the word 'repugnant' might restore Ms. Couric's cocktail party credibility, but it is an unfortunate choice of words."
Rohrbough has been attacked on the left-wing blogs and on the CBS News Web site.
"I do applaud CBS News for giving Mr. Rohrbough a platform, but everyone can see how uncomfortable it has made the network. That should not be the case," O'Reilly said.
Ha! This from a woman who put her own colonoscopy exam on the air. Now that was repugnant.
Women who use knee pads don't have to worry about having babies.
Leftist journalists love to find "Jason Blair" type sources to speak FOR them, to say the things that they (as impartial observers) could never editorialize.
Some headline writers scour for DNC talking points and use the headlines to slam Republicans in "news" articles. An example of such a headline would be "Republicans are party of no ethics" (note the quotes). Just because "someone else" said it, does not mean that the journalist does not agree wholeheartedly.
Some barking moonbats think it is "perverted" that kids are not instructed to have sex from age 3 up (see the Sex Positive agenda) and denounce abstinence as "unhealthy" because it is a supression of sexual desires. I never see the media "acknowledge" this worldview that "some people" find abstinence repugnant (the common talking point instead is that "it doesn't work").
Since not all worldviews are covered, I'd have to say that Axis Katie delibertely mentioned those people who'd find it repugnant because of similar ideology at work. Why not mention those who find the gun grabbers' efforts to push for tighter gun control in the wake of such incidents to be "repugnant"?
But she *is* a fervent member of the Leftist
Lemming Culture of Death.
Typical dinosaur. Watch their ratings plummet even more...
What I find repugnant is the procedure of an abortion, something which I won't even describe. How someone can look at one and say "pro-life=bad, abortion=good" is beyond me.
Guess how long The Perky One was lying in wait to demean pro-lifers? Couric was fed at the teat of baby-killing. To her it's no big deal.........Couric's mother worked for the architects of legalized abortion---and the largest operators of abortoreums in the US----Planned Parenthood.
Saying that killing unborn babies is repugnant? Very interesting.
Did she lose weight?
It must be the new Katie Couric/Photoshop Diet.
Leaves Atkins behind.
We also knew some might even find it repugnant."
She didn't say she agreed with it just that some people might agree with it. I think we are stretching this story just like the democratic party does because we can't stand Katie. Please let us not become the liberal media and start stretching the truth or adding context that is not there just to please ourselves.
"Five little girls murdered in front of their classmates, and he goes off on a tangent about abortion."
Those who find RTL views concerning abortion "repugnant" are not, in any case, "people", so she's wrong.
it's a rhetorical game leftist media types use all the time .. they act as if it's not THEIR thoughts but the thoughts of the great unknown "some."
Reacting to criticism from abortion advocates that he appeared on the show, Couric, on her Internet blog, wrote, "We knew when we decided to put on this segment that a lot of people would disagree with it. We also knew some might even find it repugnant."
"Katie" is an airhead whose personality and talents are primarily suited for giggly early-morning children's programming. The silly ear-to-ear carnival-clown grin doesn't work for serious news stories. This gaffe reaffirms that and blends in with the general dumbing down of the mainstream media and corporate-conglomerate evening news.
Her giggling during an interview with Robin Williams as Williams imitated a colonoscopy camera comes to mind...
Katie is biased? No!!! I am stunned! :-)
Repugnant is repugnant and she said repugnant!!!!
We know what she meant.....and it's offensive!
The father of the Columbine victim stated what millions of Americans believe.....
...and it's not repugnant.
But you can bet Katie believes it repugnant in her heart of hearts (if she still has one!)
O'Blowhard pandering to the conservative book buying cash cow.
Katie Couric is repugnant! I'll never watch her news show again!
Just giving you the correct journalistic format here. Old habits (and training) are hard to break. :-)
You're not alone. A few real conservatives are left out here, disliking it when these pseudoconservatives use dishonesty to try to make (score) a point.
Couric may be loathesome and repugnant, but so is the misleading headline.
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