Bozell Calls on 60 Minutes to Retract Reckless And Bigoted Promotion of "Hitler's Pope" - Press Release - March 21, 2000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 21, 2000

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Katie Wright (703) 683-5004, ext. 132

Bozell Calls on 60 Minutes to Retract Reckless And Bigoted Promotion of "Hitler's Pope"
Newsweek Found "Errors of Fact and Ignorance of Context Appear on Almost Every Page"

ALEXANDRIA, Va. --- Media Research Center Chairman L. Brent Bozell III today called on CBS's 60 Minutes to retract and apologize for its Sunday night promotion of British author John Cornwell, and his book "Hitler's Pope." CBS reporter Ed Bradley created the false impression that Pope Pius XII didn't lift a finger to prevent the killing of Jews during World War II, and that this happened because he was an anti-Semite.

"It's fascinating to see that while so many in the media find it outrageous that Bill Clinton is accused of having 'blood on his hands' over administration inaction on violence in America, for CBS, it is perfectly acceptable – even worthy of nationwide TV promotion – to charge that a Pope has the blood of six million Holocaust victims on his hands," Bozell said.

Bozell urged CBS to confront the verdict of Newsweek religion specialist Kenneth Woodward's review of Hitler's Pope on September 27, 1999. He not only called Cornwell's charge of the Pope Pius's anti-Semitism "bizarre," he declared:

"Errors of fact and ignorance of context appear on almost every page. Cornwell questions [Pope Pius's] every motive, but never doubts those who tell a different story. This is bogus scholarship, filled with nonexistent secrets, aimed to shock."

"This is the second time this year that 60 Minutes has promoted sloppy, unsubstantiated authors," Bozell concluded. "In February, Lesley Stahl gave publicity to a new edition of Fortunate Son, a book claiming George W. Bush used cocaine in the '70s, by J.H. Hatfield, the convicted plotter of a car bombing. With its record of offering publicity to unsupported negative attacks, 60 Minutes has outdone itself, insulting 60 million American Catholics."

Media Interviews
To schedule an interview with Mr. Bozell, please contact Dan Gabriel (703) 683-5004, ext. 139