Media Go Ballistic In Wake Of Ruling Against Gore

The “Conservative” U.S. Supreme Court vs. The “Bipartisan” Florida Supreme Court
Bozell: “The Media Took The Unprecedented Step Of Delegitimatizing The Highest Court In The Land Because – Like Al Gore – They Refuse To Concede The Election”

     ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Media Research Center Chairman Brent Bozell condemned the media attacks against the U.S. Supreme Court that have come in the wake of the Court’s stay of the manual recounts ordered in Florida by the Florida State Supreme Court. Media pundits also praised the Florida Supreme Court for its ruling favoring Gore.

     “The liberal assault by – supposedly – fair and balanced members of the press on the U.S. Supreme Court is repulsive. Over the weekend, the media took the unprecedented step of delegitimatizing the highest court in the land because, like their candidate Al Gore, the media refuse to concede the election,” Bozell said.

Contrasting The Court Rulings

“The fix is in” – Wall Street Journal Executive Editor Al Hunt on the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling, Capital Gang, CNN, 12/9/00.

“There is something unseemly about the desire not to have a statewide recount” – National Public Radio and ABC News reporter Nina Totenberg raising questions about the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling, Inside Washington, WUSA-TV, 12/9/00.

“What the Florida Supreme Court did was to cure the mistakes” – Time columnist Margaret Carlson, praising the Florida Supreme Court, Capital Gang, CNN, 12/9/00.

One Court Is Ideological, The Other Isn’t

“Critics of the decision claim the 5-4 split reveals political bias against Gore” – ABC News correspondent Jackie Judd characterizing the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, World News Tonight, 12/9/00.

“The most conservative of all justices” – CBS News correspondent Jim Stewart on U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, CBS Evening News, 12/9/00.

“You can bet you’re going to hear Democrats saying, ‘Listen, we had appointees of Nixon, Reagan and Bush handing the election to Bush’s son” – ABC News’s (and former Clinton White House Senior Adviser) George Stephanopoulos, forgetting to mention that Justices Ginsberg and Breyer, Clinton appointees, voted in favor of Gore and that Breyer is a personal friend of Gore’s, CBS Evening News, 12/9/00.

CBS’s Dan Rather Saw A Republican Conspiracy

“Bush will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court which has a majority of Republican-appointed justices. The Republican-controlled Florida legislature is now almost certain to choose its own slate of electors, setting up a possible constitutional and political showdown,” CBS News anchor Dan Rather, ignoring that 6 of the 7 Florida State Supreme Court justices were appointed by Democratic governors, CBS Evening News, 12/8/00.

“The performance of these so-called journalists is embarrassing. There isn’t even a whiff of fairness or balance in these reports. The media chose sides in this election from day one, and they are committed to helping their candidate – Al Gore – win the presidency one way or another,” Bozell said.

Media Interviews
To schedule an interview with Mr. Bozell, or Director of Media Analysis Tim Graham, or another MRC spokesperson, contact Katie Wright at (703)-683-5004, ext. 132.