Bozell Statement on Santorum Coverage - Press Release - April 24, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2003

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Katie Wright at (703) 683-5004 ext. 132

Bozell Statement on Santorum Coverage:

ALEXANDRIA, Va. --- The liberal media are once again displaying a blatant double standard in covering the remarks of liberal and conservative politicians. In December, Sen. Patty Murray, then the leader of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, compared Osama bin Laden favorably to the United States, saying he allegedly built hospitals and day care centers in the Third World, and "We have not done that." The national media, print and television, almost completely ignored it. In 2001, Sen. Robert Byrd, the former Democratic majority leader, said "There are white niggers, I’ve seen a lot of white niggers in my time" on Fox News Sunday, and nobody held a will-he-survive vigil over that.

But now, the media are breathing hot and heavy with reports that Sen. Rick Santorum should have to sacrifice his leadership post for being critical of homosexual behavior. With this, the media show not only liberal bias, but contempt for free speech and open debate on crucial social issues. This isn’t Saddam Hussein’s Baghdad. This isn’t a George Orwell novel. This is still a democracy, and legislators ought to be free to talk about the law without the media acting as publicity agents for gay groups as they try to pick off conservative Republican leaders.

Gay-left pressure groups like the Human Rights Campaign have shown that they believe that traditional religious values are obscene and should not be expressed by any public official. In other words, they are censors, out to blacklist any conservative who dares condemn homosexual behavior. They are trying to impose a religious test for public office, and the media are aiding this campaign at their request. For the media, homosexuality isn’t a desirable topic for public debate. It’s a topic that comes up only when it’s time to tell conservatives to shut up.

To schedule an interview with Brent Bozell, or another Media Research Center spokesperson, contact Katie Wright at (703)-683-5004, ext. 132.