COVERAGE OF U.S. ATTORNEYS’ FIRINGS PROVES HYPOCRITICAL DOUBLE STANDARD OF THE MEDIA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 14, 2007

CONTACT: TIM SCHEIDERER OR COLLEEN O’BOYLE AT 703.683.5004

COVERAGE OF U.S. ATTORNEYS’ FIRINGS PROVES HYPOCRITICAL DOUBLE STANDARD OF THE MEDIA
Bush Fired 8, Clinton Fired 93, But Only Bush is News

Alexandria, VA – The top liberal media are extensively reporting on the Bush Administration’s replacement of eight federal attorneys in 2006, calling it a political scandal and relaying demands by Democrats for the resignation of U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. But this same liberal media treated the firing of 93 U.S. prosecutors by President Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno in 1993 as largely routine, and did not fuel demands for Reno’s resignation.

This blatant double standard in coverage further confirms the fact that the top media in America are liberally biased and committed to promoting liberal Democrats and denigrating conservative Republicans. In reference to this liberal media hypocrisy, Media Research President Brent Bozell issued the following statement:

“The replacement of federal prosecutors, who are political appointees in the first place, happens with nearly every Administration yet the liberal media are treating Bush’s actions as some sort of shocking political scandal – poppycock! The Bush Administration fired eight—eight!—U.S. attorneys while the Clinton Administration fired 93 of them. The liberal media are screaming about Bush but, by and large, yawned about Clinton. The double standard is nauseating.

“The Washington Post says, Bush ‘Firings Had Genesis in White House.’ Well, so did the Clinton firings, but The Post called those routine. The New York Times has hyped the Bush and Gonzales story but completely ignored the Clinton-Reno firings. And so have ABC’s Good Morning America, ABC’s World News with Charles Gibson, and other top liberal media.

“The liberal media are promoting the agenda of liberal Democrats on this attorneys’ issue, and the double standard, the rank hypocrisy is evident for the world to see. This type of grossly slanted coverage only further erodes the credibility of the networks and the top newspapers.”

To schedule an interview with MRC President Bozell or an MRC spokesperson, please contact Tim Scheiderer (x. 126) or Colleen O’Boyle (x. 122) at 703.683.5004.