CBS Took Up Case Against Rove; Today Highlighted Claim Clinton Was First "Real" President; Supreme Court "Treason"; Stossel Impugned
1) Though Senate Democrats have demurred on any
investigation against Karl Rove over supposed stock ownership conflicts,
that didn’t dissuade CBS News. John Roberts complained:
"Republicans in Congress, who spent eight years investigating
President Clinton, today refused to look into Rove’s dealings."
But, as FNC reported, Dan Burton pointed out the committee had not pursued
stock ownership conflicts involving several Clinton officials.
2) Today featured a New York City high school student who
got Bill Clinton to address her graduating class. Katie Couric prompted
her to read from her letter to him: "You are the first President who
was a real person. Honestly, it might be good for you too, to be in a
place where you are adored, respected and appreciated no matter what the
latest media reports."
3) Geraldo Rivera: "Should five of our nation’s
nine Supreme Court Justices be imprisoned? That’s the opinion of famed
former prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi. He says the Justices who supported
George W. Bush in the election dispute are almost treasonous white-collar
criminals. He’ll explain why."
4) Far-left environmental activists complained about an
upcoming John Stossel special on ABC and several major papers
cooperatively jumped to run stories on the effort to discredit his effort
to dare to question liberal environmental orthodoxy.
5) Personal animosity for conservatives conceded by a
reporter on ABC. On ABC’s prime time The Beast, that it. A reporter
named "Alice" screeched: "If you think a woman doesn’t
have the right to control her own body, if you think that freedom means
that you can carry an assault weapon with armor piercing bullets, then
yes, yes, yes, [shouting] I think you’re a fascist."
1
Though
Senate Democrats have demurred on pursuing any investigation against top
White House aide Karl Rove over having a meeting with officials with a
company whose stock he owned, that didn’t dissuade CBS News from trying
to incite a controversy, as Dan Rather lectured about how "before,
during, and after the campaign, candidate and now President Bush promised
zero tolerance for even the appearance of impropriety by any of the people
around him."
John Roberts noted up front Rove was advised
by the White House Counsel’s office not to sell his stocks, but
nonetheless pursued the story, even allowing House Democrat Henry Waxman,
who wants the House Government Affairs Committee to launch an
investigation, to make his case for one. Roberts scolded:
"Republicans in Congress, who spent eight years investigating
President Clinton, today refused to look into Rove’s dealings."
But, as FNC had reported the night before,
committee chairman Dan Burton pointed out the committee had not pursued
questions of stock ownership conflicts involving several Clinton
administration officials.
Dan Rather intoned on the June 26 CBS Evening
News: "Before, during, and after the campaign, candidate and now
President Bush promised zero tolerance for even the appearance of
impropriety by any of the people around him. This is part of what’s
fueling questions now about why top presidential advisor Karl Rove was
meeting with big business leaders about issues that could affect his own
investments positively. CBS’s John Roberts has been digging deeper into
this."
Roberts then reported, as taken down by MRC
analyst Brad Wilmouth: "White House sources tell CBS News tonight
that the President’s top political advisor first offered to sell his
stocks in early January before President Bush took office. Karl Rove was
told he should do nothing until the White House Counsel’s Office
reviewed his investments and signed off on the sale. That wasn’t until
May 30."
Ari Fleischer, White House Press Secretary:
"The counsel’s office was not able to get him a certificate of
divestiture in a timely enough fashion. As soon as he received it, he
fully divested his holdings."
Roberts outlined the case against Rove: "But
it’s what happened during those four-and-a-half months that has focused
intense scrutiny on Rove. Holding more than $100,000 in Intel stock, Rove
held meetings with company officials who were seeking White House approval
for a merger. Rove also had thousands of dollars in energy and
pharmaceutical stocks at the same time the President was developing his
energy policy and threatening to veto a patients’ rights bill he said
would harm the health care industry. Democratic Congressman Henry Waxman
has called for investigations."
Henry Waxman, D-CA: "But he is the key
person in the White House on a whole range of decisions, and if he’s
making decisions that affect the companies where he has a financial
holding, we ought to know about it."
Roberts picked up the liberal spin:
"Republicans in Congress, who spent eight years investigating
President Clinton, today refused to look into Rove’s dealings.
Government Reform Chairman Dan Burton mocked Waxman’s sudden interest in
government ethics issues and reminded Democrats of their own problems,
releasing an FBI document that quotes a Democratic donor as saying he once
paid $20,000 to guarantee access to the Clinton White House."
That’s the first and so far only broadcast
network reference, if vague, to the charge by Charlie Trie that he twice
handed Clinton aide Mark Middleton an envelope containing $10,000 in cash.
Roberts concluded: "White House officials
say tonight they saw no ethical problems with Rove’s dealings because he
had already indicated that he was going to sell the stock. Democrats in
the Senate say there’s no reason for investigations at this point, but
tell us tonight they haven’t closed that door."
At least CBS News hopes they haven’t.
Viewers of FNC the night before learned how
the House Government Reform Committee had previously avoided stock
ownership conflict charges. In a piece aired on the June 25 Special Report
with Brit Hume, David Shuster relayed:
"Dan Burton, the Republican Chairman of the
House Government Reform Committee, responded to Democrat Henry Waxman by
saying, ‘No comparison can be made between the Bush administration and
the ethical lapses during the Clinton years.’ In a letter to Waxman,
Burton points out the committee never investigated stock holdings of
Clinton officials. ‘I must note, however, my surprise at your sudden
interest in government ethics issues. During the preceding five years, you
were noticeably silent.’"
Shuster elaborated: "Burton details
several instances when the committee took no action. President Clinton's
National Security Adviser, Sandy Berger, who agreed to pay $23,000 in
civil penalties for failing to immediately sell $90,000 in stock in the
Amoco Corporation; Richard Holbrooke, former Ambassador to the United
Nations, who paid a $5,000 fine for a South Korean investment deal
involving a firm paying Holbrooke a million dollars a year; and former
Defense Secretary William Perry. He reportedly held investments worth
hundreds of thousands of dollars in defense companies doing business with
the Pentagon.
"Burton goes on to argue that Waxman went on
the offensive against Karl Rove and his Intel stock holdings the very week
Waxman learned about new allegations involving former Clinton aide Mark
Middleton. According to FBI documents, Middleton is alleged to have
received $10,000 in cash on two separate occasions from former Clinton
fundraiser Charlie Trie. According to Trie, who pleaded guilty in the
campaign fundraising investigations, the cash payments were for physical
access to the White House."
Offering balance, unlike CBS, Shuster also
included Waxman’s case: "In response, Waxman says the civil
penalties paid by some Clinton officials underscore the serious nature of
Karl Rove's conduct. And he scoffs at Burton's suggestion that the
committee has ever exercised restraint. He points out that Burton has
issued more than a thousand subpoenas for documents and testimony, with 98
percent directed at the Clinton administration or the Democratic
Party."
Shuster concluded: "Waxman maintains that
he still expects answers from Karl Rove and the White House. Burton seems
to make it clear that the committee will not be pursuing the matter. And
in a sign of the politics all around, both sides accuse the other of using
logic that is ‘hilarious’ and predicted that more letters are on the
way."
2
Rehabilitating
Bill Clinton. On Tuesday’s Today NBC brought aboard a New York City high
school student who convinced former President Clinton to address her
graduating class. While Katie Couric noted there’s controversy over
Monica Lewinsky and Marc Rich, MRC analyst Geoffrey Dickens noticed that
Couric prompted the student to read from her letter in which she told
Clinton: "You are the first President who was a real person.
Honestly, it might be good for you too, to be in a place where you are
adored, respected and appreciated no matter what the latest media
reports."
Couric set up the June 26 Today segment:
"We all remember our high school graduation but our next guest has a
special reason to remember hers. This afternoon Sophia Velez will graduate
from the Professional Performing Arts High School right here in Manhattan.
And thanks to her efforts former President Bill Clinton will be the
speaker."
After asking why she chose Clinton and how she
managed to get her letter to him, Couric got to the letter itself:
"I've got a portion of the it here that I'm going to read. Because
obviously it was something that really struck a chord in him and it was a
very effective communique as they say. It says, 'It may sound corny but
you would love my school, Professional Performing Arts School. My school
is a very special public school. The teachers try to the best of their
abilities to reach and touch every student and usually succeed. They did
with me. They've always taught tolerance and respect no matter who won is
or where they came from. They truly believe that every student there can
make a contribution and succeed and should reach for his or her dreams,
I'm reaching for mine, writing this is part of it.' I realize how silly it
is that I'm reading your letter on television. Why don't you
continue?"
Velez: "Okay. ‘It would be such an honor
if you would come speak at my school. Lately it seems you were attacked at
every corner. But in this school you are loved by students and teachers
alike. You are the first President who was a real person. Honestly, it
might be good for you too, to be in a place where you are adored,
respected and appreciated no matter what the latest media reports. And if
the time is right that you are lonely in Chappaqua come on in to the city
where you'll be greeted and treated the way you deserve.’"
Couric then at least noted: "Well that
sort of raises a point I think, Sophia, and that is that President Clinton
is pretty controversial. I mean not only with the Monica Lewinsky
situation but of course with the Marc Rich pardon. Did you have any
trepidation at all or any second thoughts as to how he might be received
and that everybody at your school would be as enthusiastic as you are
about him?"
Velez assured Couric that everyone is excited
about seeing Clinton. Couric said goodbye by passing along her admiration:
"Well I think it's great that you were able to convince him to do it
and it teaches a lot of people good lessons about persistence and as you
said reaching for your dreams and going forward."
3
Geraldo
Rivera’s CNBC show is the first stop for anyone with a book impugning
Supreme Court justices for their presidential election decision in favor
of Bush. Last week, as detailed in the June 20 CyberAlert, Rivera praised
Alan Dershowitz’s new book, Supreme Injustice: How the High Court
Hijacked Election 2000. Rivera boasted it "makes a point that I
firmly believe."
This week he brought on Vincent Bugliosi,
author of Betrayal of America: How the Supreme Court Undermined the
Constitution and Chose Our President. Rivera plugged the June 25 segment,
MRC analyst Geoffrey Dickens noticed, with some hype: "Should five of
our nation’s nine Supreme Court Justices be imprisoned? That’s the
opinion of famed former prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi. He says the Justices
who supported George W. Bush in the election dispute are almost treasonous
white-collar criminals. He’ll explain why."
Rivera introduced the segment: "Listen to
what Vince writes when he suggests the Justices may be traitors to our
country. Quote, ‘While the conduct of the five conservative Justices
doesn’t fall within the strict language of treason, the essence of
treason clearly, is an American citizen doing grave and unjustifiable
damage to this nation, which the Justices surely did by stealing the
office of the Presidency for the candidate of their choice.’ Did you set
out to be inflammatory?"
Rivera did at least wonder: "Let me ask
you this, though. The motive, presumably ideology or party politics
however you want to characterize it, but what, what do you make of the
fact that some of these recounts indicate that Bush would have won in
Florida. Does that not eradicate the motive?"
But he wrapped up with an enthusiastic
endorsement: "Well here it is folks. It is a scathing indictment of
the high court of the United States, at least these five conservative
Justices. And I really, really, I urge law students especially but anyone
whose interested in the machinations of the court to check this out.
Vincent Bugliosi’s The Betrayal of America."
4
Far-left
environmental activists complained about an upcoming network news special
and several major papers jumped to run stories on the attack.
Conservatives, who have documented the myriad of network distortions in
the past few weeks in coverage of global warming and the National Academy
of Sciences report, can only dream of such mainstream newspaper stories
discrediting a TV news report.
The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and USA
Today all ran stories on Tuesday about complaints from parents about how
for an ABC special this Friday on, amongst other things, how kids are only
learning one-side on environmental issues, John Stossel had manipulated
their kids in order to get the answers he wanted.
Stop the presses! Put down the video camera!
That never occurs with anyone but Stossel, whom liberal environmentalists
hold in contempt for daring to challenge their orthodoxy.
An excerpt from Elizabeth Jensen’s Los
Angeles Times story, headlined, "Parents Lash Out at ABC, Stossel."
Subhead: "Producers are accused of misleading participants in the
special 'Tampering With Nature.'" Jensen reported from New York:
A group of parents, most of them from Santa Monica's Canyon Charter
School, charged that producers for ABC News' John Stossel misled them and
now they are revoking the permission they granted for ABC to use
interviews with their children in Stossel's Friday special, Tampering With
Nature.
The special deals with everything from genetically modified foods to
global warming and human cloning, making the point that humans have
"tampered with nature" for centuries, with generally beneficial
results, including longer life spans.
The children, whose parents thought they would be interviewed by a
producer, were taped in April about their environmental education and what
they believe about various environmental issues, such as the use of solar
and nuclear power; Stossel later sharply questions some of their educators
about whether the children are being fed one-sided information.
In a group letter sent to Stossel on Monday, the seven parents said
they are "disturbed by the way your staff withheld your involvement
with the segment and misrepresented the nature of the piece," adding
that ABC's controversial correspondent "asked leading questions to
get them to say what you wanted." They said they wanted ABC to remove
all footage that involves their children's voices and images....
The parents' reaction was coordinated by the Environmental Working
Group, a Washington nonprofit group that was also responsible for raising
the controversy over Stossel's special last year, which questioned the
safety of organic food. ABC was forced to apologize for an error in that
story, and Stossel was reprimanded; the show's producer was suspended. The
Environmental Working Group, which has posted the parents' letter on its
Web site, http://www.ewg.org,
also led an attack earlier this year on the chemical industry, in
conjunction with a controversial PBS documentary by Bill Moyers....
Brad Neal, a Venice Beach real estate investor and the children's
father, said he gave permission for Samantha, 8, and Brandon, 10, to
participate in the children's panel ABC producers assembled, without
knowing that Stossel was involved in the program. Parents were told that
ABC was doing a special on Earth Day and wanted to know "what your
second- and third- and fourth-graders feel about the environment,"
Neal said.
But when questioning began, Neal, who said he is planning to open
organic juice bars, says he recognized Stossel as the anchor of last
year's program attacking organic foods, "and I had this bad feeling
inside." He is most bothered, he said, that "ABC hid Stossel's
involvement, because some of us would have been less inclined to let our
children participate." And once the interviewing began, he said,
"it was not about sharing our children's thoughts on the environment
with this guy, it was about getting the response he wanted."
"It was clear from the very first couple minutes that the
questions were not leading, they were misleading," and at one point,
Stossel tried to lead the children in a chant to the effect that "all
scientists agree that there is a greenhouse effect," he said.
"They manipulated our children for their own agenda."...
END Excerpt
For all of Jensen’s piece, go to:
http://www.latimes.com/print/calendar/20010626/t000052635.html
To read the story by Howard Kurtz in the June
26 Washington Post, go to:
http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45563-2001Jun25.html
ABC News has decided to cut the interviews
with the kids in question, Kurtz noted in a follow up story on Wednesday.
5
Journalists
at the networks may continue to deny any personal liberal bias, witness
the hostile reaction to Bernard Goldberg, but last week an ABC prime time
entertainment show highlighted the liberal ideology of one fictional
reporter who lashed out at Republicans as "fascists" as she
resisted airing a story which would hurt a liberal Senate candidate.
The plot line occurred on ABC’s The Beast,
about the workings at the World News Service, a California-based cable
news channel.
The reporter, named "Alice," not
only blasted conservative views ("If you think a woman doesn’t have
the right to control her own body, if you think that freedom means that
you can carry an assault weapon with armor piercing bullets, then yes,
yes, yes, [shouting] I think you’re a fascist"), she gushed to a
liberal Senator-elect before interviewing him on air: "I’ve always
admired you. You know. I remember when you were a freshman Congressman and
they blew up that abortion clinic in San Diego. I saw you on TV and you
walked those doctors back into the clinic and I was thinking ‘there goes
a very brave man.’"
In the June 20 edition of the show, reporter
"Alice Allenby," played by actress Elizabeth Mitchell,
enthusiastically pursues charges that workers for the Republican U.S.
Senate candidate, in a special California election which is too close to
call even a day later, committed vote fraud to steal the election. She
soon learns, however, that the Democratic candidate, "Hansen,"
who is named the winner, really committed more vote fraud. At a nursing
home she discovers that a Hansen-backer who owns many nursing homes used
the names of dead and living residents to file absentee ballots.
Walking down the driveway outside the nursing
home this exchange takes place between Alice, who wants to not report her
discovery, and her cameraman, "Ryan." MRC intern Lindsay Welter
transcribed the scene:
Ryan: "Hey, what’s wrong? That was
prime time, blow the roof off brilliant."
Alice: "Do you know what kind of a man Bill
Hansen is? He is honorable, he is courageous. He is closest thing that my
generation has to Bobby Kennedy."
Ryan: "Ah, that’s a bloody myth. You’re
confusing reality with great hair."
Alice: "Excuse me."
Ryan: "Bobby Kennedy was a hatchet man for
his brother, they were both ruthless."
Alice: "Listen, we’re not saying anything
to anyone, understand?"
Ryan: "Why not?"
Alice: "Because, because we don’t have
enough proof."
Ryan: "Proof? You’ve got proof that a dead
woman voted for Hansen by absentee ballot."
Alice: "It’s still not enough. Somebody
organized this. I need to find someone in the Hansen campaign who, who
will go on record, even anonymously, before we can run it." [after
getting into their van, Ryan puts video camera up to her window]
"What are you doing?"
Ryan: "Why don’t you tell the camera why
you’re willing to bitch slap a Republican and roll over for a
Democrat."
Alice: "Put the camera down, Ryan."
Ryan: "No, come on, tell me."
Alice: "Look, we don’t have enough proof,
alright? When we have enough proof, we will run it."
Ryan: "Yes, we do. Every T may not be
crossed, but we have a boatload. You’re so infatuated with Hansen
you’re afraid to hurt him."
Alice: "That is not true."
Ryan: "Then what, you just hate
Republicans?"
Alice: "Just, just get in the car, alright
Ryan. Just get in the car and drive."
Ryan: "Go on, go on and say it."
Alice: "I don’t hate Republicans Ryan. I
just think that most of them are [screaming] fascists."
Ryan: "Like me, then?"
Alice: "If you think a woman doesn’t have
the right to control her own body, if you think that freedom means that
you can carry an assault weapon with armor piercing bullets, then yes,
yes, yes, [shouting] I think you’re a fascist."
Ryan: "That’s what I thought."
Alice is convinced by Ryan and goes with the
story.
This afternoon the MRC Web team will post on
the MRC home page a RealPlayer clip of this scene.
The Beast will air again tonight on ABC at
10pm ET/PT, 9pm CT/MT.
Here’s how the ABC Web site describes the
show:
Jackson Burns is an iconoclastic media mogul who has built a 24-hour
broadcast news organization like no other. Jackson's (Frank Langella)
unique team of reporters not only cover the stories but are covered as
part of the story. Cameras in the halls, in their cars, and behind closed
doors document the inner workings of World News Service (WNS) -- a.k.a.
The Beast -- and the images captured are broadcast live to the world via
the Internet.
From Jackson's perspective, journalists have lost all credibility. He
believes that he must turn the cameras on his reporters to ensure their
veracity and guarantee that the public gets the whole truth. For magazine
reporter Alice Allenby (Elizabeth Mitchell),
WNS is a frightening product of technology that crosses the line of
propriety into voyeurism and sensationalism.
Jackson entices Alice with promises of more freedom, access, and
resources than she could ever dream of. But Alice is torn between her
desire to report the news and the organization's desire to make her a part
of it.
Diverse and driven, the WNS staff shares a mutual need -- to feed The
Beast.
END Reprint from plug posted at:
http://abc.go.com/primetime/thebeast/index.html
After watching two episodes, I’d say
this is definitely not "must see TV." I’d bet it’s cancelled
before the end of July.