Bad Deeds for 11-30-2007

CNN Has Different Standards for Republican and Democratic Debate Questions – CNN Washington bureau chief David Bohrman, who’s executive producing the CNN You Tube debate, said that YouTube videos “asking the Republican candidates to defend their opposition to gay marriage and abortion” would not be asked. “Those kinds of ‘lobbying grenades’ would be disqualified by the CNN selection team, Mr. Bohrman said. ‘There are quite a few things you might describe as Democratic “gotchas,” and we are weeding those out,’ Mr. Bohrman said. CNN wants to ensure that next Wednesday’s Republican event is ‘a debate of their party.'” So if that’s what CNN is doing now, surely they applied the same rules to the previous CNN/YouTube Democratic Debate? No gotchas, no questions from Republicans, a debate of their own party?

However, look at some of the grenades lobbed at the Democratic presidential candidates’ debate:

I’d like to know, if the Democrats come into office, are my taxes going to rise like usually they do when a Democrat gets into office?

To all the [Democratic] candidates: Tell me your position on gun control, as myself and other Americans really want to know if our babies are safe. This is my baby [indicating his gun], purchased under the 1994 gun ban…

Don’t you think if we pulled out [of Iraq] now that it would open it up for Iran and Syria, God knows who — Russia — how do we pull out now? And isn’t it our responsibility to get these people up on their feet? I mean, do you leave a newborn baby to take care of himself? How do we pull out now?

My question is for Mike Gravel. In one of the previous debates, you said something along the lines of, “The entire deaths of Vietnam died in vain.” How do you expect to win in a country where probably a pretty large chunk of the people voting disagree with that statement and might very well be offended by it? I’d like to know if you plan to defend that statement, or if you’re just going to flip-flop. Thanks. I’m a proud serving member of the United States military. I’m serving overseas.

This question is to Senator Hillary Clinton. The Arab states, Muslim nations, believe its women as being second-class citizens. If you’re president of the United States, how do you feel that you would be even be taken seriously by these states in any kind of talks, negotiations, or any other diplomatic relations? I feel that’s a legitimate question.

CNN’s Campbell Brown Calls MoveOn.org “American Insurgents” – Following Wednesday night’s CNN/YouTube Republican debate, recent CNN arrival Campbell Brown hosted a special entitled Campaign Killers, which dealt with the negative nature of campaign advertising in American politics. Unfortunately, Brown decided to do some dirty and rather offensive campaigning herself, referring to MoveOn.org as “American Insurgents.”

Equal Time Not So Equal at Democratic Debate
Why do some candidates get lots of attention while others are ignored?

Don’t Mess with [Creationism in] Texas – Texas Education Agency officials said they recommended firing the director of science curriculum, Chris Comer, for repeated acts of misconduct and insubordination. But Comer said she thinks political concerns about the teaching of creationism in schools were behind what she describes as a forced resignation. Comer was put on 30 days paid administrative leave shortly after she forwarded an e-mail in late October announcing a presentation being given by Barbara Forrest, author of “Inside Creationism’s Trojan Horse,” a book that says creationist politics are behind the movement to get intelligent design theory taught in public schools. Forrest was also a key witness in the Kitzmiller v. Dover case concerning the introduction of intelligent design in a Pennsylvania school district. Comer sent the e-mail to several individuals and a few online communities, saying, “FYI.”

Republicans Requiring Loyalty Oaths From Primary Voters – The State Board of Elections on Monday approved a state Republican Party request to require all who apply for a GOP primary ballot first vow in writing that they’ll vote for the party’s presidential nominee next fall. Virginia Democrats aren’t seeking such an oath for their presidential primary, which is held the same day — February 12th. The Roanoke Times editorialized, “The Republican Party of Virginia has no interest in thoughtful voters. It only wants mindless party loyalists who will vote Republican no matter what.

The Kansas state Republican Party is forming a loyalty committee so that it can punish officers who endorse or contribute to Democrats. “Ironically, it smacks most of the Communist Party,” Bob Beatty, a Washburn University political scientist, said Monday. “That’s the kind of public irony that most parties try to avoid — the party of freedom telling people they have no freedom.”

You Only Get One View of the News in Centre, Pensylvania – In Centre, Pensylvania, Fox television affiliate WWCP plans to stop production on its inhouse nightly newscast Jan. 14, the station announced Wednesday. Instead, NBC affiliate WJAC Channel 6 News will produce a 10 p.m. broadcast seven days a week for WWCP-TV. Channel 6 News will also simulcast its 11 p.m. broadcast on ABC affiliate WATM. That station currently offers a 35-minute nightly news broadcast produced with the WWCP news staff. Both WWCP and WATM are owned and operated by Peak Media of Pennsylvania LLC. WJAC-TV is a Cox Television station. (Is your town next? – JLV)

Proposed FCC Media-Ownership Rules Only Helps Media Conglomerates – Contrary to statements from Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin that couch the media-ownership rules proposal as a compromise, it is bad policy that helps only media conglomerates. The only compromise will be from corporations figuring out how to add more news outlets in an attempt to meet the bottom-line journalism demanded by Wall Street. Media reformers, consumer groups and parts of the press oppose the plan because it allows for cross-ownership of a newspaper and broadcast station in the nation’s 20 largest media markets. The plan is made more dangerous because the commission could grant waivers outside the proposed criteria.

Regards,

Jim