DAILY KOS HAS THE BEST IDEA YET FOR THE DOWNING ST. MINUTES

[BigBearJohn]

Today begins a series of diaries aimed at helping to lift the virtual news blackout on that political bombshell, the Downing Street Minutes. Though it was published one month ago, the US news media has produced just a small trickle of reports to date. Many of us have appealed for more coverage by the news media, but with only limited success. It is high time to wake the MSM up. We will need to focus, coordinate, and sustain our efforts if we wish to get their attention. Clearly a scatter-shot approach will not get this information before the wider public, which deserves to know about it.

Therefore every weekday this month I will post a diary listing three news outlets. Please email, fax, or call all three on that day requesting politely that they report on DSM. The contacts for today are:

(A) CBS Evening News. email: [e-mail] phone: [phone]

(B) Associated Press. email: [e-mail] phone: [phone] (DC) or 212-621-1500 (National News)

(C) C-Span Washington Journal. email: [e-mail]


SOURCE: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/6/1/74549/88811

[Poiuyt]

1. 60 Minutes wants suggestions sent by snail-mail

I sent an email to them a couple of weeks ago, and they wote back telling me to send via regular mail:


I am replying to your email regarding the CBS News series 60 MINUTES.

If you wish to bring a matter to the attention of 60 MINUTES, it must be done in writing via postal mail. Please write to:

Story Editor
60 MINUTES
CBS News
524 West 57 Street
New York, NY 10019

60 MINUTES requests that all story suggestions be submitted in concise, written form. Please do not send any additional materials that might have to be returned until you are specifically requested to do so by the 60 MINUTES staff. We receive a large number of story suggestions each week and cannot rule out the possibility that tapes or documents might be misplaced.

Whatever subjects 60 MINUTES explores in the future, we hope you will find the series informative and thought-provoking.

Cordially,

[Verve]

4. Jeez! I know 60 minutes has been around forever, but don't they need to

get with the program? They want snail mail only? What century are we in?

[kittenpants]

17. They've got to get Andy Rooney some sort of mail to complain about

otherwise he has no schtick, "IIII don't like to complaaiiin, but IIIII get soooo much maaail..."

[CitySky]

42. they still have that guy???

he was just like that when I stopped watching TV 2 decades ago!

[femme.democratique]

14. They don't want Agent Mike seeing their stories in the works

perhaps

[linazelle]

41. .

[DearAbby]

2. Sounds easy enough...It's a shame that there is no such animal as an

MSM investigative reporter. BE THE MEDIA...SPREAD THE WORD

[rickrok66]

3. Done!

Rick

[I Have A Dream]

5. Me too! (Done)

[Windy]

6. Done!!!

Keep this kicked please!

[dzika]

7. done. n/t

[noamnety]

8. done/kick (nt)

[ezee]

9. Done. nt

[acmavm]

10. Done

.

[BeanCounting]

11. Done!

[jim3775]

12. We should try to incluse some form of this info...

in our e-mails. This was posted earlier here and cross posted to the Minutes' wikipedia article. (sorry I dont know who posted it but big credit to whoever it was)

"The reason the minutes are a 'smoking gun' is that it show's Bush's prior knowledge and state of mind when he broke the law in fulfilling his obligation to Congress.

As required, by law for H.R.Res. 114, Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002, the administration was required to report to Congress that diplomatic options had been exhausted before or within 48 hours after military action had started.

Within 48 hours after the attack on Iraq, President Bush informed Congress in writing that Iraq posed a serious and imminent threat to national security; obviously, given the recent information revealed in the Downing Street Minutes, President Bush knew that was not true at the time he submitted that letter. This is a clear violation of the False Statements Accountability Act of 1996, and would result in a premeditated illegal act by our President."

[Upfront]

13. Done

[berni_mccoy]

15. Remember the weapons depots in Iraq just before the election...

It took the MSM nearly a month to pick up that story. But they finally did, thanks to people like the members of DU.

[Tuesday_Morning]

16. done!

You can find the 3 daily news outlets at:

http://www.downingstreetmemo.com/takeaction.html

[NJCher]

18. nice Web page

Thanks for putting that together. It makes it very easy to carry out the steps we need to do.

I wrote my three letters/emails, including a snail mail to CBS.


Cher

[AuntiBush]

19. Kicked & Done! This is great! Grassroots Kicking!

[ellenfl]

20. done, done and done. eom

[AuntiBush]

21. Does anyone have a pre-written letter one can re-use?

Obviously, w/personal changes but moreso like something pre-formatted to make it easier for those of us that need help grabbing at the media's attention.

Thanks for the help up-front.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

22. Done - Thanks for making so easy

[AuntiBush]

23. Can't thank you enough, BigBearJohn! Brilliant Idea! A Must for all DU'ers

Done and have letter ready for CBS! Created a letter and journal:

Journal

Week One: A, B and C added w/email and phone number contacts.

Isn't this rather disgusting that "we" have to do this! Honestly!

Now we know how our Revolutionary ancestors must have felt. Got any bay TEA that needs tossing?

Un-believable, but someone has to do it.

If not now, when?
If not us, who?

[BigBearJohn]

27. I'm proud of you! Keep up the good work!!

[Griffy]

24. MENTION CONYERS... give it clout, 89 reps are also asking this!

I am trying to get Conyers to gather all 88 other congressmen and women and marcg from the capitol to the Washington Post office and DEMAND they do the work of informing the people!! Hitting all these other media outlets is GREAT too.. I'll be doing it!

[ginnyinWI]

25. someone should put it in the New York Times in an ad. n/t

[goclark]

33. Done and I agree - someone needs to take out Ads in the major newspapers

[Pryderi]

35. Exactly!!! I'll kick in $$ to get it done! Who's going to do it?

[psychopomp]

26. Done.

[ngGale]

28. A big kick...

"Downing Street Memo" - everybody keep repeating! Every question anyone asks me, I answer by saying DSM first. I've become a Parrot!

:kick:

[Karenina]

29. And another!

:kick:

[seemslikeadream]

30. A KICK FOR THE MINUTES

:kick:

[kimchi]

31. Done.

Sent emails. It was easy.

[realFedUp]

32. maybe if it was made into a reality show....

:eyes:

[goclark]

34. Nominated - this is the action we need to see thanks !

You are brilliant as always BigBearJohn!

[T Roosevelt]

36. Kick

if we can harness the DU numbers...

[LibertyorDeath]

37. Done

keep stoking the fire!

[oasis]

38. kick

[linazelle]

39. My response...

I’m writing to you to appeal for truthful and full reporting regarding the recently-released Downing Street Memo which indicates that Bush and officials from his administration, promised our British allies that they would fit intelligence around the facts of the Iraq War. Even more astonishing is the recently disclosed fact that the United States was bombing Iraq in an antagonistic effort prior to the actual invasion of Iraq.

Your news organization, along with others, has spent the last several days focusing on Deep Throat which, while important, pales in comparison to the very serious implications of the Downing Street memo.

Please consider giving the American people the truth about this important issue. To withhold this kind of information is deceitful and unAmerican.

[linazelle]

40. .

[stickdog]

43. The number for the international desk of AP is 212-621-1663

Call now.

[katinmn]

44. Sounds good!

I love your Awaken graphic. Can I borrow it sometimes?:)

[BigBearJohn]

45. It's not mine. It is from DailyKos

[redqueen]

46. keek

:kick:

[babylonsister]

47. Done to the third! nt

[noamnety]

48. Done for today (nt)