Dems demand Networks to devote Coverage to House and Senate dems

[Monkeyman]

http://democraticleader.house.gov

Polisi and Reid call on networks to devote fair coverage to House and Senate Democrats

Washington D.C. - House Democrat Polisi and Senate Democrat Reid sent out a letter to the Networks.They are tierd of President Bush's coverage on Sept 11th with no network allowing Democratic response. Part of the Letter

Dear Mr. Capus

No sunject is more critical to the American people than our national security. Yet as the press has widly reported,the issue of national security has regularly been politiczed and exploited for partisan gains by the Bush Administration and Republicans in Congress. The president's recent speaking schedule and his nationally televised prime speach last night strongly suggest that similar tactics will be employed in the coming weeks leading up to Election Day to heighten public anxiety and promote partisanship. (Since this letter is long last lines below)

In order to provide the American people with complete information to make the best choices come Election Day,we ask that you commit your network to providing fair and equitable coverage to the viewpoints of both Republicans and Democrats on these national security debates.

[Greeby]

1. Harry, Nancy, buy a clue

:eyes:

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Give them a break, Greeby.

They probably have a clue. But they still have to make that request.

In fact, the reason they had to ask is probably because they have a clue.

[Monkeyman]

4. Yep opening shot acroos the bow watch our talking heads attack

LOL we have you in our sites Rove

[intheflow]

5. Exactly.

Get it in the public record.

[blm]

11. I'm just glad they're waking up and smelling the caffeine that's been used

against them for the last decade.

I kind of felt that Kaplan's shenanigans from a couple weeks ago led more DC Dems to the clue phone. Not often that you get one of these "journalists" on tape RED-HANDED hacking for the GOP.

The ABC hackery had to convince the rest of the party that our alarms have been REAL.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

6. I'll Take Corporate Media Monopolies For 1,000 Alex.

Reid/Pelosi: "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Cover Us Poor Wittle Democrats."

[Monkeyman]

7. I am not saying please My vets just hit back with our letters

The Networks will keep getting hit. We veterans have drawn a line in the sand

http://VETSFORMURTHA.ORG

[Vinnie From Indy]

9. WTF does that mean? I think the pair need to do more of this!

I hope the Dems pound away on the media about being unfair every chance they get. This is EXACTLY what should be done by Dems if they have any chance of even remotely getting a fair shake from the media. In fact, I would offer that calling the corporate media out on it's unprecedented collusion with BushCo should be one of the top priorities of ALL Democrats.

Rock on Nancy and HArry!

[SammyWinstonJack]

10. So, damned if they do and damed if they don't? Can't catch a break

no matter how hard they try. :eyes:

[Tigress DEM]

12. Just proper procedure.

Show what asses the administration is and how whipped the press can be.

Preserving our shame for the future generations so they know exactly what NOT to allow to happen again.

Just like Conyers had to hold hearings in the basement, just like blacks had to fight for the right to sit in front of the bus, this request is one in a series that shows how the rethugs cannot be trusted with power because they abuse it.

[Virginia Dare]

2. This must be what's behind all of the rhetoric...

about Bush's speeches not being political.

Should be an interesting month and a half.

[Stinky The Clown]

8. Don't dismiss this effort with ridicule or derision or cast it as clueless

The link to the whole letter

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 12, 2006

CONTACT:
Brendan Daly/Jennifer Crider
202-226-7616
Pelosi and Reid Urge Networks to Devote Fair Coverage to House and Senate Democrats

Washington, D.C. – House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid sent the following letter today to the presidents of network news companies calling on them to devote more coverage to House and Senate Democrats if they continue to give extensive coverage to President Bush’s national security speeches.

Below is the text of the letter:

September 12, 2006



Steve Capus

President

NBC News

30 Rockefeller Plaza

New York, NY 10112



Dear Mr. Capus:

No subject is more critical to the American people than our national security. Yet as the press has widely reported, the issue of national security has regularly been politicized and exploited for partisan gain by the Bush Administration and Republicans in Congress. The President’s recent speaking schedule and his nationally televised prime time speech last night strongly suggest that similar tactics will be employed in the coming weeks leading up to Election Day to heighten public anxiety and promote partisanship.

Over the weekend, The New York Times reported that Republicans intend to use a series of national security speeches in what The Times has characterized as a “carefully calibrated strategy” to win the midterm elections. The issue of national security should not be politicized. The security of our nation surely deserves a thorough public discussion, and different viewpoints deserve similar coverage so that the American people hear alternative ideas. We write to you today to request that if you plan to continue to devote extensive live coverage to the President’s national security speeches over the next few weeks, you similarly provide substantial coverage to the national security events and statements of House and Senate Democrats.

Until now, there has been a complete absence of balance in the news coverage of national security issues. Over the last month as campaign efforts have begun in earnest, according to Media Matters, there have been 64 percent more conservatives appearing on the Sunday news shows than Democrats. In a speech that was supposed to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the September 11 tragedy, last night President Bush was given almost 20 minutes of primetime coverage on all major networks for a speech that continued to inaccurately link 9/11 to the war in Iraq.

Congressional Democrats have a wealth of experience, authority, and the ideas as to how we could better secure our nation, combat terrorism, and ensure a significant transition in Iraq. House and Senate leaders hold frequent press conferences and briefings on a wide variety of national security issues ranging from Iraq to border security to the state of our military readiness. Most of these receive scant coverage, even when offering specific alternatives to Administration policies.

In order to provide the American people with complete information to make the best choices come Election Day, we ask that you commit your network to providing fair and equitable coverage to the viewpoints of both Republicans and Democrats on these crucial national security debates.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,



NANCY PELOSI HARRY REID

House Democratic Leader Senate Democratic Leader



cc: David Westin, ABC News

Sean McManus, CBS News

Jim Walton, CNN

Roger Ailes, FOX News Channel

This letter is the right thing to do. When we have the House in November, it will mean even more. They can pass laws that an uncooperative media may not like. If we get both houses of Congress, they can make even *more* laws the media won't like.

And for those of you who say it is stupid, silly, or clueless, what would YOU have them do? Nothing?

[Monkeyman]

14. Thanks you always back me up

[Tigress DEM]

13. Maybe MSNBC could expand Olberman's role to include DEM coverage..

with the requisite opposing viewpoint.

[w4rma]

15. Olberman is doing fine. He shouldn't need to do double duty. (nt)

[CarolNYC]

16. Press conf w/Clark

Well, they have a press conference scheduled tomorrow at 11AM with General Wes Clark....We'll see what kind of press they get.

[liberaldemocrat7]

17. Despite Republican propaganda aka GOPaganda

Please distribute this saying to as many people as you can.


"Despite the Republican propaganda accusing others of weakness on national security and national defense, only the Republican party has demonstrated their weakness on national security and national defense when the planes hit the towers and the pentagon which they failed to defend against which resulted in 3,000 deaths."


email this to press people especially and to your freeper family members and coworkers.

fax it to george w bush