Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Free Speech (D)
Looks like a few Democrats were paying attention during the Democratic National Convention which apparently advocated media intimidation, as reported by John Fund:
The Boston Democratic convention featured a rich side menu of interesting seminars. One of the most controversial was a workshop for new Democratic campaign press secretaries that sounded like a call to arms in its advice on how to deal with the new media universe.
Lecturers urged press secretaries to confront what one warned was "media that are no longer tilted in your direction." Bullying was openly encouraged. "When it comes to the media," suggested Democratic strategist James Carville, "intimidation works." "Challenge them," added David Brock of Media Matters, a new liberal group set up to criticize conservative media outlets. Democrats used to rail at the likes of Reed Irvine and his conservative group Accuracy in Media, accusing them of nitpicking at media stories and ginning up public complaints against them. No more. It will be interesting to see what, if any, "intimidation" success stories the Democrats will be touting in coming months.
Now a group of US Representatives wants Fox News to answer some questions, and is willing to consider "legistative avenues" against them.
Dave Hubor wants to know, "Where are all the lefty 'censorship' screamers on this one? This is true censorship -- when the government threatens to muzzle an outlet of expression." Note his comments that only the Fox viewers actually knew the correct answers to specific points mentioned about Iraq ties to Al Qaeda and Iraq WMD. How ridiculous!
And how about the threats against television stations who run the Swift Vote ad? Courtesy of the Kerry-Edwards 2004 campaign and the DNC:
We are counsel to the Democratic National Commitee and John Kerry, respectively. It has been brought to our attention that a group calling itself "Swift Boat Veterans For Truth" has bought time, or may seek to buy time, on your staion to air an advertisement that attacks Senator Kerry. The advertisement contains statements by men who purport to have served on Senator Kerry's SWIFT Boat in Vietnam, and one statment by a man pretending to be the doctor who treated Senator Kerry for one of his injuries. In fact, not a single one of the men who pretend to have served with Senator Kerry was actually a crewmate of Senator Kerry's and the man pretending to be his doctor was not. The entire advertisment, therefore is an inflammatory, outrageous lie....How would you like to receive that letter? Might you be a little intimidated? I wonder what the media reaction would be if Karl Rove sent that letter on behalf of the Bush campaign.
(Y)our station is responsible for the false and libelous charges made by this sponsor....
Please contact us promptly at either the phone numbers below to advise us regarding the status of this advertisement.
For the record, I don't believe that the veterans in the ad pretended to be crewmates of Kerry, and the question of the doctor is still open. So the letter quoted above is itself false -- in effect, using lies and tough lawyer talk to shut down free speech.
Free Speech, Democratic Style. You may publish only what we approve of -- or face the consequences.
