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Familes First Free Ride
One topic today: Families First
vs. Contract with America.
Below are transcripts of two stories:
1) The Sunday, June
23 NBC Nightly News story on the Democratic answer to the Contract with
America.
2) A transcript of
the story run on NBC Nightly News on September 27, 1994, the day the GOP
unveiled their Contract with America.
While NBC's story on the
Democrats was hardly filled with praise, other than a mild criticism that
it lacked specifics, it was absent explicit attacks on Democratic policies
or premises. In 1994 NBC offered five specific condemnations, such as
saying "it is long on promises but short on sound premises" and
asserting that "an independent budget expert called it standard
political bunk." This contrast is an excellent illustration of bias
-- Democrats get a walk while Republicans are held to a higher level of
scrutiny with their assumptions questioned.
1
June 23, 1996 NBC Nightly News as transcribed by MRC intern Andrea Wilson:
Anchor Ann Curry: "A new election year rallying cry today from
congressional Democrats. It's called Families First. NBC's Joe Johns has
this story."
Joe Johns: "Carefully scripted right down to the questions and
answers, congressional Democrats from around the country unveiled their
election year agenda, asking voters to return them to power."
[Dick Gephardt, House Democratic Leader: "The bottom line is that the
Democrats are asking for another chance to lead. Our soul and central
mission would be to help the working families caught in today's middle
class squeeze."]
Johns: "With the Democratic congressional leadership holding forth
from an old meeting hall in Fairfax, Virginia and their colleagues on two
way hook-up in Sacramento, Houston, Des Moines, and Dearborn, Michigan,
they were hoping to generate a blast of TV exposure. The plan they
unveiled was short on specifics, but addresses a broad range of issues
such as women's wages, protecting pensions, tax breaks for education, and
special health plans for kids. Democrats hope saying what they want to do
will give them needed political cover for saying no to many Republican
proposals over the last two years."
[Tom Daschle, Senate Democratic Leader: "We've been proud that we've
been able to stop some of the most extreme proposals the far right has
tried to push through this Congress. But you know, it's not enough to just
to say no."]
Johns: "By unveiling their agenda in a multi-location, electronic
town hall format, Democrats are trying to go the GOP one better. It was
almost two years ago that congressional Republicans unveiled their
Contract with America. The Contract was their attempt to set a national
agenda in the 1994 congressional elections and one key Republican says the
Democrat's Family First Agenda announced today is a far cry from the GOP's
Contract."
[Bill Paxon, National Republican Congressional Cmte.: "There's no
reason to believe today is anything more than an attempt to mask what the
real agenda is and that is to take the country to the left."]
Johns: "One undisputed motive is to get more Democrats elected to
Congress. Some who are challenging seats now held by Republicans were
featured prominently in today's show. Joe Johns, NBC News,
Washington."
2
September 27, 1994 NBC Nightly News:
Tom Brokaw: "Here in Washington, fear, loathing, anticipation and
among Republicans, unrestrained glee about the November elections.
Democrats are bracing for the worst. Republicans, now, are beginning to
talk openly about taking control of the House and the Senate. Today, GOP
congressional candidates were summoned to Washington and given a battle
plan. However, as NBC's Lisa Myers tells us tonight, it is long on
promises but short on sound premises."
Lisa Myers: "It was a political extravaganza. More than 350
Republican members of Congress and candidates on the Capitol steps bearing
flags and promising tax cuts. In trying to convince voters this was not
just another campaign stunt, Republicans called their promises a
contract."
[Rep. Dick Armey, (R-Texas): "Today, we Republicans are singing a
Contract with America. We pledge ourselves in writing to a new agenda of
reform, respect, and renewal."]
Myers: "Their agenda: tax cuts for just about everyone; Seniors,
business, families with children, even new 'American Dream' savings
accounts for the middle class. Also promised: more money for defense and a
balanced budget amendment. An independent budget expert called it standard
political bunk."
[Carol Cox Wait, Budget Analyst: "It doesn't add up because nobody
wants to hear the truth. Everybody wants to talk about benefits, and
nobody wants to talk about cost."]
Myers: "Democrats called the contract a big fraud."
[Rep. Bob Wise (D-West Va.): "If you liked Reagan's supply-side
economics you will love this riverboat gamble."]
Myers: "Republicans did list a few possible spending cuts. But they
fell hundreds of billions of dollars short of balancing the budget. In
their contract, the Republicans also promised votes in the first 100 days
on welfare reform and term limits, to require members of Congress to
retire after 12 years. Republican leader Newt Gingrich already has served
16 years."
[Rep. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.): "And they're for term limits? Do they
think America has forgotten how to count? Honestly.]
Myers: "What's more, Gingrich said any term limit bill probably will
apply only to future members of Congress."
[Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-Georgia): "I don't think you're going to say
to everybody who's been here 12 years, 'You know, this is your last term,
don't run again.'"]
Myers: "And politicians wonder why voters are cynical. Lisa Myers,
NBC News, the Capitol."
As you may have heard, we had
some tornados in the DC area late this afternoon. When I got home tonight
I found many trees down and the power out, but fortunately thanks to
modern technology, I've been able to put this together on my
battery-powered notebook computer, though I'd rather be watching Letterman
--
Brent Baker
4
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June 23, 1996 NBC Nightly News as transcribed by MRC intern Andrea Wilson:
September 27, 1994 NBC Nightly News:
