CyberAlert -- 07/12/1996 -- More Hate Radio; Dole Fuels "Racial Divides"

More Hate Radio; Dole Fuels "Racial Divides"

Four items today:

  • A Time magazine reporter attributes the First Lady's problems not to any wrongdoing but to the fact that "Mrs. Clinton has changed the role of First Lady."
  • Eleanor Clift charges that the evil "right-wing mafia" are fueling "hate radio."
  • Newsweek's Joe Klein finds a bright spot in the public's lack of concern over controversies dogging the Clintons: It may lead to the end of such distracting scandal-mongering.
  • NBC portrays Bob Dole's lack of appearance at the NAACP convention as "an insult to African-American voters" which "may reinforce...racial divides along party lines."

    > 1) This quote was picked up by MRC analyst Gene Eliasen fromthe June 28 Washington Week in Review. Time magazine Washingtonreporter Michael Duffy thinks the First Lady is surrounded bycontroversy because she's doing so much more: "I also think thatMrs. Clinton has changed the role of First Lady so much, youknow, by getting so involved and so active and paid such a highprice for it."

    > 2) Appearing on CNN's Larry King Live on Monday July 1, Eleanor Clift offered this explanation as to who is to blame for the Gary Aldrich book: "One thing we haven't really mentioned is the people who are surrounding Mr. Aldrich and in fact they are members of what I would call the right-wing mafia. I mean they were there for Paula Jones and they are fueling a lot of what we hear on hate radio." MRC analyst Geoffrey Dickens found thatquote.

    > 3) MRC analyst Steve Kaminski caught this conclusion to Newsweek Senior Editor Joe Klein's July 8 piece on filegate: "But if Clinton does survive this pounding, it may mean the revulsion against the `-gate' phenomenon -- 20 years of ever-diminishing scandals -- is now more intense than the disgust caused by any individual charge. If so, it would be the President's most memorable public service."

    Funny how he didn't feel that way until the scandals hit a Democratic President.

    > 4) After summarizing Bill Clinton's attack on Dole over the assault weapons ban, on the July 10 NBC Nightly News reporter Jim Miklaszewski proceeded to review the controversy over Bob Dole not addressing the NAACP convention. Here's the last two-thirds of his Wednesday night story as transcribed by MRC intern Jessica Anderson:

    Miklaszewski: "No doubt this was a Clinton crowd. That comes as no surprise to Bob Dole. Dole had been invited to speak to the convention yesterday, but declined. He claimed he was already committed to campaigning and the All-Star baseball game. To those at this convention that was quite a stretch and an insult to African-American voters."

    [Woman at NAACP convention: "When you want to be President of the United States of America, you cannot afford to write any American off."]

    Miklaszewski: "Back in Washington, Dole's Democratic critics had a field day."

    [Rep. John Conyers, Jr., (D) Michigan: "He's saying, 'I don't care about the black vote in November,' and I think that the black vote in November will not care about him."]

    Miklaszewski: "That already appears to be the case. The latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows Clinton has a lock on the African-American vote; only five percent would vote for Bob Dole. [On-screen visual shows Clinton with 87 percent and Dole with five percent, plus or minus seven percentage points.] But even Colin Powell believes that Dole should have made an appearance."

    [Gen. Colin Powell (Ret.): "I wish he didn't have a scheduling conflict. I think it would have been useful for him to present his views to the NAACP."]

    Miklaszewski: "It would have been a tough crowd."

    [Anonymous man: "I think he made the right move he didn't come because perhaps he might get booed."]

    Miklaszewski: "Nevertheless, by not showing up here, Bob Dole may reinforce those racial divides along party lines and fuel the anxiety among some Republicans that in this presidential campaign Bob Dole may not be up to the challenge. Jim Miklaszewski, NBC News, Charlotte."

    So, when Bill Clinton fails to address a Christian Coalition convention that's an insult to all Christians?

-- Brent Baker

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