***MRC CyberAlert:
From San Diego***
Two topics today put together
with the assistance of Tim Lamer back in our Alexandria, Virginia office:
- CNN and ABC praised the likely
choice of Jack Kemp as VP nominee by contrasting him with most
conservatives who are "mean" and "haters."
- CBS reporter Linda Douglass
filed a story Friday night in which she argued that the appearance
that Dole is "under the thumb of religious conservatives,"
what Dan Rather referred to as "the hard right of the Republican
Party," could doom his campaign.
-
- On Friday's CBS This Morning,
Russ Mitchell asked RNC Chairman Haley Barbour: "Now the 1992
convention was called, even by some Republicans, divisive and
mean-spirited. How will this convention be different?"
Hours later on CNN's Inside
Politics Bill Schneider praised Jack Kemp by impugning conservatives:
"He is a rare combination -- a nice conservative. These days
conservatives are supposed to be mean. They're supposed to be haters.
Bob Novak talked a minute ago about the frowning face of the
Republican Party. Jack Kemp is buoyant, he's effusive, he's inclusive
of everybody in the country, not just in the Republican Party. He puts
a different face on that ticket."
Then on Friday night's World
News Tonight Cokie Roberts also insulted Republicans while calling
Kemp a good choice: "He's very optimistic, but he's also very
inclusive, reaching out to minorities, to women, being for
immigration, for affirmative action. And I think that's very important
for this particular convention, Peter, and this party, which is seen
somewhat dour, and somewhat mean in its ways to have someone with a
big smile on his face saying you all come, and I'm going to cut your
taxes while I'm at it is not a bad thing for the Republicans."
- Dan Rather introduced a Friday
night Evening News piece: "For many self-described Christian
conservatives and other members of what is generally known as the hard
right of the Republican Party, they've been pretty much having their
way at the San Diego convention, and the Jack Kemp news late today was
one more cause for celebration. But there could be pitfalls ahead for
the party, as we hear now from Linda Douglass."
Douglass began: "It
already has been a triumphant week for religious conservatives, led by
the Christian Coalition. Then came word of another victory, the
prospect of Jack Kemp as Bob Dole's running mate."
Following a soundbite from
Ralph Reed, she continued: "The Christian Coalition has gotten
what it wanted here, even forcing Dole to back down from his offer of
tolerance to supporters of abortion rights. Religious conservatives
say they now hold the key to a Dole victory in November....But
veterans of past Republican presidential campaigns warn Dole runs the
risk of appearing to be under the thumb of religious conservatives.
Some analysts believe Gerald Ford was hurt in 1976 by giving in to a
conservative faction. Doug Bailey, who advised Ford then, said Dole
must be careful."
Yes, careful not to offend
the media and be impugned as "mean-spirited haters."
--
Brent Baker
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