ABC and NBC Press Bush About How He's Damaged U.S. Credibility --1/18/2005

1. ABC and NBC Press Bush About How He's Damaged U.S. Credibility
Four days before his second inauguration, President Bush granted interviews on Monday to the White House correspondents for the three broadcast networks and CBS was actually the least hostile. ABC's Terry Moran demanded: "The next time you have to go to the world and say there's a threat in some country, why, after you were so wrong about the weapons in Iraq, should people believe you?" Moran wouldn't let go: "Don't you and the country now have a credibility problem?" NBC's David Gregory pursued the same line: "Do you think that the word of the United States is still good enough around the world for you or future Presidents to ever again launch a preventative or preemptive military strike?" Gregory wondered "whether low turnout among Sunni Arabs, which is expected, would be a victory for the insurgents?" Moran also insisted that "the stock market can be risky. What if it goes down when you're ready to retire?" And Moran decided: "At home and abroad you are a polarizing figure. Do you regret that? And how will you fix it?"

2. Barbara Walters: Public "Afraid" of "Conservative" Supreme Court
Plugging the next segment of Barbara Walters' interview with George and Laura Bush, the ABC announcer on Friday's 20/20 previewed a look at what "four more years" of the Bush presidency will mean for "your right to choose." Walters lectured Bush from the left about how the public is "afraid" of what a "conservative" Supreme Court may do: "The majority of Americans do not want to see the Supreme Court overturn the right of a woman to have abortion, especially within the first three months, Roe v. Wade. But they're afraid that a conservative court may do that."

3. ABC Decides MLK Day a Good Time to Show How Blacks Dislike Bush
ABC's Peter Jennings decided to use Martin Luther King Day to showcase how President Bush has a "difficult relationship" with black Americans, as illustrated by how "he got only nine percent of the black vote four years ago and eleven percent in this election." The piece by reporter Dan Harris featured blacks who denounced Bush. One man asserted: "If I was a schoolteacher, he'd have an 'F.'" Another complained: "We're spending billions of dollars on that war. And then, we have citizens of our nation, our prosperous nation, who don't have health care." Harris elaborated: "In his first four years, Mr. Bush angered many blacks by supporting a lawsuit against affirmative action, and by refusing to speak to the NAACP." Harris failed to mention how the NAACP ran TV ads in 2000 blaming Bush for the dragging murder of James Byrd. Harris relayed how a former Congressman contended that Bush's appointments "matter far less than" his lack of effort to combat discrimination.

4. CBS Vets Insist Rather and Mapes Would've Gone After a Democrat
On Sunday's Reliable Sources on CNN, CBS News veterans insisted that neither Dan Rather nor Mary Mapes has any political agenda. Former reporter Phil Jones claimed that as for Dan Rather, "had the President of the United States been a Democrat, he would still have pushed to go forward with that story. And for all these people out there who want to attack Dan as being this partisan Democrat and here is another example, this is not an exhibit. Dan Rather likes a good story." Linda Mason, who joined CBS News in 1966 and who in the wake of the scandal was named to the new post of Vice President for Standards and Special Projects, ludicrously maintained that Mapes "would have done the same story about John Kerry. It was a good story." Except for it all being made up. And Mapes had all year to investigate any aspect of Kerry's background and failed to do so.

5. Harris Finds That By 3-to-1 Americans Don't Trust "The Press"
A Harris Poll released last week found that "Americans showed much less trust than Europeans in the media." The survey, conducted in December, determined that "a 62 to 22 percent (almost 3-to-1) majority of Americans did not trust 'the press'" and "a substantial 58 to 22 percent majority of Americans did not trust television."

ABC and NBC Press Bush About How He's
Damaged U.S. Credibility

Four days before his second inauguration, President Bush granted interviews on Monday to the White House correspondents for the three broadcast networks and CBS was actually the least hostile. ABC's Terry Moran demanded: "The next time you have to go to the world and say there's a threat in some country, why, after you were so wrong about the weapons in Iraq, should people believe you?" Moran wouldn't let go: "Don't you and the country now have a credibility problem?" NBC's David Gregory pursued the same line: "Do you think that the word of the United States is still good enough around the world for you or future Presidents to ever again launch a preventative or preemptive military strike?" Gregory wondered "whether low turnout among Sunni Arabs, which is expected, would be a victory for the insurgents?" Moran also insisted that "the stock market can be risky. What if it goes down when you're ready to retire?" And Moran decided: "At home and abroad you are a polarizing figure. Do you regret that? And how will you fix it?"

Gregory remarkably hit Bush from the right in one question: "I'd like to ask you about a campaign promise you made, which was to fight for a ban, a constitutional ban, on gay marriage. Yet you've told the Washington Post that that's something that you no longer plan to push for. Why shouldn't that be seen as not a campaign promise but a campaign stunt?"

A full rundown of the excerpts of the interviews, which were conducted in the White House library, as shown on the Monday (January 17) evening network newscasts. (The MRC's Brad Wilmouth collated them based on the closed-captioning or network Web site posting, and compared that to what really aired):

-- ABC's World News Tonight. Peter Jennings opened his newscast: "Good evening, everyone. We begin tonight with burden and with possibility. This is inauguration week for President Bush. And as his second term is about to begin, as he begins to lay out a very ambitious second-term agenda, a new ABC News/Washington Post poll reveals a comparatively weak approval rating, subdued expectations in general, and huge concern about Iraq: 52 percent of Americans approve of the way Mr. Bush is doing his job, 61 percent of people say Iraq should be the highest priority. By way of comparison, the next-most important issue, Social Security, was thought to be that crucial by only 35 percent. Our White House correspondent, Terry Moran, sat down to question the President today."

Moran explained: "In the library of the White House this afternoon, a confident President Bush brushed off a suggestion that he may have to deal with lingering doubts about how he launched the war in Iraq. [jump to interview video] The next time you have to go to the world and say there's a threat in some country, why, after you were so wrong about the weapons in Iraq, should people believe you?"
George W. Bush: "Well, I think the world recognizes Saddam Hussein was a threat."
Moran: "Still, I'm asking you to look forward, if I may. Don't you and the country now have a credibility problem?"
Bush: "No, obviously, you know, if we were to make a case that the world needs to act in concert on another country, we would want to be careful about that which we presented."
Moran: "Mr. Bush is clearly optimistic about Iraq and what it means for the Middle East."
Bush: "I believe that, one, there will be elections, two, there will be a democratic state in Iraq, and three, such a state will serve as an example for the neighborhood."
Moran: "Domestically, Mr. Bush tried to calm concerns about his proposal to allow workers to take money out of Social Security and put it into the stock market. [jump to interview video] The stock market can be risky. What if it goes down when you're ready to retire? How do you answer that?"
Bush: "There will be strict guidelines that, investment guidelines, just like federal workers have in their thrift accounts. Over time, stocks and bonds and mutual funds yield a rate of return that's much better than that which is in the Social Security trust."
Moran: "Overall, this is a President who still wants to be a uniter. [jump to interview video] At home and abroad you are a polarizing figure. Do you regret that? And how will you fix it?"
Bush: "Well, I think the decisions I've made in the last four years will make the world a better place. I have a responsibility to try to unite this country to achieve big things for all Americans. I will say that in my inaugural address, and I'm looking forward to the challenge."
Moran, from the White House lawn, wrapped up: "Mr. Bush also said he's become an old hand at being President. It's a job, Peter, he is clearly enjoying these days."

-- NBC Nightly News didn't get to the session until several minutes into the newscast. David Gregory checked in from the White House: "I began by asking the President about the upcoming vote in Iraq and about whether low turnout among Sunni Arabs, which is expected, would be a victory for the insurgents?"
President Bush: "No, David, I think having the vote is a victory for those of us who love freedom, including the people in Iraq. And you're right, they're staying away because of fear, not because they don't want to vote, because of fear. But the fact that there's a vote is fantastic."
Gregory: "Even if there's very low turnout?"
Bush: "Well, we'll see, but obviously it's the notion that people are given a chance to vote. And when it happens, America will be more secure for the long run."
Gregory: "It's clear, sir, there's no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Do you think that the word of the United States is still good enough around the world for you or future Presidents to ever again launch a preventative or preemptive military strike?"
Bush: "Well, you might remember that the intelligence that we used was close to the intelligence that the UN had about Saddam Hussein and that many countries had about Saddam Hussein. But we did find out that he had the intent and the capability of making weapons, which, in my judgement, still made him a dangerous man, and the world understood how dangerous Saddam Hussein was."
Gregory: "Could you ever do it again, though?"
Bush: "Well, hopefully we don't have to, but if we had to to protect America, if, you know, if all else failed and we needed to use force to protect the citizens of the United States, I would do so."
Gregory: "About Iran, will you rule out the potential for military action against Iran if it continues to stonewall the international community about the existence of its nuclear weapons program?"
Bush: "I hope we can solve it diplomatically, but I will never take any option off the table."
Gregory: "I'd like to ask you about a campaign promise you made, which was to fight for a ban, a constitutional ban, on gay marriage. Yet you've told the Washington Post that that's something that you no longer plan to push for. Why shouldn't that be seen as not a campaign promise but a campaign stunt?"
Bush: "There's a certain reality to dealing with the Congress. Yes, I'll push for it. Yes, I'm still for it. But I was just telling, I just want people to understand that there's a mentality on the Hill that says the way things are fine now, in other words, states are protected from the decisions of one state to the next because of the Defense of Marriage Act."
Gregory: "Let me ask you about Social Security. You said this past week, speaking to younger workers, that they have to imagine a system that is 'flat bust,' your words. Democrats call that a scare tactic."
Bush: "My point was, why don't we fix it now because I know the longer we wait the harder it is to fix it. And I'm interested in working with Congress on all different ideas. I just happen to believe personal savings accounts will be a, you know, an important part of encouraging ownership."
Gregory: "You're not afraid this is like Clinton trying to take on health care?"
Bush: "Well, you know, I'm obviously not afraid to take on big issues, and I think that's what the people want from their President."
Gregory: "Mr. President, what's going to go through your mind Thursday morning?"
Bush: "I think I'll have a different perspective this time. I think, I feel like I'll be participant and observer. I look forward to soaking in much more of the atmosphere and the environment. It will be a proud moment. It's a good speech. I'm looking forward to giving it. It speaks to the values and hopes of our country, and I guess the best way to summarize it is: Freedom is powerful."
Gregory, back in front of the White House: "And, unlike four years ago, the President said this time he's not worried about choking up with is family standing behind him. He's a little bit more composed now. Brian, this marks an unusual public relations offensive from this White House, this interview and others. It's a crystal clear sign that the President wants to get as much attention as he can on his agenda, which he begins pushing in earnest once he takes that oath the second time."

For the online version of Gregory's interview: www.msnbc.msn.com [1]

-- CBS Evening News. John Roberts checked in from the White House: "Dan, with just two weeks to go now until elections in Iraq, President Bush is diminishing expectations for voter turnout. I asked him today, amid government forecasts that as many as 25 percent of the Iraqi people will not be able to vote, how will he measure success?"
George W. Bush: "The fact that they're voting. There was a lot of people that would have given you long odds, you know, a year and a half ago or so, that there would be elections at all in Iraq. Obviously we want everybody to vote, and there are some who aren't gonna vote because they're afraid for their lives, but they want to vote and that's important."
Roberts: "The road to democracy in Iraq is not the only tough one ahead for President Bush. On his plans to reform Social Security, the President's own party is divided. [jump to interview video] Many Republicans don't believe there's a crisis and say, 'Why set off a political war?' Democrats charge the proposal for private accounts will destroy -- not save -- Social Security. Will private accounts by themselves fix Social Security?"
Bush: "There's gonna be a, it's very important for people to put all options on the table with the exception of effecting those who have already retired like I have said and without raising the payroll tax. Other than that, I'm open minded."
Roberts: "Will you absolutely have to cut benefits for future retirees in order to keep Social Security solvent?"
Bush: "Well, we'll work with Congress on all different ways to address the issue, but one thing is for certain: If we don't act, in other words, if we fall for the line that says nothing is wrong with the system, we'll either have to raise payroll taxes significantly or slash benefits, and that's pretty clear."
Roberts: "So was that a yes or a no?"
Bush: "That is, 'I'm working with Congress to come up with a solution.'"
Roberts: "The President will need bipartisan support if he hopes to get his agenda through. Mr. Bush says he'll try to heal the wounds of a divisive election with his inaugural address. But he acknowledges time is short."
Bush: "But you're right. I gotta get moving and get some things done before people kind of write me off."
Roberts: "Could I just bring up the L-word quickly? How do want-?"
Bush: "Is that Laura?"
Roberts: "No, that's legacy. How do you want your presidency to be recognized in the history books?"
Bush: "Oh, John, you know, first of all, I don't think I'll be around to really see the history. I think that-"
Roberts: "But you've got to care about it."
Bush: "Oh, I, kind of. How about this? That George W. Bush used the great influence of America to spread freedom at home and abroad."
Roberts, back in front of the White House: "Which really raises the stakes for what will happen on January 20. Both Iraq's future and the President's legacy are riding on the outcome of the elections."

The CBSNews.com version of the Roberts interview: www.cbsnews.com [2]

Barbara Walters: Public "Afraid" of "Conservative" Supreme Court

Plugging the next segment of Barbara Walters' interview with George and Laura Bush, the ABC announcer on Friday's 20/20 previewed a look at what "four more years" of the Bush presidency will mean for "your right to choose." Walters lectured Bush from the left about how the public is "afraid" of what a "conservative" Supreme Court may do: "The majority of Americans do not want to see the Supreme Court overturn the right of a woman to have abortion, especially within the first three months, Roe v. Wade. But they're afraid that a conservative court may do that."

Of course, Roe vs. Wade guarantees the right to abortion well beyond three months -- through to "viability."

The announcer asked on the January 14 edition of 20/20: "When 20/20 returns, four more years. What will that mean for you wallet, your right to choose, and a controversial war?"

Getting to that topic with the Bushes in the session taped at the White House, Walters worried not about Bush and the Supreme Court falling short on promises to conservatives but that those commitments might be fulfilled:
"I want to turn to domestic issues. You will be sworn in by the Chief Justice Rehnquist. But he has been ill, and there is some speculation that there will soon be an opening in the Supreme Court. Now you have said that there will be no litmus test for judges. But one assumes they will be of a conservative bent. The majority of Americans do not want to see the Supreme Court overturn the right of a woman to have abortion, especially within the first three months, Roe v. Wade. But they're afraid that a conservative court may do that. In your heart of hearts, do you want Roe v. Wade overturned?"
Bush: "There will not be a litmus test on this issue. And I want judges who will strictly interpret the Constitution, and not legislate from the bench."
Walters: "Do you want Roe v. Wade overturned?"
Bush: "See, that's the litmus test. That's exactly what you-" Walters, turning to Laura Bush: "I'm not getting anywhere. I'll try with you."
Laura Bush: "Don't try it with me."
Walters: "Mrs. Bush, you're not going to answer me, either, whether you want to see it overturned? Because it is one of the major issues that comes up again and again and again."
George W. Bush: "I know, but you see, it is an issue. If a person is asked that in a hearing, they become -- or answers that question, they become, they have to recuse themself from the case. And so, in terms of screening judges, that is not a question we ask in the White House."

ABC Decides MLK Day a Good Time to Show
How Blacks Dislike Bush

ABC's Peter Jennings decided to use Martin Luther King Day to showcase how President Bush has a "difficult relationship" with black Americans, as illustrated by how "he got only nine percent of the black vote four years ago and eleven percent in this election." The piece by reporter Dan Harris featured blacks who denounced Bush. One man asserted: "If I was a schoolteacher, he'd have an 'F.'" Another complained: "We're spending billions of dollars on that war. And then, we have citizens of our nation, our prosperous nation, who don't have health care." Harris elaborated: "In his first four years, Mr. Bush angered many blacks by supporting a lawsuit against affirmative action, and by refusing to speak to the NAACP." Harris failed to mention how the NAACP ran TV ads in 2000 blaming Bush for the dragging murder of James Byrd. Harris relayed how a former Congressman contended that Bush's appointments "matter far less than" his lack of effort to combat discrimination.

The full text of the audio for the NAACP ad in 2000: "I'm Renee Mullins, James Byrd's daughter. On June 7, 1998, in Texas, my father was killed. He was beaten, chained and then dragged three miles to his death -- all because he was black. So when Governor George W. Bush refused to support hate crimes legislation, it was like my father was killed all over again. Call George W. Bush and tell him to support hate crimes legislation. We won't be dragged away from our future."

To view the ad via RealPlayer: www.mediaresearch.org [3]

That CyberAlert and this one document how the networks in 2000 largely ignored the NAACP ad: www.mediaresearch.org [4]

Back to the Monday, January 17 World News Tonight on ABC, Peter Jennings introduced the story: "As we've said, this is inauguration week, and the President's plans for a second term are getting a good look. Mr. Bush has said in the past that he wants black Americans in the Republican Party. He got only nine percent of the black vote four years ago and 11 percent in this election." [on screen, a picture of Bush with this text:
"Black Vote
2000: 9%
2004: 11%"] ABC's Dan Harris reports tonight on a difficult relationship."

Harris began: "Today, at a Martin Luther King Day event in Harlem, people readily ticked off areas where they feel the President could do better."
Woman: "I would say he needs to put education at the very top of his list."
Man: "Employment, getting better jobs."
Second man: "The list goes on and on and on. If I was a schoolteacher, he'd have an 'F.'"
Harris: "At the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where Martin Luther King preached, many say the President must re-order his priorities."
Terry Woods, Ebenezer Baptist Church Parishioner: "We're spending billions of dollars on that war. And then, we have citizens of our nation, our prosperous nation, who don't have health care."
Harris: "In his first four years, Mr. Bush angered many blacks by supporting a lawsuit against affirmative action, and by refusing to speak to the NAACP. The outgoing head of the NAACP, Kweisi Mfume, met with the President recently. He says Mr. Bush expressed frustration that he got much more support from blacks as governor of Texas."
Kweisi Mfume, former NAACP President: "The larger black community in the United States wants a President that they feel they have some access to, a President who understands genuinely what their issues are."
Harris: "Bush supporters say he has increased funding for education and appointed many minorities to high-level positions. According to the Reverend William Gray, a former Congressman, appointments matter far less than combating discrimination."
Rev. William Gray, Bright Hope Baptist Church: "Colin Powell can go and stand on the corner of New York City. Let him try and get a cab. If the cab driver doesn't recognize it's Colin Powell and all they see is a black skin, he's going to have a hard time."
Harris: "Reverend Gray says if the President does more to fight racism, he could get more support from African-Americans, who are otherwise quite conservative on issues ranging from gay marriage to abortion to taxes. While blacks want progress, many are not optimistic."
Man: "It doesn't look too bright for me."
Harris concluded: "Low expectations can, however, be a boon. As one black activist said, 'The President won't have to do much to have an impact.' Dan Harris, ABC News, New York."

CBS Vets Insist Rather and Mapes Would've
Gone After a Democrat

On Sunday's Reliable Sources on CNN, CBS News veterans insisted that neither Dan Rather nor Mary Mapes had any political agenda. Former reporter Phil Jones claimed that as for Dan Rather, "had the President of the United States been a Democrat, he would still have pushed to go forward with that story. And for all these people out there who want to attack Dan as being this partisan Democrat and here is another example, this is not an exhibit. Dan Rather likes a good story." Linda Mason, who joined CBS News in 1966 and who in the wake of the scandal was named to the new post of Vice President for Standards and Special Projects, ludicrously maintained that Mapes "would have done the same story about John Kerry. It was a good story." Except for it all being made up. And Mapes had all year to investigate any aspect of Kerry's background and failed to do so.

Jones, a long-time on air reporter in the Washington bureau, told host Howard Kurtz on the January 16 Reliable Sources: "Let me just say, I want to say one word before we go any further about Dan Rather. I've known Dan Rather for almost 40 years. The Dan Rather I know, believe me, had the President of the United States been a Democrat, he would still have pushed to go forward with that story. And for all these people out there who want to attack Dan as being this partisan Democrat and here is another example, this is not an exhibit, Dan Rather likes a good story."
Kurtz: "But the Dan Rather you know-"
Terence Smith, another CBS News veteran who now reports for PBS's NewsHour: "I second that."
Kurtz: "All right. But the Dan Rather you know also is the guy who, after the story broke and when bloggers came out and said these documents look awfully suspect to be written on a 1972 government typewriter, for 12 days he and Andrew Heyward, the President of CBS News and everyone else, dug in and defended this story and accused critics of being partisan for nearly, for that period of time. What explains that?"
Jones: "Dan Rather is loyal to his people. Every producer who's ever worked at CBS loved to work with Dan Rather because they knew that if they got into a situation where the critics were coming at them, that the one guy who would be at their side, as a matter of fact in front running interference would be Dan Rather."

In a later segment in the special hour-long edition of the program, Kurtz informed Mason: "A lot of critics out there, as you know, including some on the left, are saying this is a pure case of liberal bias, that CBS was zealous, that it wanted to damage President Bush at the height of the reelection campaign. Your thoughts?"
Mason rejected the notion: "That is totally untrue. This was the case of a producer, as has been cited earlier, who was passionate about her story. She would have done the same story about John Kerry. It was a good story. Unfortunately, the way she went about doing it, talking to the Kerry campaign, trying to have them get in touch with her source so that she could get more documents, certainly looks overtly political. And in our standards, that's just not allowed. And relying on a source, Bill Burkett, who was so anti-Bush could raise suspicions as well, but I do not believe it was a function of political bias."

Harris Finds That By 3-to-1 Americans
Don't Trust "The Press"

A Harris Poll released last week found that "Americans showed much less trust than Europeans in the media." The survey, conducted in December, determined that "a 62 to 22 percent (almost 3-to-1) majority of Americans did not trust 'the press'" and "a substantial 58 to 22 percent majority of Americans did not trust television."

An excerpt from the January 13 release from Harris:

Fewer Americans Than Europeans Have Trust in the Media - Press, Radio and TV But More Americans than Europeans Trust Religious Institutions

A new Harris Poll measures the levels of trust which Americans have in important institutions, and compares the results with those in a virtually identical European survey. For many institutions the levels of trust, or distrust, on both sides of the Atlantic were similar. There were also some striking differences. Americans showed much less trust than Europeans in the media and in the United Nations. On the other hand, Americans, more than Europeans, trust religious institutions.

Both Americans and Europeans had relatively high levels of trust in their police and military. Both Americans and Europeans had very little trust in political parties, their governments, trade unions and big business.

The American data are the results of a nationwide Harris Poll of 2,092 adults surveyed online between December 8 and 15, 2004. The European data come from the Eurobarometer survey of adults in the 25 member countries of the European Union surveyed nine months earlier in February and March 2004.

Trust in the media:

American attitudes toward the press, radio and television were much more negative than European attitudes. Specifically:

- A 62 to 22 percent (almost 3-to-1) majority of Americans did not trust "the press"; Europeans were split 47 to 46 percent.

- A modest 43 to 33 percent plurality of Americans were inclined to trust the radio; a larger than 2-to-1 majority (62% to 29%) of Europeans did so.

- A substantial 58 to 22 percent majority of Americans did not trust television; a 54 to 39 percent majority of Europeans did trust TV.

In the five largest EU countries:

- Trust in radio was above 55 percent everywhere and highest in Spain and France (67%).

- Trust in the press was highest in Spain (61%) and France (60%) and lowest in the U.K. (20%) -- with its own special mass market tabloid journalism.

- Trust in television was highest in Germany (59%) and the U.K. (54%) and lowest in Italy (37%) where Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi owns several powerful networks. ....

END of Excerpt

Two places with the full rundown of the poll results:

A PR Newswire release posted by Yahoo: biz.yahoo.com [5]

The Harris site: www.harrisinteractive.com [6]

-- Brent Baker [7]