CyberAlert -- 06/04/1996 -- Fear Campaign & "Looney" Right

Three quotes today:

1) In the ultimate media insult, NBC News ties Netanyahu to Al D'Amato and Jesse Helms and their negative campaigns of fear.

2) ABC's Carole Simpson advocates that the U.S. copy Western Europe and go socialist.

3) The Wall Street Journal's Al Hunt calls conservatives who dared to question the Stand for Children march "self-centered" and "looney."

1

Monday MRC news analyst Clay Waters picked up this reporting on NBC Nightly News from last Monday, May 27, as the election approached. Reporter Martin Fletcher asserted:
"At his final campaign appearance tonight, Prime Minister Shimon Peres was every inch the elder statesman, seventy-two years of experience. 'Trust me.' That's his message to Israelis. While across town today, his forty-six year old opponent, young and handsome, has American politician written all over his campaign. That's thanks to an American political consultant, who has advised conservatives like Senator Al D'Amato and Jesse Helms. The consultant told Netanyahu to stick to one simple, negative theme: Fear."
Then came this "fearful" soundbite from Benjamin Netanyahu: "All the people of Israel want a real peace, a peace that won't have buses exploding in our streets."

2

Here's a quote that we weren't able to squeeze into Notable Quotables last week but is still pretty good. It's from ABC reporter and World News Sunday anchor Carole Simpson when she appeared on CNN's Larry King Live on May 10:
"I have been hoping that America and corporations were moving to more family-friendly policies. I think the Family Leave Act is a step in the right direction. But it is incredible to me that the family is not elevated to cabinet-level status in this country the way it is in many Western European countries. I go to France. Everything is built around making sure the family can survive."

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On CNN's Capital Gang on Saturday night, June 1, Wall Street Journal Executive Washington Editor Al Hunt offered this as his "Outrage of the Week."
"There was a 'Stand for Children' march in Washington today, joining people from all over the country who care about kids. But politically-inspired, right-wingers have assailed this gathering as a radical group, intent on expanding the role of government. In fact, the group includes the Girl Scouts, the American Academy of Pediatricians, and the Junior League. Only the self-centered, loony right-wing would consider groups like this, in support for disadvantaged kids, as radical."

Remember this the next time Al lectures conservatives about tolerance or creating a divisive atmosphere.

-- Brent Baker [1]

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