John F. Kerry's campaign demanded yesterday that Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. provide his campaign equal time after broadcasting a movie attacking his Vietnam record, but the company said it is holding out for an interview with the Democratic nominee himself.
In a letter to Sinclair chief executive David D. Smith, the Kerry campaign's top lawyer said that the planned airing of "Stolen Honor" "constitutes an attack on Senator Kerry by supporters of President Bush" and that Sinclair "must provide a similar opportunity for Senator Kerry's supporters" on its 62 stations.
"This is a 42-minute attack ad they are putting on the air at no cost to the Bush campaign," spokesman Chad Clanton said. He said that the equal time should be of the same duration and that the Kerry camp should control the content, rather than appearing with Sinclair anchors.
Sinclair Vice President Mark Hyman said that the company wants to address questions about Kerry's antiwar activism after returning from Vietnam "in a balanced and honest program," and that he is "guardedly optimistic" the senator from Massachusetts will participate. .
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Asked why Kerry would not agree to an interview, Clanton said: "Why would you take an offer like that seriously from a group with such a fierce partisan political agenda? Walk into some big setup job? 'Hello, I'd love to come on your program and get sandbagged.' "
FCC officials say Sinclair is not obligated to give equal time to a Kerry rebuttal and they have no complaint to consider.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36668-2004Oct15.html
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