CBS Double Standard: No Equal Time for Clinton in Freeh Interview

[AtomicKitten]

Liberal media, my ass.

CBS' double standard: Network refuses to interview former Clinton administration officials for upcoming Freeh story

The October 9 broadcast of CBS' 60 Minutes will feature an interview with former FBI director Louis Freeh, whose upcoming book My FBI: Bringing Down the Mafia, Investigating Bill Clinton, and Fighting the War on Terror (St. Martin's Press) reportedly contains "scathing" criticism of President Clinton.

But, according to an October 7 New York Sun article (subscription required), CBS "refused to tape interviews with former Clinton administration officials who disagree with the former FBI director's allegations, according to people familiar with the situation." Washington Post media critic Howard Kurtz reported that "he Clinton camp says '60 Minutes' would not accept any surrogate to rebut Freeh on camera once the former president declined to be interviewed."

60 Minutes' refusal to accept a surrogate in place of Clinton is inconsistent with the way the show handled a similar story about a book critical of President Bush. On March 21, 2004, 60 Minutes ran a segment about former National Security Council counterterrorism coordinator Richard Clarke's then-upcoming book, Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror (Free Press, March 2004). The segment included not only an exclusive interview with Clarke but also an interview with Bush administration National Security Council official Stephen Hadley, who was given time to defend Bush from Clarke's criticism.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200510070001

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. actually, with an author interview, that is common

I would not look TOO much into that.
This takes time. if there is no follow-up with BigBill, then, we can complain.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. They were going to allow Clinton to speak, so it's hypocrisy that

they wouldn't allow a surrogate to stand in.

[JI7]

2. CBS has turned to whoring ever since the Bush National Guard thing

they let the right wingers such as Fox get to them. and rather than defend themselves they just turned to whoring for the right .

they also wont allow Dan Rather to go back to the Bush story.

[Parche]

4. Sept 11th

Sept 11th happened on GW Bush's watch, he did nothing before
or after to stop it.............in fact he is probably an
accomplice.

[gratuitous]

5. Clinton or nothing on the rebuttal, huh?

I wonder why CBS thinks they can order Clinton around, but the go all limp when Bush refuses to, oh, I dunno, answer questions about why he's squandered so many billions of dollars and thousands of lives. At that time, some mealy-mouthed mewlings from Snottie are perfectly acceptable.

Thanks for nothing, Dan Rather. If you'd stood up for your journalistic principles last year, maybe things would be different. You'd still be retired, but at least you could have some dignity.

[gratuitous]

6. I was righter than I knew

From Media Matters (edited to quote the money paragraph):

http://mediamatters.org/items/200510070001

On March 21, 2004, 60 Minutes ran a segment about former National Security Council counterterrorism coordinator Richard Clarke's then-upcoming book, Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror (Free Press, March 2004). The segment included not only an exclusive interview with Clarke but also an interview with Bush administration National Security Council official Stephen Hadley, who was given time to defend Bush from Clarke's criticism.

[AtomicKitten]

7. Tell CBC what you think of their liberal bias * sarcasm *

http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/feedback/fb_news_form.shtml

[McCamy Taylor]

8. I already tore them a new one this week. Here is the scoop. Viacom was

in violation of federal media ownership rules last year The FCC could nail them to a cross if the wanted to. CBS was really counting on those federal media ownership rule changes that Michael POwell was promising before the election, but a lower coiurt had ruled against them and the feds were going to have to appeal to the SCOTUS. While Viacom was still dangling, they fired Mary Mapes but wouldnt allow Rather to investigate to see who (i.e Rove) forged the federal AWOL documents.

After the election, when W. was safely sworn in by Congress, Michael Powell announced he would not appeal to the SCOTUS. Big laugh at the expense of CBS, NBC and all the rest who held back their exit polls.

Since Viacom is likely still in violation of the FCC (unless they have liquidated a lot of holdings) it is likely that the WH could still nail them to a cross, so they still have to kiss administration ass.

[nvliberal]

14. I don't buy the notion

Rather was looking to see who "forged" the documents because there was never any PROOF they WERE forged.

Why do people continue to buy that right-wing bullshit?

[Maccagirl]

9. Couldn't Clinton offer at least a written statement

in his own defense, or is he going to let Freeh shit all over him? I'm getting that sick feeling in my stomach that I had back in the '90's. It's so depressing.

[BlueCaliDem]

10. Anyone Still Have ANY Doubt...

...that we now have a corporate-owned, right-wing biased media?

[July]

11. Why I don't watch the MSM.

When they figure out how to be journalists, I might watch again. For now, I don't need them to spin me, having a mind of my own.

[Mr Rabble]

12. CBS/Viacom with an agenda?

Shocking!!!

s/off

[creeksneakers2]

13. Clinton should go on himself and blast Freeh and the RWs

who cook these kinds of lies up. Then Clinton should sue Freeh. If Clinton would directly confront the RW slime machine, it would be the greatest thing he ever did.