Democrats ask for equal coverage

Saw this on the wire today: Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nevada, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-California, wrote letters to the networks asking for more coverage of House and Senate Democrats if they plan on giving so much coverage to national security speeches by President Bush.

We think Sen. Reid and Rep. Pelosi forget - he's the President of the United States. When he speaks, the entire world listens. Win yourselves and election and you'll get coverage.

September 12, 2006


Steve Capus,
President,
NBC News,
30 Rockefeller Plaza,
New York, NY 10112


Dear Mr. Capus:


No subject is more critical to the American people than our national security. Yet as the press has widely reported, the issue of national security has regularly been politicized and
exploited for partisan gain by the Bush Administration and Republicans in Congress. The President's recent speaking schedule and his nationally televised prime time speech last
night strongly suggest that similar tactics will be employed in the coming weeks leading up to Election Day to heighten public anxiety and promote partisanship.


Over the weekend, The New York Times reported that Republicans intend to use a series of national security speeches in what The Times has characterized as a "carefully calibrated strategy" to win the midterm elections. The issue of national security should not be politicized. The security of our nation surely deserves a thorough public discussion, and different viewpoints deserve similar coverage so that the American people hear alternative ideas. We write to you today to request that if you plan to continue to devote extensive live coverage to the President's national security speeches over the next few weeks, you similarly provide substantial coverage to the national security events and statements of House and Senate Democrats.


Until now, there has been a complete absence of balance in the news coverage of national security issues. Over the last month as campaign efforts have begun in earnest, according to Media Matters, there have been 64 percent more conservatives appearing on the Sunday news shows than Democrats. In a speech that was supposed to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the September 11 tragedy, last night President Bush was given almost 20 minutes of primetime coverage on all major networks for a speech that continued to inaccurately link 9/11 to the war in Iraq.


Congressional Democrats have a wealth of experience, authority, and the ideas as to how we could better secure our nation, combat terrorism, and ensure a significant transition in Iraq. House and Senate leaders hold frequent press conferences and briefings on a wide variety of national security issues ranging from Iraq to border security to the state of our military
readiness. Most of these receive scant coverage, even when offering specific alternatives to Administration policies.


In order to provide the American people with complete information to make the best choices come Election Day, we ask that you commit your network to providing fair and equitable
coverage to the viewpoints of both Republicans and Democrats on these crucial national security debates.


Thank you for your attention to this matter.


Sincerely,


NANCY PELOSI, House Democratic Leader


HARRY REID, Senate Democratic Leader


cc: David Westin, ABC News,
Sean McManus, CBS News,
Jim Walton, CNN,
Roger Ailes, FOX News Channel