Video: The Card Check ad CBS doesn’t want you to see
posted at 6:37 pm on November 21, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Americans for Job Security have a new ad out for their opposition to Card Check, and they have bought air time for it on almost all of the television networks. I say almost, because one very large exception is CBS. Why? Apparently, CBS didn’t want to offend its scheduled Face the Nation guest, who appears in the ad itself:
From their press statement:
“According to our media buyers, CBS officials cited the appearance of Nancy Pelosi as one of the primary reasons for the denial of the advertisement. One CBS representative felt that viewers would be “confused” by its contents within their program,” said Stephen DeMaura, President of Americans for Job Security.
The advertisement will be running on CNN, FNC, CNBC, MSNBC, and FOX.
“CBS executives obviously believe their viewers are not smart enough to recognize the difference between CBS propaganda and American free speech. There is no room on our public airwaves for the coddling of powerful politicians and the censoring of a serious public policy debate,” DeMaura added.
I’m always reluctant to claim censorship in these cases, because that’s not what this is. Censorship is government intervention to prevent speech. What CBS did here was to make a private-sector business decision to discriminate in its advertising sales in order to suck up to a potential guest. That’s not censorship, but it’s no profile in courage either.
Would Pelosi have refused to appear if CBS ran the ad? Does CBS care about that? If they have that much difficulty filling the Face the Nation seat, maybe they ought to expand their Rolodex file. In times gone by, the spot on the Sunday show meant much more to the guest than to the network. Maybe actions like this is why things have changed.
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CLOSED SHOP.
RobCon on November 21, 2008 at 6:41 PM
Your definition of censorship is a bit narrow, the result is the same.
1. A person authorized to examine books, films, or other material and to remove or suppress what is considered morally, politically, or otherwise objectionable.
2. An official, as in the armed forces, who examines personal mail and official dispatches to remove information considered secret or a risk to security.
3. One that condemns or censures.
4. One of two officials in ancient Rome responsible for taking the public census and supervising public behavior and morals.
5. Psychology The agent in the unconscious that is responsible for censorship.
echosyst on November 21, 2008 at 6:42 PM
If CBS was a cable only station? I would not say a thing.
But they are a BROADCAST network, and thus using the public airwaves.
Broadcast TV has always been held to a different standard.
Romeo13 on November 21, 2008 at 6:46 PM
Technically it’s not censorship because the gov-mint is not limiting speech, but it’s Media Supression, which is often just as bad and sometimes worse.
CBS and the other Usual Suspects make it too easy to be ignorant and uninformed
Janos Hunyadi on November 21, 2008 at 6:46 PM
1) CBS’ ratings continue to plunge with the addition of Katie Couric.
2) CBS refuses ad revenue.
Question: Who’s in charge over there, Daffy Duck?
perroviejo on November 21, 2008 at 6:50 PM
You know, on CBS’s “Survivor” tribemates are voted off by - are you ready? - secret ballot! There should be no confusion by viewers “Face the Nation”. We get it. “Survivor” gets it. It’s the Democrats who don’t.
savvydude on November 21, 2008 at 6:50 PM
cbs understands who can butter their bread and acted accordingly. What it really means is that we have a lot of work in an unfriendlier atmosphere. This is okay because we are right and the policies we advocate are good for America.
rob verdi on November 21, 2008 at 6:51 PM
I might just be because it’s a great ad.
CBS knows it and doesn’t want to show it.
The media hardly needs to maintian a pretense of objectivity anymore anyway.
catmman on November 21, 2008 at 6:52 PM
But Ed,
who watches CBS?
Kini on November 21, 2008 at 6:54 PM
It would be interesting to know if Pelosi’s team pressured CBS over it.
TexasDan on November 21, 2008 at 6:54 PM
No FOG HORN LEG HORN
driver on November 21, 2008 at 6:55 PM
OT: Anyone know if the whitehouse computers have their O’s removed from the keyboards? Yet?
Kini on November 21, 2008 at 6:56 PM
I say, I say Driver…Don’t be going and badmouthing Foghorn Leghorn…
Gohawgs on November 21, 2008 at 6:59 PM
I wonder if Madame P. has taken any discussion of Card Check “off the table” in the interview as well.
eeyore on November 21, 2008 at 7:01 PM
no, man, FogHorn LegHorn had a code, and wouldn’t lower himself to co-mingle with Rather and other betas
plus, he said “Boy!!” a lot………
Janos Hunyadi on November 21, 2008 at 7:07 PM
Good ad.
CP on November 21, 2008 at 7:14 PM
Ed:
You need to look in the dictionary like echosyst did.
CBS is refusing to run the ad because it is content.
That is censorship by CBS.
slp on November 21, 2008 at 7:16 PM
Captain, I agree with echosyst on November 21, 2008 at 6:42 PM, it is censorship. But I do understand what you’re saying; what CBS did certainly didn’t violate the first amendment to the constitution which only limits the federal government from limiting speech, not private corporations.
Jens on November 21, 2008 at 7:17 PM
This kind of stench occurred time after time during the election in many forms..remember the FL Biden interview? The dems promptly canceled the station’s interview with Biden’s wife that was scheduled the next day. Also, the phone jambing of WGN radio when the Obama folks didn’t like the guest.
Face it, this shows that the dems tactics have worked and stations will be very careful what they say and do without any legislation being passed…
What we have now is self- censored media. How sad.
beththebaker on November 21, 2008 at 7:18 PM
Who? Who? Who!? Who takes this woman seriously? Seriously, does somebody, anybody take this woman seriously? If so, please explain.
exdeadhead on November 21, 2008 at 7:18 PM
Disgusting.
Alana on November 21, 2008 at 7:24 PM
“I’m always reluctant to claim censorship in these cases, because that’s not what this is. Censorship is government intervention to prevent speech.”
We need to find a word for what media outlets are doing these days. In the main, this has nothing to do with profit, and more to do with the ideology of those who produce the news. The media’s censorship (of whatever you decide to call it) helped elect a president.
davod on November 21, 2008 at 7:34 PM
Sorry, but censorship is not, by definition, exclusively limited to government invention! That’s just government censorship as opposed to, say, a school censoring student communications, or a blogger censoring comments. The difference is that government censorship would, for the most part, also be a 1st amendment violation.
JM Hanes on November 21, 2008 at 7:38 PM
First amendment applies only to the government, but networks have been censoring their shows for decades.
Just tell CBS a handwriting expert heard about this story on the telephone and said it is was ok. They will be good to go then.
pedestrian on November 21, 2008 at 7:44 PM
Surprise. CBS is in the tank for the Dems, like the rest of MSM.
petefrt on November 21, 2008 at 7:45 PM
Tim Zank on November 21, 2008 at 7:45 PM
Okay, she’s a reliable spend it, surrender it, screw it lib. But there’s nothing serious about that. Is there anything serious about this person, Ms. Pelosi? I want to know.
exdeadhead on November 21, 2008 at 8:00 PM
The media seems to be getting worse now that the election is over. Hell, Good Morning America has started a new segment where they read old essays that odopey wrote. Sawyer coos in awe while swooning at the wonder that is the big eared bastard.
Sickening.
dinkyjackson on November 21, 2008 at 8:04 PM
Can’t we claim the “fairness doctrine” on this?
huckleberryfriend on November 21, 2008 at 8:15 PM
I don’t watch CBS at all. Was a good ad too.
sheebe on November 21, 2008 at 8:21 PM
Any viewer getting news from CBS is already confused.
soundingboard on November 21, 2008 at 8:22 PM
soundingboard on November 21, 2008 at 8:26 PM
I would tune in for the ad, but don’t want to see Pelosi. There’s something so wrong about her that she makes me uncomfortable. I think it’s her weird hand gestures, the constant wide-eyed blinking and forced smiles, and maybe a botox overdose. She looks like a spastic mannequin impersonator.
Dee2008 on November 21, 2008 at 8:29 PM
Whence Pelosi? This explains most of it.
(Someone asked where she was from)
She must belong to San Francisco, she must have lost
her way
Postin’ a poster of Poncho and Cisco
One California day
She said she believes in Robin Hood and brotherhood
And colours of green and grey
And all you can do is laugh at her
Doesn’t anybody know how to pray?
Arizona, take off your rainbow shades
Arizona, have another look at the world
My myyy
Arizona, cut off your Indian braids
Arizona, hey won’tcha go my way
Mmmm strip off your pride you’re acting like a teeny-bopper run away child
And scrape off the paint from the face of a little town saint
Arizona, take off your hobo shoes
Arizona, hey won’tcha go my way
(Instrumental)
Follow me up to San Francisco
I will be guide your way
I’ll be the Count of Monte Cristo
You’ll be the Countess May
And you can believe in Robin Hood and brotherhood and rolling the ball in the hay
And I will be reading you an Aesop’s fable
Anything to make you stay-ay-ay
Arizona, take off your rainbow shades
Arizona, have another look at the world, my my
Arizona, cut off your Indian braids
Arizona, hey won’tcha go my way
Hey, Arizona, take off your hobo shoes
Arizona, have another look at the world, my my
Arizona, get off your 8-ball blues
Arizona, hey won’tcha go my way
Come on, hey, Arizona, take off your rainbow shades
Mark Lindsay Lyrics are the property of Mark Lindsay Lyrics or/and respective authors. If you want to use Mark Lindsay Lyrics, Please contact the authors, artists or labs of Mark Lindsay Lyrics.
IlikedAUH2O on November 21, 2008 at 8:30 PM
exdeadhead wrote on November 21, 2008 at 8:00 PM:
As someone who cringes when admitting Pelosi is “my” (arrgh) Congressperson, I can tell you without fear of contradiction: Yes, there is something serious about her. Her ambition. But that’s it. What lies liberals believe about Sarah Palin’s intellectual capacity is true of Pelosi (”I don’t know what was so great about the Great Depression, but that’s the name they give it”). Pelosi was born into Democratic Party royalty (her father was mayor of Baltimore, MD) and she was selected to run in her current seat on the strength of her ability to raise millions for the party.
She’s like Charlie Rangel and Barney Frank — there’s hardly anything they can do to alienate themselves from their constituencies, so they’ll be in Congress as long as they want to keep running. Because of that fact, they get the big committee chairmanships.
L.N. Smithee on November 21, 2008 at 8:37 PM
The media is now officially bought & paid for. This is a disturbing trend to be doing openly. I know they have been doing it behind the scene for years but now to be so open about it?
Here is an interesting turn of events for the Media:
REPORT: TIME INC. ‘contractual promise’ with Angelina Jolie for ‘positive coverage’…
Since when do media outlets promise contractually to be favorable to celebrities? Will this spread to politicians? You betcha.
portlandon on November 21, 2008 at 9:10 PM
No need to call it censorship.
Calling it lapdog favoritism or shameless advocacy by CBS for Pelosi fits just as well.
viking01 on November 21, 2008 at 9:12 PM
Yank their license…NOW.
jukin on November 21, 2008 at 9:24 PM
Creeping Socialism…..
DL13 on November 21, 2008 at 10:34 PM
Q : Are the workers on Polosis’ vineyards unionised?
macncheez on November 21, 2008 at 11:19 PM
Where is Mr. Obama, Preseident Elect, the Office of?
Seven Percent Solution on November 22, 2008 at 1:15 AM
I only the McCain campaign could have put together such a concise and hard-hitting ad, the outcome of the election would have been quite different.
Instead, his people would run ads with him saying stupid crap like praising the American worker or condemning Wall Street greed, followed by a close up of his face with what looked like dust circulating in the air around him.
And of course, he “approved” every one of those messages. That doddering old fool.
UltimateBob on November 22, 2008 at 2:58 AM
Corrected….
UltimateBob on November 22, 2008 at 3:00 AM
I haven’t watched CBS in years.
Are they still showing Martha Quinn: Medicine Woman?
madmonkphotog on November 22, 2008 at 6:03 AM
Don’t forget the closed door meeting the left likes to have. You know. So we, the electing public, don’t know what they’re doing.
madmonkphotog on November 22, 2008 at 6:09 AM
My money’s on Pepe Le Pew. This stinks!
manwithblackhat on November 22, 2008 at 9:33 AM
Busy enrolling his girls at Sidwell Friends. Only the best…
manwithblackhat on November 22, 2008 at 9:35 AM
Jerks.
darkpixel on November 22, 2008 at 12:36 PM
CBS is making too much money and therefore turns away advertisers. Wonder when they will be in the bail me out line?
Wade on November 22, 2008 at 1:45 PM
Neither ABC nor NBC are running the add sooo…could there be something to it?!?! Seems legit to me if none of the three are running it.
fsalw3 on November 23, 2008 at 12:47 AM
Discriminate in its advertising?
Discrimination?
Now that is a fighting word… its time to send CBS and anyone else who won’t run an ad they will be *paid to run* to a ’sensitivity class’ to understand that they can’t discriminate. Now if they would just come out and state their bias towards a position or party, I would not have a problem with it… that would be honest bias, not dishonest discrimination against this class of Americans. The working class. A shame that they can’t wage honest class warfare anymore.
ajacksonian on November 23, 2008 at 6:26 AM
Why does an elected official have any right to a secret vote when they are conducting government business? They were placed there by the people to represent us which should mean that we have the right to know how they cast a vote in which they were representing us. On the other hand, they all fabricate what ever it takes to get into office to promote their own agenda and most voters are not smart enough to see through it when they vote them in, so my question is moot.
N4646W on November 23, 2008 at 11:36 AM
Not really. Just as Murdoch invites controversy and does not have to be held to truth, the other companies are free to do the same. Besides, the right does not have a monopoly on truth nor does the left have a monopoly on the lack of reason.
The members who make up that group define its direction. See Berman and his unionbusting front groups who pull a similar direction.
sethstorm on November 23, 2008 at 10:54 PM
Just what is the issue with card check?
kanda on November 24, 2008 at 7:06 AM