Politics

'NRA News' Seeks to Pistol-Whip McCain/Feingold Law

Submitted by John Stauber on

"In a direct challenge to federal
limits on political advocacy, the National Rifle
Association plans to begin broadcasting a daily radio
program on Thursday to provide news and pro-gun commentary
to 400,000 listeners. The group says its jump into broadcasting with its program,
'NRANews,' means that it should be viewed as a media
organization that does not have to abide by provisions of a
sweeping campaign finance law from 2002. That law stops
organizations from using unregulated 'soft' money to buy

No
Main Source: 
New York Times, June 16, 2004
Topics: 
Right Wing
Media

What Advertisers Want

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

In its "first large-scale change since 2001," Fox News is launching a major redesign of its website. Fox News vice-president of national ad sales Roger Domal said, "In addition to just freshening up the site and making it easier to navigate ... it's a reaction to what advertisers want." Fox News hopes the site "will enable it to become a significant competitor in the online news space. This month, the site doubled its advertising sales staff in New York and San Francisco ...

No
Main Source: 
Wall Street Journal, June 14, 2004
Topics: 
Advertising
Right Wing
Corporations
Media

"Stop Michael Moore" Campaign a GOP Front

Submitted by John Stauber on

"So desperate are Bush Republicans to kill Michael Moore's latest
film, Fahrenheit 9/11, they have hired a public relations firm to
set up a web site attacking Moore," the Alternative Press Review writes. "The site,
MoveAmericaForward.com, claims to be 'non-partisan,' but a glance
at the 'About' page of the site reveals the director and staff of
Move America Forward are all diehard Republicans, anti-tax

No
Main Source: 
Alternative Press Review, June 13, 2004
Topics: 
Left Wing
Right Wing
Internet
Front Groups

Bush's Manager of Public Perception of Public Polls

Submitted by John Stauber on

"Matthew Dowd, President Bush's chief campaign strategist,
is not just the man who conducts the president's polling.
He also works to control public perceptions about where the
presidential race stands, perhaps more aggressively than
many other campaign aides in his position. ...
'I just want to make sure people have a realistic view,'
said Mr. Dowd, whose official title is 'chief strategist,'
in an interview Friday. 'There are highs that are going to
go down, there are lows that are going to go up. I'm not

No
Main Source: 
New York Times, June 12, 2004
Topics: 
Politics

Wrapping Reagan in the Flag One Last Time

Submitted by John Stauber on

"The seemingly endless media adulation and myth-building surrounding the drawn-out death and funeral of Ronald Reagan is in keeping his media-savvy teflon-coated presidency. For all the conservative squawking about liberals dominating Hollywood, it is the right-wing that has excelled at putting actors into office."

No
Main Source: 
CommonDreams.org, June 11, 2004
Topics: 
Arts / Culture
Politics
Rhetoric

Less Punk Than You

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

Punk Voter is "a coalition of over 130 bands and about 30 independent record labels" seeking to register and mobilize punk rock fans for the 2004 U.S. presidential election. But will the effort "serve to strengthen the very political system that punk has made its reputation attacking?" Scott Evans would say yes. He writes: "Last March [political punk band] Propagandhi withdrew from Punk Voter's Rock Against Bush Vol.

No
Main Source: 
CounterPunch, June 10, 2004
Topics: 
Arts / Culture
Politics

Congress: It's Not Just for Fat Cats Anymore

Submitted by John Stauber on

The New York Times editorializes today in favor of a little known reform that might have a revitalizing affect on the US political process. Candidates can now draw a salary running their own campaign for Congress. "The victory of a Democratic lawyer, Stephanie Herseth, in the race last week for an open House seat in South Dakota had some intriguing implications. Ms. Herseth is the first successful Congressional candidate of either party to take advantage of a change in the campaign finance rules that allows federal candidates to pay themselves salaries from their campaign treasuries.

No
Main Source: 
New York Times, June 10, 2004
Topics: 
Politics

Getting Out the Vote, Religiously

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

House Republicans "quietly introduced a measure to make it easier for churches to support political candidates, just days after the Bush campaign ... [invited] church members to distribute campaign information at their houses of worship," reports the New York Times. "'Safe Harbor for Churches' ...

No
Main Source: 
New York Times, June 8, 2004
Topics: 
Politics
Religion

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