Remarks by the President on Iraq - President Bush Outlines Iraqi Threat

White House ^

[Ramius]

Hey Hair...

Is it true that the Democratic response was being given by Saddam himself????

hehehehe... might as well...

[Cagey]

That is how it is done and always has been. When the President wants to address the entire nation he will ask the networks to cover his speech and that speech will most likely come from the Oval Office.

ABC, CBS and NBC are entertainment networks, and news is secondary to them most of the time. If people wanted to watch and or listen to the President tonight they could have done so on Cable News or Radio. People who care would do just that.

[Cagey]

Clinton would have asked. He loved seeing himself on the networks.

[Mo1]

ABC, CBS and NBC are entertainment networks, and news is secondary to them most of the time

Well thank you for confirming that the major networks care more about entertainment then they do about National Security issues

And for the record .. not everyone has cable to see the President's speech

[HairOfTheDog]

hehehehe - Saddam will be on Larry King tonight to give the Democrat reaction... ;~D

[Txslady]

Good Point!

[Txslady]

lol

[Cagey]

And for the record .. not everyone has cable to see the President's speech

Some folks are just plain lucky! I'm always fighting with my cable company.

The all news radio stations carried the speech and for those without electricity, the newspapers will cover it in tomorrow's editions.

[Nick Danger]

President Bush never asked the networks to cover his speech tonight. Had he, they would have. That's how it works.

Yes, and if he had, the Democrats would have gotten an 'equal time' speech right afterwards. This way, they got nuthin'.

We'll find out tomorrow that millions watched the speech anyway, on one of the cable channels. The networks don't control access anymore. They can only look like they are trying to, to those who care enough to want to watch.

Granted, there are many millions more who would just as soon see their favorite comedy, and the networks chose to appeal to them. But that audience is not especially rich in voters, so for political purposes they can be discounted. To people who care about politics -- and who are not rabid Democrats -- the networks come off looking like jerks, and partisan jerks at that. Which is what Bush intended.

Part of the symbolism of doing the speech in Cincinnati was to get his flyover country constituency watching on the tube, away from the New Yawk librels who run the network TV. No need for the networks, there's nobody here but us Americans.

[Faraday]

Dittos on all you said. The Sunday rag is strickly for the coupons. The "content" can all be had for free off the internet.

[ladyinred]

Wonderful post! Of course, I agree with you, and have always felt that way. I so appreciate you saying this.

[ladyinred]

Do you ever remember them not dropping everything to televise any thing Clinton did? In fact, they still follow him around like a puppy dog. Not all household's have cable, therefore they did not see the President of the United States make a very important speech on the security of our nation!

[Cagey]

No need for the networks, there's nobody here but us Americans.

Exactly, and I couldn't even tell you any shows I missed tonight.

[Mo1]

Do you ever remember them not dropping everything to televise any thing Clinton did?

YEP .. like that 4 hour goodbye Clinton did on the day President Bush was swore into office

[FReepaholic]

>>...In our house we have discussed at length the bias problem with the mainstream media, i.e., tonight's decision by the networks not to air the President's speech...<<

The local ABC affiliate in Orlando chose to air the speech. I've emailed my thanks to them.

[twyn1]

That's the point we (my hubby posted the original remark) were trying to bring out..the "networks" would televise Clinton if all he did was stand at the podium passing gas...this speech was important for the American people to hear, it gave a clear explanation of WHY we need to focus on Iraq at this time, what measures have been taken against Iraq and how they have continuously defied agreements, terrorized their own people and neighbors, what the escalating dangers are and how we will procede...there are plenty of folks who don't have access to cable...now all they'll hear are a few selected sound bites while some blow dried air-head "journalist" will tell them what to think

[Mo1]

Gee .. Dick Morris is on Hannity & Colmes ripping apart the major networks and stating my exact thoughts

[Spunky]

<'In our house we have discussed at length the bias problem with the mainstream media, i.e., tonight's decision by the networks not to air the President's speech

I watched the President Bush's speech on CBS tonight. So they all didn't decide not to air him.