Bush backer sponsoring pro-war rallies

Guardian ^ | Wednesday March 26, 2003 | Oliver Burkeman

[Nachum]

They look like spontaneous expressions of pro-war sentiment, "patriotic rallies" drawing crowds of tens of thousands across the American heartland. In a counterpoint to anti-war demonstrations, supporters of war in Iraq have descended on cities from Fort Wayne to Cleveland, and Atlanta to Philadelphia. They wave flags, messages of support for the troops - and also banners attacking liberals, excoriating the UN, and in one case, advising: "Bomb France Now."

But many of the rallies, it turns out, have been organised and paid for by Clear Channel Inc - the country's largest radio conglomerate, owning 1,200 stations - which is not only reporting on the war at the same time, but whose close links with President Bush stretch back to his earliest, much-criticised financial dealings as governor of Texas. The company has paid advertising costs and for the hire of musicians for the rallies.

Tom Hicks, Clear Channel's vice-chairman, is a past donor to Bush's political campaigning. The two were at the centre of a scandal when Mr Bush was governor and when Mr Hicks chaired a University of Texas investment board that awarded large investment-management contracts to several companies close to the Bush family - including the Carlyle Group, on whose payroll Mr Bush had been until weeks previously, and which still retains his father.

"Should this be happening? No," said Dante Chinni, a senior associate with the Project for Excellence in Journalism, a Columbia University programme based in Washington. "What kind of company is Clear Channel? What's their mission? Are they a media company, a promotional company? For some people, Clear Channel's reporting, for want of a better word, may be the reporting that they're getting on the war in Iraq."

Amir Forester, a spokeswoman for Premiere Radio Networks, a subsidiary of Clear Channel, said the rallies - which the company calls "patriotic", not "pro-war" - were the idea of Glenn Beck, a syndicated talk radio host.

"He's paid to express his opinion, just like a newspaper columnist...There's no corporate mandate going on here."

The idea came about "when he had a caller on his programme saying, 'Gosh, I saw Tim Robbins making a comment on the war, and who elected him to represent me'?" Ms Forester said.

"Glenn Beck is not a journalist, he is a talk-radio host. He has a message that resonated with the average American, and he's out there showing support for our troops...what's amazing to me is that there's an effort to take away from the goodness of what Glenn Beck is doing for his listeners

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

I suppose Clear Channel is also responsible for making it look like 70+% of Americans support the war. Anyone notice how similar this is too our own taxpayer supporter NPR story on the same subject?

[MJY1288]

And the leftist anti-war protestors are sponsored by Pro-Communist organizations and pro-North Korea groups.

THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE

[Jeff Chandler]

This is an excellent follow-up to the Guardian's expose' of the Communist antiwar organizers </sarcasm>.

[Notwithstanding]

How evil - a wealthy American spends his money promoting patritotism.

[arasina]

ClearChannel hasn't sponsored any FREEPER rallies! What a bunch of boolsheet. They're trying to distract attention from background information about ANSWER.

[Seeking the truth]

Yeh, the local ClearChannel in Southern Florida, WIOD 610, a Rush affiliate of course, uses ABC news as its source.

Yeh, real Bush supporters, that ABC news.

[Always Right]

And anti-Bush groups sponcered 'pro-peace' rallies, news at 11:00...........

[Cicero]

Tsk, tsk. It's OK for liberal media outlets like the Guardian to pump up the peacenik rallies and constantly rail against the war, but conservative outlets aren't allowed to do the same thing.

The liberal press really resents the fact that they only control 95% of the media. They want the other 5% too.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

"Should this be happening? No," said Dante ChinniItisareligionofpeace, a senior associate with the Project for Excellence in JournalismA FReeper, a Columbia University programme based in WashingtonFlorida. "What kind of college is Columbia? What's their mission? Are they a media company, a promotional company? For some people, Columbia's reporting, for want of a better word, may be the reporting that they're getting on the war in Iraq."

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Bill's Khakis sponsored the Pro-America rallies. Beck talked about it on his show, and the information is available on his website. The interesting thing is, Bill's Khakis did not publicize their sponsorship heavily, because they chose not to!

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Hey - Bob J - here this story is again - making the rounds - through NPR - and now this. Looks like you touched a nerve this past weekend and the leftist Clinton / China / French / German propaganda machine is NOT happy.

Say - why didn't you tell us you worked for Clear Channel! Either that or these idiots are telling you - you are totally irrelevant. Which is it - fess up??? (/sarcasm)

[marajade]

So the criticism is now big radio instead of big oil... LOL...

[WOSG]

I await with baited breath the in-depth investigative report on the Leftist ANSWER, International Socialist Organization and Communist sponsorship of "not in my name" and the anti-war demonstrations.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Project for Excellence in Journalism

That's the oxymoron of the year.

[PianoMan]

Breathtaking how pure speculation becomes fact as it bounces around the left-wing media echo chamber. I guess the Guardian thinks Paul Krugman is an objective news reporter.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

This information must be coming straight from the DNC as Paul Klugman wrote and almost identical article for the New York Times.

[TLBSHOW]

there are rallys everywhere

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Typical liberals. They've got a huge lock on the media but they're crying because they're not batting 1.000. And, in spite of their virtual lock on the media, they're still getting their butts kicked. Eat your heart out, liberal scumdogs!

[atomic conspiracy]

Hmmm, what has Al Guardian said about all the millions that ANSWER, Greenpeace, et al get from corporate fatcats like Ted Turner and the Hollywood Cultural Axis? Hello? Anyone home?