eMail from MoveOn about RW smear agetn @ AP

[frogcycle]

Dear MoveOn member,
On Saturday, the Associated Press (whose articles are published in thousands of newspapers nationwide) wrote a story about Barack Obama's vice presidential pick that sounded more like right-wing FOX than an unbiased news organization. Under the headline "Biden pick shows lack of confidence," the AP wrote:

The candidate of change went with the status quo. In picking Sen. Joe Biden to be his running mate, Barack Obama sought to shore up his weakness—inexperience in office and on foreign policy...He picked a 35-year veteran of the Senate—the ultimate insider...The Biden selection is the next logistical step in an Obama campaign that has become more negative..."1 (Emphasis added)


This isn't an isolated incident for the AP reporter who wrote this story, Ron Fournier—who was recently appointed as the AP's Washington, D.C. Bureau Chief. A recent study by media watchdog group Media Matters found that Fournier's presidential coverage has consistently smeared Democrats and favored John McCain.2

The AP is accountable to the local papers that print their articles. Can you write a letter to the papers in your area today? Tell them to contact the national AP to let them know that local readers' trust of the AP will be gone if Ron Fournier continues his biased reporting that smears Democrats and favors McCain.


Click here to submit a letter quickly and easily (we've included some points to help you with your letter):
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=4087&id=13571-7052290-91RRQ4x&t=1



A congressional investigation recently uncovered an email Fournier sent to Karl Rove in 2004, telling him to "Keep up the fight."3 Plus, it was recently revealed that Fournier talked to top McCain campaign operatives in 2007 about being a senior McCain political adviser!4 Given all this, Fournier has an obligation to the public to show that his journalism will not be skewed toward McCain.


But during the 2008 primary, Fournier wrote what amounted to a bunch of smear jobs on Barack Obama and the Clintons. Here are some of the "fair and balanced" pieces he wrote:
Headline: "Sen. Hillary Clinton an Artful Dodger" Excerpt: "Slick Hillary? Former President Clinton earned the nickname 'Slick Willy' for his mastery in the political arts of ducking and dodging...His wife may not be as smooth, but Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is doing a passable impression of the ever-parsing former president."5

Headline: "Obama walks arrogance line" Excerpt: "There's a line smart politicians don't cross—somewhere between "I'm qualified to be president" and "I'm born to be president." Wherever it lies, Barack Obama better watch his step. He's bordering on arrogance."6

Headline: "Clinton's Politics of Pity" Excerpt: "Poor Hillary. After trying to save her sinking candidacy with awkward turns of flattery and sarcasm, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton resorted to a new tactic in Tuesday night's debate: self-pity."7

Meanwhile, Media Matters could only find one negative piece Fournier wrote about Republicans during the entire primary—and that was trashing Mitt Romney for beating John McCain in Michigan!8


Can you write a letter to the papers in your area? Tell them to contact the national AP to let them know that local readers' trust of the 160-year-old AP will be gone if Ron Fournier continues his biased reporting that smears Democrats and favors McCain.
You can submit a letter quickly and easily by using this link:
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=4087&id=13571-7052290-91RRQ4x&t=2

Thanks for all you do to hold the media accountable.

[gateley]

1. Done -- Thanks! nt

[clear eye]

2. Fournier Did the Same to Franken

For the first 6 weeks after Franken was nominated Fournier wrote stories distorting Franken's tax situation and ignoring the problems Coleman has. I tried to find contact info for Fournier's boss to email an objection, but AP keeps that stuff off the 'net.

[clear eye]

3. My Letter

AP Washington Reporter Shows Consistent Rightwing Bias

Local readers are surprised to find the formerly well-respected AP dispensing clearly partisan diatribes instead of neutral reporting. I've seen stories calling Hillary Clinton names like "slick", "artful dodger" and "self-pitying", and Obama "arrogant". Somehow McCain escapes this negative characterization. Perhaps that's because Fournier is a fan of Karl Rove (wrote him an email encouraging him to "keep up the fight"), and because he's asked the McCain people for a job. Readers want to make up our own minds, and truly don't care what Fournier's opinion of the candidates is. What we want from him is reporting on what is factually going on in the campaigns and in Washington and the actual response of the people either in the town hall mtgs. or in polls. The Journal should be demanding the AP produce that for us. With or without Fournier.

[clear eye]

4. Please correct typo in title

I think you'll get more traffic if folks can understand it.

[frogcycle]

5. too late -

and that really makes it unintelligble, doesn't it!