Wednesday’s "The Situation Room" featured three anti-war grassroots websites during a short segment, without including any from the opposing viewpoint. Host Wolf Blitzer introduced the segment by talking about the anti-war protests marking the 5-year anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq war. "Hundreds of anti-war protesters gathered in Washington for this, the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq. At least 31 people were arrested today, according to the organizers. Protests are also happening across the country, and many of them are being organized online."
Blitzer brought in CNN Internet reported Abbi Tatton, who described the websites and the groups behind them. "[I]t’s a coalition of groups organizing and publicizing the protests today on this website, ‘5 Years Too Many,’ and they’ve been updating with pictures of the protests -- these from Washington -- throughout the day. The goal: to disrupt business as usual..."
Tatton then described one of the groups participating in the protests. "Amongst the demonstrators in the nation’s capital today -- students on an alternative spring break. Ashley Casale from Wesleyan University is one of the organizers of ‘Our Spring Break,’ which has brought 150 students from various different schools to Washington, and they say that they’ve been organizing largely through Facebook, that social networking site."
Another group featured by Tatton was MoveOn.org. "And separately, the group MoveOn.org has got candlelight vigils planned on this, the fifth-year anniversary of the Iraq war. They’ve got almost 900 of those going on, starting in a couple of hours."
The report, which aired 35 minutes into the 4 pm Eastern hour of "The Situation Room," made no mention of any of the groups who are opposing the anti-war protesters, such as Eagles Up, Move America Forward, or the DC Chapter of FreeRepublic.com. Another mainstream media outlet, the Washington Post, actually treated such groups more fairly. They featured the Eagles Up organization in its March 16 edition.
—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.















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They just don't get it and
March 19, 2008 - 19:12 ET by Chris NormanThey just don't get it, and if they do, they think we don't.
Ya gotta hand it to the Crescent News Network.
March 19, 2008 - 19:07 ET by R D HelmAt least they are consistent in their position as the network of choice for the Islamo-supremecists.
Theme for Election '08: I want my mommy!
Ditto For "Hard Boiled"
March 19, 2008 - 19:42 ET by Del DolemonteChrissie Matthews was shoveling the manure on this subject as well this afternoon. It was PhD (piled high and deep)
Whoa! "Hundreds" of protesters?
March 19, 2008 - 20:41 ET by JnobleI've seen more people on line for N'Sync tickets back when I worked near a ticketmaster than apparently showed up to protest that darn war.
The MSM..
March 19, 2008 - 20:56 ET by MightyMouthare like right view mirrors on cars "objects appear larger than than they are" or closer, you just know some dem or lawyer(what the diff?) came up with that.
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...
Misrepresentation
March 19, 2008 - 21:14 ET by the curatorMr. Balan, did you watch the entire show, or simply that five minute segment?
This portion of the Situation Room was about ANTI-WAR stances. Which is why ANTI-WAR websites were shown. It wouldn't make sense to show PRO-WAR websites during and ANTI-WAR segment.
ONE segmen during an entire show which highlighted much progress that has been made in Iraq.
This was, in fact, a very balanced show that included positive steps made with the surge.
Next time you choose to use ONE SEGMENT to represent an entire show, don't complain when people use Bill OReilly's "Talking Points" to label him a conservative.
tell us curator
March 19, 2008 - 23:55 ET by candanceDid CNN give a segment to those who said invading Iraq was the right thing to do?
Ha!
March 20, 2008 - 04:51 ET by UnsaneThis was, in fact, a very balanced show that included positive steps made with the surge. I would submit that if it were in fact balanced, CNN would have had a segment on a hospital just down the way from me, where an army of several hundred doctors, nurses, and volunteers save lives daily and nightly, of soldiers and civilians.
But I have only seen the media here on ONE occasion, because of a distinguished visitor we had, and I am sure the guys and gals you work for as a slavish apologist were dragged here kicking and screaming to cover THAT occasion.
Res tantum valet quantum vendi potest.
This also goes for the local
March 19, 2008 - 23:33 ET by rbosqueThis also goes for the local media here in L.A. The talking heads have show-cased bitter people who have lost soldiers or the lunatic protestors. To my knowledge, no one with an opposing viewpoint was interviewed.
Who watches CNN anyway?????
March 20, 2008 - 00:30 ET by CutterWho watches CNN anyway?????
Well, that question maybe rhetorical, for we know who watches CNN, however, they are lock-step, group-think aparatchiks.
Free thinkers they are not.
Hundreds of anti-war
March 20, 2008 - 08:45 ET by Free ThinkerHundreds of anti-war protesters were in Washington? Is that news. I think on any given day in Washington CNN could find hundreds of people protesting something. What a non-story.
Who is this Bull Shitzer guy anyway?
March 20, 2008 - 13:28 ET by wizardjrI gave up the Communist Neanderthal Network when I stopped reading Pravda. Oh wait, I never read Pravda. And... I never take my precious time to waste it on non-entities like Bull Shitzer and his ilk. Other than professional smuck watchers like NB, who does that doesn't also need an increase in their lithium perscription?