ABC investigative reporter Brian Ross attacked Hillary Clinton from the left on Thursday's "Good Morning America." The correspondent looked into the Democrat's ties to Wal Mart during the late '80s and early '90s. He found the image of a "very corporate Hillary Clinton" and someone who played "the loyal company woman" to the successful business.
However, the news wasn't all bad for Clinton. GMA co-host Robin Roberts led into the piece with an almost apologetic tone. She labeled the New York senator "probably one of the most investigated politicians in American history." Ross began his segment by informing viewers that Clinton "served for six years on the board of Wal-Mart, the huge retailer criticized by many for its treatment of workers and its strident opposition to unions."
Ross also stereotyped anti-union forces by highlighting what seems like the most over-the-statement he could find. He observed that former Wal Mart board member John Tate said this of unions: "Labor unions are nothing but blood-sucking parasites living off of the productive labor of people who work for a living!"
In 2007, Ross developed a habit of focusing his investigative reports on Republicans. During that year, GMA featured four hard hitting segments on GOP presidential candidates and only one on a Democrat. By contrast, in early January of '08, he examined Barack Obama's connections to indicted Chicago political operative Tony Rezko and followed that up with the January 31 look at Clinton's connections to Wal Mart.
However, in questioning whether the former first lady fully supported the liberal mantra of decrying Wal Mart, Ross actually left out some aspects of his GMA report that were highlighted in an online version. The ABC News Blotter highlighted a New York Times piece which pointed out the following:
According to the New York Times, Sen. Clinton "maintains close ties to Wal-Mart executives through the Democratic Party and the tightly knit Arkansas business community." The May 20, 2007 article also reported that her husband, former President Clinton, "speaks frequently to Wal-Mart's current chief executive, H. Lee Scott Jr." and held a private dinner at the Clinton's New York home in July 2006 for him.
Ross skipped this part for the GMA piece.
A transcript of the segment, which aired at 7:31am on January 31, follows:
ROBIN ROBERTS: But first, never before seen video of Hillary Clinton inside the Wal-Mart empire. She is probably one of the most investigated politicians in American history. And this morning, you're going to see her in a way you've never seen her before, serving on the board of Wal-Mart. ABC News chief investigative correspondent Brian Ross is here with details on this. Good morning, Brian.
BRIAN ROSS: Good morning, Robin. Although she makes no mention of it in her official biography, Hillary Clinton served for six years on the board of Wal-Mart, the huge retailer criticized by many for its treatment of workers and its strident opposition to unions. Just how strident can be seen in videotapes ABC News has obtained from the archives of a production company hired by Wal Mart to record its meetings. Now providing a rare glimpse inside the company and a very corporate Hillary Clinton. Wal-Mart's opposition to unions was led for decades by labor lawyer John Tate who, after his retirement, proudly recalled at this company meeting in 2004, what he said was his favorite phrase.
JOHN TATE (Wal-Mart board member 1989-1992): Labor unions are nothing but blood-sucking parasites living off of the productive labor of people who work for a living!
ROSS: Hillary Clinton was not present at this Wal-Mart meeting, but Tate was relied on for years to keep unions out of Wal-Mart, including during the six years from 1986 to '92 when Clinton was on the Wal-Mart board and Tate was either an executive or a member of the board himself. But nowhere on the tape of the four stockholder meetings Clinton attended during the time, did we find any indication she spoke up to defend the role of America's labor unions. And another board member says nor did she do so in any of the 24 smaller board meetings held during her service. Clinton has since denounced Wal-Mart policies but at this 1990 stockholders meeting, she seemed to be very much the loyal company woman.
HILLARY CLINTON (Wal-Mart board member 1986-1992): You know, as a shareholder and director of our company, I'm always proud of Wal-Mart and what we do it and the way we do it better than anybody else.
ROSS: The tapes do show, however, the Clintons sought to play a role in promoting the environment. And advocating for women and management as Sam Walton said answering a question at this 1987 stockholders meeting.
SAM WALTON (Founder, Wal-Mart): Uh, we know we haven't gotten as far as we would like to be advancing women in our company, but we're very conscious of it. And we've got a very strong-willed young lady on our board now. Her name is Hillary and Hillary made it very plain to us yesterday that we need to do certain things to recognize, to train, to advance women in Wal-Mart.
ROSS: But 20 years later, critics say Wal-Mart still lags in promoting women to top jobs and the company is now defending itself in a discrimination lawsuit brought by one and a half million current and former employees.
JOE SELLERS (Plaintiff's attorney): I don't doubt the sincerity of her efforts, but we don't see a lot evidence that conditions for women at Wal-Mart changed much during the late 1980s or the early 1990s.
ROSS: As the wife of then-governor of Arkansas, Clinton also took a role in a buy America program to create American jobs.
CLINTON: One ever the reasons we want to buy America is because we love America.
ROSS: But as I reported at the time for NBC News in 1992, Wal-Mart continued to get most of its products from overseas during its buy America program including from this factory in Bangladesh that used 11 and 12-year-old girls. Some of the foreign made clothing was later found to be sold under made-in-America signs in Wal-Mart stores. [File footage of Ross from '92] Made in Korea, made in China. All at a time Hillary Clinton served on the Wal-Mart board. Clinton now says she did not know about the foreign sweat shops of children or how the made-in the-USA campaign was being run. And as a candidate for president, Clinton, endorsed by more than a dozen unions, has sought to distance herself from Wal-Mart saying she no longer agrees with principles and values and now believes Wal-Mart workers should be able to unionize. Robin?
ROBERTS: We'll see if it comes up again in tonight's debate.
ROSS: It may well. It's a major issue.
—Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center.















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Guess this story went
January 31, 2008 - 17:36 ET by Red JeepGuess this story went unreported in 92.
It is not Walmart it is Kazahkanistan
January 31, 2008 - 18:13 ET by Lame CherryBill Clinton closed a deal he is making a fortune off of with a Canadian mineral exploiter of MUSLIM KAZAHKISTAN URANIUM.
That is the story for the reasons:
Clinton is now mining uranium for Chicoms who have nuclear missiles pointed at America.
Clinton is now increasing the supply uranium which needs to be kept in check.
Clinton is now providing in Kazahkistan mining operations which al Qaeda can breach for targeting the United States.
The New York Times can not always be wrong when it is being sent to sink Hillary Clinton. Ross needs to get the real story.
http://www.nytimes.c...
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
LC
January 31, 2008 - 18:29 ET by well99Good link.Wonder if the rest of the MSM will pick up on this.Naaa
Have You No Shame , Sir?
January 31, 2008 - 19:42 ET by stratmanGood Grief!
Has any former POTUS sold off the office more than Clinton?
Has any VP ever profited more from the office than Al Gore?
Talk about a couple of rapacious theives and scoundrels.
Killing them with kindness isn't working. Time to get scrappy with the Donkeys.
Shame?
January 31, 2008 - 20:58 ET by well99Only when it came to my bowling scores.Just because the Lincoln bedroom was rented out doesnt me they were corrupt.
Also Al went from 1 million in assets as a VP to 100 million 6 years later is probably from saving pennys.A penny saved is a penny earned.
Come to think of it, I did
February 1, 2008 - 03:30 ET by stratmanCome to think of it, I did see Albert dumping his change into a Coinstar machine at my local supermarket.
Killing them with kindness isn't working. Time to get scrappy with the Donkeys.
Well
February 1, 2008 - 04:11 ET by well993 homes will put you in poor house.Ok well maybe not.Shoot I could live off his power bill.
She labeled the New York
January 31, 2008 - 19:27 ET by Chris NormanShe labeled the New York senator "probably one of the most investigated politicians in American history."
Correction: probably one of the most half-a**ed investigated politicians in America.
How could you out-parody
January 31, 2008 - 21:23 ET by Jack BauerHow could you out-parody something that sounds a parody?
I mean, I depise ClintonInc as much as the next conservative, but ABC is "investigating" someone who worked for Wal-Mart merely because they worked for Wal-Mart. Not for any malfeascence.
But this is what we've come to -- and it's a perfect example of an unprincipled level of bias. (Though it is amusing to see Clinton hung by her own pantsuit.)
Note how the liberal agenda is just accepted as the norm in framing the argument.
Wal-Mart, the most successful retailer in the history of the word offers low prices, great range and lots of jobs. The vast majority of folks think that's just great.
But that's a "crime" to the out-of-conrol socialism infecting the Democrat party activists. The unvast minority.
So naturally, that's the starting point for Ross.
Hey, but you know what. If Wal-Mart had walk-in abortion clinics, the loons would love them.
The only thing wrong with
February 1, 2008 - 04:18 ET by JerThe only thing wrong with Roberts' statement was the inclusion of the word "probably".
Jer
Well Jer
February 1, 2008 - 04:23 ET by well99Cackle gee I wonder why she has been investigated so often?If you want a can post a bunch of links why.
Not necessary...I think I'm
February 1, 2008 - 04:32 ET by JerNot necessary...I think I'm already up to speed on Clinton scandalmania, and I'm sure it will all be rehashed ad nauseum over the coming months.
Jer
Jer oh yeah be that way
February 1, 2008 - 11:24 ET by well99Here was my chance to post a herd of links.Your no fun.
well...I was concerned the
February 1, 2008 - 15:03 ET by Jerwell...I was concerned the avalanche of links and sources you might post could create excessive band width demands on this site and shut down NewsBusters. <wink>
Jer
I see Jer
February 1, 2008 - 20:27 ET by well99You were being a conscientious poster looking out for the NB folks that come here.Kudos to you.I will have to write BOR and tell him he is out of job.It is Jer that is looking out for the folks.Good job now if you can get Michelle and
Kirsten to post with you then you have my vote in Nov.
→ WalMart Hillary
February 1, 2008 - 08:51 ET by Cool ArrowBut you gotta appreciate secret tapes exposing Hillary sitting in silent acquiescence as the Board of Directors discusses Union Busting tactics.
You'd think she would raise her voice against it in that private setting rather than wait for a public audience, wouldn't you?
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