NBC and MSNBC Join ACORN, Other Leftist Groups In Assuring 'Election Protection'

Amanda Carpenter at Townhall brings our attention to something amazing: NBC and MSNBC are working with ACORN and other left-wing interest groups in a "nonpartisan" effort at "Election Protection." Is that a bad joke, working with ACORN on ballot integrity? An NBC press release on Tuesday announced:

With less than 14 days before Election Day, NBC News and Election Protection will be joining forces to help voters ensure that their vote will count. The news leader and the nation’s largest nonpartisan voter protection coalition will work together to promote the 1-866-OUR-VOTE Hotline and www.866ourvote.org website so that voters can receive live assistance if they encounter problems, and access the information before they head to the polls now through Election Day.

Election Protection is the nation’s largest nonpartisan voter protection coalition, led by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

That would be the same "nonpartisan" lobby group that's staunchly opposed conservative Supreme Court nominees from Bork to Alito.

Election Protection's Partners list displays the logos of NBC and MSNBC next to an alphabet soup of liberal organizations, including the ACLU, the Brennan Center for Justice, Common Cause, the Human Rights Campaign, LULAC, People for the American Way, the Service Employees International Union, the Sierra Club and U.S. PIRG. None of the partners are recognizably conservative.

The black networks BET and TV One (which covered Obama's convention live, but not that other, much whiter one) are also partners, which tends to further put the "nonpartisan" appearance into question. It looks more like something called "Barack the Vote." Another "nonpartisan" partner is Change to Win, a coalition of leftist unions, whose website touts Obama as "The American Dream Candidate" and snubs McCain as "bad for workers."

ACORN is featured in a longer list of ideological partners elsewhere on the website. Carpenter found the Peacock spinners were dodging ACORN questions:

When asked for comment about ACORN's role in the project MSNBC spokesman Jeremy Gaines wrote Townhall in an email "this a question for them, not us."

Carpenter added that the "Protection" message surfaced on MSNBC on Wednesday:

Daytime anchor David Shuster promoted the effort Wednesday by telling viewers, "NBC is making your vote count. If you have a question about voting or problems at the polls, our partners at Election Protection can help. They have trained volunteers available to answer your questions. Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE if you have a question or if you run into or see any problems."

Anchor Contessa Brewer has similarly hyped the project. The Election Project features a snippet of her telling viewers about the project on their website. She described MSNBC's relationship with Election Protection as an "exclusive partnership."

That might mean it excludes conservatives.