'Early Show' Ignores GOP Critics Of Senate Iraq Resolution

In discussing the resolution passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee expressing disagreement with President Bush, CBS’s "Early Show" only featured sound clips from senators who voted for the measure, including from Senator Chuck Hagel, the lone Republican on the panel to vote for it. There was no video of any of the nine Republicans who voted against the proposal. Though many of these nine oppose President Bush’s troop surge, they view a non-binding resolution to be the wrong tool to express this.

CNN’s "American Morning," however, recognized the differences of opinion on the panel. They aired footage of Indiana Senator and ranking Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee Richard Lugar, who opined:

"We are laying open our disunity without the prospect that the vehicle will achieve meaningful changes in our policy. This vote will force nothing on the president."

And the CNN morning program also featured comments from Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, who, while voting against the non-binding measure, expressed her disapproval of the troop increase:

"I happen to disagree with the President on the surge. I don't believe that that is the most effective way for us to move forward at this point in time. Do I feel disloyal in saying that? No."

While the President’s plan to increase troops in Iraq may not be overly popular among Republicans, most feel that the resolution passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday is an equally bad idea. Yet, these viewpoints were not presented in CBS’s coverage.