"ALLThings Considered"? NPR Promotes Cindy Sheehan But Ignores Pro-Mission Event

On the Thursday, September 22, 2005, 4 pm PDT broadcast of the National Public Radio (NPR) news, newscaster Corey Flintoff appeared to give Cindy Sheehan's forthcoming anti-war demonstration a free plug. After playing an audio clip of President Bush from a press briefing at the Pentagon, Flintoff tagged the clip with the following (audiotape on file):

"The President spoke ahead of an anti-war protest planned in Washington on Saturday by activists, including Cindy Sheehan. Sheehan helped to coalesce opposition to the war by leading a month-long protest outside President Bush's ranch in Texas."

The problem? Flintoff made no mention of the other major demonstration in Washington, D.C. this weekend. Support the Troops and Their Mission Weekend is "a weekend of events in which patriotic Americans and their friends will show their support for our nation's military personnel, honor their families and demonstrate their resolve that the missions of their loved ones fighting terrorism and protecting liberty in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world be completed with victory and honor." Move America Forward, FreeRepublic.com, and ProtestWarrior.com are among the organizers and sponsors of the event. Several speakers are planned, but I guess Flintoff didn't get the word.

"All Things Considered"? Not even close.