Speaking with Fox Business Network host Deirdre Bolton late Wednesday afternoon, Media Research Center President Brent Bozell denounced the New York Daily News for their front-page cover whining that God-fearing people are “cowards” concerning gun control with “thoughts and prayers” serving as merely “meaningless platitudes.”
Bozell excoriated the Daily News and the rest of the liberal media for their “vicious, vicious attack” on conservatives with outlets like CBS, NBC, PBS, and CNN “all giving credence and credibility” to attacks like this one launched by the anti-religious left.
The MRC President explained to Bolton that, typically, “the response of a civilized society in the wake of an atrocity like this is to offer thoughts and prayers,” but has been routinely frowned upon by a prevalent strain of “anti-religious bigotry in the news media.”
Unfortunately, Bozell pointed out that this has been a growing reality in the American media:
It’s been there for years. I can tell you a study going back 35 years that showed that 50 percent of the press aren’t — don't believe in God and 86 percent seldom go to church or synagogue and you know it’s gotten worse since then. Okay. They want to be atheists? Be atheists, but to become not just anti-religious bigots but very vicious ones and this was a vicious, vicious attack, but they're not the only ones.
After reading a disturbing tweet from a Washington Post reporter telling “thoughts and prayers people” to “please shut up and slink away,” Bozell turned his attention to the President’s continued behavior “as a community organizer” who immediately “call[ed] for gun control and it leaves a terrible taste in your mouth because what you want is this is a country that's under attack, and you want your commander-in-chief to be rallying America.”
Bozell then concluded: “So, yeah, this is all about politics with the left is concerned and the rest of us are sending our thoughts and prayers.”
Earlier in the day on FBN, Bozell joined the cast of Varney and Company to similarly blast the New York tabloid’s front page diatribe for going “further than” simply not believing in God but instead “ridicul[ing] people of faith for offering simple prayers.”
In addition, Bozell released multiple statements on the Daily News cover, which can be found at MRC.org here and here.
The transcript for Bozell’s appearance on FBN’s Risk and Reward with Deirdre Bolton on December 3 can be found below.
FBN’s Risk and Reward with Deirdre Bolton
December 3, 2015
5:46 p.m. EasternDEIRDRE BOLTON: With me now, Media Research Center President Brent Bozell. Brent, thanks for joining me. Do you think the Daily News went too far? Many people do.
BRENT BOZELL: Boy, did they ever. You know, Deidre, the response of a civilized society in the wake of an atrocity like this is to offer thoughts and prayers. The President on down did it. It's natural in a good society. We know that there's been an anti-religious bigotry in the news media. It’s been there for years. I can tell you a study going back 35 years that showed that 50 percent of the press aren’t — don't believe in God and 86 percent seldom go to church or synagogue and you know it’s gotten worse since then. Okay. They want to be atheists? Be atheists, but to become not just anti-religious bigots but very vicious ones and this was a vicious, vicious attack, but they're not the only ones. I looked at a couple. This is a reporter from The Washington Post who tweeted this: “Dear thoughts and prayer people, please shut up and slink away. You're the problem and everyone knows it.” How dare this man do this. We've seen the same kind of attitude on CBS, on NBC, on PBS, on CNN, they're all giving credence and credibility to this vicious attack.
BOLTON: Brent, to what extent do you think this is about a very politicized, hotly debated topic, which is gun control?
BOZELL: You know, it’s so unfortunate. At this point in time, at a moment like this, you want your President to be your commander-in-chief. Unfortunately, this President immediately we ask as a community organizer and blood is still running, and he's already calling for gun control and it leaves a terrible taste in your mouth because what you want is this is a country that's under attack, and you want your commander-in-chief to be rallying America in — at this time of attack, and he's playing gun control. So, yeah, this is all about politics with the left is concerned and the rest of us are sending our thoughts and prayers.
BOLTON: Oh, Bret, thank you. Well said. Brent Bozell joining me there. Media Research Center President.
