Instead of broadcasting its planned documentary accusing Senator John Kerry of betraying his fellow GIs and prolonging the Vietnam war in the early 1970s, Sinclair Broadcast Group on Friday aired a news special that examined the controversy surrounding its plans to air the program. Called A POW Story: Politics, Pressure and the Media, the program wound up airing only about five minutes of the anti-Kerry movie Stolen Honor. David Zurawik, TV critic of the Baltimore Sun, located in Sinclair’s hometown, commented: “This was not a program worth risking stockholder earnings or firing a respected journalist, as Sinclair did this week. The show seemed more an attempt by Sinclair to dig its way out of controversy than an examination of the Vietnam War record and anti-war protests of Democrat John Kerry, as promised.”

 

Does this jive with their public statement about why they kept Nightline from listing the names of soldiers killed in Iraq?

 

“Mr. Koppel and ‘Nightline’ are hiding behind this so-called tribute in an effort to highlight only one aspect of the war effort and in doing so to influence public opinion against the military action in Iraq…”

 

“Maryland-based Sinclair Broadcast Group said Thursday that the unique program is politically motivated and ordered its seven ABC affiliates … not to air it.” Hartford Courant, April 29, 2004.

 

Anti-Kerry film ignites new row:

“The Sinclair TV Group, whose executives have given tens of thousands of dollars to President George W Bush’s re-election campaign, have revealed plans to show the film later this month, followed by a panel discussion to which they say Senator Kerry will be invited.”

 

For the record, I’m sick of it.

I’m sick of the whole fucking thing. I end up defending John Kerry and I’m not even voting for him.

And the question arises… how many times have I found myself morally compelled to defend John Kerry against unfounded attacks against his character.

Bush is running one of the dirtiest campaigns in the history of this nation, and frankly, if he can’t win on issues, he should shut up, sit down, and resign because if you can’t win a campaign with issues, you don’t deserve to be the most powerful man in the world.