By JAMES ROSEN
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Sen. Lindsey Graham stands accused of getting too much face time on the Sunday talk shows.
It's a charge he's happy to face.
"The fact that I get asked to appear, I consider personally an honor because I get to represent the conservative point of view," said Graham, a Seneca Republican.
Media Matters in America, a liberal watchdog group in Washington, says the weekly news programs are politically biased because they host more Republican lawmakers and officials than Democrats, even since the Democrats gained control of Congress in November.
Among 2,000 guests in 2005 and 2006, 62 percent were Republican and 37 percent were Democrats, according to Media Matters.
The gap has narrowed since the election, the group says, but Republicans still outnumber Democrats.
Graham appeared on the four main talk shows 29 times in 2005 and 2006, more than anyone except Sens. Joe Biden and John McCain and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Graham's been a guest three times this year, plus twice on CNN's "Late Edition," which Media Matters didn't track.
"Every time I've been on, there's been a counter view," Graham said. "I don't think there's a conservative bias."
The four programs monitored in the study are ABC's "This Week," CBS' "Face the Nation," NBC's "Meet the Press" and Fox Broadcasting Co.'s "Fox News Sunday."
Some Democratic lawmakers are horrified by the findings.
"It is a disservice to the public when either party is not given the opportunity to publicly make their case," said Rep. Lynn Woolsey, a California Democrat and co-chair of the House Progressive Caucus.
"When network news shows favor one political point of view over others, the American people are cheated out of an open, honest and fair discussion," said Rep. Maurice Hinchey, a New York Democrat.
Graham, a first-term senator and a former military lawyer, said the Sunday talk shows are closely watched by movers and shakers on Capitol Hill _ and inside a certain white mansion on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Graham was on hand last month when President Bush addressed an American Legion convention in Washington. After the speech, Graham said, Bush came up to the senator and praised him for defending the U.S. troop surge in Iraq on "Meet the Press" the previous Sunday.
"The subject matter is usually something very important for the country, whether it be Supreme Court confirmations, the Iraq war or detainee treatment," Graham said. "One of the reasons I get asked is because I'm active (in the Senate)."
Stephen Battaglio, a TV Guide senior correspondent who follows the television news industry, said it is difficult to quantify political bias by counting the party affiliations of the talk show guests.
"I'm a big fan of the Sunday morning discussion programs," he said. "I think they're the only news programs worth watching, to be quite honest. In terms of political discussion, they're by far the best places to go."
Under the Media Matters study's approach, Battaglio said, Sen. Chuck Hagel _ who appeared six times on "This Week" in 2005 and 2006 _ would indicate a conservative bias, even though he is an outspoken critic of the Iraq war.
"It's tricky to start trying to measure bias by just looking at party affiliation," Battaglio said. "I think the Sunday news shows are about as down the middle as they can be. They're equally tough on both sides, I would say."
Perhaps the biggest problem with the think tank's methodology is Biden: The loquacious Democratic senator from Delaware was on the four talk shows 38 times during the two years _ more than anyone else.
Carin Pratt, executive producer of "Face the Nation," disagreed with the report's findings and methodology.
"It doesn't matter whether Secretary Rice is a conservative or a liberal," Pratt said. "She's the secretary of state."
Pratt offered no apologies for the nine times Graham was on "Meet the Press" during the two years, more than anyone except Sen. Biden.
"We love Graham," she said. "He's a great guy."
Marty Ryan, executive produce of "Fox News Sunday," said, "We want to thank Media Matters for drawing attention to 'Fox News Sunday,' which is the most quoted program in the Monday morning newspapers."
As for Graham, he's been on the talk shows so often he has a sort of cheat sheet in preparing for their hosts' varying tactics.
"Bob Schieffer (of "Face the Nation") makes you feel the most relaxed, so that's when you can be the most dangerous to yourself," Graham said. "Tim Russert (of "Meet the Press") can put you on the defensive the quickest. George Stephanopoulos (of "This Week") tries to look inside of the story to get at what it means politically. Chris Wallace (of "Fox News Sunday") is probably all around the best interviewer."
(Contact James Rosen at jrosen(at)mcclatchydc.com.)
Talk show regulars
A handful of senators have dominated the Sunday morning talk shows, along with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Their total appearances in 2005 and 2006:
"Meet the Press," NBC
Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., 7 times
Condoleeza Rice, secretary of state, 6 times
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, 6 times
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., 5 times
"Face the Nation," CBS
Biden, 11 times
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., 9 times
Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., 8 times
Rice, 8 times
McCain, 8 times
"This Week," ABC
Biden, 10 times
McCain, 10 times
Rice, 6 times
Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., 6 times
Specter, 5 times
Schumer, 5 times
"Fox News Sunday," Fox Broadcasting Co.
Graham, 13 times
Rice, 10 times
Biden, 10 times
Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., 9 times
Joe Biden, Media Hog???
Senator Biden, can it be true.... are you the top media hog in the USA? And why are these Scripps people calling you loquacious ...thats not a good thing (is it?). I don't know whether to be embarrassed or proud of the Senator from our little ole State.
Powerful people deserve Face Time
No one complained when Madeline Albright or Colin Powell were on the various TV shows, so why all the fuss now? I watch the political shows to get information, and of course, when Secretary Condi is speaking, I make sure to set my VCR. She has the weight of the world on her shoulders, and whatever foreign experience Joe Biden claims to have, I doubt it is anything like the power of Condi to help make deals on behalf of our president.
The issues of international affairs is why Condi has been the guest so many times on various programs. With her busy schedule, I am surprised that she even has the time to do this.
In fact, the last time she was interviewed on ABC and Fox, she said,"If I serve my full term, it will have been 12 years since a white male has held this post".....(see any hidden message there? She should have said WHEN, not IF. This gives us the wiggle room we want in order to continue to promote Condi as a 2008 contender.)
NRCC Senat House Dinner June 8, 2009
This one should be something the press should be all over. A person by the name of Ahmet Sandikci who has been ripping off Americans contributes big money through the Turkish Coliation to buy politicians in USA. He has been nominated by the NRCC to be a speaker and receiver of an Entrepreneaur of the year award at the above Senate House dinner on June 8, 2009 and if ytou Google this guy's name and business Arcade Currency palace you will find nothing but trash on this crook and liar.
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