NBC's Nightly News ignored Lay's ties to Bush
SUMMARY: Reporting on the death of former Enron Corp. founder and chairman Kenneth Lay, on the July 5 edition of NBC's Nightly News, correspondent Don Teague made no mention of Lay's connection to President Bush.
Reporting on the death of former Enron Corp. founder and chairman Kenneth Lay, on the July 5 edition of NBC's Nightly News, correspondent Don Teague made no mention of Lay's connection to President Bush. In contrast, on the July 5 edition of ABC's World News Tonight, ABC News anchor and correspondent Diane Sawyer noted that Lay contributed "more than half a million dollars to his friend George W. Bush's presidential campaign." Similarly, CBS News anchor Harry Smith noted on that evening's edition of the CBS Evening News that Lay "became a friend of the powerful and one of the biggest donors to then-Texas Governor George Bush, who called him 'Kenny boy.' "
As Media Matters for America has noted, NBC is certainly not the first media outlet to ignore the relationship. Others have as well, complicit in Bush's efforts to distance himself from Lay since the collapse of Enron. But documented correspondence between the two men serves as evidence of their "chummy" relationship.
Lay, who reportedly died of a heart attack on July 5, was awaiting sentencing after being convicted on fraud and conspiracy charges related to Enron's collapse.
From the July 5 edition of the NBC's Nightly News:
BRIAN WILLIAMS (anchor): In other news now, it was stunning news when it arrived this morning: the sudden death of the founder of Enron, Ken Lay. He was vacationing in Aspen, Colorado. Tonight, the medical examiner says Lay died of a massive heart attack. He was awaiting sentencing just months from now for his role in the collapse of that company, the second largest bankruptcy in U.S. history. Our report tonight, from NBC's Don Teague.
TEAGUE: It was the last Independence Day Kenneth Lay would have spent as a free man. The Enron founder and his family were vacationing at his Colorado home when Lay suffered a massive heart attack. He died early this morning.
STEPHEN WENDE (Lay's pastor): He's been under tremendous stress. His faith has held him up. His family and friends have held him up.
TEAGUE: Lay and former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling face sentencing this fall for numerous fraud and conspiracy convictions related to Enron's collapse. He last spoke publicly after his conviction just six weeks ago.
LAY [clip]: Despite what happened today, I am still a very blessed man.
TEAGUE: The Enron bankruptcy cost thousands of employees their jobs and retirement accounts. Investors in the company lost billions.
SCOTT COHN (CNBC senior correspondent): The jury determined that Ken Lay lied about the health of his company and should be held to account.
TEAGUE: At Enron's peak, Ken Lay was an American success story. In his death, journalist Bethany McLean says he may be remembered as an example of corporate greed.
McLEAN (co-author, The Smartest Guys in the Room): Mention Ken Lay to anybody today, and they say, "Enron: corporate corruption, fraud, the era of excess."
TEAGUE: During the trial, Lay claimed his personal fortune was gone. But in filings just last week, prosecutors said his assets total nearly $8 million, including this luxury condo here in Houston. Prosecutors today aren't commenting on Lay's death and his family asked that their privacy be respected. Meanwhile, former Enron employees are left stunned.
TEXT:
"... out of respect for the family, we will release further details at a later time."
CONNIE CASTILLO (Former Enron Employee): No matter how bad or whatever he did, he loved his family. And that was pretty clear.
TEAGUE: An unexpected end to what, for many, was already a tragic story. Don Teague, NBC News, Houston.
From the July 5 edition of ABC's World News Tonight:
SAWYER: Few people remember that Kenneth Lee Lay grew up in rural Missouri, in a house without indoor plumbing -- plowed fields as a child to make money. His parents knew education would be their son's ticket out of poverty. With a Ph.D. in economics, he vaulted up the corporate ladder of some of the biggest energy companies in the United States and, in 1985, took over what would become Enron -- under his stewardship, the seventh-largest company in the country. There was prestige, respect, wealth. And he gave to charity and politics -- more than a half a million dollars to his friend George W. Bush's presidential campaign. But by 2001, Ken Lay's life had entered a kind of morality play.
From the July 5 edition of the CBS Evening News:
SMITH: Lay turned a sleepy natural gas pipeline group into a model of new age capitalism. Enron became a darling of Wall Street and, at its peak, turned a $100 billion profit.
Along the way, Lay became a friend of the powerful and one of the biggest donors to then-Texas Governor George Bush, who called him "Kenny boy." But as the company collapsed into bankruptcy, Enron executives lied to investors about the company's health, even as they themselves were selling off Enron stock.
Or whatever it was called; it listed all the people associated with Clinton who had met an untimely or suspicious demise. Maybe someone should compile such a list for Puddinhead George.
Avoid the rush. Place "Scooter" Libby on the mysterious/unexpected death watch when he is convicted.
See, prosecutors have awesome leverage to get candor from crooks, once the sentencing begins. To avoid 30 years in prison, a felon who can no longer hope to be acquitted by a jury will become very cooperative. Let's cut a deal, what do you want?
The things Ken Lay knew about Administration connections, secret energy deals, cooperation from Executive Branch agencies which were instructed not to look too hard at certain deals, all manner of cronyism, died with Ken Lay. Too bad, so sad ... prosecutors have lost an extremely valuable resource.
Sad when a friend becomes a liability.
If I were Colin Powell, I'd be really nervous.
When a friend gets in trouble, that you turn your back toward him because it isn't politically feasible to continue the "friendship." I'm sure the RNC wallowed in the dirty money, though.
Why should NBC re-report something that everyone in America knows?
Since Bush has done such a good job of distancing himself from Lay, it's false to ASSume everyone knows Lay and Bush were friends. Not that long ago, EVERYONE knew Afghanistan attacked us on 9-11 then Bush and Co. spent most of 2002 talking about Iraq and bin Ladin in the same breath till EVERYONE knew Iraq was in on 9-11. Now EVERYONE knows that was a lie.
See, when you deal in extreme assertions to ALWAYS risk sounding like a dunce.
In this instance, I find mentioning the ties to be out of place. There was a past time and place for mentioning the ties, but the media missed it. Unlike e.g. Abramoff, Lay's connection to politicians aren't central to his story and worth mentioning in a story of his death. More important are the lives he wrecked as a result of the fraud he committed.
On the other hand, I was incensed by some media reports that talked about Lay's "legacy" with respect to his charitable donations. Hello? He was generous with other people's money, most of whom probably couldn't be considered rich.
Also, there was another aspect to his death that should have been mentioned. As a result of his death while an appeal was pending, the convictions will likely be wiped from his record. The implication is that the government will no longer be able to use the criminal justice path in order to seize his assets. So it's off to the civil courts where the lawyers will no doubt extract their share.
If nothing else, it's another Bush lie. (He denied knowing Kenneth Lay very well)
Also, we never found out what went on at Cheney's secret energy meetings, in which the plans for dividing Iraq'a assets were allegedly discussed. Wasn't Lay involved in those? Also, let's not forget Enron's connection to the rolling blackouts which apparently were contrived. Whatever happened to these stories? Aren't they just as important as Clinton's ties to the Whitewater deal?
Isn't it interesting that he suddenly dies just as he reaches the point where he might want to make a deal with prosecutors? Hmmmm. Call me a conspiracy nut...I don't care.
Last night when the President was being given a snowball interview by the worlds biggest snowball thrower Larry King, Bush actually said Lay was a "nice guy".
If thats not news i dont know what is.
"One does not speak ill of the dead." axiom. But yeah Lay will be remembered with distain by many -- myself included. I hope that those who deserve their pound of flesh tear the estate apart. It is also very notable that the press has been less than willing to mention the Bush Co./Lay connection. However, at this point why are we surprised?
But Larry King mentioned that Lay was a friend of Bush's and each time Bush noded his head in the affirmitive, he never contradicted that assertion. This contradicted Bush's previous down play of the friendship and Snow's answer in regards of the Lay and Bush friendship ar the conference the other day. These families (the Lays and the Bushs) were the power elite in Texas particularly Houston, I'm quite certain they've interacted in business as well as socially. GW and Kenny Boy were good people for each to know.
The other items you mention are all important stories....or were. However, this was a nightly news item reporting Lay's death, not a documentary. Using NPR as an example, I wouldn't expect to hear mention of all of those items during the 5 minute news segments, but would expect them to be mentioned in a longer story during the balance of the hour.
Also, we never found out what went on at Cheney's secret energy meetings
Not sure we ever will...the courts closed the door on that one.
Aren't they just as important as Clinton's ties to the Whitewater deal?
Clearly, they are more important, especially to national interests.
Isn't it interesting that he suddenly dies just as he reaches the point where he might want to make a deal with prosecutors? Hmmmm. Call me a conspiracy nut...I don't care.
Ok...you're a conspiracy nut. ;) Seriously though, I think I see where you're going with this, but draw your attention to Occam's razor. I don't doubt for a minute that the stress he was under was immense, enough to kill him. I'm not stating that out of pity, just stating probable fact.
But the conspiracy angle is much more fun than death by cholesterol.
Good one - thanks.
I hate when something comes to mind right after I click "Post." Anyway, to explain my earlier criticism of this MMFA item, I believe a good news story has three elements:
(1) what happened (what? when? how or why?) (2) why is it important (i.e., worthy of mention) (3) what are the consequences (if any)
I also believe in brevity, focusing on the most relevant/important facts with respect to each. Lay's ties to Bush would fit in under (2), but I don't believe it is this most important reason why his death is newsworthy.
this a site ABOUT how 'news' is reported, not about the stories themselves so much.
My comments regarding a "good news story" were in relation to NBC's story. I was providing further background as to why I believe the mention of ties to Bush was not highly relevant, and didn't deserve mention, in a story on Lay's death.
is the next door neighbor of a government employee, that Lay was visited the evening before his "heart attack" and given the choice of swallowing the pill or going hunting with Cheney.
should read Barber's wife's brother (but they are all from the South, so I suppose it could be the same as written above).
i got a good laugh out of that one.
SMITH: Lay turned a sleepy natural gas pipeline group into a model of new age capitalism. Enron became a darling of Wall Street and, at its peak, turned a $100 billion profit. And just how much of that profit was due to "creative accounting" ?
neglected to mention that Kenny boy was a golf partner with Bill Clinton.
Ken Lay was Bush's NUMBER ONE campaign contributor. He contributed to help Bush become Governor of Texas, and again for President.
That's a close and cozy relationship, which Bush denies.
Ah, but you bring up Clinton. What was the circumstance? Did Lay present Clinton with a golfbag full of money?
Here's the story (that you hope will, with it's "CLINTON DID IT TOO" weight, will wipe out Bush's close connections to the now dead felon, Lay):
"Clinton began his vacation with a bipartisan golf match Saturday at the Country Club of the Rockies in Vail, Colo., teaming up with fellow Democrat (and golf pro) Jack Nicklaus to take on the Republican duo of former president Gerald Ford and Houston businessman Ken Lay.
During a photo op on the greens, Clinton was asked about the significance of a Democrat playing with a Republican. The eager putter responded: "It's the way I'm going to try to run the rest of my administration. I don't ever want the kind of polarization we had the last six months."
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So, THIS is how you hope to tie Clinton to LAY (and thus excuse or "mitigate" Bush's close ties to a man he spurned)? You've gone beyond being pitiful in your Bush apologia. You've entered the realm of the pathetic.
I admire your tenacity and your ability to keep on instant file all things about evil republicans.
But you sure miss some facts on the left.
--The Clinton Administration gave $1 billion dollars to Enron in tax-payers sponsored loans --The Clinton Administration approved 19 of 20 Enron energy projects --Enron gave $420,000 to the Dems in support of Kyoto and $2 million to various Democratic causes. Yes, Kenny Boy supported your beloved Kyoto, because Enron would have been a boom company since coal and other sources would be wiped out and natural guess and energy -- Enron strong points -- would be the "in" thing. --Clinton had the CIA look into Enron's competitor's in England and helped Enron get multiple overseas contracts including a $400 million dollar contract in India.
Kenny wasn't there to copy Bill's backswing or line him up with one of the "women of Enron" (Well, maybe he was, I don't know).
Kenny Boy and Billy Boy knew how the game was played, and I am not talking golf.
Yes, Kenny Boy gave big bucks to Bush's campaign but he also made sure alot of bread was buttered.
LAY, KENNETH I HOUSTON, TX 77019 ENRON CORP CLINTON, WILLIAM JEFFERSON (D) President CLINTON/GORE '96 PRIMARY COMMITTEE INC $1,000 primary 10/18/95
Whoops, he must have made a mistake in his checkbook on this one.
vs. half a million to bush. nope, no mistake there. he knew exactly where he wanted most of his money to go.
Maybe only a $1000 to Clinton/Gore (which apparently helped buy $1Billion in loans, what a ROI!), but lots to Dem party and candidates. $1000 buys $1 Billion, but the contribution to Bush/Cheney bought him a jury trial. Like an astute (but not very bright) wheeler-dealer, looks like he played both ends against the middle and wound up losing big time. You can yell "Foul" because Clinton was brought up, but plain and simply the basis for Enron's boom was put in place well before November of 2000.
Anymore that seems to be the mantra.."yeah but Clinton.." Get over it. Clinton did f up this country 1/10000 as much as Bush has and continues to do. Stop misdirecting blame on Clinton already it's getting tiring and showing desperation.
according to them, ken lay personally gave 10 to 1 to republican candidates over democratic candidates and enron gave 72% of it's contributions to republicans. those are the facts. all the rest is conjecture.