CBS uncritically reported GOP claim that Pelosi wants military plane for fundraising
In a February 7 report on the uproar surrounding the issue of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) access to a military airplane that can fly nonstop to her home district in California, the CBS Evening News aired a clip of House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) suggesting that Pelosi may use the plane as an "incredible fundraising tool." In fact, Pelosi's staff has explicitly stated she "will not use the plane for political travel."
The report, by CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson, concerned the controversy surrounding whether Pelosi will be able to travel between Washington and her home district in San Francisco on a military aircraft that can make the cross-country trip without stopping to refuel. Congressional Republicans have baselessly accused Pelosi of specifically requesting access to a C-32 aircraft -- a military version of the Boeing 757 which features numerous amenities not included on the smaller plane previously used by former Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) in his trips to his home district in Illinois.
In her report, Attkisson aired a clip of Blunt suggesting that Pelosi might use the more luxurious C-32 for fundraising purposes:
BLUNT: If you can say to your supporters, do you want to fly with me from San Francisco this week, spend the week in New York and then fly with me back, that's an incredible perk. It's an incredible fundraising tool.
After she aired Blunt's statement, Attkison reported that "Pelosi's office told us she'll follow all the appropriate guidelines." But at no point in the report did Attkisson note that Pelosi's staff has reportedly specifically stated she will not use the military aircraft for political travel, as The Washington Post reported in a February 6 article:
Yesterday, the House sergeant-at-arms issued a statement saying that the leadership is awaiting word from the Air Force on the rules for using the plane. It is unclear, for example, who can travel with Pelosi and whether she can return home from a political event on the taxpayer-funded plane.
[...]
Brendan Daley, a spokesman for Pelosi, said that she will not use the plane for political travel.
From the February 7 edition of the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric:
ATTKISSON: Ever since 9-11, a small military jet like this has been made available to transport the speaker of the House for security reasons. The speaker is second in the line of succession to the presidency. Back then, it was Republican Dennis Hastert.
Now it's Democrat Nancy Pelosi, but she may be getting a little more legroom. Speaker Pelosi is reportedly asking for a much bigger jet, a government version of the Boeing 757 that can make the trip between Washington and her San Francisco home without stopping to refuel.
The speaker's critics have dubbed it "Pelosi One." Military officials are said to be grumbling about it, and the speaker finds herself on the defensive. Today, she insisted size doesn't really matter.
PELOSI: It's not a question of size, it's a question of distance. We want an aircraft that can reach California.
ATTKISSON: But an aircraft like that can comfortably seat 50, and Republican leader Roy Blunt is among those questioning how all those extra seats might get filled.
BLUNT: You know, if you can say to your supporters, "Do you want to fly with me from San Francisco this week, spend the week in New York, and then fly with me back," that's an incredible perk. It's an incredible fundraising tool.
ATTKISSON: Pelosi's office told us she'll follow all the appropriate guidelines. The problem is, there aren't any yet. Because of the flak, the Defense Department is now said to be quickly writing rules for the speaker's plane, everything from size to who can go along for the ride.
Absolutely. This is completely made-up... these hacks are reporting complete hear-say. No surprise.
My e-mail comment to CBS news was:
CBS news,
I believe that CBS news has presented only one side of this issue. In the New York Times it is reported that: "Bill Livingood, sergeant-at-arms, said in a statement that the practice began with Mr. Hastert, and that he requested that Mrs. Pelosi receive similar security travel arrangements, and that he was the one who asked for her travel to be on nonstop flights. “I regret that an issue that is exclusively considered and decided in a security context has evolved into a political issue,'’ Mr. Livingood said.
Should not CBS news also report this part of the story.
Thank you,
What nobody reported was that Pelosi was quite happy to use commercial airlines to travel back and forth between Washington and San Fransisco. However, she was told that she was required to use military transport for security reasons (after 9/11), just as the previous speaker was required to use military transport. Pelosi's ONLY request was that the plane be able to travel non-stop between the two cities.
It's especially shameful when reporters and newcasters willingly create an echo chamber for the lies and distortions manufactured by the shameless and corrupt RNC.
that not entirely correct. The speaker was using the Hastert plane as sucurty dictated. Itwas the sarg at arms that became aware of the mid flight stops and was concerned about security risks. Hense the request from HIM. Also has no one pointed out the obvious -- as the first woman speaker in history Polesi poses a much greater challenge for security because of fanaticals. 2 heart beats away from the presidency is enough to bring out some crazy people. The same will be for the first woman Presidnet. Most people would not even put the House speaker in thier sites but the fact the she is the first woman and the publicity srrounding that not to mention the implications of successions that does place her life at more risk than her predecesors. You may not like but in reality it is true. And as the 3rd in line to Oval office her protection is just as important as the Vice Pres.
really considering the man's heart condition if somehing were to happen to Bush and was to succed he might choke up and die too. Think about who is next after Polesi --Robert Byrd-- Put in context it might be more important than we think to keep her safe-- come to think after that realization how about we just giver her air force one.
Thanks for that important detail. This entire pack of lies demonstrates how low the RNC has sunk and how poorly we Americans are served by the media.
it's not like this plane is going to be used for, say, a golf trip to Scotland... this whole story is just plane ridiculous...
She wants the military plane for fundraising? How much can she get for it?
If they put the funds in the plane, they can be raised very high, indeed, unfortunately, when the plane lands, the funds will be lowered again.
LOL Easy
according to the latest story, the House sergeant at arms requested the plane, not Pelosi...
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/02/09/pelosi.plane/index.html
And ONCE AGAIN, it's a Media Personality teamed up with a Republican Mudslinger to throw an unfounded accusation at a Democrat. The Republican does his job, which is to throw mud. The Media does it's job, which apparently is to pick up the mud, add some more, and throw it several hundred more times. The Democrats job? To refute the baseless charge.
The state of the media in this country is just ridiculous these days. I'm so disgusted by these so-called "reporters." Liberal Media my ass.