Ignoring reader question about networks, Broder asserted media have been "aggressive and extensive" in covering Gonzales

In a May 18 online discussion, a reader asked Washington Post columnist David Broder about President Bush's "non-answer" to a question about former deputy attorney general James B. Comey's Senate testimony concerning the effort to pressure then-Attorney General John Ashcroft to reauthorize the administration's wiretapping program -- an effort that included a 2004 showdown in Ashcroft's hospital room between then-White House counsel (and current Attorney General) Alberto R. Gonzales and then-White House chief of staff Andrew Card on one side and Comey, at the time acting attorney general due to Ashcroft's illness, on the other. The reader asked: "Will the media follow up and demand answers? How is it that two out of three major networks have decided not to cover Comey's cinematic testimony?" Broder replied: "I do not share your opinion that the press has been giving President Bush a free ride. I think the coverage of the firing of the US attorneys has been aggressive and extensive, as it should be." He added: "I think the White House will continue to be pressed for explanations of these serious issues." But Broder did not address the reader's specific inquiry about the networks' lack of coverage. In fact, news programs on two of the three major networks, ABC and CBS, still have not covered Comey's testimony. And none of the three networks reported that Bush refused to answer a question about Comey's testimony at a May 17 press conference.

ABC reported during both the May 17 edition of World News and the May 18 edition of Good Morning America that Gonzales is experiencing increased "pressure" from Democrats and Republicans to resign, but did not inform viewers why the increased "pressure" was occurring.

Comey told the Senate Judiciary Committee May 15 that Gonzales and Card attempted to pressure Ashcroft to approve the re-authorization of the National Security Agency's (NSA) warrantless wiretapping program while Ashcroft was hospitalized and did not have the powers of the attorney general. During his May 17 news conference, NBC White House correspondent Kelly O'Donnell asked Bush whether he sent his "then-chief of staff and White House counsel to the bedside of John Ashcroft while he was ill to get him to approve that program," to which Bush replied, as The New York Times reported, "There's a lot of speculation about what happened and what didn't happen. I'm not going to talk about it."

Instead, Bush discussed his belief that the NSA program was "necessary":

BUSH: I will tell you that, one, the program is necessary to protect the American people, and it's still necessary because there's still an enemy that wants to do us harm.

And therefore, I have an obligation to put in place programs that honor the civil liberties of the American people; a program that was, in this case, constantly reviewed and briefed to the United States Congress. And the program, as I say, is an essential part of protecting this country.

And so there will be all kinds of talk about it. As I say, I'm not going to move the issue forward by talking about something as highly sensitive -- highly classified subject. I will tell you, however, that the program is necessary.

O'DONNELL: Was it on your order, sir?

BUSH: As I said, this program is a necessary program that was constantly reviewed and constantly briefed to the Congress. It's an important part of protecting the United States. And it's still an important part of our protection because there's still an enemy that would like to attack us. No matter how calm it may seem here in America, an enemy lurks. And they would like to strike. They would like to do harm to the American people because they have an agenda. They want to impose an ideology; they want us to retreat from the world; they want to find safe haven. And these just aren't empty words, these are the words of al Qaeda themselves.

And so we will put in place programs to protect the American people that honor the civil liberties of our people, and programs that we constantly brief to Congress.

But in their March 17 evening news broadcasts and in their morning news programs the following day, neither NBC, ABC, nor CBS reported on Bush's refusal to answer O'Donnell's question. As Media Matters for America has noted, NBC is the only network to have reported on Comey's testimony. During the May 18 edition of Today, NBC correspondent Lester Holt reported that "Senate Democrats said they plan to seek a no-confidence vote on Gonzales in the wake of various controversies, including the firing of eight federal prosecutors," but did not report on Bush's refusal to directly answer O'Donnell's question, even though O'Donnell is an NBC reporter.

Similarly, ABC reported on Senate Democrats' plan to hold a "no-confidence" vote on Gonzales on both the May 17 World News and May 18 Good Morning America, but neither report noted what prompted this event to occur. For instance, on World News, anchor Charles Gibson reported only that "there is more pressure on the embattled attorney general of the United States, Alberto Gonzales, to resign," citing Senate Democrats' promise to hold a "no-confidence vote." On Good Morning America, co-anchor Chris Cuomo reported "Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is facing mounting pressure to step down now. Senate Democrats are calling for a no-confidence vote, and a fifth Republican senator is calling for him to resign as well." As Media Matters has noted (here and here), ABC has not reported on Comey's May 15 testimony on any of its news programs. At least one Republican senator, Chuck Hagel (NE), cited Comey's testimony as being "another part of a pattern of flawed decision making by" Gonzales and as a reason Gonzales should resign. In announcing their intent to bring forth "legislation expressing that view that the Senate has lost confidence in Alberto Gonzales' performance as attorney general," Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) also pointed to Comey's testimony as part of the reasons they decided to do so.

CBS has not reported on its news programs about Comey's testimony, the increased calls for Gonzales' resignation, or Feinstein and Schumer's plan to hold a "no-confidence" vote on Gonzales.

From the May 18 "Broder on Politics" online chat at washingtonpost.com:

Boston: With his non-answer yesterday, the President fairly admitted he had sent Card and Gonzales into the ICU. Will the media follow up and demand answers? How is it that two out three major networks have decided not to cover Comey's cinematic testimony? The American people look at the Bush years and see a trail of destruction. The media finally woke up this year, but still seems much less concerned. How will anyone take the news media seriously in two years when a Democratic president will be hounded for weeks on end for any misstep ranging from a gaffe to a minor misdemeanor?

David S. Broder: IGood [sic] day to all who are joining this chat. To my friend in Boston, I do not share your opinion that the press has been giving President Bush a free ride. I think the coverage of the firing of the US attorneys has been aggressive and extensive, as it should be, and I think the White House will continue to be pressed for explanations of these serious issues.

From the May 17 edition of ABC's World News with Charles Gibson:

GIBSON: Meanwhile, there is more pressure on the embattled attorney general of the United States, Alberto Gonzales, to resign. Senator Norm Coleman of Minnesota became the fifth Republican senator to call for Gonzales' resignation since he was politically weakened by the controversial firing of U.S. attorneys. And Democrats announced they will call for a no-confidence vote on Gonzales in the Senate.

From the May 18 edition of ABC's Good Morning America:

CUOMO: Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is facing mounting pressure to step down now. Senate Democrats are calling for a no-confidence vote, and a fifth Republican senator is calling for him to resign as well. Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman says the Justice Department is suffering under Gonazles' leadership.

From the May 18 edition of NBC News' Today:

HOLT: Pressure is building this morning for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to resign, with Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman the latest Republican calling for him to step down. On Thursday, Denate Democrats said they plan to seek a no-confidence vote on Gonzales in the wake of various controversies, including the firing of eight federal prosecutors.