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We
didn't think the hypocrisy at CBS headquarters could get any worse. But
it just did. As you
know, CBS refused to run MoveOn Voter Fund's "Child's Pay" ad
-- perhaps the most tasteful and uncontroversial advocacy ad in history
-- during the Super Bowl. CBS executives claimed they had a blanket
policy against all so-called "issue" ads. Yesterday,
we learned that the network plans to broadcast an ad promoting the
Bush Medicare prescription drug law. This is part of a $13 million
taxpayer-financed TV campaign to take the heat off the White House for
pushing through a drug plan that benefits drug companies and insurance
companies more than Medicare recipients. The
White House ad features the tagline "Same Medicare. More
Benefits." But a report by Consumers Union last month said that most
people covered by Medicare will wind up spending more for prescription
drugs, as a result of the provisions in the law which favor drug
companies. According to the Washington Post, the campaign is
intended "to counteract Democratic criticism that changes to the
(Medicare) program will harm older Americans." If
that isn't a controversial issue ad, we don't know what is. But
since CBS appears to be changing its policy, our Voter Fund has
submitted our own Medicare ad
which exposes the facts behind
this spin campaign to run on CBS. So far, we haven't heard back. Please
give CBS a call today to let them know that they need to either pull the
White House ads or run ours. You can
reach CBS at: Phone: Email: Web
form: After
you've called or emailed, please help us track the number of calls and
emails that are pouring in by going to: We're
spreading out the calls across a number of relevant CBS numbers, so
hopefully you won't get a busy signal. Also, we have no quarrel with CBS
News or any CBS journalists, who have actually given fair coverage to
CBS Corporate's unfair decision. Please don't call the CBS news desk. There's
another issue involved here that needs to be taken very seriously: if
Bush's Medicare ad is intended to function as a campaign ad (and that
clearly appears to be the case) then this may constitute a criminal
election law violation. In fact, the ad company which made the ad which
will air on CBS also works for the Bush/Cheney re-election committee.
We've put in a Freedom of Information Act request to the Department of
Health and Human Services to begin the process of establishing the facts
in this case. For now,
help us hold CBS accountable by asking them to stop running the Bush
Medicare ad -- or to accept ours. Sincerely, P.S. Our
friends at the Center for American Progress have done an incredible job
documenting the links between the Bush administration, the ad company
which is creating these Medicare ads, and the drug companies. Today's
Progress Report is online at: The
Progress Report is a free, daily e-mail by the Center for American
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