Perhaps emboldened by his successful attack last week on Congressman Bob Beauprez over the latter's "Mexican Time" statement, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rutt Bridges today took another swipe at Beauprez, this time over a 'NO' vote for PBS.
By a vote of 284-120, the House voted to restore $100 million in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, helping to save such shows as "Sesame Street" and "The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer" in addition to National Public Radio. But it seems that Beauprez cast a vote against Bert and Ernie, so Bridges took another shot:
“Once again, Mr. Beauprez sided with Tom Delay (sic) and the radical right against a common-sense coalition of Republicans and Democrats,” stated Rutt Bridges, candidate for governor and longtime supporter of public broadcasting. “PBS, National Public Radio and their local affiliates are one of the few sources of in-depth news and educational programming on the airwaves. Parents and kids need an alternative to the pop culture that dominates commercial programming.”
Throwing DeLay in there was a bit of a waste, because the shot at Beauprez was worthy enough on the merit of the vote alone. It's a bit surprising, too, that Beauprez would want to vote no on a bill that was clearly going to pass anyway, because this is one of those votes that can be easily spun as negative and is easily understandable to the average voter. "Bob Beauprez Voted Against PBS" doesn't sound good.
On a side note, reading the quotes on this from Democrats and Republicans was a little Twilight Zone-ish. From The Associated Press:
"Big Bird and his friends can fly on their own," said Rep. Ernest Istook, R-Okla.
"Do we want to live in a society where pop culture dictates all that is offered on the airwaves," said Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y.
Aren't Republicans supposed to lash out at Democrats over pop culture gone awry? What's going on here?
CPB's Ken Tomlinson has been digging himself a deep hole lately. This story doesn't take into account the ideological campaign against public radio (Tomlinson wants to use local station funding as leverage over NPR broadcasting). Beauprez may regret getting too cozy with that crew, since Tomlinson's numbers aren't adding up lately.
Posted by: Stygius | June 23, 2005 at 11:56 PM
And the ideological campaign against PBS explains Beauprez's vote. Sure, it would easy (for someone else) to vote YES on a bill that's guaranteed to pass. But Beauprez has ideological objections--which make him a NO vote and, once again, put him on the extremist wing of his party and in a tough spot with some explaining to do. You can bet that this vote about PBS will be used against him between now and Nov. '06.
Posted by: Herschel Chipp | June 24, 2005 at 10:42 AM
He's gearing up for a GOP primary - how dim are you guys?
Posted by: please | June 24, 2005 at 10:55 AM
When to government funded television become a judicious of taxpayer funds? With the hundreds of television channels on my TV it kills me that we are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to give me one more. Ideological campaign against PBS? No it's just a return to common sense.
Posted by: Man'O'Action | June 24, 2005 at 11:03 AM
Yeah for BB, PBS is a shame. The blatantly shill for the left and I am amazed by anyone who thinks otherwise.
Politically this is a great vote and frankly I have a hard time imagining that the average everyday non-leftwing voter is going to penalize him for it!
Posted by: Jake | June 24, 2005 at 11:31 AM
Bert and Ernie blatantly shill for the left? Is the Cookie Monster really a Democratic party hack?
Can we please stop the liberal media conspiracy bull****? It's silly.
Posted by: Ter Ducken | June 24, 2005 at 11:36 AM
If it was all about the cookie monster -- oh wait we can't even call him that anymore thanks to the PC police -- then I would agree with you.
Ter D, you know very well that there is more to this issue than Sesame Street.
I was watching the Daily show episode the other night with Bill Moyers, his rhetoric and position were completely biased, he must have said "right wing" or "radical right-wing" at least 5 times! That while defending the "unbaised" nature of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS.
I didn't say it was a "conspiracy," that would requiring an amount of planning that I am not prepared to give PBS credit for. They are, in my opinion, extremely biased. They don't represent or respect my views or the views of millions of other Americans and I am offended that my tax dollars "make it possible."
Posted by: Jake | June 24, 2005 at 11:43 AM
I was just having a little fun, but I really am getting terribly tired of the liberal media conspiracy thing. It doesn't exist. There is no conspiracy, and I'm glad you agree.
I really don't know a lot about the programming on PBS, but I think it is important that we always have a public broadcasting system in place, from PBS to NPR, to allow the public to have access to that voice. This isn't about "free market economics" in my mind, either. There are some things, like public broadcasting, that the government should support, even if you don't like what they have to say.
And another thing. I can't say "Cookie Monster" anymore? That's a bummer. Should I say "Cookie Person?"
Posted by: Ter Ducken | June 24, 2005 at 11:49 AM
Sure he's gearing up for a primary, but how does this help? I like Bob and plan to vote for him. But as a Repub primary voter I can't say that if I were undecided I woudl be persuaded by a mailing by BB that said "I voted against PBS". I actually think there's a place for PBS in educating kids, given the failings of our schools and the culture in which they grow up.
I just don't think opposing PBS helps Bob, it's just ammo the Democrats can use against him in the general, and I'm disappointed he's not playing the game a little smarter.
Posted by: not helpful | June 24, 2005 at 12:24 PM
The main stream media isn't left or right or anything but just lazy and worthless. How many more stories of Michael Jackson, the runaway bride and Ward Churchill do we have to endure before people get this? Republicans use the liberal label to beat the media into submission and the limbless media is of course too lazy to figure it out.
PBS has one of the last great news programs in the MacNeil/Lehrer News hour. You won't see any type of news program like this on any of those bazillion channels we currently have. And it is in depth and fair and the type of reporting we used to get from the rest of the media before they turned lazy or just into pure hackery like we have come to expect from Fox News.
Like the bumper sticker goes - a PBS mind in a Fox News world.
Posted by: marshall | June 24, 2005 at 12:26 PM
'Not Helpful' sums up nicely what the point of the post was. Politically speaking, why would Beauprez vote against a potentially popular measure that was going to pass anyway? It's a strange move for somebody who will need the unaffiliated voters if he's going to get elected governor.
Posted by: Alva Adams | June 24, 2005 at 12:31 PM
Bridges made a smart move in capitalizing on a vote that seems easy to swing voters like those infamous suburban soccer moms of elections past. It shows the virtues of getting in the race early. Sesame Street, Arthur and Clifford are definitely soccer mom issues, and CD 7 is right in the heart of soccer mom land, so Beauprez's finger should be right on the pulse of this issue and it isn't.
Where was Ritter on this by the way?
Posted by: ohwilleke | June 24, 2005 at 01:15 PM
Here, here. Ritter moves slower than my grandma when she's trying to get dressed. I think his answers in the Q&A were pretty good, but the guy is going to need to have a much faster campaign if he's going to go anywhere.
Posted by: Ter Ducken | June 24, 2005 at 01:47 PM
I love all these Ds trying to think like Rs. Better yet, all these Ds thinking that any average voter cares at all about how BB voted on PBS!
The only people who care about this vote already have their minds made up! Conservative Rs like and liberal Ds hate it, otherwise, nobody really cares!
Posted by: Jake | June 24, 2005 at 02:06 PM
This could be important because it is an emotional issue, and there aren't a lot of soundbyte emotional issues that you can use in a campaign. Nobody can make a definitive statement without seeing how it will play with voters, so just how effective it will be is up for debate. But you can't argue that this is clean-cut and easy to understand: Bob Beauprez Voted To Turn off Sesame Street.
Again, how will the voters take it? Who knows. But it's quick and easy. Saying that Bob Beauprez voted no against Referendum C&D doesn't have the same cache. This could turn out to mean nothing at all, but given that the measure was going to pass by a wide margin anyway, why risk it?
Posted by: Alva Adams | June 24, 2005 at 02:19 PM
Back to the original point, we are in primary season. Keeping Sesame Street (with its endorsement money) is a red herring when you look at the big picture.
It will be interesting to see if the Ds do try to attack on this issue. I don't think it is tops of the voters minds, but if they would rather talk about this than health care, social security, etc... Great!
Furthermore, Bridges attempt to tie this to DeLay is just silly and probably is a sign to come. The Ds will try to tie anything they don't agree with to DeLay in the mistaken belief that it has traction. As I have posted before, it didn't work with Newt, it won't work now!
Posted by: Jake | June 24, 2005 at 02:28 PM
So Beauprez votes to save $100 million and Bridges starts screaming about Big Bird?
How much free time does Rutt have? I love his self-proclaimed status as a "longtime supporter of public broadcasting" like it was a US Marshal badge. How exactly is he going prove that? Does he have receipts?
Posted by: Jack | June 24, 2005 at 03:28 PM
Someone might want to look at what had to be cut in order to restore PBS funds. It looks like it might have came from Pell grants,funds to help retrain unemployed workers, and other programs that help working class people. As usual,Bridges has spoken before he thinks. Unless Dems are prepared to lay down for Bobby B. we better hope that Ritter wakes up and gets his sh** together.
Posted by: jjlefty | June 24, 2005 at 07:05 PM
Jake,
Just an FYI, Moyers isn't on PBS any more. He retired last December.
Posted by: Curious Stranger | June 24, 2005 at 08:56 PM
Big Bird is a Billionaire. PBS shelters billions in profits, to milk money off the government. If a fully private company did this, the Dems would be pissed.
Posted by: BigBird | June 25, 2005 at 06:32 AM
Trying to defeat a candidate for Governor by attaching him to the Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives? wow...winning this election is going to be easier than predicted...
Posted by: jrighty | June 25, 2005 at 06:36 AM
It's a bit too early to buy the Democratic candidacy for Governor.
Posted by: ConPowder | June 25, 2005 at 10:21 PM
Wow. The all-out falsehoods from the Reactionary wing on PBS here are astounding. The self-denial about ethics shortcomings are almost as great. Keep on in denial - the pain you feel when your party loses in November 2006 will be sharp but brief.
Posted by: Phoenix Rising | June 25, 2005 at 11:42 PM
Let's consider the reality that Beauprez supported the intrusion of government into our privacy once again. This vote, on the cusp of a Primary, almost assures us that he'll lose a large portion of his base. Had he stuck with Musgrave, he could have sold us a Libertarian message - instead, Bob decided to pander to the President - and the vast-right wing watched in awe as he left Musgrave alone in the right.
Give the far right a few weeks, and the libertarian forces some time as well, and we'll see Beauprez hammered for his INTRUSION vote.
http://dellamere.dailykos.com/story/2005/6/16/17444/3910
Posted by: patriotact | June 25, 2005 at 11:56 PM