Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting
Media analysis, critiques and activism
ACTION ALERT:
Murdoch Exploits 9/11 for Kerry Smear
November 1, 2004
In a naked attempt to exploit the September 11 attacks for partisan
political gain, Rupert Murdoch's New York Post ran a deceptive front-page
headline on its October 30 edition that declared that Al Qaeda chief Osama
bin Laden "Urges Bush Defeat."
Of course, the taped message from bin Laden played on Al-Jazeera
(10/29/04) did not call for George W. Bush's defeat. Indeed, toward the
end of the message, bin Laden declares, "Your security is not in the hands
of Kerry or Bush."
Still, Murdoch's media empire seems dedicated to convincing voters that
Kerry is the candidate of Al Qaeda. On Fox News Channel (10/29/04), when
one guest objected to another's characterization of bin Laden's statement
as "an endorsement" of Kerry, saying, "I don't think he's going to have a
Kerry-Edwards sticker in the cave," host Neil Cavuto retorted: "He's all
but doing that. I thought I saw a button."
The same night, Fox's Bill O'Reilly referenced a new anti-Bush video from
rapper Eminem: "And Eminem joins Osama and comes out against Bush as
well."
ACTION: Please contact the New York Post and Fox News Channel and let them
know what you think about making inaccurate and inflammatory claims just
days before an election.
CONTACT:
Col Allan, New York Post
Editor-in-Chief
<mailto:letters@nypost.com>
Phone: 212-930-8000
Fox News Channel
Phone: 212-556-2500
--Neil Cavuto
--Bill O'Reilly
As always, please remember that your comments have more impact if you
maintain a polite tone. Please send a copy of your correspondence to
fair@fair.org mailto:fair@fair.org.
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