[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 25, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H6014]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       CNN HOST SAYS MEDIA BIASED

  (Mr. SMITH of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Howard Kurtz, host of CNN's program 
``Reliable Sources,'' has strongly criticized the media's coverage of 
Senator Barack Obama's breaking his promise that he would accept public 
campaign funds.
  Last Sunday, Kurtz argued: ``All of these liberal commentators who 
have always supported campaign finance reform, getting big money out of 
politics, many of them are defending Obama. And I have to think the 
press is cutting him a break here.''
  Kurtz concluded the segment by saying, ``If George W. Bush had done 
this, blown off public financing as he considered doing during the 2004 
campaign, there would be howls in the media about one candidate trying 
to buy an election.''
  A recent poll found that, by more than a 3-to-1 margin, voters 
believe the media favors Senator Barack Obama over Senator John McCain. 
The media should report the facts, not slant the news.

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