Is ABC the Good Ole Boy Network?

To: David Westin, President of ABC News

Mr. Westin,

At the close of the This Week show this past Sunday, George Stephanopolous announced that he will air an interview this coming Sunday with Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq veteran who lost both legs in service to her country, and who is being urged by Stephanopolous' old friend and fellow former Clinton White House staffer Rahm Emanuel, to run for Congress from an Illinois district in 2006. I called the show yesterday and confirmed that the interview is scheduled for next Sunday.

Emanuel has been encouraging Duckworth to run for Congress in Illinois' 6th District, which is the seat being vacated by Henry Hyde. Emanuel has refused to support the candidate who may well be the reason Hyde decided to retire. With only $100,000 in donations, and in what has been an overwhelmingly Republican district, Christine Cegelis got 44% of the vote against Hyde in 2004. She is running again in 2006, but instead of helping Cegelis, Emanuel has done everything he can to stop her.

It seems to me the story in the Illinois 6th is that an unknown with a small budget may have caused the formidable Henry Hyde to retire.

It seems to me that ABC should not allow itself to be used as an ole boy network for former Clinton staffers.

And it really seems to me that if Stephanopolous airs an interview with Duckworth, he should give equal time to Christine Cegelis.

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com
Chicago, IL

Please join me in protesting this kind of favoritism at ABC:

President of ABC News: David Westin (david.westin@abc.com)
This Week email address: thisweek@abc.com
This Week message board (registration required—and if they haven’t removed it):
http://forums.go.com/abcnews/ThisWeek/thread?threadID=269386

ABC address and phone number:
ABC Television
77 W 66th St
New York, NY 10023
212-456-7777

I heard she had the power behind her, the establishment power that is.

I am so disappointed in how they are treating Cegelis. Of course everyone has a right to run if they want. Christine filed her petitions already, but she does not have a chance against the DCCC power house.

I heard Duckworth is anti-choice, but then so is just about every one else that is being recruited. Wonen's rights are pretty much gone now anyway, so what the heck.

They are doing the same in Florida's 16 district. There are two special people running, both teachers, very eager. They have both been asked to step out for a wealthy guy named Tim Mahoney, who was a Republican when the DCCC called to draft him to run.

Oh, well, guess it is the same old same old. Most of our Florida Democrats are pretty much Republican anyway...guess they want it to stay that way.

Wonder who got her the This Week airtime. Rahm, I guess. They are picking candidates all over.

Have I no decency? Have I no shame? No.