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continued...
had collected enough signatures and the measure will go before
voters. Each state is different, but don't be surprised if there's a lawsuit
filed in the next week to stop that vote as well.
Posted by Ken Sain,
Washington Blade News Editor, Sep. 2 at 12:30 p.m.
First, CNN refused to run an 30-second television
spot by the Log Cabin Republicans because of the ad's final image: a still
photo of anti-gay activist Fred Phelps standing next to his trademark giant
"God Hates Fags" sign. Too controversial said CNN spokesman Matt Furman.
Now MSNBC has passed on taking the Log Cabins' ad dollars, but for a completely
different reason. While the ad's voice-over asks, "[W]ill we divide the American
family with the politics of intolerance and fear that only lead to hate?" an
image of MSNBC commentator Pat Buchanan flashes on the screen. Buchanan is shown
addressing the 1992 Republican National Convention, with his famous anti-gay
"culture war" speech.
"We declined to run it because of the ad's use of Pat Buchanan, who is an MSNBC
on-air analyst," said Leslie Schwartz, spokesperson for the cable network. "We
told them that if they resubmitted the ad without [the image of] Mr. Buchanan,
that we would reconsider." When asked if the ad would definitely air if the
requested change was made, Schwartz said that determination had not been made.
The leadership of the Log Cabin Republicans is a bit more forgiving of MSNBC's
snub than CNN's. "We understand the fact they have an on-air personality who
is attacked in the ad," said Log Cabin Political Director Christopher Barron.
"We think that's different than not airing the ad because of an image [that's
deemed] 'too controversial.' That ["God Hates Fags"] image is critical to the
message of the ad: that the politics of fear and intolerance lead to hate."
When given the opportunity, Barron took a pass on commenting about MSNBC's decision
to hire the vitriolic Buchanan as a commentator.
Some will find irony in the fact that, with CNN and MSNBC taking a pass on
the Log Cabin spot, Fox News Channel remains the only one of the three major
cable news outlets to air the
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