Reporting Bush's criticism of DNC “pork” spending, 7News omitted identical appropriation for RNC

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

In reporting on a U.S. Senate bill that sets a deadline for withdrawing troops from Iraq, Mike Landess of KMGH 7News stated that President Bush “blasted” the measure for “some added-on pork, including millions ... for the Democratic National Convention.” KMGH did not note, as other media outlets did, that the bill included the same appropriation for the Republican National Convention and received the backing of Democrats and Republicans.

During a March 28 report about an Iraq war appropriations bill that sets a deadline for troop withdrawal, KMGH's 7News at 5 p.m. co-anchor Mike Landess reported that President Bush “blasted the bill for some added-on pork, including millions of dollars that would go to the -- go to Denver for the Democratic National Convention.” However, in reporting Bush's criticism of congressional Democrats, 7News omitted the fact that the bill provides equal funding for the 2008 Republican National Convention in Minneapolis -- an appropriation U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) publicly supported before the Senate ultimately approved the bill during a March 29 vote.

From the March 28 broadcast of KMGH's 7News at 5 p.m.:

LANDESS: President Bush is accusing congressional Democrats of meddling in Iraq war policy by insisting on a deadline that he says would have disastrous repercussions. “Covering America” on 7News. The president today also blasted the bill for some added-on pork, including millions of dollars that would go to the -- go to Denver for the Democratic National Convention. Democrats are still debating the war-funding bill and they insist that Mr. Bush will have to accept some sort of a timeline on Iraq.

In contrast to 7News, a March 16 Associated Press article posted on the KCNC CBS4 website noted that “Denver and Minneapolis are each asking Congress for up to $50 million for security during the 2008 Democratic and Republican national conventions in their cities.” The article further reported that “Jeff Larson, acting executive director for the Republican host committee, said Minnesota's senators would seek the same amount for Minneapolis [as that sought for Denver].”

The Rocky Mountain News similarly reported on March 28 that "[t]he $100 million -- $50 million apiece for Denver and Minneapolis -- is meant to reimburse state and local agencies in Colorado and Minnesota for the cost of providing security during the 2008 conventions." The News further noted that U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette and U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar -- both Colorado Democrats -- “are leading the effort to secure the funds, in concert with Republican colleagues from Minnesota.”

In addition, after noting that “about $100 million” worth of earmarks in the Iraq spending bill will “go to those cities that are hosting the Democratic and Republican national conventions, Denver and St. Paul,” CNN correspondent Brianna Keilar reported on March 28 that “some of these things that are considered pork, are being lambasted as pork, are backed by both Republicans and Democrats.”

On March 29, the News reported that on a 51-45 vote, the Senate “defeated an attempt to delay $100 million in security funds proposed for Denver and Minneapolis-St. Paul for the 2008 Democratic and Republican national conventions.” According to the News, "[S]enators rejected an amendment by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., that would have prevented the convention money from being included in an emergency supplemental appropriations bill for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and for other projects." Unlike 7News, the News further reported that “Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Denver, joined by Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., argued that the funding was needed because of the threat of terrorism and the need to keep convention planning moving forward.”