Bob Schieffer and Bush Connection

[Norquist Nemesis]

People forget or are unaware, so pass this one around and make it well known!!! This was sent me via email from makethemaccountable.com

Snipped from a blogger's comment on: www.washingtonnote.com

"Bob Schieffer, the moderator at the <3rd presidential> debate, is the
brother
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A47
883-2003Jan12¬Found=true> of Tom Schieffer who was president
<http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1998/01/08/archive/main69.shtml> of the
Texas Rangers under Bush's ownership. Bob is the older brother and has
always acted in the role of Tom's father. I knew them both many years
ago. I think that it is only fair that Bob disclose his relationship to
the President at the outset of the next debate."

The WaPo article is too old (looks like it's Jan 12, 2003) and has to be purchased. I have $14 left to last me till this Friday...but that's another story.

But the CBS news story is still up giving all of the details about the sale. Here's the paragraph about Tom Schieffer, Bob's younger brother.

Hicks said the team's management, including president Tom Schieffer, general manager Doug Melvin and field manager Johnny Oates, would remain in place. The pair have contracts through the 1999 season.

I'll give Shieffer the benefit of the doubt, but I DEFINITELY think he should disclose this at the beginning of the debates!

[tcfrogs]

1. Tom Schieffer is a big TX lib

But, you're right, it might be a good idea for Bob Schieffer to interject that his brother worked with *.

[AussieDave]

2. I didn't make the connection until I saw this

- Tom Schieffer is the current American Ambassador to Australia, and quite unpopular. He has made many statements critical of the Labor Party Opposition, particularly its proposal to withdraw from the war in Iraq by Christmas (which won't happen now, because it has just lost the election). He is undiplomatic in commenting on Australian domestic politics but is a great friend (and conduit of orders) from Bush to our illustrious Prime Minister, John Howard.

[Norquist Nemesis]

3. Where?

Can you link to that? I can't find that paragraph. :shrug:

So...he went from being the president of the team to Australian ambassador?!?! *beats head on wall*

[AussieDave]

5. Here you go.....

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0%2C4057%2C10134130%255E1702%2C00.html

This link is from 18 months ago, but another example....

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/11/1044927598800.html

And his ambassadorial link

http://usembassy-australia.state.gov/ambassador.html

[Norquist Nemesis]

7. Thanks!

I know there was discussion about the moderators when they were first announced. Regrettably, I don't have time to read every post and will skip the ones that seem (to me) a little...extreme...so I missed it. :(

[cali]

4. At least you're willing

to give him a chance. Schieffer's brother's connection to bush has been mentioned several times here at DU. Some folks have gone so far as to suggest that this rather tenuous connection should disqualify Scheiffer. Absurd. Scheiffer is an honorable reporter with a long record of being such. Suggesting that he can't be a good moderator because of his brother just isn't very smart. Would you object if the moderator was, say, Ron Reagan?

[Norquist Nemesis]

6. Actually, yes I would

object of Ron Reagan was the moderator. Not because of any bias though. Because RR spoke at the DNC, the debate would not be seen as being fairly moderated and the uproar would drown out anything said at the debate.

I didn't suggest he can't be a good moderator. I simply agreed that he should disclose any relationship at the start.

But I also don't think this is a "tenuous" connection. It's a clear, long standing relationship. I wouldn't put it past the Bushonistas to play a little let's make a deal.

[morcatknits]

8. Might not be a bad thing

My understanding is that Bush was a real dud in the business end of the Ranger's operation. Tom Scheiffer might just have let his brother know some of the facts about Bush's performance and the dirty deals surrounding "The Ballpark at Arlington," not that anything would ever be reported about all that. Disclosure wouldn't be a bad idea, though. I'm always in favor of that.
morcatknits

[cali]

10. You're being awfully literal here

Ron Reagan was just an example. I think what I'm really trying to say is it's all six degrees (or less) of separation in the circle of journalists and D.C. Guess what? These folks socialize together. Have for a long time. I recall hearing that Donald Rumsfeld and Dan Rather own property together. Phil Graham was close friends with John Kennedy. And clearly you were suggesting that Scheiffer's brother's connection to bush could influence Schieffer. I wouldn't put it past bushco to try and play let's make a deal either, but I have no reason to believe that Schieffer would play with them.

[AP]

11. The election is too important for there to be even an appearance of ....

...impropriety.

The brother of a bush appointee shouldn't be moderating this debate.

[Thrill]

9. Come on Folks

Schieffer is about as fair you're going to find. He's no bush homer

[Torgo4]

13. Don't Bet On It!

Isn't Scheiffer a golfing buddy of Bush "41"?
Did you see performance on Daily Show last week? He was almost giddy talking about his first debate moderation.
Looks like another "Dinner-Party Pundit" to me!

Well, if Bush fux that up too, maybe his daddy's Supreme Court can stop the Zogby-type polls from "counting" and undermining W's legitimate claim to the Presidency?

[Thrill]

16. I've watched

him forever he is no homer. He will aks tough questions of both of these guys. And yes he will hammer both on how they plan to pay for their programs and pay down the defecit. So they better be able to explain it

[welshTerrier2]

12. my brother's guilty so I'm guilty ...

i heard Schieffer make very positive comments about Kerry after the second debate ...

is it good to be aware of his brother's repbublican ties? sure ... but let's also make sure we don't convict Bob Schieffer without real evidence ... I think he's probably one of the good guys ...

[Torgo4]

14. Ahhh...Here We Go!

Our fearless press corp...whores for the bores!!!


http://www.motherjones.com/news/update/2004/08/08_403.html

snip

The worst of the bunch might be Bob Schieffer, who will moderate the third debate on foreign policy. Schieffer, it should be noted, struck up a golfing friendship with George W. Bush during the 1990s. Last year, the "Face the Nation" host told Howard Kurtz, "It's always difficult to cover someone you know personally." Indeed, it must be. This is the same Bob Schieffer who believed that the media had asked "tough questions" during the run-up to the Iraq war. The same Bob Schieffer who, after the 2000 debates, opined, "Clearly tonight, if anyone gained from this debate it was George Bush—he seemed to have as much of a grasp of the issues ." The same Bob Schieffer who couldn't for the life of him figure out why Bush would visit the infamously racist Bob Jones University during the 2000 campaign, saying: "The notion that Bush is a Bible-thumping conservative Republican of that ilk is something that's sort of hard to believe." This is not to call Schieffer a partisan hack; just don't expect him to bring a critical persona to the debates.

[welshTerrier2]

15. OK ... but there's also this:

source: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=979978

After the VP debate, Schieffer said: "the arguments that the vice president was making tonight simply did not take ... the administration is going to have to find another way to explain their policy in Iraq ..."

[Algorem]

17. Forcing Schietfer to disclose his Bushgang connections live at beginning

of debate would be great.Would discredit the "liberal media" and "liberal CBS" nonsense live to 60,000,000 Americans.