by Brent Baker
At the Conservative Political Action Conference’s annual Bob Novak-Sam Donaldson debate about media bias on Saturday, February 2, Bob Novak proposed that many in the media try to pretend they really aren’t liberal. To unmask Donaldson’s true views, Novak posed a set of five policy questions. While Donaldson tried to evade each, his answers and non-answers showed his beliefs match a liberal “no” reply to all of these questions formulated by Novak:
- “Should taxes be cut across the board for the rich as well as the not-so-rich?”
- “Do you favor prohibiting partial birth abortion?”
- “Do you want to privatize Social Security?”
- “Do you favor the nomination of Antonin Scalia as Chief Justice of the United States?”
- “Do you oppose embryonic cell research?”
The February 2 morning debate at one of the Marriott hotels in Crystal City, Virginia, was hosted by MRC President L. Brent Bozell.
Media Research Center analyst Brad Wilmouh took down Donaldson’s meanderings as he tried to re-write each question, often to groans from the audience, in order to avoid a “no” answer:
“Now to your questions, because I think it is proper that I should answers these questions, but not precisely the way they’re written because if I do, if I do, I fall into the trap of a question which is framed in a way that does not embrace the whole argument. And you of all people, you of all people, you know, he would have a couple and a quarter centuries ago or more have proffered the question: ‘Is it proper to dump tea in the harbor or not? Answer the question yes or no!’ Yes, given the framework of the times we were in and the battle we thought we needed to fight. But, as written, if I were to say to you today, go down to the grocery store, buy some tea, is it proper to drop it? It’s a silly question.
“So I’ll answer the question that I think you should have asked. ‘Should taxes be cut across the board for the rich as well as the not-so-rich?’ Again, since we have to pay for what we spend and yet, at the same time, we have to somehow make our progressive tax system equitable, I think taxes should be cut when we can afford them, but when we need to give stimulus to the economy, it’s best as we did last year, as the President did in cooperation with the Democrats, mainly to people who need it, like you.
“All right, second question: ‘Do you favor prohibiting partial birth abortion?’ Well, using what devices, and in what sense? I know this has become a catch phrase on the right, but I think in some instances I would answer yes. In some instances, I would answer no. And I stand on my answer.
“Let’s go on to the third one. ‘Do you want to privatize Social Security?’ I can answer that as written. No. No, I mean, the poor fellow that might have to retire at the moment would have taken it in the neck since the President rightfully says we should not guarantee these accounts, the general public should not guarantee us against loss in the stock market just as we should not remunerate the poor people who lost all of their life savings in the Enron 401(k) accounts. And therefore, at certain points in our history, oh, I love it. Two years ago, Bob, if I’d had the good sense to retire — many people might have wished it — my 401K plan would have helped me out quite a bit. Today it’s about half its value, so I can’t retire. That’s the bad news, ladies and gentlemen, I must go on.
“Number four: ‘Do you favor the nomination of Antonin Scalia as Chief Justice of the United States?’ Against who? Against the field? Against distinguished people in this audience? Or perhaps against Mr. Bernard Goldberg? Well, everybody. Then, no, I favor the nomination of Sandra Day O’Connor, my schoolmate once at a school in El Paso named then ‘Radford School for Girls,’ which I attended and developed a lifelong affinity for you ladies. I favor her nomination. But, you see, that does not say that against Mr. Goldberg I would not favor Antonin Scalia’s nomination. So, as written, the question is not answerable.”
Donaldson attended the “Radford School for Girls?”
Back to Donaldson on Saturday: “Fifth question: ‘Do you oppose embryonic cell research?’ I do not oppose it. I believe it’s important. I believe that scientists have conclusively demonstrated that a path to being able to cure dreaded diseases such as Parkinson’s, muscular dystrophy, cancer, and many more, lies in this area. And I believe that those of us, and we conservatives are very, very dedicated to human life, we wish to save it in that way. Now, the conjuring up of the images of embryonic cell research of fetuses, we’re not talking about that. We’re talking about something far, far different. And you understand that. There are misguided people who don’t.
“So I’ve answered some of you questions, I haven’t answered some others of your questions, but in the fine time-honored tradition of conservatives as well as liberals, dodging is something we do in Washington all the time. Thank you.”
At least he admitted he was “dodging.”
I’d put him down as 5 for 5 in the left column.
Showing up each year in front of a hostile crowd, and jocularly bantering with Novak and audience questions, illustrates that no matter how much conservatives grew to despise him during the Reagan years, Donaldson has a lot more respect for conservatives than do most of his network colleagues.
(This update courtesy of the Media Research Center.)
