CNN's HOWARD KURTZ: "It is a tight race. Do you believe that most reporters want John Kerry to win?"
NEWSWEEK'S EVAN THOMAS: "Yeah, absolutely."
KURTZ: "Do you think they're deliberately tilting their coverage to help John Kerry and John Edwards?"
THOMAS: "Not really."
KURTZ:"Subconsciously tilting their coverage?"
THOMAS:"Maybe."
KURTZ:"Maybe."
THOMAS:"Maybe."
KURTZ:"Including at Newsweek?"
THOMAS:"Yeah."
KURTZ:"You've said on the program 'Inside Washington' that because of the portrayal of Kerry and Edwards as young and optimistic, that's worth maybe 15 points. That would suggest."
THOMAS:"Stupid thing to say. It was completely wrong. I do think that the mainstream press, I'm not talking about the blogs and Rush and all that, but the mainstream press favors Kerry. I don't thin k it's worth 15 points. That was just a stupid thing to say."
KURTZ:"Is it worth five?"
THOMAS:"Maybe, maybe."
(CNN's Reliable Sources, October 17, 2004)

According to one of the most established members of the "mainstream media," the fact that "most reporters want John Kerry to win" could be worth 5 to 15 percentage points- or 5 to 20 million votes- on Election Day.

Much of the Kerry campaign's political calculation relies on the media reporting as fact baseless charges of voter intimidation, "privatizing social security" and "reinstating the draft," blaming President Bush for the flu vaccine shortage when Kerry opposed liability reform for vaccine manufacturers, and the demonstrably false charge that the President has banned stem cell research.

We must remain vigilant and hold the press accountable if and when the fact "most reporters want John Kerry to win" evidences itself in articles and on-air stories between now and November 2.

Call and complain, write letters to the editor, call talk radio, forward our factual e-mails to your friends and post facts on blogs. This will help make sure voters have accurate information on which to base their decision on Election Day.

With your help in setting the record straight over the next two weeks, President Bush will be re-elected.


Ed Gillespie
Chairman,
Republican National Committee