November 14, 2006

Charlie Gibson promotes illegal immigration on ABC Nightly News

On tonight's ABC Nightly News, anchor Charlie Gibson turned a few minutes of the broadcast into little more than an advertisement in support of illegal immigration. He first discussed the recent Hazleton-style ordinance that was passed in Farmers Branch, Texas. Then, in a peppy contrast, he informed his viewer that Houston had a different way of dealing with the issue. The ensuing report featured Gibson as the "reporter" and an illegal alien housekeeper/high school student as the sympathetic subject. She's attending a high school specifically opened for working students, and we were soon treated to an "interview" Gibson conducated with the school's principal. The latter could charitably be refered to as a "liberal" useful idiot, and during the "interview" Gibson asked a series of puffball questions and they appeared to take much humor in the fact that many of the students there were illegal aliens. Gibson even used the phrase "American dream" at least twice to refer to illegal aliens, and it was clear that Gibson saw no problem at all with people illegally crossing our borders.

This report was simply pro-illegal immigration propaganda, and it wasn't in any way journalism. If Gibson wants to redeem what ever journalistic standing he had before, perhaps he could do a little investigative journalism of himself. Maybe he could find out who exactly caused this report to be made, and why. Is it because they or their associates make money from illegal immigration? Is it to help the Democratic Party? Is it just because they're useful idiots?

While I didn't have a particularly negative opinion of Charlie Gibson before this report, I have one now, and I hope that he lost a large number of other viewers.

Unlike newspapers, television networks are generally impervious to criticism, but if enough people send them an email it might do some small amount of good. However, if you ever see Gibson in another setting - such as at a journalist confab of some kind - see if there's a way to sneak his report into the conversation in some way.

Posted to Immigration at November 14, 2006 06:49 PM

Comments

NPR is comparable, even worse at times (if you can believe that) -- a straight appeal to emotion.

Posted by: eh at November 15, 2006 02:49 AM