In article <bvvh7j$176f$1@pencil.math.missouri.edu>, Eli Pariser, MoveOn.org
Voter Fund says...

Dear MoveOn member,

We didn't think the hypocrisy at CBS headquarters could get any
worse. But it just did.

As you know, CBS refused to run MoveOn Voter Fund's "Child's Pay"
ad  -- perhaps the most tasteful and uncontroversial advocacy ad
in history -- during the Super Bowl. CBS executives claimed they
had a blanket policy against all so-called "issue" ads.

Yesterday, we learned that the network plans to broadcast an ad
promoting the Bush Medicare prescription drug law.  This is part
of a $13 million taxpayer-financed TV campaign to take the heat off
the White House for pushing through a drug plan that benefits drug
companies and insurance companies more than Medicare recipients.

The White House ad features the tagline "Same Medicare.  More
Benefits." But a report by Consumers Union last month said that
most people covered by Medicare will wind up spending more for
prescription drugs, as a result of the provisions in the law which
favor drug companies. According to the Washington Post, the campaign
is intended "to counteract Democratic criticism that changes to the
(Medicare) program will harm older Americans."

If that isn't a controversial issue ad, we don't know what is.  But
since CBS appears to be changing its policy, our Voter Fund has
submitted our own Medicare ad which exposes the facts behind this
spin campaign to run on CBS.  So far, we haven't heard back.  Please
give CBS a call today to let them know that they need to either
pull the White House ads or run our Voter Fund ad.

You can reach CBS at:

Phone:

CBS Comment Line (212) 975-3247

Email:

newmediasales@cbs.com

Web form:

http://www.cbs.com/info/user_services/fb_global_form.shtml

After you've called, help us track the number of calls that are
pouring in by going to:

http://www.moveon.org/cbs.html?id=2300-3383689-lEJf.YyXUn9ulhr4mF8jlg

We're spreading out the calls across a number of relevant CBS
numbers, so hopefully you won't get a busy signal. Also, we have
no quarrel with CBS News or any CBS journalists, who have actually
given fair coverage to CBS Corporate's unfair decision. Please don't
call the CBS news desk.

There's another issue involved here that needs to be taken very
seriously: if Bush's Medicare ad is intended to function as a
campaign ad (and that clearly appears to be the case) then this may
constitute a criminal election law violation.  In fact, the ad
company which made the ad which will air on CBS also works for the
Bush/Cheney re-election committee. We've put in a Freedom of
Information Act request to the Department of Health and Human
Services to begin the process of establishing the facts in this
case.

For now, help us hold CBS accountable by asking them to stop running
the Bush Medicare ad -- or to accept our Voter Fund ad.

Sincerely, --Adam, Carrie, Eli, James, Joan, Laura, Noah, Peter,
Wes, and Zack The MoveOn.org Team February 5th, 2004

P.S. Our friends at the Center for American Progress have done an
incredible job documenting the links between the Bush administration,
the ad company which is creating these Medicare ads, and the drug
companies.  Today's Progress Report is online at:

http://www.progressreport.org