	Reprinted from www.libertylobby.org, home of The SPOTLIGHT archive
Home About us Archives Search Links Support us Contact us Books	Buchanan Sticks Up for Liberty Lobby on National TV Reform Party presidential nominee Pat Buchanan didn't back down to NBC talking head Tim Russert on Russert's Sunday morning political talk show. By The SPOTLIGHT Staff Tim Russert, host of the widely watched "Meet the Press" Sunday television talkie, tried unsuccessfully to pressure Reform Party presidential nominee Pat Buchanan into denouncing Liberty Lobby, publisher of The SPOTLIGHT. "Mr. Buchanan," said Russert on Aug. 13, "The Washington Post had a piece the other day, said [sic] that your campaign is now being supported by anti-black, anti-Jewish, anti-immigration groups. "They refer specifically to the Liberty Lobby, which has been branded the most anti-Semitic organization in the country by the Anti-Defamation League [ADL] ... will you renounce their support this morning?" "Well, first the ADL has called me every name in the book, and the ADL, run by Mr. Abe Foxman, is what my late friend Murray Rothbard called the 'smear bund' in American politics," re sponded Buchanan. "It digs up material on individuals, some of it from the FBI and police files in San Francisco, and it smears individuals who take an independent stand, for example, on the Middle East conflict when they support a Palestinian state -- " "But what about the Liberty Lobby?" Russert interrupted. " -- and disagree with the Israeli lobby," continued Buchanan, who responded: "Well, let me talk about that. The Liberty Lobby, as I understand it, is putting out a publication that is pro-Buchanan. I have not read the publication, but apparently it is inoffensive in and of itself. "We have been told by our lawyers that we can't even communicate -- people who are running independent campaigns can't communicate with them for us or against us." The repeated pressure on Buchanan to denounce Liberty Lobby is characteristic of the mainstream's relentless efforts over 45 years to smear the Institu tion. Examples abound. After the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City, the mainstream press swarmed all over Liberty Lobby's building on Capitol Hill, trying in some way to link the Institution to the tragedy and to "anti-Semitism." Anne Groer, a Florida reporter who once worked on the same Washington news paper as SPOTLIGHT correspondent Clayton Potts, was very vigorous. "Isn't [SPOTLIGHT publisher] Willis Carto anti-Semitic?" Groer demanded. "I've known the man for more than 20 years and he is not," Potts replied. "Don't you people believe the world is controlled by international Jewish bankers?" she persisted. "We have criticized David Rockefeller, but he's Baptist, not Jewish," Potts replied. Groer was disappointed that nobody stepped in her traps. Also typical is the technique of using an interview-ending "surprise" question. At the end of an hour-long television interview on a completely unrelated topic, came the question: "is Liberty Lobby anti-Jewish?" "No, Liberty Lobby is not anti-Jewish but pro-American," came the response. "Israel's interests are not always the same as those of the United States."

Reprinted from www.libertylobby.org, home of The SPOTLIGHT archive

Buchanan Sticks Up for Liberty Lobby on National TV

Reform Party presidential nominee Pat Buchanan didn't back down to NBC talking head Tim Russert on Russert's Sunday morning political talk show.

By The SPOTLIGHT Staff

Tim Russert, host of the widely watched "Meet the Press" Sunday television talkie, tried unsuccessfully to pressure Reform Party presidential nominee Pat Buchanan into denouncing Liberty Lobby, publisher of The SPOTLIGHT.

"Mr. Buchanan," said Russert on Aug. 13, "The Washington Post had a piece the other day, said [sic] that your campaign is now being supported by anti-black, anti-Jewish, anti-immigration groups.

"They refer specifically to the Liberty Lobby, which has been branded the most anti-Semitic organization in the country by the Anti-Defamation League [ADL] ... will you renounce their support this morning?"

"Well, first the ADL has called me every name in the book, and the ADL, run by Mr. Abe Foxman, is what my late friend Murray Rothbard called the 'smear bund' in American politics," re sponded Buchanan. "It digs up material on individuals, some of it from the FBI and police files in San Francisco, and it smears individuals who take an independent stand, for example, on the Middle East conflict when they support a Palestinian state -- "

"But what about the Liberty Lobby?" Russert interrupted.

" -- and disagree with the Israeli lobby," continued Buchanan, who responded:

"Well, let me talk about that. The Liberty Lobby, as I understand it, is putting out a publication that is pro-Buchanan. I have not read the publication, but apparently it is inoffensive in and of itself.

"We have been told by our lawyers that we can't even communicate -- people who are running independent campaigns can't communicate with them for us or against us."

The repeated pressure on Buchanan to denounce Liberty Lobby is characteristic of the mainstream's relentless efforts over 45 years to smear the Institu tion.

Examples abound. After the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City, the mainstream press swarmed all over Liberty Lobby's building on Capitol Hill, trying in some way to link the Institution to the tragedy and to "anti-Semitism."

Anne Groer, a Florida reporter who once worked on the same Washington news paper as SPOTLIGHT correspondent Clayton Potts, was very vigorous.

"Isn't [SPOTLIGHT publisher] Willis Carto anti-Semitic?" Groer demanded.

"I've known the man for more than 20 years and he is not," Potts replied.

"Don't you people believe the world is controlled by international Jewish bankers?" she persisted.

"We have criticized David Rockefeller, but he's Baptist, not Jewish," Potts replied.

Groer was disappointed that nobody stepped in her traps.

Also typical is the technique of using an interview-ending "surprise" question. At the end of an hour-long television interview on a completely unrelated topic, came the question: "is Liberty Lobby anti-Jewish?"

"No, Liberty Lobby is not anti-Jewish but pro-American," came the response. "Israel's interests are not always the same as those of the United States."