Word: agnew
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...does battle. In his Viet Nam speech he honored the patriotism of his critics-and then impugned it by remarking: "North Viet Nam cannot defeat or humiliate the United States. Only Americans can do that." While there is much room for thoughtful criticism of television news, Agnew's blast was partisan and intemperate, and left a certain impression that the issue would never have been raised had the networks backed the President. Dean Burch, newly confirmed head of the Federal Communications Commission, raised doubts about the preservation of the agency's traditional independence of the Executive Branch when...
...speech -including a line that read: "Whether what I've said to you tonight will be seen and heard at all by the nation is not my decision, it's their decision." Hence "they," the three television networks, had their cameras warm and waiting when Spiro Agnew arrived to address the Midwestern Regional Republican Conference...
...minutes-carried live in the dinner-hour news slot by the networks -Agnew inveighed against the commentators and producers who control the flow of information and comment to the nation's television viewers. "A small group of men," said Agnew, "numbering perhaps no more than a dozen anchormen, commentators and executive producers, settle upon the film and commentary that is to reach the public. They decide what 40 to 50 million Americans will learn of the day's events in the nation and in the world." Such vast and unchecked power in the hands of a "small...
...attacking TV-broad and inviting target that it is-Agnew was also aiming at a larger foe. For network TV to many Americans is symbolic of the Eastern Establishment, of glibness and superiority, of unwelcome change, of dissent and division. Still, some of Agnew's criticisms were entirely sensible. He asked a great many questions that have troubled others about the nature and source of TV's power, its influence on America, its effects for good or ill. The speech was more professional and better drafted than almost any he has delivered -thanks to fitting in the White...
...Agnew began by attacking television's postmortem analyses of Richard Nixon's Nov. 3 Viet Nam speech. "President Nixon delivered the most important address of his administration," said Agnew. "His hope was to rally the American people to see the conflict through to a lasting and just peace in the Pacific." But no sooner had Nixon finished his painstakingly prepared address, the Vice President complained, than "his words and policies were subjected to instant analysis and querulous criticism...