GOP Rep. Eric Cantor on NPR: "The truth finally came out"
Updated 12:42 p.m. Eastern Time
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) on Wednesday pointed to comments by former high-ranking National Public Radio fundraiser Rob Schiller in a hidden-camera video that NPR "would be better off in the long-run without federal funding" to support his party's push to cut taxpayer funding for public radio.
"Perhaps the truth finally came out, and we're going to proceed along those lines," Cantor said.
Cantor also touched on other controversial comments by Schiller, who called the Tea Party "seriously racist, racist people" and said "liberals today might be more educated, fair and balanced than conservatives."
Vivian Schiller
/ Michael Benabib,AP Photo/NPR"As far as the individual and the statements that he made I think that they stand for themselves," Cantor said.
In a statement, he added: ""Our concern is not about any one person at NPR, rather it's about millions of taxpayers. NPR has admitted that they don't need taxpayer subsidies to thrive, and at a time when the government is borrowing 40 cents of every dollar that it spends, we certainly agree with them."
NPR announced Wednesday morning that CEO Vivian Schiller, who is no relation to Ron Schiller, had resigned in the wake of the hidden camera sting perpetrated by controversial conservative activist James O'Keefe. Schiller had previously been criticized for her handling of the firing of former NPR commentator Juan Williams. Ron Schiller had been planning to leave NPR in May; he was placed on administrative leave in the wake of the video release and later announced his resignation would be effective immediately. (He has since lost the job he had been planning to move to at The Aspen Institute.)
Ron Schiller
/ NPRRepublicans have long claimed that NPR has a liberal bias, a perception fueled by Ron Schiller's comments. (Schiller did not play an editorial role at the network.) Mark Meckler of the Tea Party Patriots said in an email to supporters in the wake of the video release that NPR is a "clearly biased news organization that is out of touch with Americans across the country." NPR condemned Schiller's comments in the video, calling them "contrary to what NPR stands for."
Vivian Schiller told the Associated Press in an interview that her departure was needed because her presence complicated efforts to maintain federal funding for NPR. She said the release of the Ron Schiller's comments came at an "outrageous and unfortunate'' time in light of the "extraordinary pressure" on Congress to cut NPR's funding. Republicans are pushing to eliminate about $430 million in yearly funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which distributes money to of public radio and television stations around the country.
Hotsheet estimates that NPR gets up to ten percent of its funding from the government, mostly through member station dues. Ron Schiller said in his secretly-taped comments that without federal dollars "we would have a lot of stations go dark."
Eric Cantor
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) said Ron Schiller's comments show that, contrary to Vivian Schiller's claims, NPR "would be fine without taxpayer subsidies."
"Forcing taxpayers to give public broadcasting hundreds of millions of dollars makes little sense when we're facing a $14 trillion debt and there are already thousands of educational and entertainment choices in the media," he argues. DeMint and Oklahoma Republican Sen. Tom Coburn have introduced a bill to defund NPR; the GOP-led House passed a spending bill earlier this year that cut funding for public broadcasting but it is expected to be blocked this week in the Democrat-controlled Senate.
Vivian Schiller has called federal funding a "critical cornerstone of public media."
Popular in Politics
- FBI director acknowledges domestic drone use 155 Comments
- The 4 remaining Supreme Court cases to watch
- Next up for Obama: Major effort on climate change
- Michelle Obama and daughters tour Berlin Play Video
- Immigration reform would cut deficit, analysis shows
- Obama and Berlin: Faded echoes meet new realities 77 Comments
- Senate deal seen near on key aspect of immigration reform
- House Republicans pass 20-week limit on abortions 604 Comments
I've been a fan of NPR and PBS for over thirty years and they are about as unbiased as they come. The reason you neocons hate them so much is that they don't push your brand, or any brand for that matter----- Because they are National Public Radio and The Public Broadcasting System (emphasis on PUBLIC) for obvious ethical reasons they can't and won't---while going above and beyond to insure unbiased coverage!
In addition, they don't play to advertisers or the ratings which I think is admirable.
As regards Ron Schiller, he's certainly entitled to his private opinions, yet in his capacity as a fundraiser and while on the stump for NPR he ought to have used more discretion.
On the other hand, Vivian Schiller had zero control over a lone employee running his mouth in the field and ought not to have been canned; especially in light of the fact he was leaving anyway but then, that's just another example of NPR going above and beyond.
Regards
*******************************
Well, Cantor, I am glad you recognized the truth. The above statement is true. Idiot Republicans despise NPR because it is not a right-wing whacko outlet for the rights twisted views. The current crop of Republicans are so far right that they have lost all credibility. NPR gives us hours and hours of quality programming that you can't get anywhere else because of having to accept advertisers. It is an American treasure.
They "Caught" a guy speaking an opinion! That in no way has ANYTHING to do with NPR's programing or the funding of such - which covers a broad range of truly objective programs that seek to educate and inform. Well GEEZE No friggin' wonder the REPUG's want to cut funding. Conservatives find no value in it as they never use it, nor do they feel the need to listen to a show that is not agreeing with them - all of their shows have plenty of corporate sponsors and needs no public funding - or they would be forced to be a HELL OF A LOT MORE OBJECTIVE, or at least allow a Learned & Respected counter view instead of just some loud rube off the street (and a lot the time even wine'os are a match for these blow hards - talking to you O Really - Mr " CUT HIS MIC!!").
The scope of what Schill said pales in the slightest comparison as to what is spewed from hateful conservative talk shows that have the likes of Ann Coulter, Glen Beck, Bill O, & that aptly named "Savage" Bhole and if asked one could find a racist statement on these networks DAILY!
The HYPOCRISY is stunning and sick - Its just an excuse for the affluent to take one more damned CHUNK away from the public and claim we cant afford it... Oh yeah? has that tax break we just forked over 900 BILLION - The GOP's pal's aren't helping this country AT ALL!
I'm SoPissedOffAtTheseFuckingTheives&HypocritesImReadyForWar!!!