MTV's Sway: Obama Town Hall Doesn't Reflect Bias
MTV, BET, and CMT will simulcast "A Conversation with President Obama," a town-hall style event aimed towards young people, at 4:00 PM ET Thursday. Organizers are surely hoping for an event as memorable as Bill Clinton's MTV appearance in 1994, which included the question, "Mr. President, all the world's dying to know: Is it boxers or briefs?"
Conservatives have criticized MTV (which like CBS is owned by parent company Viacom) for giving an hour over to Mr. Obama without providing equal time for the GOP less than a month before the midterm elections.
MTV's Sway Calloway, who's co-hosting the town-hall, told CBSNews.com's Christine Delargy the criticism is unfair.
"We spoke to Newt Gingrich in the past, we've spoken with George Bush in the past, Colin Powell, Senator McCain did the same type of forum," he said. "We put out the requests and who responds is who we showcase. It doesn't matter. It's not about Republicans, it's not about Democrats, Tea Party or any other party. It's about representation of young Americans and the issues that are important to them."
The comments come after Viacom spokeswoman Kelly McAndrew told Human events that they are not giving Mr. Obama an hour to express his views, but are instead "hosting a town hall with 250 young people to ask questions of the president."
Catch the full interview with MTV's Sway Calloway on Thursday's Washington Unplugged at 2:00pmET.
"Washington Unplugged," CBSNews.com's exclusive daily politics Webshow, appears live on CBSNews.com each weekday at 2:00 p.m. ET. Click here to check out previous episodes.
