http://www.commondreams.org/news2008/0509-17.htm
Double Standard for Candidate Spouses
Will Post and Journal Call for Release of Cindy McCain's Taxes as They
Did With Teresa Heinz Kerry?
WA****NGTON, DC - May 9 -
During coverage of the 2004 election cycle, both The Wa****ngton Post
and Wall Street Journal published editorials calling on Teresa Heinz
Kerry, wife of Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry, to
release her tax returns.
To date, neither publication has called on Cindy McCain, wife of
presumptive 2008 Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, to
do the same.
Today, Media Matter for America released letters sent to the editorial
boards of both papers calling on the publications to explain their
lack of consistency.
Excerpts from the letter to The Wa****ngton Post:
"On May 4, 2004, The Wa****ngton Post printed an editorial headlined
'Teresa Heinz Kerry's Taxes.'
In this editorial, the Post called for Sen. John Kerry and his wife,
Teresa Heinz Kerry, to 'make her tax returns public' in the interest
of transparency.
From the beginning of this year to the date of this letter, the Post
editorial board has not made the same request for the release of Cindy
McCain's tax returns or even noted that Sen. John McCain's campaign
has refused to release such do***ents."
[...]
"Given the significantly limited information released by the McCain
campaign, why has the Post failed to call for Cindy McCain to make her
full returns public, as it did with Heinz Kerry?
In 2004, the Post lamented that the information released by Heinz
Kerry was "short of what ought to be done."
But when it comes to Cindy McCain -- who has released even less
information than Heinz Kerry -- the Post has chosen to remain silent."
"We call on you today to explain your lack of consistency on this
im****tant issue or risk tarni****ng your journalistic credibility and
integrity not just with your readers but with the broader American
public as well."
Excerpts from the letter to The Wall Street Journal:
"On July 1, 2004, The Wall Street Journal printed an editorial
headlined 'Kerry and Disclosure,' which called for Sen. John Kerry and
his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, to 'release her full filings with the
IRS' in order to be 'as transparent as possible with the American
public.'
From the beginning of this year to the date of this letter, the
Journal editorial board has not made the same request for the release
of Cindy McCain's tax returns or even noted that Sen. John McCain's
campaign has refused to release such do***ents."
[...]
"Given the significantly limited information released by the McCain
campaign, why has the Journal failed to call for Cindy McCain to make
her full returns public, as it did with Heinz Kerry?
As the Journal stated in 2004, 'Choosing to lead a public life means
accepting the need for financial transparency.'
Are we to assume by the Journal's omission that the McCains are
excused from that same obligation?"
"We call on you today to explain your lack of consistency on this
im****tant issue or risk tarni****ng your journalistic credibility and
integrity not just with your readers but with the broader American
public as well."
Click here to see the full texts of the letters.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200805090006
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Harry
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