You may have seen it on Fox News, CNN or MSNBC cable news programs in recent days but ABC, CBS and NBC all turned down an ad sponsored by the bipartisan American Security Initiative (ASI) warning of what might happen if Iran goes nuclear – New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami or where you live – gone in a flash.
Specifically, the major networks would not run the ad on their various Sunday morning news programs – shows that liberal “thought leaders” turn to for news and opinion on anything but the consequences of an Iranian nuclear bomb.
Leading the bipartisan ASI are former Sens. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Norm Coleman (R-MN) who came together to urge passage of the Corker-Menendez sponsored S.615 – Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act.
The legislation would provide for a 60-day congressional review period for any deal that comes out of negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program – hardly the draconian deal killer the Obama Administration would have people believe.
The ad features a terrorist driving a van containing a nuclear bomb that detonates in the United States and ends with a message urging Congress to pass S.615 requiring any Iranian nuclear deal reached by the administration with Iran be approved by Congress.
ASI spent $500,000 to air the ad in Washington, D.C., Lexington, Ky., and Springfield, Ill. The ads in Kentucky and Illinois mention Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Dick Durbin (D-Il) specifically.
ABC said the ad’s “subject matter” is “currently pervasive” in the news and could not be aired during “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” per network policy, which was not explained. CBS said the ad “didn’t meet their standards” and would not be aired on “Face the Nation”. Attempts to air the ad on NBC’s “Meet the Press” were also denied without explanation.
Commenting on the refusal by the major networks to run the ad, ASI spokesman Christopher Maloney said:
“Millions of network news viewers across the country are actively seeking information about our government’s ongoing negotiations with Iran…”
“I think many Americans, regardless of their political persuasion, would be concerned to learn that ABC, CBS, and NBC decided not to run an ad discussing what can be done to influence the debate surrounding these negotiations, and how they carry the potential to directly impact our national security.”