Gold Star Families/TV Spot Follow Bush to Salt Lake City, but Clear Channel Won’t Air Ad

Gold Star Families/TV Spot Follow Bush to Salt Lake City, but Clear Channel Won’t Air Ad
Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2005 22:56:58 +0000

This is a media release that went out today regarding Clear Channel’s refusal to air the Gold Star Families for Peace ad, when all the other major networks have accepted it:

GOLD STAR FAMILIES FOR PEACE TV SPOT WILL FOLLOW BUSH TO SALT LAKE CITY

Ad Features Cindy Sheehan Asking President to Meet, But ABC Affiliate Won’t Air It

“Inappropriate” for Utah Audience, Says Clear Channel Station

Gold Star Families for Peace will run a television ad in Salt Lake City beginning tomorrow, asking President Bush to meet with Cindy Sheehan, whose son Casey was killed last year in Iraq and who has staged a two-week-long vigil outside the vacationing President’s ranch in Crawford, TX.

The 60-second spot features Sheehan directly addressing the President, who will be in Salt Lake City on Monday to speak at a veterans’ convention. She has said she will stay close to the President until he agrees to meet with her and explain why he considers the war in Iraq, where her son and more than 1,800 other Americans have died, “a noble cause.”

The ad will air on the CBS, NBC and Fox affiliates in Salt Lake City through Monday, a $15,000 buy paid for with contributions from supporters nationwide of Sheehan and her vigil, the organization announced. Celeste Zappala, co-founder of Gold Star Families, said the message from Crawford is the same messge the President will hear all across the country.

“Where ever he goes, we plan to be there,” she said.

Salt Lake City’s ABC affiliate, KTVX-TV Channel 4, refused to accept the ads. Station executive Jemina Keller claimed that it is an “inappropriate commercial advertisement for Salt Lake City… incompatible with our marketplace.”

The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications, the Texas-based mega-broadcasting chain whose executives have been close to George W. Bush.

A similar ad has aired in the Waco – Crawford Central Texas market since Sheehan and other mothers and families of soldiers killed in Iraq began their vigil near Crawford on Aug. 7, when Bush began his five-week vacation. In Utah it will air on KSL (NBC) 5, KSTU (Fox) and KUTV (CBS).

Here is the ad:

Gold Star Families for Peace

“Cindy Sheehan”

TV :60

Title: Cindy Sheehan Crawford Texas
(Cindy: s/s)

Mr. President, my name is Cindy Sheehan.

On April 4, 2004, my son, Casey was killed in Iraq. He was only 24, and he died in his best friend’s arms.

Casey was so good…and so honest.

Why can’t you be honest with us?

You were wrong about the weapons of mass destruction.

You were wrong about the link between Iraq and Al Qaeda.

You lied to us, and because of your lies, my son died.

You said he died for a noble cause. What cause?

Mr. President, I want to tell you face to face how much this hurts.

I love my country. But how many more of our loved ones need to die in this senseless war?

How many more soldiers have to die before we say enough?

I know you can’t bring Casey back.

But it’s time to admit mistakes and bring our troops home now.

Paid for by
Gold Star Families for Peace