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ABC's Donaldson Said He Will 'Never' Report Truth on Abortion
By Jimmy Moore
Talon News
July 29, 2004

BOSTON (Talon News) -- ABC News reporter Sam Donaldson, appearing at the Democratic National Convention in Boston, was confronted by a pro-life leader who challenged him to "tell the truth about abortion."

Operation Rescue West President Troy Newman has been in Boston all week with his "Truth Truck" promoting the reality of abortion to the Democratic delegates and supporters with graphic images of actual aborted babies plastered across the side of the billboard-sized panels.

On Monday, Newman said he saw Donaldson crossing the street at a traffic light near his "Truth Truck" on his way to a rally featuring former Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-MO).

Recognizing an opportunity to speak to Donaldson, Newman grabbed his bullhorn and yelled to the veteran reporter while pointing at the truck, "Look at the babies."

"It's time to tell the truth about abortion," Newman exclaimed. "Tell the truth that abortion kills babies."

Upon hearing the declaration from Newman, Donaldson turned around with his right arm in the air and declared, "Never!"

Donaldson then walked away.

Responding to Donaldson's display of personal bias about abortion, Newman questioned what else Donaldson is refusing to tell the truth about in his reporting.

"If Sam Donaldson promises to never tell the truth about abortion, one must wonder what else he is not telling the truth about," inquired Newman. "His response to us shows his true colors as an ideologue, and destroys any credibility he may have had as a journalist."

JoeS

Grain of salt time. What is Talon News and who is Jimmy Moore?

So who thinks Donaldson has any credibility as a journalist? I remember some years ago when he had cancer, a lady in an audience told him she hoped it was painful. At a Republican convention some years ago, Donaldson was on stage prior to being televised, and the audience was encouraging him to jump.

So who thinks Donaldson has any credibility as a journalist? I remember some years ago when he had cancer, a lady in an audience told him she hoped it was painful. At a Republican convention some years ago, Donaldson was on stage prior to being televised, and the audience was encouraging him to jump.

So wishing someone a painful bout with cancer or encouraging their suicide (if any of this apocryphal stuff is actually true) merits a smiley face?

This is sometimes a very mean and angry forum.

--tim

Quite often Tim, has driven some away because of it.

No, that wasn't the intent. It just demonstrates the degree to which Donaldson can antagonize others. He's quite good at it. I saw one of his colleagues on a talk show (George Will) who said with Sam, what you see is what you get. I think it is part of his screen image to be somewhat confrontational. And the events I mentioned are not apocryphal. I saw them on TV myself. Donaldson seemed unfazed and not bothered by them in the slightest.

TN,

I'm still trying to figure out how this statement by a cruel, hateful individual and the not-all-that-uncommon sophmoric antic by a restless, bored crowd translates to a lack of journalistic credibility by Sam Donaldson (of whom I am no great fan).

Herb,

Talon News is a conservative online news source - voice of the GOPUSA - which is apparently a conservative arm of the GOP (is that an oxymoronic redundancy? :rolleyes: ).

Talon News [talonnews.com]

I didn't check out Jimmy, but one presumes he may be Talon's ace reporter .

Joe,

You have a remarkable ability to come up with the greatest "news" stories - ones that never fail to generate good feeling (e.g., the Christian-murdering Buddhists about whom you posted yesterday). Have you considered reading more mainline news sources or reading the offbeat with a more jaundiced eye?

Many years,

Neil

Obviously, I am not great fan of his either, or of the network for which he works. This is more a case of personal opinion. Having actually worked for a newspaper at one time (in a very minor role) I think I have picked up the view that TV news readers are not real journalists, but entertainers. I am merely saying that Donaldson's abortion stance doesn't surprise me, and reinforces my opinion that the networks present their biases as news. But with Donaldson, he evokes a reaction, and perhaps he plays to that.

Hmmmm, Boston! I thought everything coming out of Boston lately is up there with gospel truth.

I think this is hilarious.

It seems to me that, if this is an accurate quote, then the quotation was very much misconstrued.

I took Mr. Donaldson's "Never!" to mean that he will never admit that "abortion kills babies" because he does not believe this to be true. The writer of this article shrewdly flip-flops the obvious intent of this to say that Mr. Donaldson's "Never!" was actually saying, "I will never tell the truth about abortion."

It's clear to me that Donaldson was saying, "I will never say that abortion kills babies, because [in my opinion] it doesn't."

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