Bradley shoots for free airtime basket
Politico wants to lessen corporations' role in politics
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The Clinton administration supports rules that would require broadcasters to give free airtime to candidates, but has failed to win support for the proposal at the Federal Communications Commission or in Congress. Efforts by Clinton administration appointee FCC Chairman Bill Kennard to put free airtime up for a vote at the agency have failed.
Broadcasters adamantly oppose the effort to force them to hand over free time to politicians and have lobbied hard against it.
Money and politics
In a speech at the National Press Club here, Bradley said the influence of money is eroding trust in politics. "The lifeblood of democracy and politics is trust, but nothing breaks down trust in democracy as powerfully and as surely as money."
According to the latest Federal Election Commission reports, Bradley has raised about $11.7 million, significantly less than rival Vice President Al Gore, who has raised $19.5 million. Both Democrats are dwarfed in the money race by Texas Gov. George W. Bush, who has raised more than $37 million.
A report issued Thursday by the Center for Responsive Politics found that Wall Street is a big supporter of Bradley, with individuals at several firms, including Lehman Bros., Citigroup and Goldman Sachs & Co. The same report found that Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Az.), who is also running for president, is popular with staffers at Viacom. Individuals at the company wrote checks totaling $48,750 to McCain's presidential campaign. But Gore was even more popular with Viacom employees, who gave a total of $69,250 to his bid to move over to the Oval Office.
