Patriot Act and FBI Report

Analysis:

This story reports on two seperate topic, the debate on extending the Patriot Act, and a new Justice Department report on pre-9-11 intelligence. The story on the Justice Department report is sandwiched inside this story on the Patriot act. By putting one story within the other, the impression is created that these two topics are related. While both topics are related in a general sence, there is no direct relationship between them. Patriot Act was passed after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. The Justice Dept. report is about FBI investigations prior to Sept. 11, 2001. By combining these two stories, the reporter is potentially biasing the story as a viewer may make the assumption that the Patriot Act is somehow validated by the Justice Department report.

Story:

WXMI Newsreader – President Bush says renewing the Patriot Act is critical to preventing another terror attack in this country. He’s demanding that Congress immediately renew controversial parts of the law that are set to expire in September. Fox 17’s Grant Rampy is live in Washington with more…Grant?

Reporter – Evening, Mike. This is day two of the President’s push to not only extend but also expand the Patriot Act. The Whitehouse faces stiff opposition from civil libertarians, Democrats, and even a few Republicans.

President Bush stopping by the center where the FBI, CIA, and Homeland Security Department now coordinate anti-terror efforts. As he makes the case that, thanks to the Patriot Act, those agencies are getting better intelligence, he’s also warning lawmakers; the country will be hurt if they don’t extend the law.

Bush – That doesn’t make any sense to me…that if something’s working, why should it expire? We need to renew the Patriot Act.

Reporter – Critics argue the Patriot Act steps on citizen’s rights. They’re concerned that police can conduct secret searches. Investigators can find out what people are reading at the library and the Feds can hold terror suspects indefinitely.

Chip Pitts – The mere existence of such measures has a chilling effect on fundamental freedoms including speech and association, religion and belief, privacy, due process, and equal protection.

James Zogby – It creates a groundswell of support for those who would do harm to our country.

Reporter – As lawmakers heatedly debate the Patriot Act’s pros and cons, the justice department’s looking back at 9/11. A new report concludes the FBI missed five opportunities to stop two of the hijackers. Questions persist about whether the bureau has gotten any better about listening to its backroom analysts.

Andrew Zajac – I think it mainly just takes the bureau to task for not being aggressive enough in following leads pertaining to Al Qaeda… pertaining to terrorism.

Reporter – As for the hearing that was held earlier today, it abruptly ended when Republican members stormed out. They say much of the testimony presented by the law’s critics is irrelevant. Live of Capitol Hill, Grant Rampy, Fox 17 News at 10.

Total time: 2 minutes, 12 seconds