Patriot Act advocates launch TV ad campaign
The Coalition for Security, Liberty and the Law today unveiled a television issue-advertising campaign in four key states across America and in the District of Columbia . It urges renewal of a strong USA Patriot Act.
The campaign’s first advertisement is a 60-second spot featuring Debra Burlingame, sister of Capt. Charles "Chic" Burlingame, the American Airlines pilot of flight 77 which was hijacked and then crashed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 . She notes that, prior to 9/11, our government did not have the tools it needed to prevent that day’s horrific attacks, but that it got them with the adoption of the Patriot Act.
Now Ms. Burlingame warns:
"A minority of Senators believe we that can safely weaken the Patriot Act. What if they’re wrong? What are they going to tell their constituents if keeping the Patriot Act strong would have prevented that attack?"
The Coalition will be broadcasting its ads during, among other news and entertainment programming, the popular Fox show, "24." The drama highlights the difficult challenges those sworn to protect us face in countering determined terrorists operating inside our country. A 30-second version of the ad was first broadcast on "24" on January 30th via WTTG-TV in Washington , D.C.
The 60-second version will begin appearing in local TV markets on Thursday evening, February 2, 2006 . The initial advertising flight includes: Manchester NH ( Boston MA ) ; Omaha NE; Idaho Falls ID ; Anchorage , AK ; and the Nation’s capital.
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr., President of the Center for Security Policy which sponsors the Coalition for Security Liberty and the Law, said today:
Four Republican Senators from conservative states have made possible the filibuster of legislation needed to ensure that key provisions of the Patriot Act do not expire. Senators John Sununu of New Hampshire, Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, Larry Craig of Idaho and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska are among those who evidently believe the U.S. government should no longer have the latitude to use the legal and intelligence tools that have helped protect us since the Patriot Act was enacted four-and-a-half years ago.
In so doing, they are gambling that – in the face of fresh threats of terror attacks in this country from Osama bin Laden – we will not be put at greater risk. But what if, as Debra Burlingame asks so trenchantly, they are wrong? Do these Senators’ constituents want their lives to be bet, perhaps literally, in this fashion?
The Coalition also has sponsored a January 25, 2006 letter from 69 leaders in the national security, law enforcement, intelligence, public policy and academic fields urging prompt renewal of the Patriot Act.
The Coalition’s ad was produced by Washington, D.C.-based New Advocacy LLC, a division of Next Generation Advertising.
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON DEBRA BURLINGAME
Debra Burlingame is the sister of Captain Charles F. "Chic" Burlingame, III, pilot of American Airlines flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 . She is co-founder of 9/11 Families for a Safe and Strong America and has testified before the U.S. Congress.
Ms. Burlingame was formerly a producer at Court TV. Before her career in television, she worked as an attorney in New York City representing foster parents in the family court system who wished to adopt the children in their care.
Ms. Burlingame has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, Fox’s O’Reilly Factor, Fox & Friends, Your World with Neal Cavuto and Hannity & Combs, CNN’s Larry King Show and Paula Zahn Now, and MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews. She has been profiled in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. She has written several feature articles for the Wall Street Journal. Ms. Burlingame is a member of the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation board of directors and lives in Westchester County, New York.
VIDEO SCRIPT OF AD
Debra Burlingame:
My brother was pilot of American Airlines flight 77 which was hijacked by terrorists on September 11 2001 and crashed into the Pentagon.
I know he fought them in the cockpit, with every last ounce of strength he could muster.
And unfortunately, we didn’t give our government everything it needed to stop the terrorists who are ruthless. And the Patriot Act does that. The Patriot Act gives them – our government – the tools to stop them from doing this again.
It’s been four and a half years since 9/11 and we have not been attacked.
A minority of Senators believe we that can safely weaken the Patriot Act.
What if they’re wrong? What are they going to tell their constituents if keeping the Patriot Act strong would have prevented that attack?
We must urge our leaders to do the right thing. And protect us.
Mr. Gaffney is the host of Secure Freedom Radio, a nationally-syndicated radio program heard weeknights throughout the country. He is an associate author of highly acclaimed Shariah: The Threat to America and the publisher of over a dozen other books and monographs from the Center for Security Policy Press.
In April 1987, Mr. Gaffney was nominated by President Reagan to become the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy, the senior position in the Defense Department with responsibility for policies involving U.S.-USSR relations, nuclear forces, arms control, missile defense policy and U.S.-European defense ties. He acted in that capacity for seven months during which time, he was the Chairman of the prestigious High Level Group, NATO’s senior politico-military committee. He also represented the Secretary of Defense in key U.S.-Soviet negotiations and ministerial meetings.
From August 1983 until November 1987, Mr. Gaffney was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Forces and Arms Control Policy under Assistant Secretary Richard Perle.
From February 1981 to August 1983, Mr. Gaffney was a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, chaired by the late Senator John Tower (R-Texas). And, in the latter 1970’s, Mr. Gaffney served as an aide to the late Senator Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson (D-Washington) in the areas of defense and foreign policy.
Mr. Gaffney holds a Master of Arts degree in International Studies from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
Mr. Gaffney’s leadership has been recognized by numerous organizations including: the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Award (1987), the U.S. Business and Industry Council’s Defender of the National Interest Award (1994), the Navy League of the United States’ Alfred Thayer Mahan Literary Achievement Award (1999), and the Zionist Organization of America’s “Louis Brandeis Award” (2003), the Western Conservative Summit’s Stephen H. Long Award (2015), the Council for National Policy’s George Washington Military Leadership Award (2016) and the IMPACT Award from Ginni Thomas and United in Purpose (2017).
Mr. Gaffney was born in 1953 and resides in the Washington, D.C. area.
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