Popular Culture Review Vol. 13, No. 2, Summer 2002 | Page 102

98 Popular Culture Review Policy Themes in the Media The previous analysis offered evidence that policy discussions were present in the media presentations on the bombing. These discussions were part of the public discourse surrounding the bombing and they were included in a media dialogue that one specific group controlled. While state managers advocated for the package of laws before Congress only several of the actual issues discussed above were directly mentioned during broadcasts. General support for all issues was present. Specifically, two issues were the most prominent in the media presentations by state managers. Throughout the media broadcasts both state managers and the general public discussed immigration pohcies. While most of the pohcy debate on immigration was the result of faulty reporting of the Oklahoma City bombing as an international terrorist incident, the fact remains that prejudice and fear motivated these discussions. State managers were singularly visible on this issue and pushed for the immigration pohcy solutions contained in the pre-bombing proposals already before Congress. Direct references to existing pohcy proposals was made by Governor Keating, Senator Nichols, and Commissioner Kelly. Keating specifically addressed the ideas behind the immigration pohcies when he voiced a distrust of outsiders and said they “come in, you know, come in 1500 miles and — and do something like this” (NBC 1995b). Nichols suggested that Congress needed to quickly address and pass immigration legislation (NBC 1995e). Kelly noted that America is “susceptible and it’s the price we pay for hving in a free and open society” (NBC 1995a). He further advocated for pohcies designed to stop international terrorism and used the World Trade Center bombing as justification for the package of pohcies before Congress. Likewise, directly after the Oklahoma City bombing, four state managers were quoted in the media as supportive of the death penalty for the perpetrators of this tragedy and for the need to change pohcies related to this issue. Janet Reno noted that “ 18 USC Section 844 relates to those who mahciously damage or destroy a Federal building. If there is death, if death occurs, the death penalty is available and we will seek it” (ABC 1995a). Chnton noted that “these people are killers and they will be treated as killers” (NBC 1995a). A few days later, Gingrich specifically addressed the proposals before Congress when stating, “I’ve recommended that we pass an appeal limitation so that these guys, if they are convicted — I’m not prejudging anyone — but if people are indicted and convicted after a fair trial, they should be executed within a reasonable time” (ABC 1995f). State agency representatives were highly visible in the media with respect to the issue of death penalty reform and while advocating directly for this pohcy change, they were also indirectly promoting a variety of other pohcies before Congress (fund raising, WMD’s, etc.).