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.).