Barton: NAB’s Rehr Wrong About Dingell
By Ted Hearn -- Multichannel News, 11/13/2006 12:44:00 PM
House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Joe Barton (R-Texas) said Monday that the leader of the National Association of Broadcasters was incorrect to conclude that owners of TV and radio stations would get a better shake under incoming Democratic committee leadership.
In the aftermath of last Tuesday’s election rout of congressional Republicans, NAB president David Rehr said Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), who is expected to take command of the committee in January, would be friendlier toward broadcasters than Barton had been.
“I think Mr. Dingell, frankly, is an improvement for us over Mr. Barton,” Rehr said, calling Barton “a cable guy.”
Barton -- who did back cable on fighting expanded carriage rights of digital-TV stations -- said he hadn’t seen Rehr's remarks.
“If he really said that, bless his heart, he’s wrong,” Barton said after updating the media on his race for House Minority Leader. The election is Friday.
If he loses, Barton said he would like to be the top Republican on Energy and Commerce. However, he has promised to cede that position to soon-to-be-former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), who won’t be a candidate for a party leadership post.
“I think whatever [Hastert] wants to do, our party should honor,” Barton said, adding that he doubted that Hastert wants the top GOP job on the committee.
Barton is running in a three-way contest that includes current Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and conservative back-bencher Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.).
“Mr. Boehner is the front-runner, as he should be,” Barton said. “There’s a huge number of undecideds. A lot of people want real change.”
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