I have one simple question, because as you know, I am a simple guy. If a man confessed to raping two American women adults, do you believe that man would be sentenced to probation anywhere in this country? The answer, of course, is no. That wouldn't happen, because if it did, every women's group and every media outlet would demand the removal of the judge.
Yet in Ohio, a man who confessed to orally raping a 5-year-old boy and an 11-year-old boy over and over was sentenced to probation by Judge John Connor.
Was there about outcry by the women's groups? No. What about the press? Well, most of the Ohio press defends the judge. And The Dayton Daily News even attacked me for my coverage. The politicians? Well, most of them don't want any action against Connor.
In Vermont, we saw the same thing with Judge Edward Cashman, who initially sentenced a man who raped a 6-year-old girl to 60 days in jail. Media outrage in Vermont? None. Political outrage? None.
In fact, after the story broke, the Vermont legislature voted down Jessica's Law. Democrats leading the way.
Today in Texas, The Houston Chronicle is calling for "enlightened justice" for Andrea Yates, who brutally murdered her five little children. The Chronicle feels sorry for Yates, wants her in a mental institution instead of prison.
If you are sensing a pattern here, you are correct. Children in America have been devalued, no question. You can rape them and escape prison. You can kill them and receive compassion.
How did this happen? I really don't know. Some say Roe v. Wade began a slippery slope, placing unborn babies in a disposable situation.
Certainly, there's no national outrage over Kansas's Dr. George Tiller, who for $5,000 will destroy an unborn child up to the moment of birth for just about any so-called "health reason." Tiller has become a wealthy man, performing partial birth abortions. Media outrage? None.
"Talking Points" does not know whether there are more child predators in the USA today than there were 50 years ago, but I do know one thing: American kids these days are targets. They have few defenders in the press, no political clout and a society that is not engaged in protecting them.
"Factor" viewers and listeners are the only national group that I know of looking out for the kids. You guys put the pressure on in Vermont that got the child rapist three years instead of two months. You guys are putting the pressure on in Ohio, where hopefully Judge Connor will be removed and The Dayton Daily News will lose even more circulation and advertising.
But outside of you, there are few demanding justice for children. And that is America's great shame.
And that's "The Memo."
The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day
This morning, USA Today ran a nice box in the Life Section showing “The Factor's" ratings success. We really appreciate that. But as usual, our total audience was underestimated, because cable is different from broadcast TV.
Those of you on the West Coast, for example, can watch network news at the same time those of us on the East Coast see it, early in the evening. That's because the networks delay the West Coast and Mountain Time Zone broadcast.
But cable does not delay. We feed out at 8 p.m. Eastern, and it's seen at 5 p.m. Pacific. That's why we rerun “The Factor” twice, so that everybody can have a shot to see it in prime time.
“The Factor's" total cumulative rating, over 24 hours, is about 4 million viewers a night — not counting the Direct TV people and the college people. That makes us very competitive with the late night network shows and the network morning programs. We also are creeping up on "The CBS Evening News."
Finally, I don't think I thank you guys enough for your loyalty and that might be ridiculous.
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox