Apparently, the University of Southern California does NOT appreciate this type of journalism. The video above shows John Ziegler as he is handcuffed, detained and then escorted off the USC campus for attempting to interview people attending the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism.Also, Ziegler wanted to give away copies of his film on Sarah Palin

Professional television journalists from across the county and a group of USC Annenberg students and faculty gathered April 15 for the 5th Walter Cronkite Awards Ceremony, administered by the Norman Lear Center, at USC’s Davidson Conference Center. The ceremony included a roundtable discussion and a luncheon where winners received their awards and gave remarks.

Katie Couric made the trip to Los Angeles, taking time from her position as anchor and managing editor for the CBS Evening News to accept her award for “Special Achievement for National Impact on the 2008 Campaign,” which she won for her interviews with Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. At the podium Couric told the audience she went to great lengths to be unbiased in her interviews, focusing on every facial expression and body position.

The Norman Lear Center in the USC Annenberg School for Communication, you say, sponsored these awards. Might they be a little nonplussed at the conservative Ziegler and called out – “SECURITY?”

The Norman Lear Center was founded and is directed by Marty Kaplan, associate dean of the USC Annenberg School, who has been a political speechwriter, Hollywood studio executive, and screenwriter-producer.

And, who is Marty Kaplan,the Director of the Norman Lear Center?

Marty Kaplan is the Norman Lear Professor of Entertainment, Media and Society at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and the founding director of the Norman Lear Center for the study of the impact of entertainment on society.

Since May 2005 he has been a contributing blogger at The Huffington Post. In 2008 he became a weekly columnist at The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. He hosted the radio show So What Else is News? on Air America Radio until September 4, 2005.

He has worked as speechwriter and deputy campaign manager for Vice President Walter Mondale, a contributor to the public radio programs Marketplace and All Things Considered, a Disney studio vice president, a movie producer, and a screenwriter (Noises Off, The Distinguished Gentleman).

No, left-wing political agenda there, huh?

I have two degrees from USC and I can tell you have never witnessed such strong arm tactics. The fact is there were few people there, and no commotion (except when security accosted Ziegler).

The universiity would have been better off allowing Ziegler to continue. Now, conservative donors will wonder why Norman Lear and his left-wing fascists now have a foothold on the campus.

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