KCOP to Give Dornan Chance to Rebut Bill Press : Politics: Press belittled Dornan’s presidential aspirations. News director Jeff Wald will let him appear ‘out of the spirit of fairness.’

KCOP-TV Channel 13 has granted Rep. Robert K. Dornan’s request to respond to Bill Press’ Tuesday commentary belittling the Garden Grove Republican’s presidential aspirations, news director Jeff Wald said Thursday.

The station was not legally obligated to give Dornan equal time but nonetheless will allow him to appear on the station’s 10 p.m. newscast one night next week “out of the spirit of fairness,” Wald said.

KCOP has come under criticism from news executives at rival stations and the California Republican Party for keeping Press on the air following his election Saturday as chairman of the California Democratic Party.

Seeking to balance Press’ presence, the station has sought conservatives to also deliver commentaries. Hugh Hewitt, an Irvine attorney who held several posts in Ronald Reagan’s presidential administration, gave the first of these on Wednesday’s newscast.

Press began his commentary Tuesday by criticizing the “unseemly haste” of Dornan in making 1996 presidential campaign preparations even before President Clinton was in office for 100 days.

“Not to worry. This candidate doesn’t have a chance,” Press said.

While showing videotaped clips of Dornan’s speeches on the House floor and appearances on news programs, Press said, “Name any major political issue over the past 20 years and Dornan’s been on the wrong side of it,” specifically referring to Dornan’s opposition to the right of a woman to choose an abortion, the release of the movie “The Last Temptation of Christ” and his support of U.S. aid to the Contras in Nicaragua.

Press, who had devoted his Monday commentary to rebutting a column by Times television critic Howard Rosenberg calling for Channel 13 to drop him from its weeknight newscasts because of his party post, concluded his commentary by denying it was influenced by his new position.

“I know what you’re thinking,” said Press, who was identified in a graphic with his party title. “You’re thinking I’m only making fun of Bob Dornan because I was just elected chair of the California Democratic Party. That’s not true. I’d say the same rotten things about Bob Dornan even if I were just a normal human being.”

Wald said Press’ commentary was a result of a story in Tuesday’s editions of The Times in which Dornan said he is leaning against running for reelection next year so he can dedicate his energies to a possible presidential bid. Dornan has scheduled an appearance next month before the state Republican Party in New Hampshire, home to the nation’s first presidential primary.

Wald said he did not read Press’ commentary before he delivered it on the air.

“Because it is commentary, he pretty much has a free hand to say what he would like to say,” he said. “I’m a person who doesn’t believe in censorship. I pretty much give him a free hand. We hired him to comment.”

Before Press’ election to the Democratic Party post, news executives at rival stations said that if he won and continued to deliver commentary, KCOP could find itself subject to conflict-of-interest charges.

California Republican Party Chairman Tirso del Junco said Wednesday that attorneys for the party have written to KCOP executives asking that Del Junco be allowed to offer a commentary of his own, claiming Press’ continued presence on the air constitutes an in-kind contribution to California Democratic Party by the station.

“This very opposition that he has presented to Dornan represents exactly the point that we’re trying to make,” Del Junco said.

Del Junco said he hoped to meet with station manager Rick Feldman. Wald said that his preference would be to use a conservative with demonstrated television ability.

Press could not be reached for comment.