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Politics Are Part Of The Debate Over Comcast's Bid For Time Warner Cable

By Ian Bush

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Along with concerns over competition and the impact on customers, politics are part of the debate over Comcast's bid for Time Warner Cable.

Both parties have benefited from Comcast cash, though donations and fundraising from top execs have favored Democrats. One of the recipients: Delaware Senator Chris Coons.

"That doesn't influence my questions that'll be asked at the hearing, or my vote in the end on any issue that might come up around antitrust issues."

At that Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this past week, Utah Republican Mike Lee, who also got Comcast cash, raised the question of partisan programming.

"Considering the well-known political leanings of NBC, I've heard concerns that Comcast might have the incentive and the ability to discriminate against certain political content including, for example, conservative political content."

Comcast VP David Cohen says because the combined company would voluntarily control less than 30 percent of the cable market, Lee's is not a "significant concern."

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