Rumsfeld: Media Sees Military as the "Other Side"

NewsMax ^ | April 17, 2006 | NewsMax

[redstateone]

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Monday that journalists covering the Iraq war no longer want to be embedded with U.S. military units because they viewed American troops as "the other side."

[Mad Dawg]

I LOVE that guy! Call a spade a spade, Rummy!

The newsies are different from you and me - they have no allegiances and no morals. Plus, in their universe things can be fake and accurate at the same time and in the same respect. We just aren't as smart as they are.

[Ron in Acreage]

Like Don Henleys Dirty Laundry. They can tell you 'bout the plane crash with a gleem in their eye. The media has an orgasm every time a soldier dies or a suicide bomber hits us or Israel.

[trebb]

Rumsfeld said he wasn't overly troubled by recent criticism by six retired generals who have called on him to resign, telling Limbaugh: "If you started chasing, running around chasing public opinion polls or a handful of people who are critics of this or critics on that, you wouldn't get anywhere in this world."

If the Lefties and the MSM want to use that handful of "Generals" a sufficient reason to oust Rummy, then they ought to take a look at how many people, in comparison, want the Left and MSM to start being honest; want tax reform, want immigration control, etc. In other words, it should be pointed out to them how absurd they look when they jump on this, but ignore much stronger pressures to change about everything els...

[Bringbackthedraft]

Its a two way street. The military knows the press is the other side!

[Blueflag]

Could it also be that the troops view reporters as "the other side" as well?

How'd you like to be embedded with a platoon of pissed off Marines who will do their professional duty to save your a$$, but little more. They won't share information with you, they won't connect with you emotionally, they don't share your values, principles or viewpoints. Perhaps they shortsheet your bunk, or your batteries disappear, or other small-time pranks are inflicted on you. Or perhaps you are just totally shut out and ignored, because you are viewed as being as worthless as tits on a boar hog.

[george76]

The American public has more confidence in the military than in any other institution, according to a Gallup poll ...

Seventy-four percent of those surveyed in Gallup's 2005 confidence poll said they have "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in the military - more than in a full range of other government, religious, economic, medical, business and news organizations.

This year's 74 percent confidence level exceeded that of all 15 institutions included in the 2005 survey.

Police ranked second, with 63 percent of responders expressing "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in them.

Organized religion rated third, with 53 percent of responders expressing high confidence, and banks rated a 49 percent high-confidence rate.

The Gallup organization noted that public trust in television news and newspapers reached an all-time low this year, with 28 percent of responders expressing high confidence in them.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Reprinted from NewsMax.com

Monday, April 17, 2006 6:40 p.m. EDT

Donald Rumsfeld: Media Sees Military as 'Other Side'

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Monday that journalists covering the Iraq war no longer want to be embedded with U.S. military units because they viewed American troops as "the other side."

In an interview Monday with EIB Radio host Rush Limbaugh, Rumsfeld noted that "far fewer journalists . . . have stepped up to become embedded" compared to the early days of the war.

The defense chief recalled: "I asked one reporter about that, and there was kind of the impression left that, 'Well, if you got embedded then you were really part of the problem instead of part of the solution and you were almost going over to the other side.'"

Rumsfeld then added: "I think that's an inexcusable thought, and I don't know if that's the case [with all reporters]."

The Pentagon leader said that before the press grew disenchanted with it, he considered the military's embed program to have been a significant success.

"A lot of people who are reporters and journalists were able to work with our troops and see precisely how terrific they are, the wonderful job they do, the kinds of people they are, how professional they are," he told Limbaugh. "And the rest of their lives they're going to have an impression of the American military that will be good for journalism, in my view."

Rumsfeld said he wasn't overly troubled by recent criticism by six retired generals who have called on him to resign, telling Limbaugh: "If you started chasing, running around chasing public opinion polls or a handful of people who are critics of this or critics on that, you wouldn't get anywhere in this world."

Instead he said he was pleased that former Joint Chiefs Chairman, Gen. Richard Myers, former CENTCOM Commander Tommy Franks, his second in command, Gen. Mike DeLong and Admiral Vern Clark have issued supportive statements in recent days.

Editor's note:
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Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Bush Administration
Iraq
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[dfwgator]

There are no more Ernie Pyles, that's for sure.

[Gefreiter]

Furthermore, the embed program has been a resume-builder for the journalists who participated. How many have books out now...?

[Only1choice____Freedom]

When I heard that yesterday, the first thing that came to mind was:

"What side are you on then?"

[Maumee]

The press is out to 'get' Rumsfeld because they can't impress nor intimidate him and at almost every DOD briefing he shows them he has the facts and reveals how petty, shallow and stupid they are.......GO GETUM RUMMY and those six or seven 'sunshine generals' that wanted to be Field Marshals.

[liberty_lvr]

"A lot of people who are reporters and journalists were able to work with our troops and see precisely how terrific they are, the wonderful job they do, the kinds of people they are, how professional they are," he told Limbaugh. "And the rest of their lives they're going to have an impression of the American military that will be good for journalism, in my view."

And therein lies the problem. Journalists are human, too (sort of). Nobody likes to have closely held, cherished life-long views refuted on a daily basis.

IMO, the media knew that continuous reporting of the success and honor of our military men and women would surely undermine their over-zealous quest for another American defeat.

And we can't have that, now can we?

[pissant]

President Bush said the same thing, more delicately, about the scum calling itself the MSM.

[mountainlyons]

The media was the other side in Viet Nam also. Remember the support for Jane Fonda and Cut an run Kerry? The protesters were headlines and the returning soldiers were treated like scum. Now all the media wants is to stick it to Bush.

[cookcounty]

He's completely correct.

[cookcounty]

" The American public has more confidence in the military than in any other institution, according to a Gallup poll ... "

....you left out "Democrats in Congress" who are at an all-time record low at 25%.

[rfreedom4u]

This could be because of the resentment of US troops to the reporters. After all ALL they report are the bad things. We almost NEVER hear about the schools being built, soldiers handing out candy or school supplies or how lots of Iraqis are happy we are there. If I had a reporter embedded with me, I'd tell him he was on his own if we run into trouble.

[Dead Dog]

Man, I hate media MF'ers. They are chronically on the wrong side of history. From William Durante to Cronkite to Rather to now, they simply freakin lie to push forward whatever side is evil.