Clench-Jawed Katie Uses 9/11 Widow to Bash Bush TV Ads

The Today Show

[governsleastgovernsbest]

There are mornings like this one when you don't have to wait for Katie Couric to open her mouth to know that she's on the warpath. In her just-completed segment, it was enough to see Couric's grim, clench-jawed, tight-eyed, black-garbed look to know that Bush presidential adviser Karen Hughes was going to be in for a bumpy ride.

Couric did let Hughes get in one statement before going on the attack. After Katie's clenched-jawed greeting, Hughes did manage to say: "these ads say a lot about the American people and the shared experiences we've had over the last three years. Sometimes when you're living history it's hard to realize it. The President has great confidence in the American people, a stark contrast with the negative tone of the Democrats."

But then Katie went on the offensive, immediately grabbing her nuclear weapon from the liberal arsenal.

Couric: "There are a number of images of Ground Zero in these ads. A 9/11 widow has said she is offended. She said that 'with 3,000 people killed on the President's watch it takes an awful lot of audacity to use these images. It is in bad taste.'"

Hughes was not intimidated. She politely but firmly took issue, stressing that it was important to remind the American people of what they have been through.

But Katie came back to the charge: "at the same time is it appropriate to use those images for campaign purposes?" she asked, grim-faced.

Remember that when John Kerry starts running ads highlighting his service in Vietnam, where 58,000 US soliders and millions of civilians died. Will Katie be questioning Kerry's decency and good taste in "exploiting" those images?

Next, Katie tried a pre-emptive strike on any possible negative advertising against Kerry.

Q. "Will there be another series specifically targeting John Kerry and when will they run?"

Hughes: "Fairly soon we'll begin talking about Kerry and his record. He has voted against defense systems we're using to win war against terrorism and against intelligence."

Of course we all remember the tough questioning that Katie gave to the various Dem candidates over the course of the primaries for the endless commercials they ran bashing President Bush. Or maybe not.

Katie: "Iraq is never mentioned in the ads. Why is that? Are his campaign advisers afraid he might be vulnerable on that issue?"

Hughes: "We've just begun. I've just come back from Afghanistan where people are grateful that we've rid the country of an oppressive dictatorship and I'm sure the people of Iraq feel the same way."

Katie: "Exit polls among Ohio voters show that by far the most important issue is the economy, with few mentioning Iraq. Since by 'conservative estimates' more than two milion jobs have been lost how do you feel the President can convince the people the economy is strong and getting stronger if it is still on the forefront of people's minds?"

Of course Katie didn't mention that the people polled in Ohio were Dem primary voters, a very partisan, Bush-hating, liberal demographic.

Hughes had an excellent response, one we can expect to be hearing much more of: "Not only have we recently had the strongest growth in the last 20 years, but unemployment, while it will always be a concern for the President, is lower than the average rate in the 70s, 80s, 90s and first Clinton first term. Continuing the President's policies of low taxes, less government regulation and intrusion will work."

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Hughes did an excellent job of keeping her cool and responding with substance. She's about the best surrogate I've seen going. Better than RNC Chair Ed Gillepsie, though in fairness he seems to have improved in recent weeks.

In any case, this was Katie at her acid, partisan worst.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Today Show ping.

[Lion in Winter]

I think it is time for a boycott of katie's show's sponsers.

[The G Man]

I'm sure the Clinton campaign never used ads that had tragedies as their backdrop. (/sarcasm)

[anniegetyourgun]

Somehow the standards of behavior for R's are always different than those the media holds D's to, eh? Katie will always have selective memory and questioning techniques. She is, after all, a liberal Democrat. I don't know why folks on the right don't answer her questions with something like, "well, as a Democrat, you should already know the answer you want to that question Katie."

Karen is the ultimate professional. I do hope she'll be up to bat often.

[MEG33]

You are just trying to entice me into watching that wretched Katie so I can see Hughes.

[freedom1st]

Thanks for the report. Couric is Eva Braun reincarnate.

[The Wizard]

so who is katie screwing to keep her job, it ain't her abilities......

and once NBC realizes they'd have a bigger audience if they dropped her...what do you think NBC will do...

[BikePacker]

Isn't about time "Katie" gets replaced with someone a bit younger?

She's beginning to look like one of those 47 y/o used up hookers.

[Arrowhead1952]

The perky one and JF'ing Kerry are sooooooo pre 9/11.

[nuconvert]

Hughes is tough. Sounds as though she handled Katie well.

[Waco]

Would the widow's husband want her slobbering after the queer-lovin RATS? Katy is just an overrated news reader. Way overrated. Will the FEC take note of her obvious political campaigning?

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Hughes is tough. Sounds as though she handled Katie well.

Exactly. I felt Karen struck the perfect note. She didn't respond to Couric's obvious hostility, nor was she intimidated. She kept a smile on her face but managed to get her views across, and did so in a manner that didn't sound like she was reading from a list of talking points.

[chiller]

Resist. governsleast is making it possible to keep one eye on the libs without patronizing their media division. Her ratings are tanking, let's not reverse the trend.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Sounds as though she handled Katie well.

I'd like to handle Katie well.

[AppyPappy]

The media is in full spin mode trying to spin 9/11 as off the table. This will be a full media attack.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Give it a shot and let us know what you think.

Katie's guest should always be prepared for the worst when they turn up for an interview and note that she's having one of her Woman in Black days. I swear I think it's possible Couric did it intentionally to show subtle solidarity with the 9/11 widow whom she quoted.

[Lee'sGhost]

"I'm sure the Clinton campaign never used ads that had tragedies as their backdrop."

Why use it as a backdrop when the candidate was a tragedy himself?

[AppyPappy]

If Bush wanted to win this, he would go after the media for trying to make 9/11 go away.

[Lee'sGhost]

"Exit polls among Ohio voters show that by far the most important issue is the economy, . . ."

So, then, why does it bother you that the Bush ads used the WTC footage? You should be doing backflips that Dubya is, by your estimation, focusing on the wrong issues.