TED KOPPEL TO READ LIST OF IRAQ WAR DEAD DURING ABCNEWS SPECIAL

The Drudge Report ^ | 4/27/2004 | Drudge

[faithincowboys]

TED KOPPEL TO READ LIST OF IRAQ WAR DEAD DURING ABCNEWS SPECIAL Tue Apr 27 2004 17:29:54 ET

Ted Koppel and ABC News’ “Nightline” will pay tribute to the more than 500 American service men and women killed in action in Iraq by devoting the entire broadcast to reading the service members’ names and showing their photographs. Entitled “The Fallen,” the special “Nightline” broadcast will air FRIDAY APRIL 30 (11:35 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. ABC News will also simulcast this tribute live on its Jumbotron in New York City’s Times Square. ABC News Radio will air excerpts of the program.

Using photographs and information drawn from the Army Times Publishing Company’s online “Faces of Valor” database (www.militarycity.com/valor), Friday’s “Nightline” will dedicate the half-hour program to showing a photograph of each service man and woman in succession with their name, military branch, rank and age, while Mr. Koppel reads their names aloud. Since the broadcast is only 30 minutes long, Friday’s broadcast is limited to showing just those ‘killed in action’ in Iraq, as certified by the U.S. Department of Defense.

“While ‘Nightline’ has been reporting on every fatality in Iraq and Afghanistan under the heading ‘Line of Duty,’ we realized that the casualties were on their way to becoming just numbers,” said “Nightline” executive producer Leroy Sievers. “’The Fallen’ is our way of reminding our viewers -- whether they agree with the war or not -- that beyond the casualty numbers, these men and women are serving in Iraq in our names, and that those who have been killed have names and faces.”

“Memorial Day might have been the most logical occasion on which to do this program. But we felt that the impact would actually be greater on a day when the entire nation is not focused on its war dead,” said “Nightline” anchor Ted Koppel.

Listed below are the service men and women who will be honored on Friday’s “Nightline.” The list is organized alphabetically by U.S. State and includes those whose names have been released by the Pentagon from March 19, 2003 through today, April 27, 2004. Names released between now and Friday April 30, will be added to the broadcast.

[faithincowboys]

Who's going to watch it tonight?? And why??

[Smartass]

I hope someday to tune in to the reading of a similar
list.....one which includes the names Koppel, Cronkite,
Brown, Couric, Jennings, Rather, Brokaw, Imus, Lauer, et al.

[FoxPro]

I am watching it right now. Feel for every one of these brave hero's and there families. I don't care about ABC's motives.

[SiliconValleyGuy]

This is the most amazing piece of anti-war propaganda yet. They don't even try to hide their bias anymore.

[faithincowboys]

yEAH, IT'S TERRIBLE. I DO FEEL FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE, BUT I DID BEFORE THIS.

THEY REALLY SHOULD HAVE GONE COMMERCAIL FREE-- IT'S IN SUCH BAD TASTE TO HAVE COMMERCIAL INTERRUPTIONS.

[faithincowboys]

I presume you're watching this. It is moving, but not as much as it could have been had they not been so transparently politcal. The fact that they are having commercial interruptions is just disgraceful!!

This is being done in extraordinarily bad taste!!!

[got_moab?]

I started watching it, I can't help but feel even more grateful to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. However when the FIRST COMMERCIAL BREAK BEGAN, my jaw hit the floor. Why???

[faithincowboys]

Oops, enter a Lexus commercial!!!

[FreedomCalls]

If he is trying to "honor' their sacrifice, then what exactly is the point of giving their age underneath their name?

[faithincowboys]

No clue, and the Lexus commercials during commercial breaks is so grotesque.

[pepsionice]

During the 72-hour period that mattered in Normandy...40,000 American and British troops died. If Ted had been around in 1944, and had decided to read off all of their names (29,000 Americans)...he would have been reading for weeks, if not months. By the time Ted finished...Roosevelt would have been impeached and Ike fired. We would have stalled the invasion at the border of France. Hitler would have been able to restage his forces. But the massive Soviet front would have simply advanced across Germany. They would have wiped out the problem and taken Germany.

My best guess is that the numbers of people watching Ted, and ABC news...will start to decrease. Fox will take these viewers. Ted will likely announce his retirement shortly after the November election when GW wins. It will be sad affair to watch Ted the day after the election...his commentary will be a pout...and not what you would expect of a professional. His hopes of taking down GW...simply wasted.

[FreedomCalls]

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

I am watching because I am grateful that these men and women gave their lives for my country, for the war on terror, and to free the people of Iraq from an evil dictator.

Every name has a face, every name has a family for whom I will always be grateful. Pray for the families and bless them for their bravery.

[faithincowboys]

The message of this is "Kill more of us and we'll give you The American Southwest."

If I were an insurgent I would become a super insurgent in reaction to this. This shows that we can't handle it. Our media is a Fifth Column. Kill enough of us and will cut and run. Koppel plainly thinks we should lose-- this is obvious.

This is tragic, I am struck by the diversity and how so many of our boys are so handsome. it's a tearjerker, but so counter to the national interest. Koppel really should be ashamed of himself. Imagine being the relative of a soldier who died in Afghanistan--your loved one didn't make Ted's cut.

Shameful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bubbette]

Yes, I was surprised that the age was included, but that just makes more shock-value and to pull at the heartstrings. I felt that I needed to watch a thank each face flashed on the screen. Then, the more I watched, the angrier I got at the exploitation going on before me. If the media and the Ted Kennedy's and the UN Security Councils of the world had not been so selfishly pursuing their power and money grabbing and had put a united front against these evil terrorists WE WOULN'T HAVE TO BE LOOKING AT SO MANY OF THESE FACES. Maybe there would be more "international" faces. The MEDIA continues to tear this country down, while these sweet faces lost their lives trying to keep it intact. No more! I'm furious.

[faithincowboys]

Do you know either of these soldiers?

It is terrible that two 19 year old kids died. It's sad, no one denies that. I grieve for every loss we have had-- more so than the Leftists who celebrate the deaths (see Pat Tillman) and use the deaths to get back at their nemesis --President Bush.

I think this is sad. I wish that freedom was free, but it isn't. When we fled Beirut and Vietnam, what did it get us? A Rep for being soft...9-11!!!

The Vietnam Syndrome has put us into a position where we are an impotent giant who can get lit up by a couple of thugs with RPGs. We lost 3000 people on our soil. If we are unable to take the casualties we are taking in Iraq, then we should fold our tents and go home. Let's stop having a military and declare ourselves a neutral--that's it.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

PIAPS is on Letterman now.

[faithincowboys]

I thing if the Democrats hadn't politicized this war to the degree they had, we wouldn't have had as many people on the list. i believe that with all of my heart. John Kerry and the rest of the primary Dems let our enemies know that if they can bloody us, Bush will be defeated and Kerry will bug the Hell out. This is how we got here--it's really easy to see.

[FoxPro]

Oops, enter a Lexus commercial!!!

I understand your your misgivings. What if Rush Limbaugh would have done the same thing.

I just thought that it was moving, regardless of Kopels motive. sorry for the spelling.

[faithincowboys]

Oh, no coordination between the networks.

They are all with us, they want America to win--- yeah, would that it were so.