Posted on 04/30/2004 7:20:53 AM PDT by kristinn
Your votes are needed to determine the winners of Free Republic's Peter Arnett Awards. The awards 'honor' those reporters, news organizations and public figures whose reporting and statements have given aid and comfort to the enemy and undermined morale in the war on terrorism like Mr. Arnett did last year with his infamous interview in Baghdad saying the Americans were losing the war against Saddam.
The voting will remain open until 1 p.m. EDT, Saturday, May 1. Please cast your vote on this thread, or send it to me via freepmail if you're shy. Please select up to ten winners. The top ten vote getters will win.
The nominees:
Peter Jennings of ABC News, for reporting so biased against what our troops are doing in Iraq, even he had to admit it. From the MRC's reporting of Larry King Live, Feb. 1, 2004, Jennings said: “One of the really strong impressions I had, having been there for only 10 days, is this strange ambiguity because life is improving for people in Iraq in many, many ways, and the U.S. influence in Iraq is having, in many ways, a very significant influence. Our focus on the loss of American soldiers and now civilians on a sometimes almost daily basis, it gets so intense, somewhat I think overshadows what has been happening, in more general terms, in restructuring or structuring the country."
Dan Rather of CBS News, for blaming the so-called 'lack of jobs' for getting civilian contractors killed in Iraq: From the CBS Evening News on March 31, as reported by the MRC: After Rather teased the lead March 31 story on the gruesome murder of four U.S. civilian contractors in Fallujah, in which the bodies where burned, hacked apart, dragged and hung up, Rather asked, over the “Risking Death” heading on screen with video of people in a job application line: “What drives American civilians to risk death in Iraq? In this economy, it may be, for some, the only job they can find. [jump to picture of American family] This family paid the ultimate price."
Setting up the subsequent story after a piece on the gruesome murders, Rather intoned: "Given such risks, it may be hard to see why any civilian would agree to work in Iraq. But as CBS's Bob McNamara reports, among other reasons, the long job slump has left many Americans desperate enough to risk everything for a decent paycheck."
The Washington Post for cheerleading the antiwar movement. The Post's A section, Metro and Style sections have been filled with glowing, unquestioning reports and profiles on antiwar protests and their leaders. In the weeks leading up to the one-year anniversary of the Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), The Post had at least eight stories promoting antiwar activism and zero on any pro-OIF activism.
Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-Chappaquiddick) for his "Iraq is George Bush's Vietnam" speech on April 5, 2004. Kennedy's rhetoric was soon echoed by Shiite punk leader Muqtada Al Sadr who said, "Iraq will be another Vietnam for America."
Senator Hillary Clinton (D-Chappaqua) for several remarks. Her morale-hurting remarks to the troops during her Thanksgiving trip to Iraq and Afghanistan. Her comments that the women of Iraq and Afghanistan were better off under Saddam Hussein and the Soviets, respectively. And for her recent international press interview blasting President Bush and his conduct of OIF. Click the link for Newsmax's report, which was later confirmed by Sen. Clinton's spokesman, Howard Wolfson.
ABC News' Ted Kopple and Nightline for their hysterical reporting of the much exaggerated looting of Iraqi antiquities after the fall of Saddam and for their May sweeps broadcast tonight reading the names of American servicemen and women killed in action in Iraq.
CBS News's Andy Rooney for his column saying our troops in Iraq are not heros, but victims, as reported by World Net Daily. "We must support our soldiers in Iraq because it's our fault they're risking their lives there. However, we should not bestow the mantle of heroism on all of them for simply being where we sent them. Most are victims, not heroes."
Michael Moore for his recent wrtings on his website, as posted on FR: "The Iraqis who have risen up against the occupation are not "insurgents" or "terrorists" or "The Enemy." They are the REVOLUTION, the Minutemen, and their numbers will grow -- and they will win....I oppose the U.N. or anyone else risking the lives of their citizens to extract us from our debacle...the majority of Americans supported this war once it began and, sadly, that majority must now sacrifice their children until enough blood has been let that maybe -- just maybe -- God and the Iraqi people will forgive us in the end."
NBC News, for hiring Peter Arnett and thus giving him the platform to try to undermine the war, and for firing Dr. Bob Arnott, who was one of the best American reporters in Iraq.
Mrs. Wanda Baucus, wife of Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) for her comments to then Washington Post reporter, Lloyd Grove, as reported by The Helena Independent record: This is not the first time Wanda Baucus has attracted media attention recently. A year ago, she was the subject of a gossip column in The Washington Post, after she posted a ‘‘Peace is Patriotic'' sign in the window of their Georgetown home.
‘‘I want the people in Iraq to have peace — the people whose lives are in turmoil because of the war, the children, their mothers, the farmers, the grandmothers and even the camels that are out grazing,'' Wanda Baucus told gossip columnist Lloyd Grove.
She is a painter and anthropologist and also expressed concerns about cultural artifacts. ‘‘When we watch the bombing on television, we really don't seem to understand or appreciate that some of these places are sacred. . . . I disagree with those who say that Saddam Hussein doesn't think about this,'' Wanda Baucus told Grove. ‘‘He cares about these places and their people.''
Sports Illustrated's Rick Reilly for his concluding comments in this week's column on the combat death of former Arizona Cardinals football player Pat Tillman, as reported by freeper Northern Yankee: I received my copy of Sports Illustrated yesterday, with Pat Tillman on the cover. My first thought was mixed of pride and sorrow. Pride for what these men and women are doing overseas, and sorrow as we grieve their losses.
Unfortunately as I read the article on Pat Tillman by Gary Smith, and the end commentary by Rick Reilly, my thoughts turned to complete disgust in regards to these articles.
Gary Smith talks about how honored we are to have men like Pat Tillman putting their lives on the line for America, but then makes our involvement in Afghanistan sound as though we are the agressors, and that the Afghans hate us being there.
It doesn't get any better as Reilly writes about Todd Bates, who was an American soldier that died over in Iraq trying to save another soldier, and Pat Tillman who would have resented all of this attention he is getting after his death. He cites the mother of Bates who says we're in another Vietnam, and that there was no good reason for this war.
Both casualties are treated with anger by Reilly as he sees them as senseless, and ending in no good purpose. He ends his column with these thoughts:
Both men did their duty for their country, but I wonder if their country did their duty for them. Tillman died in Afghanistan, a war with no end in sight and not enough troops to finish the job. Bates died in Iraq, a war that began with no just cause and continues with no just reason.
Rev. Jesse Jackson (D-Shakedown City) for his speech on April 3 in Boston, as reported by The Boston Herald via The Illinois Leader: The founder of Operation PUSH called the U.S. liberation of Iraq "a crime against humanity" and said Iraqi deaths resulting from the actions of U.S. forces are "murder."
Code Pink' founder Medea Benjamin, who led military families on a publicity stunt trip to Iraq last December so they could see their children and returned to the U.S. where she accused the troops of committing war crimes.
Richard Becker of A.N.S.W.E.R., for his statement giving "unconditional support to the Iraq anti0colonial resistance."
NBC News' White House Correspondent David Gregory for his badgering of the President with questions that could have been written by al-Qaeda's Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi. One example, from the last primetime press conference: "One of the biggest criticisms of you is that whether it's WMD in Iraq, post-war planning in Iraq or even the question of whether this administration did enough to ward off 9/11, you never admit a mistake. Is that a fair criticism? And do believe that there were any errors in judgement that you made?"
The BBC
Their Iraqi war coverage was so-biased that the Royal Navy unplugged the BBC from Her Majesty's Ships and other facilities. Royal Navy officers were concerned that the BBC coverage would demoralize their sailors. #10 - Rev. Jesse Jackson (or is that Shakesdown?) - Sure, he's a perennial wiener, but he went over the top this time.
#9 - SI's Rick Reilly - The dodgeball veteran takes a dingle ball to the head, and falls down into the ooze. That reminds me why there are no old, mold dodgeball players.
#8 - ABC's Ted Koppel and Nightline - With that naked display of chutzpah, they singlehandedly destroy late-night TV news.
#7 - CBS's Andy Rooney - This looney bird releases early and never makes it back up.
#6 - NBC - It just wouldn't be a Painful Arnett without, well, THE Painful Arnett. After that one, they're going to need a doctor in the morning; oops, they dropped the doc.
#5 - Senator Swimmer - It's a good thing that bridge had no guard rails; they would need to be replaced.
#4 - Michael Moore - If we ever need another dolphin, we could use him in the Rotating Surfboard of Death. On second thought, nobody would be able to jump him, or want to.
#3 - Senator Hiliary - She looks to the past, but she didn't see that one coming.
#2 - Medea Benjamin - She enters tickled pink, gets a Code Red, and leaves blue.
And my most painful Arnett of the year - Richard Becker. He even sinks the floaters.
What do we always say? "Don't be Arnetted!"
The BBC
I need to change a part of my vote - #10 goes from Rev. Jesse Jackson to the BBC - They tried to sabotage their own team and got log dropped hard into the sludge.
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