CNN's Brown Suggests Bush "Apologize" for Bad Intel on Iraq

Media Research Center ^ | 10-8-04 | Medial Reseach Center

[FlyLow]

CNN's Aaron Brown opened Thursday's NewsNight by asking a question, the very posing of which suggested he believes the answer is yes: "Should the President apologize for the pre-war intelligence that was flat-out wrong on Iraq?" Interviewing a guest a bit later, Brown inquired: "Should the President do what Tony Blair did and essentially apologize for the intelligence?"

Pairing how Bush should apologize for Iraq with the question of whether Kobe Bryant's accuser should be identified, CNN anchor Brown posited in his "Page Two" comments at the start of the October 7 NewsNight: "Good evening, again. The program tonight is full of questions, and we highlight two of them at the top. Should the President apologize for the pre-war intelligence that was flat-out wrong on Iraq? That it was wrong is not a debatable point. We now know there were no weapons of mass destruction, the primary reason given for the war. Tony Blair apologized for the faulty intelligence. Should the President, in the midst of an election campaign, do the same?"

Brown brought aboard Bush supporter Jed Babbin, a former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense, and Kerry backer Dan Feldman, a former National Security Council advisor.

Brown to Babbin: "I do think to some extent both sides are spinning a little bit on what the report says. The President today said that Iraq still had, that Iraq had the means and intent. David Kay just said that's just not at all, at least on the subject of means, what the report says."

But Brown also pressed Feldman: "Dan, doesn't Senator Kerry have a problem here given that he looked at all this intelligence and he voted to authorize, and it makes it harder to argue with all of this as it comes out, doesn't it?"

Brown followed up with Feldman: "Should the President do what Tony Blair did and essentially apologize for the intelligence?"

Finally, to Babbin: "Do you believe, just a slightly different question, do you believe if the country had known that there were no WMD in Iraq, that the President could have convinced the country to go to war?"

[Dawgreg]

He probably thinks he matters.

[AZamericonnie]

He probably thinks he matters.

He's the poster child for bad ratings.

[oyez]

Jimmy Carter should apologize for eviscerating our intelligence superstructure.IMHO< Carter is chiefly responsible for Middle Eastern mess, meanwhile his is in Florida bitching about loosing the upcoming election.

[Pastnowfuturealpha]

I think what went on with the oil/food issue - added to the total of deaths - they weren't all from sanctions -



just a thought -

[ez2muz]

Mr. Brown, has your mother apologized to America yet?

[Jenya]

Typical RAT. Always demanding apologies or resignations.

[wack-m and stack-m]

xand don't forget, WND was just one of MANY reasons given to supoort removing Saddam. The most compelling for me was establishing a free, friendly democracy in the heart of terror alley. If we lock up a tyrant who may or may not have banned weapons in the process...even better...

[foolscap]

Ok and when he is done I'm sure Kerry will jump right in and apologize for voting for it.

[Steel Wolf]

To complete my thought: Madeline Albright said those 500,000 deaths were justified "to contain the THREAT of Saddam."

Yes, but those were Iraqi deaths. Liberals, in this alternate universe, apparently care more about 1000 U.S. soldiers dying to solve a problem than they do 500k innocent children dying to prolong it.

[GalaxieFiveHundred]

Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America.

[Getsmart64]

Aaron Brown = oxygen thief....

[BonnieJ]

Another expectations set-up, from Brown and O'Reilly and the rest of them. No matter how articulate, personable, informative, etc, Pres. Bush is in the debate...he will have failed if he doesn't humble himself and apologize. Ridiculous.

[Question Liberal Authority]

Wow. The media demanding Bush apologize for something. Has this ever happened before?

[billhilly]

It is people like Aaron Brown who will insure that this country cannot defend itself. How many presidents with enough courage to defend us, no matter the consequences, can we expect to elect? One more. Two more? None? Probably none when they can all see what happens to a sitting president who gives up his political career in order to defend us. George W. Bush may very well be the end of the line. What then. The UN?

[matchwood]

Actually his mother ought to apologize for not having an abortion.

[GSWarrior]

Apologize for keeping his word? Does anyone in the media remember this quote from Bush?

"We will starve terrorists of funding, turn them one against another, drive them from place to place, until there is no refuge or no rest. And we will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism."

[Steven W.]

Aaron Brown is a real idiot. At the end of this same show he skimmed over the front page for a paper and noted a headline about UN Corruption and said something (like) "oh, that's about the UN oil for food or food for oil program or whatever that's all about". I couldn't believe the combined bias and ignorance he displayed.

[cubreporter]

Is he mimicking the bloviator O'reilly or is there a memo that came down telling eveyone to say the same thing.

[matchwood]

I meant Aaron Brown's mother should apologize, I hope you knew that's who I meant.

[Publius6961]

Any moron "media" idiot who has the gall and brass ones to feel important enough to demand that the President of the U.S. "do" anything, is on my personal permanent ignore list.

Doesn't matter if it's an unknown dweeb like this one, or Bill O'Reilly...