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Matt Lauer Equates G. Washington's Rag Tag Army to Iraqi Insurgents
Media Research Center ^ | 9/10/04

Posted on 11/10/2004 4:38:59 PM PST by Conservative Coulter Fan

Seemingly inspired by Chris Matthews, in a Tuesday Today segment with Lynne Cheney about her children's book on George Washington crossing the Delaware River, Matt Lauer referred to how Washington led "a rag-tag group, not well-fed, not well-clothed, completely under-equipped as compared to this great British army," and pivoted to Iraq: "Let me ask you to think about what is going on in Iraq today where the insurgents not well equipped, smaller in numbers, the greatest army in the world is their opposition. What's, what's the lesson?" Lauer argued that "the insurgents believe they're fighting for a cause as well. They don't believe any less than we believe." Cheney scolded him: "You're being awfully relativistic here. I mean, the insurgents are killing Iraqis by the hundreds, Iraqis by the thousands. It's not as though this is a matter between just 'on the one hand on the other hand.' We are on the side of freedom."

Back on the October 18 Hardball on MSNBC, Chris Matthews painted the Iraqi insurgents as modern Minute Men when he asked Jimmy Carter, author of a new novel set during the Revolutionary War, whether since that war represented an "insurgency against a powerful British force, do you see any parallels between the, the fighting that we did on our side and the fighting that is going on in Iraq today?" For Carter's answer, see the October 20 CyberAlert: 4www.mrc.org

Second Lady Lynne Cheney came aboard the November 9 Today to plug her new children's book, When Washington Crossed the Delaware: A Wintertime Story for Young Patriots.



Lauer began his 8am half hour session with Cheney, who was in-studio, by wondering "why this story?" Cheney explained that it presented a tale of "bravery." Lauer moved on to how Cheney would want young people to know winning was not a sure thing and Cheney confirmed that Washington's attack on the Hessians in Trenton was a brave and bold move. Lauer brought up how Washington used the "trickery" of leaving fires going to fool the Hessians into believing the colonialists were still encamped, but Cheney had to correct him and point out that maneuver was employed before the later battle in Princeton.

The MRC's Ken Shepherd then caught Lauer's next line of questioning.

Lauer: "Let me talk about this idea that a rag-tag group, not well-fed, not well-clothed, completely under-equipped as compared to this great British army and the Hessian could accomplish this. And let me ask you to think about what is going on in Iraq today. Where the insurgents not well equipped, smaller in numbers, the greatest army in the world is their opposition. What's, what's the lesson?" Cheney: "Well, the difference of course is who's fighting on the side of freedom. Ideas motivate people. And the idea of freedom is such a mighty one. There's a very good book by a man named David Hackett Fischer has written a book called Washington's Crossing. And I spent a good deal of time talking to him. He talks about how this is an entirely new thing. These are people who are fighting not because they had to, they could walk off. At one point Washington had to convince many of them to stay." Lauer: "I think he promised them more pay, actually." Cheney: "He did. But he also told them they were fighting for a mighty idea. And I think the same has been true. The same advantage has been at the back of Americans forever. We have a mighty cause in which we're fighting." Lauer: "I'm just saying, but the insurgents believe they're fighting for a cause as well. They don't believe any less than we believe. And yet—" Cheney: "Well, but Matt, you're being awfully relativistic here. I mean, the insurgents are killing Iraqis by the hundreds, Iraqis by the thousands. It's not as though this is a matter between just 'on the one hand on the other hand.' We are on the side of freedom. We are on the side that I think that idea is so powerful and does give us wind at our back."

Beaten back, Lauer moved on to how Washington was discouraged during the war.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: antiamerican; braindeadlauer; cokeheadfag; katieslappuppy; liberalmedia; mattlauer; moron; nbcnews; stupidity
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1 posted on 11/10/2004 4:39:00 PM PST by Conservative Coulter Fan
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To: Conservative Coulter Fan
The answers demonstrate conclusively that an awful lot of MSM people are Tories.

It's not too late to put them on small boats headed for Halifax.

2 posted on 11/10/2004 4:43:09 PM PST by muawiyah
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To: Conservative Coulter Fan

3 posted on 11/10/2004 4:43:34 PM PST by GalaxieFiveHundred
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To: Conservative Coulter Fan

Lauer has shown he's just a not so pretty boy in a suit.

Insurgents offer an alternative to the current government.

The terrorists in Iraq are not making an offer of something different.


4 posted on 11/10/2004 4:43:44 PM PST by Peach (The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they ever captured or killed)
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To: Conservative Coulter Fan

I must have missed the day in American History class that we learned how Washington and the "Minutemen" beheaded civilian hostages.


5 posted on 11/10/2004 4:43:53 PM PST by rightwingintelligentsia
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To: Conservative Coulter Fan
Lauer is such a downer. He takes every opportunity to make an anti-American statement. What an unpatriotic pessimist.
6 posted on 11/10/2004 4:44:20 PM PST by motherof 3
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To: Conservative Coulter Fan

Taking his cue from Michael Moore, who compared the Iraqi "insurgency" to the American Revolutionaries.


7 posted on 11/10/2004 4:44:57 PM PST by Mr. Mojo
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To: Conservative Coulter Fan

I believe Lauer's entire brain could fit under Mrs. Cheney's pinky nail.


8 posted on 11/10/2004 4:45:05 PM PST by Argus
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To: Conservative Coulter Fan

The fool has been listening to Ohio's Marcy Kaptur. The insurgents are NOT Iraqis. Matt is woefully ill-informed.


9 posted on 11/10/2004 4:45:25 PM PST by madison10
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To: Conservative Coulter Fan
I don't think Washington's army did all that many beheadings of kidnapped civilians.
10 posted on 11/10/2004 4:45:31 PM PST by VadeRetro (A self-reliant conservative citizenry is a better bet than the subjects of an overbearing state. -MS)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia
Can I use your quote and mail it to Lauer?
11 posted on 11/10/2004 4:46:27 PM PST by motherof 3
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To: Conservative Coulter Fan

I saw the interview and couldn't BELIEVE Lauer comparing the patriots who fought for freedom for our country over 200 years ago to the terrorist who behead innocent civilians.

Moral equivalence of the left in action. The same mindset that in effect says "forget about the innocents being beheaded and slaughtered by the terrorists - let's talk about Abu Ghraib!"

It's the same as the leftist nuts who weep over a man being executed by the state but apparently couldn't care less about the people that convict murdered.


12 posted on 11/10/2004 4:46:42 PM PST by PowerPro (DOUBLE W - He's STILL the one. Now don't that feel GOOD????)
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To: Conservative Coulter Fan
Cheney: "Well, but Matt, you're being awfully relativistic here. I mean, the insurgents are killing Iraqis by the hundreds, Iraqis by the thousands. It's not as though this is a matter between just 'on the one hand on the other hand.' We are on the side of freedom. We are on the side that I think that idea is so powerful and does give us wind at our back."

No offense to Mrs. Cheney, and I know it's easy for me to sit in my pajamas and say, but she let him off too easy. What she might have said to Matt and his viewers:

What have we come to as a nation when even well respected TV hosts cannot distinguish between the freedom loving patriots who founded a nation built on liberty over tyranny, and murderous terrorist thugs resisting the emergence of that same liberty in Iraq? Frankly, Matt, it's mind boggling. Next question?

13 posted on 11/10/2004 4:46:55 PM PST by Huck (Any man, gay or straight, can marry a woman. That's equal treatment under the law.)
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To: motherof 3

Yeah, I recall Washington kidnapping innocent Philadelphians and beheading them in an effort to free prisoners on the barge in NY Harbour.


14 posted on 11/10/2004 4:47:21 PM PST by MattGarrett
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To: muawiyah

maybe he should join them in their struggle against america so he can be muhammed abdul lauer washington.


15 posted on 11/10/2004 4:48:47 PM PST by CaptainAwesome2
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To: Conservative Coulter Fan

Something has to be done about Matt Lauer and his sidekick Katy Couric. I don't know what, but something.


16 posted on 11/10/2004 4:48:48 PM PST by ladylib (MSM is now The Old Media)
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To: Conservative Coulter Fan

Washington fought for freedom and liberty and the individual and a republic. These jerkoffs are fighting for slavery and collectivisim (they are both the brute and the mystic).


17 posted on 11/10/2004 4:48:53 PM PST by zahal724 (I own a lumber company? Want some wood?)
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To: Conservative Coulter Fan
Kerry said Ho Che Mein (communist tyrant) was just like President George Washington.
18 posted on 11/10/2004 4:49:07 PM PST by HuntsvilleTxVeteran (Dan Rather called Saddam "Mister President and President Bush "bush")
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To: Argus
I believe Lauer's entire brain could fit under Mrs. Cheney's pinky nail.

you'd first have to find lauer's brain to prove your point.

19 posted on 11/10/2004 4:50:45 PM PST by mlocher (america is a sovereign state)
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To: Conservative Coulter Fan
My ggggrandfather, David McGee, stood with General Washington at Valley Forge. Our family history does not recount attacks on civilians, beheadings, or dragging bodies through the streets.
20 posted on 11/10/2004 4:51:10 PM PST by HoustonCurmudgeon (May God Bless the President)
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