TROLL!!
Posted on 12/09/2004 9:22:17 AM PST by Nascardude
Edited on 12/09/2004 10:05:10 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
RUMSFELD SET UP; REPORTER PLANTED QUESTIONS WITH SOLIDER
Thu Dec 09 2004 11:49:38 ET
Chattanooga Times Free Press reporter Edward Lee Pitts is embedded with the 278th Regimental Combat Team, now in Kuwait preparing to enter Iraq, and is filing articles for his newspaper. Pitts claims in a purported email that he coached soldiers to ask Defense Secretary Rumsfeld questions!
From: EDWARD LEE PITTS, Chattanooga Times Free Press military reporter
Sent: Wednesday, December 8, 2004 4:44 PM
To: Staffers
Subject: RE: Way to go
I just had one of my best days as a journalist today. As luck would have it, our journey North was delayed just long enough see I could attend a visit today here by Defense Secretary Rumsfeld. I was told yesterday that only soldiers could ask questions so I brought two of them along with me as my escorts. Before hand we worked on questions to ask Rumsfeld about the appalling lack of armor their vehicles going into combat have. While waiting for the VIP, I went and found the Sgt. in charge of the microphone for the question and answer session and made sure he knew to get my guys out of the crowd.
So during the Q&A session, one of my guys was the second person called on. When he asked Rumsfeld why after two years here soldiers are still having to dig through trash bins to find rusted scrap metal and cracked ballistic windows for their Humvees, the place erupted in cheers so loud that Rumsfeld had to ask the guy to repeat his question. Then Rumsfeld answered something about it being "not a lack of desire or money but a logistics/physics problem." He said he recently saw about 8 of the special up-armored Humvees guarding Washington, DC, and he promised that they would no longer be used for that and that he would send them over here. Then he asked a three star general standing behind him, the commander of all ground forces here, to also answer the question. The general said it was a problem he is working on.
The great part was that after the event was over the throng of national media following Rumsfeld- The New York Times, AP, all the major networks -- swarmed to the two soldiers I brought from the unit I am embedded with. Out of the 1,000 or so troops at the event there were only a handful of guys from my unit b/c the rest were too busy prepping for our trip north. The national media asked if they were the guys with the armor problem and then stuck cameras in their faces. The NY Times reporter asked me to email him the stories I had already done on it, but I said he could search for them himself on the Internet and he better not steal any of my lines. I have been trying to get this story out for weeks- as soon as I foud out I would be on an unarmored truck- and my paper published two stories on it. But it felt good to hand it off to the national press. I believe lives are at stake with so many soldiers going across the border riding with scrap metal as protection. It may be to late for the unit I am with, but hopefully not for those who come after.
The press officer in charge of my regiment, the 278th, came up to me afterwords and asked if my story would be positive. I replied that I would write the truth. Then I pointed at the horde of national media pointing cameras and mics at the 278th guys and said he had bigger problems on his hands than the Chattanooga Times Free Press. This is what this job is all about - people need to know. The solider who asked the question said he felt good b/c he took his complaints to the top. When he got back to his unit most of the guys patted him on the back but a few of the officers were upset b/c they thought it would make them look bad. From what I understand this is all over the news back home.
Thanks,
Lee
EDWARD LEE PITTS FILED STORY ABOUT THE TROOPS BEFORE THE POW-WOW WITH RUMSFELD
Developing...
Why don't you go ask Mr. Pitts, he's the one passing it out.
There is absolutely no evidence that anyone has gone through landfills looking for amour, especially in Kuwait. It wouldn't be there it would be in Iraq.
While waiting for the VIP, I went and found the Sgt. in charge of the microphone for the question and answer session and made sure he knew to get my guys out of the crowd.
This Sgt. needs to be Court Martialed this question did harm to the troops and he was in cahoots if not bribed.
Read a few dozen responses...see the tone and the underlying theme of 'how could they do this to Rumsfeld'.
Seems more people are upset with the question itself than with the reason it had to be asked. From the reports I've read, the question resounded with the troops.
I also read a lot of disgust with the troops for asking for more...hey, they guys in the Revolution/Civil War/WWI/WWII/Korea all had to go without, so you guys should tough it out and quit complaining.
Hey, it was an open forum. If leaders don't want to answer tough questions, don't invite them.
And of course who owns the Chattanooga Times? None other than the controlling family of the NYTimes- the Sulzbergers.
I haven't read all the repsonses, but the leftist reporter was crowing about his little ruse to try to embarass Rumsfeld.
I have no problem with a soldier asking the Sec. Of Defense a question, even a hard hitting one.
I do have a problem with that soldier being coached by a reporter with an agenda, and that agenda, IMO, is to defeat American objectives.
It is all simply an attempt to get a story and impugn the military. Bottom line.
Your anger is probably because you want the best equipment for the troops. Absolutely. However, the MSM planting an attack on Rumsfield isn't the way to accomplish this.
Well said.
He wasn't
12/09/2004: Secretary Rumsfeld Media Roundtable in New Delhi, India
Best armored vehicle in the world was the bus Dirty Harry drove bringing his witness back! Now that was armor!
I understand your thought on that perfectly.
I've been over here for nearly two years and don't keep up with the news well except on FR so I don't know who these reporters are and what their motives are.
Frankly there are many other questions that could and should be asked and answered. I have no problem with someone putting Rumsfeld on the spot.
Maybe some of it is that we are looking from different sides of the glass.
Like I said, I understand your point of view. Mine is a bit different. It could be that I'm biased against the HUMVEE anyway, armored or not.
#326 is pretty close to the truth from the reports I read.
But I guess that if you can't rebut well you can always slander.
To bad Senator Kerry didn't join Sec.Rumsfeld. Someone could have asked why he voted against the 87 billion.
The questions were admittedly staged by the reporter from the Chattanooga Free Press, not the Bush administration. Is that enough of a rebuttal to suit you?
The source doesn't invalidate the question.
Sure it does.
You are wrong. But so what? No one is perfect.
That question has been on a lot of people's minds, especially the troops. I'm pretty sure you haven't seen much of the makeshift armoring they comeup with. I have.
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