RUMSFELD SET UP; REPORTER PLANTED QUESTIONS WITH SOLDIER (DRUDGE SIREN)

Drudge Report ^

[Nascardude]

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...

[Cheetah1]

Are you guys blind?

Everyone is way too fast to jump on this story as a negative.

I don't see it as that. I see it as a legitimate issue and problem. This is NOT the first time this question or line of questioning has been raised.

Did anyone in here actually stop to think that MAYBE there is a problem?

Geesh

[kitkat]

***Let's quit pussy footing around over there. This thing may hurt a little bit at first but hopefully embarrasing Rummy will get him kicking some ass.***

Have you forgotten that Kerry voted AGAINST the $87 million to outfit our soldiers?

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Edward Lee Pitts wants to hear from YOU!

EMAIL: lpitts@timesfreepress.com

Phone: (423)757-6415

[bray]

And PravdABDNC wonders why it is in the Tarpits of Histoir?? The truth is so hard to hide by the press anymore. Hopefully this clown is on a plane back to his Ivory Tower!

Pray for W and Our Troops

[Stratman]

Remember: the troops still cheered after the questions.

If they were really pissed at the soldier, they would have booed.

In addition, it's not like the Bush people like anything but obviously staged questions.

[Darksheare]

Oh wow!
ONE more post!
And you have yet to explain your reason for your post to me.

[TexKat]

The MSM has gone off the deep end..........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just hope that you or any of your love ones are ever accused of a crime that the media wants to delve off into and exploit. Geez they will go snooping out a pair of your 25 year old soiled underwear and sniff them right in front of a live camera

[ex 98C MI Dude]

Yes, we will wave our magic wands and POOF! All the manufacturing capability we will ever want or need will magically appear.

I don't believe I've ever seen so many non-conservative types on a Free Republic thread in my time here. Definitely a time for the Viking Kitties if there ever was one.

[Wolfstar]

Whenever the media go into one of their pseudo-frenzies, I yawn and take the story with a large helping of skepticism. As for the "up-armor" effort, that's been going on since early in the Iraq war.

Rummy may or may not have said it artfully, but the fact is this is 2004, not 1941. All of the nation's manufacturing plants have not been converted to war use as they were in the 1940's. Many items are produced by only one or a handful of manufacturers, who themselves rely on a limited pool of suppliers for parts and materials.

So I defy anyone to show me how what Rummy said was in any way incorrect. There is a supply choke point due to limited manufacturing resources. You do go to war with the army you have, not the one you wish you had. He told the soldiers the truth, and pretty bluntly. Would they have preferred he lie to them and feed them the usual bunch of political spin?

[Darksheare]

Talking to yourself is a sign of impending mental collapse.

[Palladin]

This is all you ave to know. Rumsfeld served in peacetime when he was a pilot and flight instructor. Never saw combat. What a phoney!

Mr. Rumsfeld attended Princeton University on academic and NROTC scholarships (A.B., 1954) and served in the U.S. Navy (1954-57) as an aviator and flight instructor. In 1957, he transferred to the Ready Reserve and continued his Naval service in flying and administrative assignments as a drilling reservist until 1975. He transferred to the Standby Reserve when he became Secretary of Defense in 1975 and to the Retired Reserve with the rank of Captain in 1989.

[Polyxene]

What is it with "reporters" (and I use the term loosely) these days??? I guess the only qualification you need is the fabrication (lying) gene and the ability to shill your lies.

[Darksheare]

I'm still waiting for him to explain how he came up with that response from my post 305.

[Cold Heat]

Personally, I think the reporter did a great service to our troops.

Had this happened a year ago, I would have agreed with you. But not at this time and place.

These soldiers, (at least the ones who had the desire to know) understood full well that the un-armored trucks and vehicles they brought with them into theater would be armored as needed and that the soldiers would be using the currently armored vehicles of the units that have been in place or they would be assigned to areas that do not require armor in the southern territories.

The convoy into country would be done in armored vehicles and the un-armored would be brought in on flat beds.

This situation is indeed under control and the attempt to make an issue over is too late and a total waste.

This is pure political nonsense and that is not a good thing during wartime.

[Darksheare]

Hi taotao/taftkatld!

[OXENinFLA]

Sounds to me like it's not a lack of making the up-armored Humvees but a lack of getting them into the theater.

So to me this just begs the question:

HOW MANY TRANSPORT VEHICLES / VESSELS WERE DECOMMISSIONED DURING THE CLINTON YEARS AND ARE NOT HERE NOW WHEN WE NEED THEM?

[hispanichoosier]

The question is not valid when it is planted by a reporter who works for a newspaper with the following motto:

"To Give The News Impartially, Without Fear or Favor"

How can a reporter "give the news impartially" when--at the same time--he believes that "lives are at stake with so many soldiers going across the border riding with scrap metal as protection." While his sentiment may be true, his actions further tarnish the journalistic profession.