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...
Exactly right and thank goodness for Rush, FR, Fox and the conservative authors and reporters at The Weekly Standard and a handful of others.
My parents are lifelong Republicans but, being older and a little out of touch, have long denied the media was biased. I gave up arguing the point with them. This year they BOTH have acknowledged what we have all known for years. And they are pretty upset about it.
If it was bogus then why didn't the newspaper that ran it simply deny it was legitimate? Instead they simply said "no comment"
Watch the language, or your stay could end abruptly.
Everybody wave goodbye to the hippie trash....
Astounding amount of newbies, trolls and usual suspects on this thread. Just astounding......yawn.
Prairie
Already e-mailed him...and his boss, Dan Nausley (dnausley@timesfreepress.com) at the Chattanooga Free Press.
Goodbye UAE troll.
See you when you come back around to bother us again.
I'll be waiting for you.
You have me confused with someone that care what Rhinos, NeoRepublicans, politician worshipers, and "party before country" hacks think.
I award you the kill...
You saw it, then you're right. I'll admit without apology: when it comes to the MSM, I'm a bigot. I assume they're wrong unless proven right.
Dan
Thank you.
Makes me wonder why he chose me to bother with his existence in the first place though.
*chuckle*
***Astounding amount of newbies, trolls and usual suspects on this thread. Just astounding......yawn. ***
Yes, there are. Hmmmm....
I haven't read much of the thread; just got home and was responding to a ping.
The newbies always seem to come out when information comes out that initially looks bad for the Bush administration. They just can't help themselves.
Like Rush says- bad news for our troops is good news to the left. Sad, isn't it?
Rummy: "you go to war with the Army you have........"
Quote "HOW MANY TRANSPORT VEHICLES / VESSELS WERE DECOMMISSIONED DURING THE CLINTON YEARS AND ARE NOT HERE NOW WHEN WE NEED THEM?"
Who cares? That has little to do with the current situation or the questions these soldiers asked.
If there is a REAL problem then I am happy they asked.
It is OBVIOUS by the reaction of all the other soldiers that these are VERY REAL issues.
I applaud their questions.
Good for them.
I never saw combat either. Does that make me a phony?
Anyone who flew jet aircraft when Rumsfeld did had large ones hanging. Dozens of pilots died when the technology of the time failed again and again. Flight instructors had an even tougher time of it. They had to train non-pilots and make them into top of the line stick jockeys. Alot of them died doing it.
Drooling....Thank you!!! lol
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