Posted on 08/08/2005 9:36:03 AM PDT by goldstategop
Jihadi Journalist: The Real Peter Jennings
By Debbie Schlussel
While the rest of the world is blindly singing the praises of Peter Jennings, here's a reality check: Peter Jennings did more for the cause of Islamic terrorism than any media figure today. And that's nothing to celebrate, honor, or even memorialize.
Before there was Al Jazeerah, there was Peter Jennings.
From the beginning of Jennings career until his death, Jennings' biased coverage went beyond the pale, bending over backward in "understanding" the terrorists who hate us-- from seeing "their side" when he covered the seige and then murder of innocent Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics to honoring an Al-Qaeda operative with a prized "commentator" spot during Jennings coverage of the 9/11 attacks.
Throughout Jennings' coverage of the attacks, he frequently featured a man named Tariq Hamdi (whose commentary urged understanding for the radical Muslim world), identifying Hamdi only as "journalist" on the chyron.
But, in fact, Jennings' friend Hamdi was no journalist at all. As I've written, Hamdi was an alleged Bin Laden Associate and employed by Islamic Jihad's U.S. frontman, Sami Al-Arian.
According to prosecutors and documents in the 1998 trial of the Bin-Laden bombings of U.S. Embassies in Africa (the 7th anniversary of which was yesterday), Hamdi provided Bin Laden a battery instrumental in those bombings. He's also an unindicted co-conspirator with Islamic Jihad frontman Sami Al-Arian, who employed him at his Islamic "charity" fronts at the University of South Florida. Hamdi was also an employee of a Saudi-funded charity raided by Customs agents for allegedly laundering billions to Qaeda through the Isle of Man.
This is the type of "journalist" and "commentator" Jennings frequently employed in his so-called newscast of which he was an all-controlling editor.
I always say, pillow talk is the most effective form of political speech. And it apparently had its effect on Jennings early on. When developing and heading up ABC's Beirut headquarters, Jennings dated (euphemism) Palestinian "beauty" Hanan Ashrawi. And it colored his vitriolic, anti-American, anti-Israel coverage ever since.
Then there were the sneers, the sneers of a Canadian high school drop-out for anything conservative, anything mainstream, anything pro-Western, pro-Israel, etc. Jennings' sneers and snide comments were always evident for those who did not meet his very left-of-center point of view. A great example was his sneering during the 2000 vote recount, and after, when Bush was declared President. Another was his sneering just after the 9/11 attacks when Bush delivered his speech to a joint session of Congress. Jennings' elitist sneers will NOT be missed.
While I never wish death upon anyone, it's only sad that Jennings despicable brand of advocacy journalism--parading as "news"--wasn't laid to rest along with him.
Unfortunately, that will not happen. Sadly, the female, more personable, non-toupeed version of Jennings--Elizabeth Vargas--is set to step into Jenning's shoes. She got off to a great Jennings-esque start in her first hosting duties at ABC's "20/20," last fall. She delivered a very sympathetic profile and interview of HAMAS operative and fundraiser Cat Stevens. Expect more of this to come.
It's sad when anyone dies of cancer. I won't dance on Jennings' grave, the way he danced on the graves of young, innocent athletes slaughtered at the Munich Olympics--the way he blasphemied their murders with his shallow, understand-the-Islamic-terrorists coverage. Unlike the murdered Munich athletes he dishonored, Jennings died in peace and without pain. He got to say good-bye to his loved ones. They did not.
But I will remember Peter Jennings for the less than honorable person he was--not the emperor with no clothing that is now being memorialized.
Jennings used to end his newscasts with, "And that's a look at our world." No, it wasn't a look at our world at all. It was Peter Jennings' slanted world, and every day he acted as if he was doing us a favor giving us his warped look at it.
No, Peter Jennings, that wasn't our world at all. Jennings' legacy is helping advance the cause of Islamic terrorists on broadcast television, parading it as news. He wrote his own epitaph with it. Unfortunately, it came with a lot more tombstones and epitaphs then just Jennings'--and most of those buried beneath are a whole lot more innocent.
They are the victims of Islamic terrorism--the brand Peter Jennings helped build into a network news product. That cancer,unfortunately, is still here. And it has metasticized
Amen.
May the man rest in peace.
May his legacy receive the scrutiny and vitriol it deserves. He did no less to the memory of better men than himself.
I won't lose a minute of sleep over this lousy anti-western propagandist.
I wonder how some FReepers are going to take the death of Bin Laden? I'm sure they'll forgive him. What some don't recognize, was that Jennings was a mouthpiece for terrorist trash like him.
I am on the 5th rung of hell, according to the Dante's test I took not too long ago. Lolololol
Thank goodness somebody had the courage to speak the truth about Jennings.
I agree, I don't wish death on anyone .. but I've never forgotten some of the awful, awful things he has said about America and about President Bush in particular.
He has reaped his just reward.
I remember as a kid PJ reporting on the Pope and how condesecding it sounded. After the Pope was shot I SWEAR Jennings prefaced every introduction to PJPII with "Looking somewhat frail".....and every time the Pope had a trip Jennings would say something like "will he make it?".
He had an extreme liberal bias that filtered into everthing he reported on...especially abortion, gays and well, all things conservative.
And personally I'm still ticked off about that snide comment about Pres. Bush, like: "some people are better at dealing in emergencies" or something like that on 9-11.
Don't you people remember that? I couldn't believe he said that on air.
What a shallow statement. I am sickened to think of how sick he was until he took his final breath. What a horrid way to die like so many or those we do know personally who have died similar. Why cant we gloat today on how far MSM ratings are down? Why do we have to dance on the grave of the dead? It just seems so un-American.
You need to reread your American history...
Oh, you're not being mean. I completely understand what you are saying too and I expected as much from the Today show and the other msm.
It just seemed snobby to me. Sophisticated and worldly does not a newsman make. Talk about some good deeds he done or something, not what his perception to (certain parts of) the world was Katie. (My wife forces me to watch the Today show because she likes pushing my buttons - so sometimes FR is my outlet :-) )
By the way, you are also right. It will be probably be much worse when Ted, Jimmah and the rest go....
We needed a thread like this last night. Those of us who didn't give a rats a$$ about his passing.
Debbie always tells it like it is. But some people cannot abide the unvarnished truth. Of course it's sad he died such a terrible and early death (self-inflicted though) but - there is no disputing Debbie's facts.
Peter Jennings will be in no history book. At the end of the day his relevancy is in the fact that the MSM is failing bigtime. He was rejected. His world news show has tanked over the years.
We are fighting terrorism FINALLY, Jennings world view is being rejected. Let that be his legacy!!!
What could be more fitting for him? He would feel right at home.
I remember when President Bush ended a war speech with the newly coined, "Let's Role!" I found it stirring (hey who doesn't remember where that came from?) Anyway, I happened to switch to Peter Jennings as he was doing the typical follow-up analysis. Jennings said, "...and the President concluded by saying, 'Let us role." Jennings also had this look on his face like a man expecting lobster for dinner and getting handed a hot dog (with Ketchup) instead. Jennings just couldn't deign himself to the actual quote. Oh well, that's his snobby 60's generation for you.
Please. That was not a quote from me. Go misquote someone else.
Nope. This thread is about what a sleazy weasel he was - go mourn on some other weepathon thread.
If you're tweaked on this thread about some sleazy little leftie scriptreader, you're gonna blow when you see what I do when Mr/Ms Sh$%head Clinton start to croak! Party time.
It was a quote in the friggen article. Sorry I replied to your screenname.
lol!
His tie is even stained from the booze
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