Posted on 10/14/2005 4:50:52 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
by Mark Finkelstein
October 14, 2005 - 07:10.
In a deliciously ironic twist of fate, shortly before airing a segment aimed at embarrassing the Bush administration by suggesting that it had staged a video conversation between the president and soldiers in Iraq, the Today show was caught in staging . . . a video stunt.
In the Bush/Iraq segment, Today screened footage indicating that prior to engaging in a video conversation with President Bush, soldiers on the ground in Iraq were given tips by a Department of Defense official.
But the only advice that the official was shown as giving was a suggestion to one solider to "take a little breath" before speaking to the president so he would actually be speaking to him. It was also stated that some of the soldiers practiced their comments so as to appear as articulate as possible. But there was no indication, or even allegation, that the soldiers were coached as to the substance of their comments or in any way instructed what to say.
Today's timing couldn't have been worse. A preceding segment focused on the incessant rains and ensuing flooding in the northeast. For days now, beautiful, blonde - and one senses highly ambitious - young reporter Michelle Kosinski has been on the scene for Today in New Jersey, working the story. In an apparent effort to draw attention to herself, in yesterday's segment she turned up in hip waders, standing thigh-deep in the flood waters.
Taking her act one step further, this morning she appeared on a suburban street . . . paddling a canoe. There was one small problem. Just as the segment came on the air, two men waded in front of Kosinki . . . and the water barely covered their shoe tops! That's right, Kosinski's canoe was in no more than 4-6 inches of water!
An embarrassed Kosinski claimed the water was deeper down the street but that her producers didn't want to let her go there for fear she'd drift away. But Katie and Matt, perhaps peeved by her attempted scene-stealing, couldn't resist ribbing her.
Matt: "Are these holy men, perhaps walking on top of the water?"
"Gee, is your oar hitting ground, Michelle?" inquired Katie, as she and Matt dissolved into laughter.
Moral of the story: people in canoes in four inches of water shouldn't throw video-stunt stones.
Finkelstein has degrees from Cornell University and Harvard Law School.He lives in Ithaca, NY where he hosts "Right Angle," a local political talk show. Finkelstein specializes in exposing liberal bias at NBC's Today Show.
I suppose not . . . but I am available for a Supreme Court appointment ;-)
Many thanks! As you've revealed, the talent among my fellow FReepers is much deeper than the water Kosinski was paddling in!
That is a riot! LOL!
The Fox news online segment is also very misleading. It implies that the soldiers are hand selected to answer and that they are being coached. Instead they arranged the soldiers based on who was the most qualified to answer certain questions.
Where's Baghdad Bob?? Hysterical~!~~
LOL.
"Ignore those men. They are standing on ladders under the water. The tides are at least 1,000 feet deep! The entire state of New Jersey will drown before the forces of our water!"
Surrounded by Great Whites, too!
I gotta go find that again and save it as a jpg...
Thanks for the pic....I just got digital recorder from comcast...still trying to figure out where to put what wires for feeding the HD from the laptop....I can see the possibilities already {:^)
BUMP for excellence in posting.
The original article at NewsBusters now includes video footage of the guys wading in front of the canoe. It loads quickly and is absolutely priceless.
I see now that the water is even shallower than I realized when I first wrote the piece!
Check it out!
http://newsbusters.org/node/2199
Thanks, Lancey. I must say that I have been getting a tremendous kick out of my story and the reaction to it. My day will be made if Rush picks it up - especially if he credits me!
Video of the scene now available at NewsBusters:
http://newsbusters.org/node/2199
This story is hilarious, one of the best ever. And congrats - I'm tickled for you that your efforts are being published on the web by the MRC.
Many thanks! This is really a fun one, isn't it!?
Just FYI -- "persona non grata" is the more common form (though your meaning was crystal clear!).
I don't have a clue what NSNR-CSAOTL means, but I'd be happy to. ;-)
OMG... funny story, but even funnier is your screen capture in #72! Michelle looks like an absolute FOOL in that canoe! ;-D
Check out the video link. It gets better!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.