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.
Yes. They were definitely Freepers. It is a well-known fact that Freepers' legs are at least ten feet long so that when they are wading in very deep water, it will only look like it is about 3 or 4 inches deep. Just ask Dan Rather.
Thanks - it's been a lot of fun today!
I don't know who gave Rush and Hume a heads up but both couldn't resist covering it. Rush said it came just before their segment condemning the Administration over the staged photo op with our troops yesterday. He also reminded us of the 'staged' photo op several years backof the Xlintoons dancing on a beach WITHOUT MUSIC.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1502290/reply?c=170
It is when one is trolling and claiming that the interview was staged propaganda.
Click the link above, it takes you to the reply to page where you can view the comment.
They said, and I quote: "I do not find another staged propaganda event by the Administration amusing at all."
They were trolling.
Lots of FReepers, myself included, emailed Rush, and I also emailed my story to Brit!
LOL.
You know, when I first wrote the story, I said the water was no more than 4-6 inches deep. When I saw the still photo, it seemed as if the water was toward the high end of that range, so I went back into the NewsBusters piece and edited it to say "6 inches or so." But when I was able to see the actual video, it was clear the water was incredibly shallow, and I went back and re-inserted the 4-6 inches.
The video is truly priceless!
Congratulations:
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=17874_About_Staged_Video_Stunts&only
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/10/14/D8D824KO4.html
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1502467/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1502454/posts
Thanks for the links. I emailed Michelle Malkin to let her know that getting her Tip of the Hat of the Day meant more to me than getting an Oscar from the Hollywood crowd!
I suspected as much, LOL.
Oh man, I'm still laughing – absolutely hilarious. It couldn't have happened to a better news show.
Brit had it today (Friday).
Mark
Don't know about the fishkill, but you're right on about the exploding pick-up.
Their fake teeth. Their fake breast. Their fake hair. Their fake eye color. Their fake tans.
As Patton said "God help me I love it so"
This is rich.
ping!
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