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.
Pictures are worth inches of water.......er....um....a thousand words. LMAO That is HILARIOUIS.
I lost it for NBC and TODAY and couric on the morning of 9 11, when her first reaction was to claim a Cessna had accidently hit the Trade center. I mean CMON NOW use your BRAIN. Look at the size of the HOLE and the size of the bulding and associate the size of a Cessna puddle jumper.
I was shown on that day how FAKE and sheepish these MSM folks really are.
What this gal did in the water segments just reinforces What I learned several years ago.
I think I remember that. Is that video where NBC had to actually start a fire to get the tanks to explode! ;-)
Tomorrow, Michelle Kosinksi will be on location in a flood-ravaged part of New Jersey wearing the new waterproof wonder-bra and panty set from Victoria's Secret. She will fully immerse her voluptuous, creamy-skinned bodice into the chilled dirty street water to show how deep it is. Sunday, Michelle plans to wear only a "Club Gitmo" T-shirt which she will wet for the Today show. Monday will be a completely nude coverage!
Good observations. Thanks.
bttt
I haven't liked that guy for a long time.
LOL--Can't wait for Sunday and Monday!!
It seemed to be "news" to the folks putting the "news" over the air. They seem to have a huge blind spot where actually respecting the intelligence and experience of their audience should be.
That they act in lockstep for one item per day should give them pause to reflect on their "reporting" skills.
Today's mantra is "Karl Rove goes to the Grand Jury without assurances that what he says won't be used against him."
His eyebrows scare the crap out of me.
Indeed.
As do our elected.
Someone on another site I visit, that definitely has its fair share of Bush bashers, asked me since FNC is not hostile to the administration, why Shep would be bucking station policy??? I couldn't even be bothered getting into that so I just left it as "he's a show boater."
Ask your correspondent to define "station policy."
That looks like a well executed plan. Kudos to those two! :)
That's my thought too. It was no coincidence. These two - or the people who put them up to it - were out to get Kosinski. I can only imagine the temper tantrum she threw when the segment ended.
I honestly can't be bothered to get into yet another "FNC is a mouthpiece of the administration" argument.
Oh, this is rich! This is your best report yet!
Understandable
I caught some of Glen Beck's show this morning and he was discussing this issue. He indicated that the "coaching" was along the lines of, "ok, Sergeant Kennedy, after you answer this question, you are going to pass the mike to Sergeant so and so." He portrayed the staging more as an issue of mechanics than substance. Seems like another ridiculous MSM fed controversy to me, like the "fake turkey" story.
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