Tim Russert - Democrat Shill

Sweetness and Life ^ | November 14, 2004 | Sweetness and Life

[Peach]

Tim Russert, Democrat Shill

We realize Tim Russert only got his job at NBC because of Russert’s then boss Senator Patrick Moynihan’s friendship with the then head of NBC News. But Russert regularly goes beyond the call of duty to his DNC overlords.

Behold this lead into a question for GOP head, Ken Mehlman on today’s (November 13th) installment of Meet The Press:

MR. RUSSERT: "On solid intelligence." And then 15 months later, the secretary of state came on this program and said this.

(Videotape, May 16, 2004):

SEC’Y POWELL: But it turned out that the sourcing was inaccurate and wrong, and in some cases, deliberately misleading. And for that, I am disappointed, and I regret it.

(End videotape)

MR. RUSSERT: "Deliberately misleading." That’s the secretary of state. So why can’t Democrats now say that the administration deliberately misled the American people?

Because, Mr. Russert, you are a liar.

The actual context of Powell’s remarks from the cited May 16, 2004 Meet The Press broadcast gives his words an entirely different meaning:

RUSSERT: Thank you very much, sir. In February of 2003, you put your enormous personal reputation on the line before the United Nations and said that you had solid sources for the case against Saddam Hussein. It now appears that an agent called Curveball had misled the CIA by suggesting that Saddam had trucks and trains that were delivering biological and chemical weapons. How concerned are you that some of the information you shared with the world is now inaccurate and discredited?

POWELL: I’m very concerned. When I made that presentation in February 2003, it was based on the best information that the Central Intelligence Agency made available to me. We studied it carefully; we looked at the sourcing in the case of the mobile trucks and trains. There was multiple sourcing for that. Unfortunately, that multiple sourcing over time has turned out to be not accurate. And so I’m deeply disappointed. But I’m also comfortable that at the time that I made the presentation, it reflected the collective judgment, the sound judgment of the intelligence community. But it turned out that the sourcing was inaccurate and wrong and in some cases, deliberately misleading. And for that, I am disappointed and I regret it.

It is clear that in his May 16th remarks Powell was referring to the CIA asset called "Curveball," who had been deliberately misleading. — Not the administration.

In fact in his original answer Powell insisted the administration honestly believed the information the CIA had made available to them and had acted in good faith. But Russert edited Powell’s response to make it sound exactly the opposite.

Doing so, Tim Russert has once again exposed himself to the world as the Democrat hack that he is. Of course this is not news to anyone who has ever watched him.

[4integrity]

I also sent Russert's 'misleading' statement to Brit Hume, Fox and Friends. I emailed Russert to say HE misled his audience and I hope Mr. Fitzgerald was watching his performance.

[4integrity]

Russert's email address: MTP@NBC.com

[Mo1]

FYI Ping

[kabar]

I also sent an email to MTP and Ken Mehlman about this issue.

[Peach]

I agree with you about Moynihan. He was a JFK Democrat - both of whom took national security seriously. They must be spinning in their graves to see what has happened to their party.

[Edit35]

That said, I still feel Russert is often an outstanding interviewer.

Russert does OCCASIONALLY get hard on left wing loonies like Dean, but NOT OFTEN.

Just enough so people like me (and probably you) nod our heads and say, 'yeah, Russert can be fair (when in fact he is anything but)."

But as a newspaper reporter, I can totally relate to your story about the TV interviewer seeming to ask "tough" questions to political friends while trying to embarass political enemies.

I see it practiced every day on TV, and occasionally in newspapers, etc.

Yes, it is very subtle like you said.

In the end, it is the reason the Bush Administration is declining in the polls, and I can only hope that someone in the White House and/or in the GOP power structure figures out a way to throw these deceiptful questions back in the reporters' faces during an interview.

[daviscupper]

My orginal post did not include the word "not" between did and say. Some smart "Freeper" with sharp eyes noticed it. Thanks. Here is what I resent to Mr. Russert:

Dear Mr, Russert,

I have no idea why you decided to take former Secretary Powell’s answer on a previous occasion out of context and use it to smear his good name. You know he did not say that “he intentionally mislead” the American people about Saddam Hussein’s weapon capability. But that is the impression you wanted to give. You know his full response stated that he relied on the best information he had at the time. He stated that the information from “Curveball” turned out to be not very accurate and misleading. You are a pathetic liar, Mr. Russert. You are disgusting. You smear a noble American Patriot to score points with your DemocRAT buddies. Did that make you feel good to smear an American like Secretary of State, General Colin Powell?

You not only smeared the great General Colin Powell, you smeared the Administration, the Commander and Chief, and demoralized the morale of our brave fighting men and women in Iraq. Our heroes who are fighting an implacable enemy do not need the treasonous behavior of a news anchor giving aid and comfort to the enemy. You are absolute filth.

Sincerely,

[fish hawk]

Notice too, that he had Mehlman on first so after he left,Dean could rant on with his lies and nobody to challenge him.

[Mo1]

Peach ... they are trying to discredit the President with regards to his truthfulness ... because they know that is a key asset the President has ... being honest with the American people

The libs tried this stunt back in 2002 and in 2004

The other day I was watching TV and just about fell out of my chair laughing when the lib said "Character Counts"

[desherwood7]

Well, Duh!

[Peach]

Mo1 - I agree 100% with your assessment and it's a major reason why the president must fight back against each and every lie and not hesitate.

It's another reason why I'm still smiling that the RNC is finally making a commercial using Clinton's words with regard to Iraq's WMD. I want to be among the first to view this commercial!

[Dave S]

How do you know Libby is lying?

How do you know he's not? How do you know that Russert personally found and made use of the selective quote? He does have a staff that does that for him. On the other hand, we do know that Libby personally forgot all conversations with Cheney, with Ari Fleisher, with the CIA and State Department. He also forgot all his personal notes to himself where he recorded these conversations he did not recall. These conversations, all a week to three weeks in advance of "the very first time" he learned of Wilson's wife from Russert. For someone who was tasked with dealing with Wilson lies, and for someone who asked the CIA who is this guy and why did you send him to Africa, you would think he would remember who gave him the answers to these important questions.

[hawkaw]

I think Tiny Tim will really like your last sentence!

[Grampa Dave]

Russert = Mary Mapes in Drag!

[Dave S]

First, the very fact that you refer to the partisan, political attacks on DeLay and Frist as "scandals" is revealing. They have not been convicted of anything.

They are scandals whether they are true or not and whether or not there has been a conviction. Definition: A scandal involves widely publicized allegations of wrong-doing, disgrace or moral outrage. A scandal may be based on reality, or the product of false allegations. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandal

Dem scandals: Durbin's false accusations concerning Americans at Gitmo comparing them to the Nazis, Pol Pot, and the Gulag; Berger's theft and destruction of national security documents; House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi filed a late report for an aide whose trip to South Korea was financed by a group that had registered as a foreign agent, which appears to violate House rules; an inquiry into whether Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) and his aides improperly conducted partisan political activities out of his Detroit congressional office; an inquiry into allegations that Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) violated House ethics rules and standards in handing over a tape of an illegally intercepted phone conversation to the press; and an inquiry into whether Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) misused his public office for personal financial gain.

With the exception of Durbin and his stupid claims made worse by lack of quick damage control, none of these really implicate the Dem leadership. If the Pelosi thing and some of the others were a big deal then would have been taken up by the Ethics committe and then there would be some media coverage. Either there is nothing there or the Republicans in congress dont have the balls to force the issue. McDermitt? Hell havent they adjudicated that yet. Didnt that take place when Newt was still Speaker?

[YaYa123]

At least on the internet, Russert's reputation for honesty is being exposed as over-rated.

Fitzgerald? Fitzgerald? you paying attention?

[StarFan]

If the left can't lie, they can't win elections for even dog catcher, imo.

So true. Or, as happend in Virginia, they run on pubbie values to fool the voters. When the right wins elections, the left cries voter intimidation or fraud.

[StarFan]

At least on the internet, Russert's reputation for honesty is being exposed as over-rated.

Think it's about time we start spreading the news with his sponsors.

[prairiebreeze]

I continue to maintain the WMD were moved or buried. It wasn't just CIA intel, Brits, Israeli's, even the bumbling UN said he had weapons.

But, we can't let those pesky reminders get in the way of the march to impugn the President.

[prairiebreeze]

Fitzgerald is a RAT tool too.