I had wondered whether the dinos would pick this up...I slapped my forehead when I saw the segment; I should have anticipated the way it would be portrayed. Today would never have reported the story unless they had a way to make the audience sympathetic to the teacher.
First, they have only the teacher on to tell his side, then they cherry-pick the quotes and have Laurer read the most damaging one (about the US being the most vicious country). Hearing a teacher bash Bush in his own words is fine for even moderates. Bashing the US is not as favorable to the oldsters watching, so Laurer quotes it himself with a chuckle.
Finally, mentioning the word "conservative" as many times as possible makes creates the impression that the student is the right-wing wacko. The teacher is just trying to do his job.
Typicla of the educational-media complex. They never miss an opportunity to harm America.
Bennish: "They never contacted me."
The parents contacted the principal and she blew them off. Then they went to the superintendent of the Cherry Creek School District. Other parents and students have publicly stated that they have complained to Bennish and about him to school administration in the past.
Right now Bennish is being interviewed by Peter Boyles on KHOW in Denver. Boyles, no rocket scientist himself and someone who doesn't believe that there is a liberal media bias, is tearing the Rasta man a new bung hole. Bennish has no recollection of comparing Bush to anyone other than Hitler in any of his classes.
Lauer: "They shopped it around to conservative media outlets and finally released it to one and created an uproar. On the tape you can hear Sean Allen [the student in question] asking you questions that seem to be egging you on a little bit. Do you feel you were set up?"
"They"{{{'theytheythey'}}},(in evil Republican voice) "shopped it around to conservative" {{{'conservconservconservative'}}}"media outlets and finally released it to one"{{{'oneoneONE'}}}"and created an uproar"{{{'up...roar...roaruproar'}}}}."
Who is this Lauer of which you speak?
Why should he be ashamed of his hour-long screed being played on the radio?
-Eric
"It's a nasty job, but somebody's gotta do it" -you must've needed a double dose of Prilosec ;-)
Lauer wants the audience to see that this reasonable teacher, just hates Bush. Doesn't everybody? (sarcasm)
This is a slow news cycle story. The guy deserves local coverage and disdain, not national coverage.
Local talk show host Peter Boyles interviewed Bennish after the Today show interview. When Peter asked him about his political beliefs he said he hadn't really thought about where he is on the political spectrum--left, right, in between--he didn't know. He's a life long learner and is only 28 years old and has an open mind. So like most lefties he's also a wuss.