Cher's call to C-Span(transcript, and lou dobbs is one of Cher's best friends)

C-Span, ProgressiveU ^ | 5/28/06 | Cher

[Dane]

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

C-SPAN'S "WASHINGTON JOURNAL"

Call from Cher on C-SPAN Sunday, May 28 at approx. 7:20 a.m. ET

CHER: HELLO?

Host: GOOD MORNING.

CHER: NO, THIS IS MALIBU, CALIFORNIA.

Host: GO AHEAD.

CHER: HI, I HAVE CALLED YOU BEFORE, AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO BE REALLY CALM WHILE I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS, BUT I HAVE TO SAY, THIS REGIME IS -- I'VE BEEN ALIVE FOR 11 PRESIDENTS. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN MY LIFE. I BELONG TO AN ORGANIZATION CALLED OPERATION HELMET. AND THESE PEOPLE. THE SO-CALLED CHRISTIAN REPUBLICANS HAVE SENT THE MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR ARMED FORCES INTO BATTLE WITHOUT THE PROPER HELMETS. THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE THE KEVLAR INSERTS. I WOULD LIKE TO READ SOMETHING, IF YOU WOULD LET ME, FROM ONE OF THE SOLDIERS, HE SAID: "HI, MY NAME IS CORPORAL __, I AM IN THE U.S. MARINES THIRD BATTALION, 4th MARINES WEAPONS COMPANY. THANK YOU FOR THIS ENDEAVOR IT'S TRULY GREAT WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING. I HAVE BEEN IN IRAQ TWICE, WE ARE SLATED TO GO BACK, ALMOST ALL OF OUR SENIOR GUYS ARE GETTING OUT. WE HAVE AROUND 80% NEW GUYS IN DEPLOYMENT. WE DO NOT HAVE -- WE DON'T HAVE THE ARMOR FOR OUR HMVs. WE ALSO HAVE HAD TO USE OLD HELMETS, AND WE WOULD TRULY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU COULD DONATE THIS TO OUR CAUSE BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY MEN WHO ARE GETTING -- THERE ARE SO MANY MEN WHO ARE HAVING HEAD WOUNDS. AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU COULD PLEASE HELP US BUY THESE INSERTS." SO I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS GOVERNMENT CAN SEND MEN INTO WAR WITHOUT THE PROPER HELMETS, WITHOUT THE PROPER ARMOR FOR THEIR HUMVEES.

AND I HAVE PERSONALLY HELPED THIS DR. MEADER WITH HIS OPERATION HELMET, GATHER $116,000 SO THAT WE COULD PUBLICLY DO WHAT THE ARMY IS NOT DOING. I AM SORRY I'M EMOTIONAL ABOUT THIS, I AM SO PISSED OFF AT THESE PEOPLE. I HAVE FINALLY JUST HAD ENOUGH OF THEM.

HOST: HOW DID THIS GET UNDERWAY?

CHER: DR. MEADE HAD A GRANDSON AND HE WAS SAYING THEY WERE REALLY NERVOUS BECAUSE THEY WERE HAVING TO USE USED HELMETS AND HAD NO KEVLAR INSERTS, AND THE ARMY WAS SAYING THEY HAD RUN OUT OF MONEY FOR THIS PARTICULAR THING. THE WORST WOUNDS ARE HEAD WOUNDS AND AMPUTATIONS. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW OUR GOVERNMENT... I MEAN, THIS PRESIDENT WHO CLAIMS TO BE A CHRISTIAN, HOW CAN A CHRISTIAN SEND PEOPLE INTO HARM'S WAY AND NOT MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PROPERLY TAKEN CARE OF? SO, YOU KNOW, IF HE BELIEVES IN HELL, I WOULD BE REALLY NERVOUS IF I WAS HIM.

HOST: THE WEBSITE IS OPERATION- HYPHEN-HELMET.ORG AND YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THIS?

CHER: I AM ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT DONATED TO IT.

HOST: IS THIS CHER?

CHER: YEAH.

HOST: THANK YOU FOR CALLING THIS IS THE SECOND TIME YOU PHONED?

CHER: YEAH, I KNOW THAT I AM AN ENTERTAINER AND FROM HOLLYWOOD AND SHOULDN'T HAVE A CONSCIENCE BUT I AM AN AMERICAN AND I CANNOT BEAR THESE PEOPLE FOR ANOTHER MOMENT.

HOST: DO YOU THINK WE WILL SEE MORE OF YOU AND OTHERS SPEAKING OUT ON THE WAR?

CHER: ACTUALLY I HAVE TO GO WITH DR. MEADERS TO GO TO CONGRESS. HE HAS TO GO AND MEET THEM, BECAUSE SOMEHOW THE ARMY SEEMS TO THINK THAT HE IS CREATING A BREACH BETWEEN SOLDIERS AND THE ARMY AND NOT LETTING THEM HAVE CONFIDENCE, YOU KNOW, IN THE ARMY, SO HE'S HAVING TO MEET WITH PEOPLE OF THE PENTAGON FOR SOME OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND HE'S QUITE NERVOUS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE HE'S JUST DONE ALL OF THIS BY HIMSELF. HE'S JUST A GRANDFATHER.

HOST: WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO BE IN WASHINGTON?

CHER: I THINK IT'S THE 14th BECAUSE HE'S SO NERVOUS ABOUT GOING THERE, HE'S AFRAID OF WHAT THEY WILL DO WITH HIM AND ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS IS LOU DOBBS SO I CALLED LOU TO GET THIS PREPARATION BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE AND I AM JUST GOING TO BE WITH HIM. SO, LOOK, HE'S JUST A GREAT MAN TRYING TO DO SOMETHING FOR HIS GRANDSON, AND HIS GRANDSON SAID, LOOK, I CAN'T TAKE THE HELMET INSERTS, UNLESS YOU CAN GET IT FOR ALL OF THE REST OF MY BROTHERS.

Host: HOW MUCH DO THESE INSERTS COST?

CHER: I THINK IT'S $79 AND $99, TWO DIFFERENT PRICES FOR THE DIFFERENT SIZE HELMETS.

HOST: WELL, WHEN YOU ARE HERE ON JUNE 14th, WHY DON'T YOU STOP ON BY AND TAKE SOME CALLS AND COME ON THE WASHINGTON JOURNAL.

CHER: OKAY, HE'S A VERY WONDERFUL MAN.

HOST: CHER, THANK YOU FOR CALLING BACK, WE APPRECIATE IT. KEEP WATCHING.

[MilspecRob]

Quite possibly true, in fact I will give that up to you.

But 100's of millions later...its Cher.

[Dane]

I really don't care if she insults the president (I don't see what this has to do with the troops noggins), her choice, free country and all that

Abd in a free country I have the right to question why some think this woman, is the ultimate expert on helmet safety, while she throws gratutious insults at the President(as does her best friend lou dobbs).

[luckystarmom]

Supposedly the Marines are doing a "study" on the effectiveness of the inserts. Instead of waiting for the Marines to finish their "study", Operation Helmut is donating the inserts.

I think Cher's heart is in the right place on this one. If it helps our troops, then I say "thanks".

Just because you don't agree with her most of the time doesn't mean that she is always wrong.

[Dane]

Supposedly the Marines are doing a "study" on the effectiveness of the inserts. Instead of waiting for the Marines to finish their "study", Operation Helmut is donating the inserts.

No problem, afterall Cher is probably an expert in inserts in some ways, in her chest, in her tush, etc. etc..

Those dumb Marines, they don't know an expert when they see one.

[proudofthesouth]

I've read in interviews that she has given that she gives credit to Sonny for her career. That he was the one who molded and pushed her.

[JNL]

She's not but the doctors she listening to are. I thought that was obvious.

[luckystarmom]

It's the same insert that the army already uses.

[stands2reason]

So, how does Cher's endorsement make the padding idea invalid?

[Khepri]

Bottomline, Cher is a jackass for trying to pin this on the administration. Any congreeman can introduce a bill to fund all the damn helmut pads anyone could want. If Bush vetoed that bill, then blame him!

She's also a jackass for bringing up the Humvee garbage again. The humvees without the plating were not frontline vehicles, but the terrorists began attacking the non-frontline humvees with IEDs creating the need. It was an UNEXPECTED TURN OF EVENTS. It has been addressed.

The question is, how long have these pads been available, and who didn't budget for them *if* they were even known of?

[FreeReign]

It's the same insert that the army already uses...

Yes, I believe the Army does now equip its soldiers with helmets that are padded.

So which padded helmet is better?

A study has been commisioned to find out.

[Quix]

but wants to make sure the guys and gals out there are O.K.
- - - - -

And I'll applaud virtually anyone's DOING THAT.

[stands2reason]

Show where Quix has defended celebrities.

If you can't, you should retract your comment.

[RandallFlagg]

Then she could run around half naked and entertain our troops.

Oh, come on.
It's DINNERTIME in some time zones, ya know...

[Dane]

And I'll applaud virtually anyone's DOING THAT(making sure that our servicemen and women are as safe as posiible)

While cher puts her in her gratuitous insults to President Bush and DOD Sec. Rimsfeld who are doing just that.

[stands2reason]

Yes, and I wish I could remember which neurosurgeon it was who was discussing it. He wasn't affiliated with Cher or this doctor she mentioned-that's why I gave it more credence than if it were just Cher and one of her buddies talking about it

Well. if this neurosurgeon has ever listened to a Cher song, that completely invalidates his expertise. (/sarcasm)

[Quix]

Thanks tons.

I don't think emotions are great facilitators of rational thought, far too often.

The probably galling thing is I've long deplored Cher and all she stood for! I should realize at higher mental volume that 100% distortions and lies about what I stand for and support and what I don't . . . . just don't matter a gnat's fart's worth . . . . consider the source making an incrfeasingly overt, nasty and clueless spectacle of themselves and go on . . .

Getting closer! LOL.

Thanks much.

[txdoda]

I have the right to question why some think this woman, is the ultimate expert on helmet safety,

YOU are the only one calling Cher an "ultimate expert on helmet safety".

IF you really wanted info on this helmet issue you would check the link in post 6 & find Dr Meaders started it up back in 2004 ... long before Cher got involved.

Your main issue here is that Cher claims to be best friends w/Dobbs as you proved in YOUR title & YOUR post 1.

Nobody's really interested in WHO Cher *claims* for a friend, EXCEPT YOU.

[Quix]

At least THOSE OF HER DOLLARS do not go toward supporting the likes of traitors like Shrillery et al.

[Guenevere]

I think Cher's heart is in the right place on this one.If it helps our troops, then I say "thanks"

Does it help our troops to hear their Commander in Chief and Secretary of Defense denigrated by name calling & slander?

Do you truly not think our President & our Dept of Defense want the very best for our military?

Does anyone remember Rumsfeld's quote "you go in with what you have"...

...IOW, Bill Clinton had 8 years to weaken, demoralize, and defund,defund, defund!!!!! our military....

..but Cher gets off calling the 'Christian Republicans' vile names and casting vile assumptions!

Good mercy......Where are the brains y'all were born with?????????

Do you really flip this easily???????

Guess what folks....there are plenty of people....good, Christian, I dare say Republican and Democrat honest to goodness people....who are quietly and effectively involved in programs to send our troops needed equipment and accessories!

And these good people don't have to grandstand!!!!!!!! and call public attention to themselves to get the job done!

Think folks.....THINK!

Would you be saying the same thing about Jane Fonda or for goodness sakes, the Dixie Chics?

PLEASE THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK!

[Dane]

Amazing the persuasiveness of Hollywood celebrity in modern American culture isn't it.