WHY is that Peter?????? To busy touching up your scars from your frontal lobotomy? 
Posted on 11/07/2001 12:35:02 AM PST by JohnHuang2
A buoyant air of excitement swept the newsrooms with "reports" -- ostensibly from 'credible' 'sources' -- of a U.S. Helicopter crash in Pakistan, allegedly killing four American military personnel.Amid the pea soup muddle and haze (the 'Fog of War), reporters at times can be excused for the occasional -- but inexorable -- flubs and stumbles, but not this time.
Despite the holes and flaws, CNN ran with the story, posting it prominently on their website during the wee hours of Tuesday morning.
Not to be scooped -- or out-maneuvered in the pro-Taliban propaganda department -- United Press International did likewise, embellishing the narrative with embroidered tales -- straight from the orifices of Taliban "officials" -- of Afghan "fighters" walloping the chopper before it made its way back into Pakistani territory.
And when did this skirmish allegedly occur?
Not Tuesday, nor Monday, mind you, but on Sunday!
The fact that these enemy claims of 'heroic' success suddenly surfaced against the backdrop of palpable advancement on the battlefront by U.S. forces and the Northern Alliance should have raised skeptical eyebrows, but the pallbearers in the press were too busy attending a *funeral* to notice.
What 'funeral'? Why, that of Operation Enduring Freedom, of course! You see, the all-knowing, all-wise, all-seeing media elite have already declared our military operation a fizzling flop. News dispatches for weeks have read more like obituaries -- buzzwords such as quagmire, fiasco, debacle, etc., sprinkled ghoulishly throughout.
Memo to the Pallbearers: Check the Casket -- it's empty.
I'm reminded of that Mark Twain classic: "The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated".
And speaking of fizzling flops, ultimately that's what became of the Helicopter crash tale.
By midmorning, the newsiews stupid enough to have swallowed the Talibani ruse were backtracking -- if ever so gingerly.
Yesterday's Pentagon news briefing was priceless.
One of the reporters, broaching the subject, asked U.S. Defense chief Donald Rumsfeld if he could clarify the claims that four U.S. servicemen were killed in the crash.
In his unique, inimitable way, the Secretary wondered aloud what the heck the buffoon was talking about.
"Four service members were killed?", he asked.
"Could it have been another Taliban report?", he laughed.
"They [the Taliban] are very busy, those folks", he quipped.
In an obvious jab at the press, he said "they [the Taliban] must have a hot line right into the media all across the globe".
Take that, CNN!
Secretary Rumsfeld is not one to mince any words, and he certainly wasn't mincing any at that briefing.
Looking the assembled throng squarely in the eye, he reiterated that "when we have a Helicopter that goes down, no matter for what purpose, WE TELL YOU".
Rumsfeld memo to the press hacks: Next time, before trafficking in rumors and ending up with egg on your mug, check with me first.
My two cents..
"JohnHuang2"
They wouldn't know "objectivity" if it reared it's head and bit them ontheass.
HAH! They admit their ineptitude!
GOT THAT? CONSERVATIVES are a "major part" of the audience.
WHY is that Peter?????? To busy touching up your scars from your frontal lobotomy?
interesting since Limbaugh wasn't on the radio on Sept 11.... that outcry was prompted long before Limbaugh mentioned it.
There's not a snowball's chance in hades that they will ;^)
If ABCNEWS had a modicum of integrity, Jennings would have been fired long ago.
Ah, and the "press" would never do that, of course </sarcasm>
Could it possibly be that the networks switched and not "these outlets"?
Exact-amundo dear freeper!
On 9/11/01 our local radio station pre-emptied programming (natch) with ABC "coverage" as I listened (cringe) to Peter "the THING" Jennings I wanted to puke. Truly.
I have made every effort to avoid that lazy-eyed muck on TV and the only station I could hear covered him.
Admittedly, I was a bit too distressed about the entire situation to be really upset with him, but every other word out of his mouth was cause to give me palpatations.
I was outraged at the things he said. THAT without benefit of Rush's two cents.
Sometimes I think they just "don't get it." We do NOT take orders from RUSH. He just verbalizes what many of us feel on some subjects.
Pull that Canucks' visa....please?
Incredibly, getting facts straight from the Taliban seems to be their mission. And they wonder why Fox news has become so popular.
-Reed Irvine's Accuracy in Media
-the Ben Franklin Foundation--
-Citizen's Coalition for Responsible Media--
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