NY Magazine: Top Black General Worthless

Rush Limbaugh .com ^ | 3/27/03 | El Rushbo

[Libloather]

NY Magazine: Top Black General Worthless
March 27, 2003

Brigadier General Vincent Brooks faces some outrageous and stupid questions at his daily Central Command briefings. Some of them deserve to be answered dead on, but because of political correctness and diplomacy and all that, CENTCOM can't always do that. I can, which is why I sometimes answer these questions in a mock briefing. On Thursday, I focused on a question by New York magazine's Michael Wolff.

Wolff said: "I mean no disrespect by this question, but I want to ask about the value proposition of these briefings. We're no longer being briefed by senior-most officers." The press pool applauded the question, which drew a rapier-quick response from Brooks who said, "I've gotten applause already. That's wonderful. I appreciate that."

Can you believe the audacity of complaining that Brigadier General Brooks isn't good enough for the press? If this had been a reporter from a conservative news source, the press would point out the fact that Brooks just happens to be the only African-American general on the scene. Charges of racism would be made, because this question's underlying meaning is clearly that Brooks can't possibly know anything.

This war is not about Michael Wolff's stupid stories in New York magazine. It's about saving lives, including his. This is not a criticism of General Schwarzkopf, but the leader of this Gulf War, General Tommy Franks, isn't going to be out there talking to these people every day. He's busy picking out targets and protecting our soldiers. By the way, Donald Rumsfeld nominated Brooks for appointment to the rank of brigadier general in June 2002. Just another example - like Colin Powell, Clarence Thomas and Condoleezza Rice - of African-Americans advancing more under GOP administrations than Democratic ones.

[wordsofearnest]

R. Lee Ermy

[pooh fan]

General Brooks is terrific!! Composed, patient and direct. The press on the other hand, are maarooons with few exceptions.

[nicmarlo]

this question's underlying meaning is clearly that Brooks can't possibly know anything.

And that's exactly how it sounded when the idiot said this.....I was disgusted with him and the roomful of maroons who cheered.

[Pushi]

He said, after the reporter expressed that he didn't think it was worth his time to be there: "That's your call."

[2nd amendment mama]

Very easy way to settle this:

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: General Tommy Franks - Centcom

DATE: 3/27/03

HEADLINE: Journalists (Clymers) Going Back To Their Comfy Newsrooms/Propaganda factories

Effective Immediately, due to lack of interest, all journalists/so-called-journalists/newsreaders, etc. will pack their bags and be shipped back stateside. We are providing a 1 way flight and expect that you will never darken our doorstep again.This action was necessitated by the rude/racist/unspeakable behaviour at today's press briefing. Let this be a warning to any future journalist that thinks it's clever or cute to try and "dis" one of my men!!!

In other words.....GTF out of my theater! And stay out! If you want to be assholes - go home and be one!

[ALS]

I watched it and Rush is correct. The cheering from the peanut gallery smacked of the usual arrogance.

The reporters are there to report what CentCom releases. They are not there to direct what gets reported.

I for one am sick and tired of the media boycotting anyone or any event (usually Bush) that doesn't bolster their personal agendas. They exist to report the news, not make it up or create it or steer it.

If someone gets the balls to start a news network that just reports the facts in the raw, they will overtake these paltry excuses for news agencies in a heartbeat.

Fox is better than the rest, but after seeing all these talking hiardoos in way over their heads and asking field reporters questions that only the enemy could love, they are found wanting in the balances too.

Another point on real news. We need to get away from "experts" and approved sanctioned "guests" as our only window to the outside world.
These people do not represent the common view. We need the same thing FR and many websites have. Regular folks. Each with as much clout as the other, and free to bolster or lose that clout on their own.

The "Free Press" is not free, it's restricted to what is acceptable by the current perceived mindthink.

[Jen]

The last paragraph of this article explains why Wolff and other leftists disrespect/hate BG Brooks:

General is becoming familiar face to viewers

< snip >

Brooks, 43, comes from a rare family in which three immediate members are all brigadier generals.

His father, Leo Brooks Sr., is a retired brigadier general. And his brother, Leo Brooks Jr., is a brigadier general who is commandant of cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Vincent Brooks' military career began to take shape, and bring notice, in 1980 during his final year at West Point. There, he excelled in all three areas, or disciplines, required for graduation: physical development, academics and military.

...

Brooks' hard work paid off, and on May 27, 1980, he graduated first in his class in the military discipline.

He was the first black brigade commander at West Point.

He became the first member of his class to be nominated for general officer and was the youngest on the list.

"I am proud of him and not surprised at all to see where he is now," said Chory, who hasn't missed any of the televised briefings.

After graduation, Brooks eventually landed at Fort Stewart, Ga., where he served as 1st Brigade commander in the 3rd Infantry Division.

He led 3,000 troops on a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, Yugoslavia, where they worked with the 101st Airborne Division.

It was soon after that, June 2002, when he learned that he was being nominated for general ranking. Brooks was confirmed by the Senate later that year.

Brooks doesn't talk about his success in the military without crediting those around him--and sheer determination.

"[The Brooks family] are role models to a lot of young people, not just African Americans and soldiers," he said in a 2002 interview. "People can see the achievement and how hard work leads to it."

[wardaddy]

I just watched the man for the first time on C-Span.

He was as good or better than any Briefing Officer I have ever seen on TV and handle himself very very well.

His coherence and elocutution was a damn sight better than anything I could ever muster on my best day. He seems mighty young for a Brigader. I saw the "exchange". What did that Wolf bastard want? A Five Star?....

He is a credit to his uniform and us as far as I am concerned.

[packrat35]

I like the way you think

[goodnesswins]

EEEWWWWWWW....I'm going to have nightmares.

[kylaka]

Thanks for the ping AJ. When I was a 14 year old kid we lived on the same block (actually it was a tree lined street) as a Lt. Colonel whose wife was Roy Campinella's sister.

Roy was among the first few to break baseball's color line, but his career was cut short by an auto accident.

Anytime Roy came to visit his sister, he would pull up in a big limo, and hand out signed baseballs to the neighborhood kids from the back seat, before being wheeled into his sister's home.

I still have mine, (um, well, there are a few of them), and I wouldn't think of parting with any of them.

My point though, is that having a sucessful black role model as a child, pretty much squelched any and all comments about racial inferiorty, I have heard since. Make no mistake, I'm talking about the Lt. Colonel, as much as the baseball player.

[VMI70]

Thank you. You can join the crowd. No need to hurry thaough, as there's still plenty of room in the phone booth and no line.

[jriemer]

bvw,

I agree its as if they momentarily forgot they were being televised and then became immediately self-concious when Gen. Brooks didn't become flustered or defensive.

One thing I've also noticed about the timing of the CENTCOM briefings is deliberate timing of the event - 7AM EST. The Big Three broadcast networks have a really tough decision to make 1) run the CENTCOM briefing live (real news) or 2) run their morning fluff news programs and risk being scooped by other networks.

Real news is being made during the entire briefing even during the Q & A session; however, the questions reveal the insipid and biased nature of most reporters. For many people out there not used to seeing reporters other than "newsreaders" the briefings have been an eye-opener.

The War in Iraq is forcing the media to make a lot of uncomfortable choices and shining light into dark corners.

[WestPoint90]

I'm glad he is there. He is sharp. I was surprised that a one star didn't have any combat experience. He has his Expert Infantryman's Badge, but he doesn't have the Combat version nor does he have a combat unit insignia on his right shoulder. With Grenada, Panama, Gulf 1, Provide Comfort, etc that is surprising. He will get it now though, but will have not seen real combat. I'm sure some people look at him as the not so classic warrior. We need all sorts to win that is for sure.

[biblewonk]

Living in the "diverse" neighborhood that I do, my family really appreciates Brigadier General Vincent Brooks. It is so nice to see a black man that can so deftly undo the prejudices drilled into me and my family by our black neighbors. General Brooks rocks! I'd be honored to shake his hand.

[biblewonk]

Maybe General Brooks will be the next Colin Powell.