Ashleigh Banfield Lashes out at Own Network [Attacks Savage, NBC Distances Themselves from Comments]

Reuters Wire ^ | April 28, 2003 | Andrew Grossman

[ewing]

NBC News correspondant Ashleigh Banfield has ripped television news networks, including her own, for their 'glorious' coverage of the Iraq war and lack of focus on international news overall.

In a speech Thursday at Kansas State University, she also attacked NBC News for hiring right wing radio talk show host Michael Savage to do a show on MSNBC. Savage recently called Banfield a 'slut' after her reports portraying the radical Arab point of view.

Banfield, who first won notoriety for her coverage from the World Trade Center on 9/11, might be in some trouble for her comments.

In a statement issued in Friday, NBC News said, 'Ms. Banfield does not speak for NBC News. We are deeply disappointed and troubled by her remarks, and will review her comments with her. In the meantime we want to emphasize how proud we are of the journalism produced by NBC News and of the men and women who worked around the clock, even risking their lives, to bring this story to the American public.'

[N. Theknow]

Banfield, who first won notoriety for her coverage from the World Trade Center on 9/11

Reuters doesn't even understand the meaning of the word "notoriety". What a bunch of pretentious bubbleheads.

[PLMerite]

"...Savage (Weiner)..."

Is that some kind of "Achtung: Juden!" slang people aren't supposed to pick up on?

[nonliberal]

Whorealdo has talents?

I never really liked Banfield, although she does at times have that "naughty schoolteacher" look going.

[HamiltonJay]

Is this the bimbo MSNBC is trying to pretend is a star? The square glasses broad who was on the ground in afghanistan? Didn't take long for her nonimportance to go to her head if it is.

[gdc61]

i agree with you, sometimes the only way to overcome some of the lib/left propoganda is to out yell them. when what they are saying makes no sense, yet they keep repeating it. like the arabs only understanding military strenght. the libs are only affected by exposing there lies,and shouting it at the top of your lungs, until they slink away.

[sinkspur]

Count me another conservative who can't stand Michael Savage. The guy simply is neither funny nor interesting. It's like listening to a mean drunk.

Me too. Savage's shtick is being outrageous.

He is outrageous, to the point of embarrassment.

[HamiltonJay]

Banfield said it was vital to present the Arabs' viewpoint because of a lack of understanding among them and Americans in what has driven them to such violence.

Bullplop you ignorant slut! They are driven to violence because they are uneducated dupes, being manipulated by equally ignorant leaders who find it more politically advantageous to blame others for their pathetic lot in life, then to actually get off their lazy asses, face the fact that they are in the situation they are in because of their own ineptitude and engage in hard and difficult work to change it.

Their leaders are the Jessie Jacksons of the middle east... wearing $10,000 suits and telling the rabble what they want to hear, rather than telling them the truth and forcing them to actually improve their lives.

[SquirrelKing]

Relax.

[marajade]

Savage isn't a oonservative... he's a Libertarian...

[finnman69]

Anyone who signs up and creates this much intentional mayhem in one thread is disrptive. Many otheres feel the same.

Savage is savage and subtle as a blowtorch. he reminds me of archie bunker on steroids (not to dis the FR member fo the same name).

Just because Savage uses inflammatory language it does not make him a racist.

[twigs]

While I did not like her one-hour show the year after 9/11, I think she did some of the best reporting of anyone immediately following 9/11. I'm sorry to see that she does not stick with what she does well. These comments make me lose the respect I held for her. What a pity.

[ewing]

Dont worry Ashleigh will probably replace Judy Woodruff when she drops dead at CNN, where no one will watch her.

[BADROTOFINGER]

I listened to him twice. He made little sense and was quite loud doing so. Count me as another, tho I cant honestly say I have given him a full chance. As to why...

Talk radio in many ways is a conversation, a meeting of the minds between host and listener. I prefer a bit more intellectual content than what I heard from Savage. Medved and Rush are tops, and Glenn Beck promotes the basic philisophical tenets and keeps it really fresh with a kind of FM radio whacked out morning guy thing. I cant even rate Savage in the top 5...JFK

[ewing]

I think Savage is even better than Bob Grant in New York when he got on his rants in his prime..(which was Rush's inspiration for being on radio in the first place-listening to Bob Grant saying politically incorrect things on the issue of the day)

Now, Rush is too busy playing and getting invited to celebrity golf tournaments, which is fine he has earned the right after putting in his years for the cause.

[ewing]

I think that was a Reuters swipe at saying she is a overly pretenious news celebrity. (just a guess)

[N. Theknow]

In this case it is obviously one of a writer not knowing the definition of notoriety as "infamous."

Clinton achieved "notoriety" for using the sink in the White House.

Patton was "noteworthy" for his leadership in World War II.

[gdc61]

LOL ......READ MY POST 85. sometimes bullhorn tactics is all that will work, and when the horn don't work you let out the pitbulls.