Today Show Uses 9/11 Relatives to Flog Bush Campaign over Use of WTC Images

The Today Show

[governsleastgovernsbest]

For a second day, The Today Show continued its assault on the Bush campaign for its use of fleeting images of the WTC on 9/11 in its current round of campaign ads.

To be fair and accurate, I must say that Katie Couric's words themselves were not nearly so provocative or accusatory as those of the guests she chose to bring on.

The three guests, three women, were relatives of people who had died in the WTC.

One was a seethingly angry, partisan, Bush-hater. How's this for a formulation: "President Bush has only agreed to come before the 9/11 Commission for one hour. That's 2 seconds for every life that was lost."

The same woman said that she was frustrated with the Bush administration and "fighting to get the President to come before commission given that 3,000 people were murdered on his watch." Then, apparently a devotee of the Howard Dean/Cynthia McKinney school of history, she stated "the Bush administration did nothing to stop it despite all warnings they had and did nothing to mitigate things on the day of the attack."

Katie tipped her hand with this little Freudian slip. She referred to the Bush "ad blitz," then tried to recover, saying "uh, ad campaign, I should call it." She mentioned that some relatives were upset, but then addressed the one pro-Bush guest, saying: "I understand you're fine with it, you don't think it was inappropriate?"

The woman stated: "Prior to 9/11 we reacted to attacks very minimally and I appreciated the leadership of Pres. Bush. He realized it wasn't merely a crime but [part of a war.]

A second guest, who was clearly anti-Bush but not as virulent as the first guest said: "I don't think images of death and destruction on 9/11 should be used for political gain. The issues yes, but not the images."

To Katie's credit, she did ask "would you feel the same way if Kerry used them?" The woman claimed that she would, "asolutely."

Then it was back to the vituperative guest. "They were nice warm fuzzy ads, with nice music, but that's not my reality of 9/11. We need to examine Bush's actions on 9/11. On 9/11, he was in a classroom listening to children reading to him. He has stonewalled the 9/11 commission. The time, money and energy used to produce the ads should be used to cooperate with commission."

Giving Katie her due, she made the following statement:

"It's really hard to discuss the state of the country without mentioning a seminal event in our lives, the biggest news event in our lives - I know it wasn't a news event for you. It's Hard to totally stay away from it, isn't it?"

The Bush-supporting guest opined "I think the ads were done tastefully." News agencies use the ads all the time.

Guest #2 stated that "it's OK to use footage for news piece or historical retrospective. But not for political gain."

Katie concluded by stating that "I'm sure the controversty will continue." Which if Katie has anything to do with it, it certainly will.

[Puppage]

Well said.

[clintonh8r]

Am I the Lone Ranger here?

No. I feel the same way. These people are typical of those Americans who want to be consumed by their victimhood. They wallow in it.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

think how ludicrous a relative of an attack on Pearl Harbor victim would appear if he or she acted like these modern partisan

Excellent point. It's only in our touchy-feely age, where people talk about "owning their emotions" and other such stuff, that people in the position of these relatives of victims would presume some overarching right to speak for the country.

[TomGuy]

Well, when the alphabetnewschannels and DNC and Kerry don't have any real issues to harp on, they have to make do with what's available.

Remember than dang carrier landing? Flamboyant! Flamboyant! Flamboyant! Flamboyant! Flamboyant! Flamboyant! Flamboyant!

[lol. Reminds me of the cable news harping on car chases, Kobe, car chases, Peterson, car chases, and car chases.]

[mountaineer]

By MICHELE McPHEE
DAILY NEWS POLICE BUREAU CHIEF

A photograph that became an enduring symbol of patriotism and firefighter resolve at Ground Zero is being used to promote a credit card. The MBNA "Spirit of America" MasterCard is emblazoned with the world-famous image of three FDNY firefighters heaving a flag over the World Trade Center wreckage.

A tiny portion of the card's proceeds benefits two small charities, including The Bravest Fund, established by the three firefighters. But a Daily News inquiry into The Bravest Fund's background has raised several questions about how the charity operates. The fund has not registered with the state attorney general's office, as required by law. FULL STORY

[Publius6961]

Isn't the liberal media then using the 9/11 families for political gain then?

Ya think?
That little freak had to go out of her way to "see" a body in that commercial, and to then have an excuse to be offended. I wonder how many sedatives she has taken every time a network runs a commercial for a yearly tribute to the victims? Now, that is clearly using the victims for "commercial gain". Has anybody asked her?

[Maigrey]

Did you happen to catch any names?

The NY Daily News ran an article yesterday, with the usual DNC talking points, and it seems that every last person in the article was on some investigation commission, or the subject of a book about to come out.

It would be interesting if TTS did the same thing with the first guest.

[Toespi]

Remember than dang carrier landing?

Yep, and it is looming in the background. Can't wait to hear them when this footage appears in GW's ad campaign. The dems have tried to head it off since day one, and I am anxious to see if the REPS will back down.

[Publius6961]

Why doesn't the Katie interview me? I could tell her how offended I am by John Kerry's traitorous activities since coming home from Nam.

Great idea! After all, I had a close family friend in the pentagon, on the day of the Muslim Mass Murder; although she was uninjured, I am sure the trauma will affect her all her life. My neighbor lost his family doctor in one of the airliners. I could have lots of opinions about that day.

We can all email Katie Colic and offer our services?

[Unicorn]

I expect nothing less from the today show.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Did you happen to catch any names?

Sorry, no. The angriest one had blonde hair, is all I can say.

[OldFriend]

These objectors are showing the country exactly what the agenda is for the 9/11 commission.

There is no doubt that the commission is being used for political advantage for the demons.

[Publius6961]

Am I the Lone Ranger here?

No you are not. The overwhelming majority of victims' families are living their lives with dignity and grace, and they have my daily prayers, theirs was a horrible experience.
The few, the gnarly few who used the incident for personal gain, to commit fraud, to fight and kick and scream that they were not getting "enough dollars" for their pain are the slimy losers that I can ignore effortlessly.

Those "guests" were among those disgusting few. And a tiny proportion of the slimy total.
That they would be "honored" and celebrated by the media is no surprise, and of little concern to me.

[Godfollow]

So three represent the many thousands who suffered? I bet not.

So, let's get the counter to their phony indigence, and find and air families who are for Bush and OK with the trade center thing.

[Tunehead54]

This was so predictable - we should have been better prepared.

The dims obviously were ready to hammer Bush on ANY ad connection to 9-11. They hope to force any reference to 9-11 out of the campaign.

Wish a dim memo on the strategy would surface ...

---

;-)

[maggief]

Is this the one, Monica Gabrielle?

http://www.skyscrapersafety.org/html/speaking_11192003mg.html

[Conspiracy Guy]

I'm with you!

CG

[maggief]

More on Monica, including pic...

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2003/06/18/911/index_np.html

[Publius6961]

but the Bush campaign people are going to have to think even more carefully about how they handle the related issues and images in future ads.

Nice try. What do we have here a stealth "rat"?
Only a child, or a marginal human being obsessed with "tribal" passions or quick to be offended, or who vote depending on "polls" or propaganda, would waste time responding to the marginal nut cases. It can be a very distracting and energy-consuming thing, but only if one is dumb enough to fall for it.
I will leave that sort of hand-wringing to the neurotic who checks who is "winning" before they decide whom to vote for.

[SquirrelKing]

Thanks for the info. This is why the only people watching the Today Show are 10,000 libs, governorsleastgovernorsbest, and the tenants of the rec room down at Shady Acres residential care where the remote control was lost between the couch cushions two years ago.

BTW: vituperativeness = my new word of the day!