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CBS' Plante: "Dick Cheney Wouldn't Tell Us if Our Shirts were on Fire"
The Early Show/NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

Posted on 02/14/2006 4:39:05 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest

by Mark Finkelstein

February 14, 2006 - 07:33

Imagine you're a member of the media, and in your heart you believe that a major official wouldn't mind seeing you burn to death. Think that might affect the way you cover him?

A comment this morning by veteran CBS reporter Bill Plante, while perhaps intended to be light-hearted, pulled back the curtain on just how antagonistic the White House press corps believes VP Cheney to be toward them. But more importantly, it suggests how antagonistic they likely feel in return.

The topic was the Veep's accidental shooting of hunting partner Harry Whittington, and more particularly the very contentious press conference yesterday between the White House press corps and presidential spokesman Scott McClellan.

Plante claimed that:

"It's not about us, it's not about the reporters. It's about the fact that the White House is expected to disclose any information about what happens to the President and the Vice-President as soon as they can. In any other White House that I've covered, and that's several as you know, the Vice-President would never have this kind of power [to control the flow of information."

Plante then added his zinger:

"But if it were up to Dick Cheney, he wouldn't tell us if our shirts were on fire, for heaven's sake."

Back in New York, Harry Smith broke into nervous laughter, perhaps aware that Plante had let the cat out of the bag on just how much the White House press corps disdains the Vice-President of the United States.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: cbs; cbsnews; cheney; earlyshow; harrysmith; harrywhittington; mediabias; plante; shooting; whittington
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To: hflynn

he wouldn't walk across the street to piss on you if you were on fire. Nor would I...

AMEN!


81 posted on 02/14/2006 5:13:05 AM PST by RedEyeJack
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
By the way, again, thank you for this each day. Your work and perspective is A-1.

You make FR just that much more superlative!

82 posted on 02/14/2006 5:14:49 AM PST by beyond the sea (Let's give them something to talk about............. howaboutlovelovelove?)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
"But if it were up to Dick Cheney, he wouldn't tell us if our shirts were on fire, for heaven's sake."

Not true .. The VP would tell them

But they are so bleeping arrogant, they would ignore what he said .... because they know everything

83 posted on 02/14/2006 5:16:22 AM PST by Mo1 (Republicans protect Americans from Terrorists.. Democrats protect Terrorists from Americans)
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To: sirchtruth

Actually we're being a bit unfair. If their shirts were on fire, Cheney would tell them, he'd have Scott tell them, he'd send all the papers a press release, but they wouldn't believe him.

White house press corps: What do you mean our shirts are on fire? What do you consider fire, you said smolder, do you mean fire, or fire potential, what do you mean by burn, what is hot, how do we know that burner is on? Ouch, you lied.

Or something like that


84 posted on 02/14/2006 5:16:59 AM PST by Kay Syrah
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

85 posted on 02/14/2006 5:17:33 AM PST by maggief (and the dessert cart rolls on ...)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Let me be the first to volunteer to light David Gregory up in front of the VP's office, just to test this hypothesis.


86 posted on 02/14/2006 5:17:43 AM PST by JustaCowgirl (Jimmy Carter -- as ugly and loathsome as a Democrat funeral.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
"But if it were up to Dick Cheney, he wouldn't tell us if our shirts were on fire, for heaven's sake."

There are many in the old media whom I would not inform when a bus was going to run them over. That's how I feel about the damage the media does to this nation.

****

The old established/liberal/socialist media is America's most ruthless, relentless, and destructive enemy.

Huxley: “ The greatest triumphs of propaganda have been accomplished, not by doing something, but by refraining from doing. Great is truth, but still greater, from a practical point of view, is silence about truth." — Old Media lives these words.

****

87 posted on 02/14/2006 5:18:16 AM PST by beyond the sea (Let's give them something to talk about............. howaboutlovelovelove?)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest


Cheney should demand a new press corp just to really screw up their day.


88 posted on 02/14/2006 5:18:29 AM PST by Malsua
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Imagine you're a member of the media, and in your heart you believe that a major official wouldn't mind seeing you burn to death.





Forget the major official. The average guy feels pretty much the same way.


89 posted on 02/14/2006 5:18:55 AM PST by Brilliant
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To: governsleastgovernsbest


Bill Plante: Big Time

90 posted on 02/14/2006 5:19:10 AM PST by OESY
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To: airborne

lol


91 posted on 02/14/2006 5:19:12 AM PST by beyond the sea (Let's give them something to talk about............. howaboutlovelovelove?)
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Marcelle & Senator Leahy, Robin Smith & Bill Plante
92 posted on 02/14/2006 5:19:34 AM PST by maggief (and the dessert cart rolls on ...)
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To: beyond the sea

Many thanks, bts - it means a lot to know that fellow FReepers enjoy my threads.


93 posted on 02/14/2006 5:19:46 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest (Watching the Today Show Since 2002 So You Don't Have To.)
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To: pikachu

I second that emotion!


94 posted on 02/14/2006 5:19:53 AM PST by Chickenhawk Warmonger (Join the chickenhawk express at www.chickenhawkexpress.blogspot.com)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Note, Clinton went a year after Monica story broke before having a press conference. Press corps didn't asked on round of questions when it broke, got no answeres, and then stopped saying, "We've asked the question, what else do you want us to do?"


95 posted on 02/14/2006 5:20:39 AM PST by SampleMan
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To: RedEyeJack
"Where was all this indignation when Hillery, Nussbaum, and Maggie Williams were keeping the police out of Vince Foster's officer while they "sanitized" it? "

Good one!

96 posted on 02/14/2006 5:20:47 AM PST by OldEagle (May you live long enough to hear the legends of your own adventures.)
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To: OESY

And some said the VP wouldn't tell him.


97 posted on 02/14/2006 5:20:49 AM PST by OESY
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To: Malsua

What they should do is simply discontinue press briefings and put them all out of a job. They aren't accomplishing anything anyway. The press conferences are nothing more than an opportunity for the press to let loose a string of catcalls on the press secretary.


98 posted on 02/14/2006 5:21:36 AM PST by Brilliant
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
Back in New York, Harry Smith broke into nervous laughter, perhaps aware that Plante had let the cat out of the bag on just how much the White House press corps disdains the Vice-President of the United States.

Like we didn't already notice?

99 posted on 02/14/2006 5:22:13 AM PST by The_Victor (If all I want is a warm feeling, I should just wet my pants.)
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To: Overtaxed

rofling!


100 posted on 02/14/2006 5:22:29 AM PST by N. Beaujon (http://www.nbeaujon.com)
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