FNS
Topic: Benghazi testimony
Political edit of talkingpoints.
Haden claims it was not political.
On-the-ground personnel were overruled by Washington.
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I have noticed during several ‘live’ tragedies [Boston Marathon bombing, Fort Hood shooting, Murrah bombing, Sandy Hook shooting, etc.] that initially ‘news’ comes from on-the-ground persons/witnesses.
Then, usually within an hour or so, the ‘reporting’ sources switch from local eye-witness personnel to ‘Washington’ or ‘the FBI’ or ‘the White House’.
Politics may not always be ahead of a tragedy, but it rapidly takes over. It takes a while to get the filtering apparatus in place.
During the early hours of the most recent Ft. Hood shooting, ‘officials’ apparently told local media that they were not allowed to talk to ‘eyewitnesses’ any more.
Yeah. How would those emotional "eye witnesses" know any thing about what is going on anyhow? The lawyers, bureaucrats, and politicians up in Washington always know better and besides it is easier to manage the spin they need.
Well, as far as the military goes, I distinctly remembering that it was pretty much a blanket order to not talk directly to the press about anything but to refer them to the Public Relations officer (PRO).
There were issues about OPSEC, classified matters, etc., that a troop might inadvertently spill to the press if they didn’t know better. And really, the PRO was well trained in obfuscation and lying :-).
But seriously, the press can be real bastards. I remember back in the late 80’s, when we had several people made hostages of Lebanese terrorists, there was a Marine Lt. Col that was captured. His wife was a Major at the Pentagon. When the terrorists released photos of the Lt. Col’s body swinging on a rope, all the press gathered on the steps of the Mall Entrance to harangue her when she came in. I was there. One reporter shouted, “How do you feel, now knowing your husband is dead?!”
Despicable. I had to restrain an Army buddy of mine who wanted to desperately kick the reporter’s ass.
So I still wouldn’t put it past a reporter at Ft Hood to start making similar “demands”.