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ABC's Peter Jennings exhibited hints of leftist concerns on the Late Show
Media Research Center via E-Mail | December 26, 2001

Posted on 12/26/2001 4:44:39 AM PST by PJ-Comix

Friday night on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman, ABC's Peter Jennings exhibited hints of leftist concerns as he twice fretted about the difference between "nationalism" and "patriotism," pleading for people to "respect the differences that exist in the country...especially...on the issue of patriotism," asserted that "campaigning against terrorism around the world" is "just too simple" since "there are a lot of root causes for dissatisfaction around the world," maintained global leadership is "not just American business or selling American culture around the world," and bemoaned how "Americans are pretty insular people for the most part."

Appearing on the December 21 show to promote the New Year's Eve coverage planned by ABC News in prime time, Jennings recalled:

"I spent a Saturday night in a high school in Boulder, Colorado filming, for a new series we're doing on the country, a high school production of Hair. Very white, suburban neighborhood, mostly Republican kids, I thought. I was immensely struck about their attitudes toward patriotism and their attitudes about nationalism and they helped me listen and look for it in other places and you do find it. You know, there are many definitions of patriotism, there's confusion between patriotism and nationalism. So yes, I think the country in the wake of September has looked very closely at itself, tried hard to understand ourselves. I think some of the public leaders have just been awesome. I know you've heard this a hundred times on his program, I think the Mayor and the President just had the right tone for so long."

Letterman soon wondered if it's important for leaders to ask for sacrifice in order to provide the "notion we are all in this together?" Jennings lectured Americans:

"I also think it's very important for us to respect the differences that exist in the country. I think that's especially true on the issue of patriotism. I think next year's going to be very challenging. The Middle East is going to be a huge challenge. What happens in the Southern Philippines in terms of terrorism. What's going to happen between India and Pakistan. I mean, I sometimes think India and Pakistan can hardly wait to attack each other. They both have nuclear weapons. And it isn't just about campaigning against terrorism around the world. That's just too simple. There are a lot of root causes for dissatisfaction around the world and I think for the country to exercise real global leadership, when globalization in itself is kind of complicated, it's not just American business or selling American culture around the world. I think it's a very big challenge for a leader to get us all engaged in that because, you know, Americans are pretty insular people for the most part."

But unlike Jennings, who is still a Canadian citizen, we are Americans.


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
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To: Constitution Day
LOL! He needs to read that one if he thinks Hanan Ashrawi is a hot babe!

She ought to be in a burqua. LOL

41 posted on 12/26/2001 5:55:11 AM PST by NeoCaveman
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To: PJ-Comix
"I also think it's very important for us to respect the differences that exist in the country.

Here we have the "diversity" mantra from the liberal left! What Jennings is really saying is that "all truth claims and beliefs are equally valid." THIS FAILS THE LOGIC TEST.

42 posted on 12/26/2001 5:59:47 AM PST by exmarine
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To: PJ-Comix
Is it any wonder that network news is suffering a hemorrhage of viewers? Jennings should be deported back to the land of diversity (Canada). I would rather be "insulated" in truth than "saturated" with lies.
43 posted on 12/26/2001 6:02:33 AM PST by exmarine
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To: exmarine
Peter Jennings has already shown himself to be insulated from reality if he considers Boulder to be a Republican bastion.
44 posted on 12/26/2001 6:04:54 AM PST by PJ-Comix
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To: PJ-Comix
News?

Is there anyone in Freeper Land that thinks this is news?

45 posted on 12/26/2001 6:27:22 AM PST by G.Mason
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To: PJ-Comix
He is as bad a posuer as Jani Lane of Warrant.
46 posted on 12/26/2001 6:35:16 AM PST by Benrand
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To: PJ-Comix
You know, PJ, being no lover of Jennings myself, I read the post, then your comment. I don't understand what your problem is.

1) It seems perfectly legitimate to me for a patriotic American to oppose nuking an unarmed civilian town to save the lives of our armed combatants.
2) Jennings said Americans are insular. We are. I don't necessarily consider that a bad thing, but it's true.
3) Nationalism and Patriotism really are not the same thing.
4)Global leadership really is something beyond selling our sh!t abroad.

In other words, I don't understand what you're b!tching about.

47 posted on 12/26/2001 6:41:23 AM PST by The Old Hoosier
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To: opbuzz
My observation as well, same time period. I doubt that it has changed much. The high school was, in my opinion, a conservative free zone. If Jennings met with this group of young scholars and pronounced them Republican, he must be a lefty beyond the pale.
48 posted on 12/26/2001 6:55:48 AM PST by centurion316
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To: bandleader
I don't know about y'all, but I don't think the children of people who would be defined visually as "Republican" by Jennings would be performing a high school production of "Hair." Singing about "free love," masturbation, and stripping and dancing naked? I will need more than Pete the Puke's word for it.
49 posted on 12/26/2001 6:56:08 AM PST by L.N. Smithee
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Comment #50 Removed by Moderator

To: The Old Hoosier
1) It seems perfectly legitimate to me for a patriotic American to oppose nuking an unarmed civilian town to save the lives of our armed combatants.

Um....Where is there a mention of "nuking" an unarmed civilian town? If you want to criticize the post, fine, but don't conjure up stuff that isn't in the post.

Jennings said Americans are insular. We are. I don't necessarily consider that a bad thing, but it's true.

SOME Americans are insular but your across the board claim (and Jennings') has painted this whole society with a wide brush. Fact of the matter is from personal experience I find that many Americans know a lot more about European history than Europeans do. Case in point: Shakespeare is studied more vigorously in the USA than in Britain. The replica of the Old Globe Theater was built primarily with American support.

Nationalism and Patriotism really are not the same thing.

By nationalism, if you mean it to be a desire to conquer or control other countries, I think you will find it almost non-existent here.

Global leadership really is something beyond selling our sh!t abroad.

And what are we trying to sell to the Afghans????

In other words, I don't understand what you're b!tching about.

Could we start with Peter Jennings' total ignorance of political realities in the USA such as his mischaracterization of Boulder, CO as some sort of Republican bastion?

51 posted on 12/26/2001 7:01:01 AM PST by PJ-Comix
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To: L.N. Smithee
I don't know about y'all, but I don't think the children of people who would be defined visually as "Republican" by Jennings would be performing a high school production of "Hair." Singing about "free love," masturbation, and stripping and dancing naked?

Great point! The more we look at this story the more bizarre Peter Jennings' incredibly DUMB analysis becomes. Fact is that Boulder is a VERY LIBERAL town.

52 posted on 12/26/2001 7:06:18 AM PST by PJ-Comix
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To: PJ-Comix
his mischaracterization of Boulder, CO

Now that is funny, now that you mention it.

The 'nuke' bit has to do with your mention of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

53 posted on 12/26/2001 7:11:03 AM PST by The Old Hoosier
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To: The Old Hoosier
3) Nationalism and Patriotism really are not the same thing.

That's true. But what is the difference? That statement's a worthless generalization without further explanation.

4)Global leadership really is something beyond selling our sh!t abroad.

Who said that's what people believe it is, and what actually IS global leadership?

In other words, I don't understand what you're b!tching about.

Jennings is b!tching about something, but without elaboration, we are free to presume the worst.

54 posted on 12/26/2001 7:19:25 AM PST by L.N. Smithee
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To: The Old Hoosier
The 'nuke' bit has to do with your mention of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

This had to do with a premise of a Peter Jennings documentary of a few years ago. According to this documentary, Japan was on the verge of surrendering BEFORE the A-Bomb was dropped on them. Anyone familiar with history knows this to be untrue. The fact is that the Japanese were prepared for massive resistance when their home islands were invaded. Look at the experience from Okinawa. And even AFTER Hiroshima was bombed, the Japanese did NOT surrender. Their surrender only came after a SECOND A-Bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.

The point of my mention of this was to demonstrate the ignorance of Peter Jennings.

55 posted on 12/26/2001 7:20:21 AM PST by PJ-Comix
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To: bandleader
I've had a left-wing friend, who was a high school teacher in Boulder, Colorado until she went to England (to be with her fiancé) several years ago. Either, she underestimated the Republican kids there or Jennings overestimated.
56 posted on 12/26/2001 7:23:35 AM PST by Celtjew Libertarian
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To: PJ-Comix
Shouldn't this be linked to your "Who's your favorite comic thread?" 8>)
57 posted on 12/26/2001 7:24:41 AM PST by Celtjew Libertarian
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To: AmusedBystander
My wife didn't know Jennings and Haswari had had an affair, but she picked-up on it from their body language and tone of voice they used with each other. In other words, Jennings is reporting with his gonads.
58 posted on 12/26/2001 7:27:27 AM PST by Celtjew Libertarian
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To: PJ-Comix
The sad and scary part is that many sheeple respect this ding dong socialist looney.
59 posted on 12/26/2001 7:29:53 AM PST by 1Old Pro
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To: PJ-Comix
Merry Christmas PJ.

I need some help here. Which news anchor was it that announced that "We won" when algore was declared to be the winner of the election last year? I thought it was Rather, but the First Lady (my wife) says it was Jennings.

5.56mm

60 posted on 12/26/2001 7:30:45 AM PST by M Kehoe
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