Arnett fired

033103 | NBC

[dep]

"It was wrong for Mr. Arnett to grant an interview with Iraqi state television," said NBC in a statement. NBC, MSNBC, and National Geographic have all fired him.

Arnett on live, apoligizing to "NBC, MSNBC, National Geographic, and the American people." He then goes on to say that all he said in the interview was "what we all know.

[ChemistCat]

What IS with Drudge lately? It's like he's become an alcoholic or is letting aliens run his website. And his story links? Half are broken and the other half require registration!!!!!! This is the guy who broke the story that broke the Clinton presidency, but he is working hard on being completely irrelevant.

Good FReeping, friends. I thought this one futile so didn't expend energy on it. I was sure that they would Stand By Their Man-slug. That'll teach me.

[bazbo]

CNN just announced Whoraldo Rivera was escorted out for giving away military info! Let the cable wars begin!!!

[VRWC_minion]

I'm glad Arnett said what he said and I encourage all the anti-Americans who feel the same way he does to speak out so that we can know who they are as well.

I agree but he has been censored. I don't feel comfortable with this even though I'm more than happy to see Arnett get slapped around and even though he gave the what may be enemy comforting words. It just seems to me his right to express his opinion no matter how much I hate it is his right.

Heck, if we want to hang anyone for treason for giving aid to the enemy it ought to be Daschle.

[ChadGore]

"I
soul
kissed
peter
arnett"

[hobbes1]

Hey Hey Ho Ho

Pete Arnett has go to Go !!!!

Hey Hey Ho Ho

Pete Arnett has go to Go !!!!

[sweetliberty]

Okay, I've had all I can take of those communist scum peddlars. I don't even find them humorous any more. Just a bunch of potentially dangerous and unAmerican pantywastes who don't deserve the privilege of being on this country!

[hobbes1]

ROTFLMAO!

[Alberta's Child]

I'm guessing that the folks at NBC are no fools. I think their coverage of the war in Iraq has generally exceeded my expectations (while Fox's coverage has been a disappointment), and they knew they'd be p!ssing their ratings away if they didn't fire the bastard.

The last thing NBC needs at this point is to become the network/cable news version of the Dixie Chicks.

[concerned about politics]

Geraldo is getting booted out of Iraq? CNN ticker....
He told were the 101st is at and what they are going to do. Sheeesh.
FOX should never hire a guy from CNN.
Actually, no one should hire anyone associated with the left. They're not the brightest birds in the barnyard!

[VRWC_minion]

Since when is protecting your economic interests (in this case NBC's) censoring?

True. I agree. But NBC wrapped themselves in the flag to support their descision to fire him. If they had said it was because they feared everyone was turning off the channel then I would not object to this. Instead they are clearly firing him for what he said when the hypocrits are having their talking heads saying the same crap 24/7.

[Illbay]

FLASHBACK:

On June 7, 1998, a report on "NewsStand: CNN & Time" alleged that in 1970, U.S. military forces dropped sarin nerve gas on U . S. defectors and civilians in Laos. Almost immediately, participants and critics charged CNN with journalistic malfeasance, and CNN Chairman Tim Johnson soon asked an outside attorney to investigate. Very soon after, CNN retracted the story and apologized to viewers and military personnel. A "NewsStand" follow-up then aired CNN outtakes of some of the Tailwind interviews, an extremely rare break with TV news tradition of not showing outtakes.

Those outtakes made it abundantly clear, that "Operation Tailwind" was solely the product of Peter Arnett's fecund imagination. Soon after this scandal broke, Arnett was forced to leave CNN.

[sweetliberty]

"was Daschule saddened, saddened?"

Not only saddened, but deeply disturbed. In fact, he is maybe the most disturbed SOB I've ever seen!

[VRWC_minion]

Me thinks our "pal" VRWC may have a great shot at becoming a professor at Columbia Univ

$crew U, jerk.

[CatoRenasci]

No, this was more. It was acting directly as an accomplice to enemy propaganda. I think it is appropriate for MSNBC, NBC and National Geographic to fire Arnett.

The more interesting question is whether Arnette's behavior is actionable. Some have suggested he is not an American citizen, rather a New Zealander. If so, he cannot be charged with treason. New Zealand is not a member of the coalition; they're sitting this one out, so there are no New Zealand charges that could be brought, as far as I know. The question would then be what grounds are their for the US charging him with a crime? I suppose we could try simply arresting him as an enemy propagandist and try him as a war criminal for attempting to undermine our war effort. Or, perhaps it would simply be better if his efforts to leave Baghdad were unsuccessful and he was turned over the the Kurds.

[VRWC_minion]

"Everybody is doing it" . . . so it must be OK . . . this childing CR*P didn't work on your mother and it won't work on us at FR.

Yes, in our country every citizen is excersing their right to free speech. You must of missed it it was in all the papers.

[Beck_isright]

LOL, that I doubt. You have to officially applied for Monica's job to work at Columbia OR be a member of the CPUSA.

V

[Frankss]

that guy needs a radio beacon enema-then an interview with Sadam.....

[VRWC_minion]

Not Safire's snap judgements from today

The nYT just keeps Safire so they don't completely fall over on the left side.

[ChemistCat]

Quite frankly, Arnett could be simply reading from the NBC or NYT headlines for the day.

He read them in BAGHDAD with the explicit intention to encourage Iraqis to continue resisting us. That's the difference. I hope you can see that what he did is going to get more Iraqis killed as well as more of our troops killed. Stiffening Iraqi resistance right now is just exactly like throwing a grenade in the tents of our military people. I see what you're saying and I agree that sometimes we're inclined to pick up the same tools as the libs. "Ban Peter Jennings" and "Ban Dr. Laura" aren't really that different. The difference HERE is that he said it ON IRAQI MEDIA. More than that: he took an oath, becoming a citizen of our country. (I was born a citizen, never took the oath, but I assume I'm still more or less bound by its substance.) He completely and clearly violated that oath with what he did. If Ashcroft doesn't arrest him if he ever dares show his face within our borders again, I'll be VERY surprised.