So the White House press secretary is reduced to outright lying. Not fudging the truth, not bending it for "effect," not exaggeration for the sake of the "message," just plain, ordinary, outright lies from the "mouth" of the President. The maker of Ambien must be happy. Scott McClellan has to get his sleep somehow. Keep D&D Civil.
Dude had a rough day today. http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/10/20051013-2.html Most of it is funny, but the end was great when he got asked if it's dignified to attack the motives of a reporter. It was also funny when he accused Helen of being opposed to fighting terrorism.
a soldier, who was there, calls your bull****. http://278medic.blogspot.com/2005/10/speaking-with-president-bush.html Yesterday, I (bottom right corner in the picture) was chosen to be among a small group of soldiers assigned to the 42ID's Task Force Liberty that would speak to President Bush, our Commander-in-Chief. The interview went well, but I would like to respond to what most of the mass-media has dubbed as, "A Staged Event." First of all, we were told that we would be speaking with the President of the United States, our Commander-in-Chief, President Bush, so I believe that it would have been totally irresponsible for us NOT to prepare some ideas, facts or comments that we wanted to share with the President. We were given an idea as to what topics he may discuss with us, but it's the President of the United States; He will choose which way his conversation with us may go. We practiced passing the microphone around to one another, so we wouldn't choke someone on live TV. We had an idea as to who we thought should answer what types of questions, unless President Bush called on one of us specifically. President Bush told us, during his closing, that the American people were behind us. I know that we are fighting here, not only to preserve our own freedoms, but to establish those same freedoms for the people of Iraq. It makes my stomach ache to think that we are helping to preserve free speech in the US, while the media uses that freedom to try to RIP DOWN the President and our morale, as US Soldiers. They seem to be enjoying the fact that they are tearing the country apart. Worthless! The question I was most asked while I was home on leave in June was, "So...What's REALLY going on over there?" Does that not tell you something?! Who has confidence in the media to tell the WHOLE STORY? It's like they WANT this to turn into another Vietnam. I hate to break it to them, but it's not. Tomorrow morning, the Iraqi people will vote on their constitution. The success of our mission or the mission of the Iraqi security forces is not defined by the outcome of that vote. If the people of Iraq vote this constitution down, that only means that the FREE, DEMOCRATIC PROCESS is at work in Iraq. They are learning to voice their opinions in the polling stations, not through violence. If it is voted down, they will have the chance to draft an even better version; One that may better serve the people of Iraq. This is up to them. It is history in the making and I will not let the media or anyone else (who has not spent more than two weeks here) tell me otherwise. I have been here for almost a year. I have seen the progress made in so many ways from January's elections to this referendum. Don't tell me what the Iraqi people can or can't do. They will tell you with their VOTES!
So he pretty much confirmed that it was all rehearsed. They were told of the topics and questions beforehand according to this. This is coming from someone who obviously supports the president. I don't think it helps the president's case too much.
Well the deception in the little skit gets even worse. It turns out not only did they rehearse the whole thing, one of the 10 soldiers was a fake grunt and really a Pentagon pr flack. I guess they should check out what the other "grunts" do and how they were vetted before the info commercial like skit. http://mediacitizen.blogspot.com/2005/10/media-no-longer-taking-flak.html
For those who won't accept anything unless it comes from Fox News. ******** And even Fox News was in high dudgeon. Here's Shepard Smith: "At least one senior military official tells Fox News that he is livid over the handling of U.S. troops in Iraq before their talk by satellite live with the president. . . . "As the White House tries to prop up support for an increasingly unpopular war, today -- to hear it from military brass -- it used soldiers as props on stage. "One commander tells Fox it was scripted and rehearsed -- the troops were told what to say to the president and how to say it. And that, says another senior officer today, is outrageous. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100879.html
We need real news again. News with a capital "N". The media is such a cluster**** nowadays - no critical discretion at all.
We need a media that will serve as a watchdog not a mouthpeice. Rich media; poor democracy. That's the state of affairs in America today.
If that was "art" I think it was the biggest waist of taxpayer dollars ever spent on "art". What a joke. Desperate men taking desperate measures.
Oops, here's another one: ***Press Outraged Over Staged Flagraising March 3rd, 1945 IWO JIMA (Routers) Controversy has erupted among the press corps in the last few days as news has spread that the now-famous picture of the "victorious" flag raising over Iwo Jima a couple weeks ago was staged. Many believe that, as the huge number of casualties mounted in the ill-fated and pointless invasion of this tiny island, the Roosevelt administration, desperate for a bit of pro-war propaganda, arranged to have the photo taken for dissemination to the world's news services. It has been revealed that the picture was actually of a "recreation" of an earlier flag raising of a much smaller flag, though even that event has now been cast into doubt by the apparent attempt to mislead the press. There is abundant evidence that the picture was not only unspontaneous, but orchestrated on orders from higher ups. "None of the men in the picture actually carried the flag to the top," one reporter noted. "It was brought up by a lieutenant in charge, probably at White House orders." In addition, none of the men in the picture had even been injured in the fighting to that point. The latest propaganda ploy from the administration comes in the midst of doubts about the war strategy, with many thinking this latest bloody adventure particularly misguided. Several thousand Marines have died already in the invasion, and many more have been injured, many losing limbs. Moreover, despite the "victory" implied by the "flag raising," the brave Japanese continue to resist in caves dug deep into the volcanic rock of the doughty little island, with continuing "Allied" casualties. One Republican staffer on the Hill declared that it was Roosevelt's attempt to prematurely declare "major combat operations over," when it was clear that the Japanese were going to continue to fight on to the last man. Beyond the distaste at what now seems an obvious public-relations ploy, some military strategists argue that the Iwo Jima invasion wasn't worth the cost in resources and blood, or even necessary at all, since the only reason the island is desired is as an auxiliary air base for emergency landings of "Allied" bombers attacking the Japanese homeland. Some of the anti-war groups are particularly outraged. "We've killed tens of thousands of Japanese soldiers, and several thousand of our own, just so we can save the lives of a few American air crews while they kill hundreds of thousands of helpless Japanese civilians," read a press release from one of the more prominent groups. It continued, "Now we find the Roosevelt administration attempting to cover up its criminal actions by staging events meant to hide the fact that we're losing this cruel war, with massive casualties on all sides." The White House, of course, attempts to defend its actions. A spokesman points out that no claims have been made that fighting was over, and that the photo was a depiction of a real event that had occurred shortly before, but not been captured by the cameras. He also noted that Mount Suribachi was in fact taken that day, and had not been relinquished since. This does not satisfy critics in the press or the anti-war movement, however. "It's important to demonstrate the perfidy and mendacity of this administration now," said one leading spokesman, "before it becomes fixed in the mind of the public as an American 'victory,' or something to be admired and emulated in the future. If we don't set the record straight now, who knows how history will record it? For all we know, they'll decide to put up a bronze statue in Arlington to commemorate it, or something." Posted by Rand Simberg at October 16, 2005 07:05 AM http://www.transterrestrial.com/archives/005847.html#005847
G-whatever your name is, are you actually trying to justify the staging of the teleconference???? This is just another nail-in-the-coffin for the sadden state of the Republican party. When you look across to democrats, all you see is a bunch of cowards. Cowards and idiots, that's what our two party system has given us that kind of leadership. I actually miss Bill Clinton.
Wait there's more!! Ms. New York City is a FLACK. What's a Flack you say? A press agent; a publicist. In other words, she is a press agent for the military. She is Master Sgt. Corine Lombardo, 42nd Infantry Division, Public Affairs. hmm... here's what she said. SERGEANT LOMBARDO: Good morning, Mr. President. I'm Master Sergeant Corine Lombardo, with the Headquarters 42nd Infantry Division and Task Force Liberty, from Scotia, New York. First, I'd like to say that this is a pleasure to speak with you again. We had the honor of your visit in New York City on November 11th, in 2001, when you recognized our Rainbow Soldiers for their recovery and rescue efforts at Ground Zero. THE PRESIDENT: Were you there? SERGEANT LOMBARDO: We began our fight against terrorism in the wake of 9/11, and we're proud to continue it here in North-Central New York -- North-Central Iraq. THE PRESIDENT: Let me ask you something. Were you there when I came to New York? SERGEANT LOMBARDO: Yes, I was, Mr. President. THE PRESIDENT: I thought you looked familiar. SERGEANT LOMBARDO: Well, thank you. THE PRESIDENT: I probably look familiar to you, too. SERGEANT LOMBARDO: Yes, you do, Mr. President. I can tell you over the past 10 months we've seen a tremendous increase in the capabilities and the confidences of our Iraqi security force partners. We've been working side-by-side, training and equipping 18 Iraqi army battalions. Since we began our partnership, they have improved greatly, and they continue to develop and grow into sustainable forces. Over the next month, we anticipate seeing at least one-third of those Iraqi forces conducting independent operations. THE PRESIDENT: That's important. The American people have got to know -- and I appreciate you bringing that up, Sergeant Major, about how -- what the progress is like. In other words, we've got a measurement system -- SERGEANT LOMBARDO: Well, together -- THE PRESIDENT: I'm sorry, go ahead. SERGEANT LOMBARDO: I'm sorry, just, together with our coalition forces, we've captured over 50 terrorists, as well as detained thousands of others that have ties to the insurgency. And I believe it is these accomplishments and the numerous accomplishments from our task force that will provide a safe and secure environment for the referendum vote. THE PRESIDENT: Well, I appreciate that. There's no question that we need to stay on the offense, and we need to stay on the offense with well-trained Iraqi forces, side-by-side the finest military ever -- ever to exist, and that's the United States military. SERGEANT LOMBARDO: That it is, Mr. President. Thank you. http://villagevoice.com/blogs/bushbeat/archive/001948.php
Well I saw another one of the "grunts" ?! (not the woman Pentagon pr flack) has managed to be interviewed several times in the last two years in national publications -- eachtime he was wildly in favor of the "noble mission" Were they all ringers?
