| Submit your comments on this article | |
| Home Front: Politix | |
| Koppel to Read List of Iraq War Dead on Nightline | |
| 2004-04-28 | |
| Ted Koppel and ABC Newsâ âNightlineâ will pay tribute to the more than 500 American service men and women killed in action in Iraq by devoting the entire broadcast to reading the service membersâ names and showing their photographs. Entitled âThe Fallen,â the special âNightlineâ broadcast will air FRIDAY APRIL 30 (11:35 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. ABC News will also simulcast this tribute live on its Jumbotron in New York Cityâs Times Square. ABC News Radio will air excerpts of the program. Using photographs and information drawn from the Army Times Publishing Companyâs online âFaces of Valorâ database, Fridayâs âNightlineâ will dedicate the half-hour program to showing a photograph of each service man and woman in succession with their name, military branch, rank and age, while Mr. Koppel reads their names aloud. Since the broadcast is only 30 minutes long, Fridayâs broadcast is limited to showing just those âkilled in actionâ in Iraq, as certified by the U.S. Department of Defense. âWhile âNightlineâ has been reporting on every fatality in Iraq and Afghanistan under the heading âLine of Duty,â we realized that the casualties were on their way to becoming just numbers,â said âNightlineâ executive producer Leroy Sievers. ââThe Fallenâ is our way of reminding our viewers -- whether they agree with the war or not -- that beyond the casualty numbers, these men and women are serving in Iraq in our names, and that those who have been killed have names and faces.â âMemorial Day might have been the most logical occasion on which to do this program. But we felt that the impact would actually be greater on a day when the entire nation is not focused on its war dead,â said âNightlineâ anchor Ted Koppel. The list is organized alphabetically by U.S. State and includes those whose names have been released by the Pentagon from March 19, 2003 through today, April 27, 2004. Names released between now and Friday April 30, will be added to the broadcast.
| |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #32 When did Koppel read the names of the 3,000-odd who died on 9/11/2001? |
| Posted by: Tresho 2004-04-29 1:15:54 AM |
| #31 RbR - Lol! Think he's the last of the 60's-era Roland Hedleys? And you're right, he'll likely end up as somebody's hood ornament if he shows his mug to real soldiers after this stunt. Living in his snobby pseudo-intellectual artificial world, he has no idea. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-04-29 12:18:03 AM |
| #30 In the vein of my comment above, anyone hear anything (anecdotal or confirmed) about any media personnel getting blanket-partied or otherwise getting the reception they deserve from the folks whose efforts they're trying to undermine? |
| Posted by: Ricky bin Ricardo (Abu Babaloo) 2004-04-29 12:13:18 AM |
| #29 If there's any justice, if that asshat Koppel has the gall to show up at a military base, or especially an active AO looking all butch-war-correspondent with his safari jacket and boots, the first passing GI will give him a buttstroke right across his pearly white (capped) teeth. |
| Posted by: Ricky bin Ricardo (Abu Babaloo) 2004-04-29 12:11:45 AM |
| #28 Seriously, does anyone watch Nightline anymore? Didn't ABC almost kill it for something that would compete with David Letterman last year? He won't be a Cronkite, he isn't respected and no one is watching. Even Cronkite has made an ass of himself the last coupla' years. |
| Posted by: whitecollar redneck 2004-04-28 7:11:06 PM |
| #27 Instapundit links to a WaPo article that points out May sweeps week starts tomorrow. Nightline staffers claimed not to know that at the time the decision was made. |
| Posted by: growler 2004-04-28 5:17:59 PM |
| #26 This will be strictly propaganda, like Kerry in 1971. |
| Posted by: Sgt.DT 2004-04-28 4:03:07 PM |
| #25 Somehow I don't think it will resonate like the rollcall from Zulu. (the woilds most racist movie) |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-04-28 3:43:26 PM |
| #24 I won't be able to see it dc but I'm interested in knowing what background musak is being played. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-04-28 3:41:45 PM |
| #23 Iraq = Vietnam Koppel = Cronkite The LLL is positioning for another coup. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-04-28 2:54:52 PM |
| #22 One last anti-Nightline rant.As Rex(#4)points out this show will only cover Iraq casualties,not those suffered in Afghanistan.Why?Because if Nightline combined the two they would be agreeing that Iraq is a part of WOT,that Pres.Bush was right in going to war w/Iraq.By only showing Iraq casualties,Koppel and crew are denying overthrowing Saddam was right,denying the terrorists Saddam supported were a threat to US,denying the WMD programs of Saddam were a threat,instead saying these fine Americans died for no reason at all.This show looks to be a glossy version of Bush lied,see who died. |
| Posted by: Stephen 2004-04-28 2:36:22 PM |
| #21 BOTTOM LINE - Does anyone really think Howdy Doody is going to do this correctly? |
| Posted by: BigEd 2004-04-28 2:31:59 PM |
| #20 A tribute to fallen defenders of freedom?Not according to Ted Koppel.His response to question on purpose of show,"I SEE IT MORE AS A RORSCHACH TEST".Translated,ABC could care less about honoring their sacrifice,the network wants controversy and ratings,thus being able to charge more for ads.Koppel went on to give obvious impression he thinks that stating the number of American dead every night on Nightline isn't getting results he wants,so he intends to put faces to the numbers in hopes of "a bit of a shock" turning viewers against Bush and the war.This is same Nightline that a producer has stated the show would not show images of people jumping from World Trade Center,because the images would anger Americans and make them want to wage war against the terrorist supporters. |
| Posted by: Stephen 2004-04-28 2:16:37 PM |
| #19 Better start writing, 'cause this is Bush-bashing central ala Koppel--that famous antiwar journalist activist from way back. The idea to show soldiers in this way harkens back to the Vietnam era--by "personalizing" the fallen, the left hopes ultimately to engender support for Kerry and Hillary, as the "defenders" of American young people "who are being duped and murdered by an evil and corrupt lives-for-oil government who doesn't give a rip about anyone but themselves and their narrow, conservative, political agenda." But "we--'the righteous protectors of the truth'--we will make it all clear to you. These brave men and women didn't have to die. While we, as Americans, might disagree with the policies of our ever-changing governmental adminstrations, we can all agree about how terrible this loss of life really is. And you can trust us because we, and we alone, feel the appropriate level of grief for this tragic loss of life, and we, and we alone, feel deep, unspeakable sorrow for their families. We know. We understand. It's just too bad it had to happen at all. Sniff. In fact, does it need to happen? (hint, hint) It's a question we all have to ask ourselves in these troubled times . . . # 225, #226, #227, #228 . . . " ("There are other ways, Frodo . . . ") Journalists have a motto that "the masses are asses" and they live and write accordingly. Just watch. You'll see. |
| Posted by: ex-lib 2004-04-28 1:29:31 PM |
| #18 Badanov- Excellent idea! I'm checking this out as we speak... Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2004-04-28 9:58:26 AM |
| #17 Let's find out who the sponsor(s) WILL be. Write them nice letters stating, without equivocating, we will be watching the program, and that their product sell is at risk if we detect ANY attempt to use this for political or ideaological means, or for an antiwar agenda in the broadcast. The families who lost these brave folks and the families with their kids and relatives in harm's way deserve nothing less. |
| Posted by: badanov 2004-04-28 9:16:07 AM |
#16 Let's find out who the sponsor(s)
|
| Posted by: badanov 2004-04-28 9:12:39 AM |
| #15 dream on Matt. I think it's more likely they will show the bodies of 500 dead Iraqi children (killed by Sadaam, but the announcer will word it to make it seem they were victims of the war) and then say something like, "this is the cost of |
| Posted by: B 2004-04-28 9:06:29 AM |
| #14 "...these people died so you can sit on your LaZBoy and spout your Faux News crap." Actually, they also died for your freedom to sit on your LaZBoy, NMM and spout your BBCABCNBCNNMSNBC crap, too. Those soldiers killed in action (God rest them.) died so that there might be "liberty and justice for all." I don't think I'd die for NMM's right to spew his venomous bile, but that's me and I'm not as noble as our military. As to the issue, I don't think that showing coffins is meaningful, but reading names is better and more personal. However, given the fact the fact that ABC has never done this for any other conflict of the 20th or the 21st Century, I'd say that promoting an anti-war, anti-Bush agenda is probably right. (If I'd lost a loved one in WWII or Korea or even Vietnam, I'd like to know that ABC would have a night, also, to read their name.) So, it's obvious that they're singling out the WOT for this treatment to "shock" the audience into the "horror" of the Bush "blood for oil" war. Remember, ABC didn't even afford this privilege of reading the names of the 9/11 victims except to air the 9/11 "anniversary" ceremonies where they did so at Ground Zero. |
| Posted by: Jen 2004-04-28 9:04:56 AM |
| #13 hmmm...I'm torn. If this was about respect rather than propaganda, I'd think it was great. But we all know that it's not. I suppose everyone can see it as they want to. Personally, I find it completely offensive, their poorly concealed glee over our dead countrymen. It's so sickening, eeech. I'll try to get past it and be appreciative of the honor that most Americans will be affording the dead - and bite back my growing disgust of the shameless ghouls in the newsrooms. |
| Posted by: B 2004-04-28 9:04:19 AM |
| #12 Read their names, but also show the pictures of 500 Iraqi children who have better lives today (or are alive today) because of what our servicemen and women have done. |
| Posted by: Matt 2004-04-28 8:30:17 AM |
| #11 Don't be fooled. This is a publicity stunt by ABC news to promote an anti-war agenda. |
| Posted by: Mark 2004-04-28 6:25:54 AM |
| #10 Yeah NMM, and don't you ever forget that!!! Those soldiers deserve more than 30 minutes, and not to be used for YOUR propaganda. Asshole. |
| Posted by: Rafael 2004-04-28 4:24:55 AM |
| #9 For Koppel there is a fork in the road ahead, the street sign for one of his choices is marked Wellstone Memorial service. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-04-28 4:12:41 AM |
| #8 I concur, as long as its done with respect, its fine. My issue is when the left uses body counts and coffins the way the right uses aborted fetus pictures at planned parenthood protests. The dead deserve respect and dignity. They are not a propaganda device. |
| Posted by: Frank Martin 2004-04-28 3:40:31 AM |
| #7 Rafael--you're the asshat--these people died so you can sit on your LaZBoy and spout your Faux News crap |
| Posted by: Not Mike Moore 2004-04-28 3:17:34 AM |
| #6 If they wanted to do it right, they would have to spend more than 30 minutes. There's other motives behind this and it's disgusting. |
| Posted by: Rafael 2004-04-28 2:24:25 AM |
| #5 Do it, do it right, and then don't just go right back to trying to demoralize the American public. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-04-28 2:00:29 AM |
| #4 Koppel and Co. have ZERO credibility in this regard. What about Afghanistan? Oh...guess those soldiers including Tillman don't rate. Koppel can kiss my ass. |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2004-04-28 1:37:51 AM |
| #3 Yeah, brought to you by the same dickheads at Disney who bring you Farenheit 911. It's all about the synergy! |
| Posted by: Buzz 2004-04-28 12:49:37 AM |
| #2 âThe Fallenâ is our way of reminding our viewers... I didn't need reminding, Mr. Nightline executive. Perhaps you do, so go ahead. Asshat. |
| Posted by: Rafael 2004-04-28 12:40:14 AM |
| #1 "Done properly and with respect"...from NIGHTLINE? |
| Posted by: Stephen 2004-04-28 12:31:20 AM |