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2008-06-23 Fifth Column

Reporters Say Networks Put Wars on Back Burner - Too much success

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Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2008-06-23 05:54|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 Iraq movies are box office poison. Face it: it is another no-win war. How much Vietnam coverage was there is 1975? Little. The public didn't want it. But they dumped the no-win party in favor of the disastrous Soviet-winning-streak of the Carter fiasco. Then it was win-win with Reagan.

Posted by McZoid 2008-06-23 06:58|| 2008-06-23 06:58|| Front Page Top

#2 As if we needed any more proof that the sons of bitches who run the MSM hate the United States with an undying passion.

I can't remember which 'Burger keeps writing, "First the traitors, then the enemy," but he's absolutely spot on. I'd like nothing better than to be a juror in a treason trial for Keith Olbermann or Dan Rather.

Posted by Thaimble Scourge of the Pixies4707 2008-06-23 07:12|| 2008-06-23 07:12|| Front Page Top

#3 No sensationalism there, the MSM wants BLOOD and GORE (pardon the pun). Truth be known, more GI's are slain in motorcycle and car accidents each month in CONUS. It's much safer being deployed. The "war" is over, it's a mop up exercise now thanks to General Petraeus leadership and his officers and men.

Posted by Besoeker 2008-06-23 08:08|| 2008-06-23 08:08|| Front Page Top

#4 Unfortunately the MSM and Democratic party has tied their wagon to the 'Another Vietnam' and, as a result, for them (MSM+DNC) to 'win' American must lose the WOT. Lose and Lose big. Just ask Harry "The war in lost " Ried.

No the MSM wants DEAD AMERICANS to paste over the network and blame Bush for - the more the better.

Posted by CrazyFool 2008-06-23 08:39|| 2008-06-23 08:39|| Front Page Top

#5 Note, the working journos on the ground in Iraq, WANT to report the improvements, its the management in NY, DC, etc who have other concerns.

Posted by liberalhawk 2008-06-23 09:12|| 2008-06-23 09:12|| Front Page Top

#6 One Asshat reporter looks like any other Asshat reporter.

I'd only add that: One Asshat reporter lies like any other Asshat reporter lies.

Posted by bigjim-ky 2008-06-23 09:14|| 2008-06-23 09:14|| Front Page Top

#7 Actually 40% or so of the American populace believe the war is going "badly or very badly" - and the press wants to keep it that way for Obama and the Dems.

So after relentless negative coverage, they refuse to print th truth - the truth being thatt he war is going well, that casualties are down, that the Iraqis seem to be making military and political progress -- and most of all, that the press and their political allies were WRONG when they screamed quagmire and painted a false picture of gloom and defeat in order to gain political power.

Posted by OldSpook 2008-06-23 09:17|| 2008-06-23 09:17|| Front Page Top

#8 Bunch of self serving leaches that have sold their own country downriver for money and fame.

Rope. Tree. Journalist.
Some assembly required.

Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader 2008-06-23 09:28|| 2008-06-23 09:28|| Front Page Top

#9 I saw that Daily Show interview. Ms. Logan was scathing, and openly opposed every one of Mr. Stuart's MSM memes based on her own experience and statistics. The poor man really doesn't know how to handle a beautiful, intelligent, informed, and passionate woman.

Posted by trailing wife ">trailing wife 2008-06-23 10:01|| 2008-06-23 10:01|| Front Page Top

#10 The truth is that in balance it is actually better for the MSM to leave Iraq and Afghanistan alone.

To start with, so much good news *does* mean that things are becoming more stable and normal. And that is worth more than any amount of emotional gratification.

Second, it also puts our military personnel under less pressure. They can just do their jobs instead of fretting about how what they are doing will be misinterpreted in the news. And it also means that enemy propaganda also gets ignored.

Third, it will mean that there will be less opposition to the US staying there for a while in leased bases, like Germany after WWII. Hopefully the public will forget that the military is even over there, like in Korea.

The bottom line is that the MSM doesn't help the US military. It just doesn't. So out of sight, out of mind.

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-06-23 10:02|| 2008-06-23 10:02|| Front Page Top

#11 What's the point? If you can't use it to skewer the Bushitler Regime or Haliburton, you might as well be reporting on, like, boring current events and stuff.

Posted by SteveS 2008-06-23 11:07|| 2008-06-23 11:07|| Front Page Top

#12 McCarthy's a good man. Though I watch barely any network "news" at all since coming back, I've caught two of his stories (including the one the other night about US forces playing soccer with locals in a formerly hostile Sunni area) - the first was one of the very first network pieces to talk about the change in tone in Baghdad once the surge got under way. He made a two-year commitment to Iraq and I find it very credible that he'd like to get more stories - including mostly positive ones - on the air. The bosses in New York? Well I refer you to some of the intemperate comments above.

As for Lara Logan, glad to hear she slapped Stewart around a bit. While some of her instincts did seem a bit default MSM, she is a brave and passionate reporter, who's almost been killed several times by insisting on being in the thick of the s**t when she can. To a great extent she overcomes her truly stunning beauty - which isn't her fault, after all - with passion and courage.

The CBS bureau wasn't particularly large. Thing is, both explanations here are correct: the networks (and news agencies in general) are struggling businesses, and their Iraq operations are hugely expensive, AND for many reasons (mostly bad) they simply don't want to cover the good news.

I think the commenter here who noted that the public doesn't care to hear about Iraq is also correct. In fact the disinterest - usually accompanied with lots of negative feelings and not much understanding - in Iraq has been very discouraging. Combined with the astonishing cowardice (GOP) and irresponsibility/cluelessness (DEM) of the political class and the AWOL White House, it's outrageous and disgusting.

I think Anonymoose has a point - on balance, out of sight and out of mind may be the best combo for a country where a huge and influential minority are uninformed and hobbled by silly misconceptions (think NPR listeners and coastal, urban MSM drones).

Posted by Verlaine 2008-06-23 11:34|| 2008-06-23 11:34|| Front Page Top

#13 Performers often take a stage name because their real name is considered unattractive, dull, unintentionally amusing or difficult to pronounce or spell, or projects the wrong image.

Historically, Lefties in Hollywood were encouraged to anglicize their names to avoid possible stereotyping of a particular ethnic background.

Jon Stewart

VITAL STATISTICS
Date of Birth: November 28, 1962

Birthplace: New York, NY

Raised: Lawrence Township, New Jersey (near Trenton)

Current Residence: Downtown Manhattan, New York, New York

Name at Birth: Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz. Note: Most sources incorrectly list Jon's middle name as Stewart. We have confirmed that Stuart is the correct spelling.

Name Change: Filed petition for legal name change to Jon Stewart on June 19, 2001. Cited several reasons for making the change. Pick which one you believe:
- To protect loved ones from embarrassment (they signed a petition)
- Too many syllables
- Too Hollywood
- Too mispronounceable
- Slight leftover family resentment

Height: 5' 7"

FAMILY

Parents:
- Donald Leibowitz, Physicist
- Marian Leibowitz, Educational Consultant (former elementary special education teacher)

Spouse:
- Tracey Lynn Stewart (formerly Tracey McShane)
- Publicly announced engagement on June 1999.
- Married since approximately November 1999.

Height: 5' 7" - So many Hollywood lefties are little (as in short or petty, you choose) men with BIG egos.

Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2008-06-23 12:27|| 2008-06-23 12:27|| Front Page Top

#14 Affirmative Gulf Bravo, consider the line-up of Charlie Sheen (Estevez), Tom Cruise, Al Franken, et.al. - all midgets or vertically challenged.

Posted by Jack is Back!">Jack is Back! 2008-06-23 12:58|| 2008-06-23 12:58|| Front Page Top

#15 Funny thing is that now its the REPORTERS whoa re being silenced by lefty editors. The reporters who have been there done that - and have seen the change. They want to report on it - thats how impressive a job our military has done.

Yest the a-hole elitists in the editorial positions refuse to balance out their previous tsunami of reporting negative events.

They are dishonest ideologues who are damaging the fabric of our democracy by DELIBERATELY mis-informing the public that relies on them - the same public that needs to make INFORMED judgments when voting.

Dereliction of duty is the charge against the press.

Posted by OldSpook 2008-06-23 12:59|| 2008-06-23 12:59|| Front Page Top

#16 With a state controlled press you have information controlled by bitter men in ill fitted rumpled suits with significant ego problems.

With our MSM you have information controlled by bitter men in ill fitted rumpled suits with significant ego problems.

Well, at least they're not gun totting or bible carrying, isn't it wonderful :)

Posted by Procopius2k 2008-06-23 13:08|| 2008-06-23 13:08|| Front Page Top

#17 Jack: Throw in Richard Dreyfus, Dustin Hoffman, Ed Harris, Al Pacino, Henry Winkler, etc. John Wayne towered over them all in more ways than one.

Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2008-06-23 13:37|| 2008-06-23 13:37|| Front Page Top

#18 Correction, folks in hollywood tended to anglicize there names quite apart from any particular political ideology, afaik.

Posted by liberalhawk 2008-06-23 14:01|| 2008-06-23 14:01|| Front Page Top

#19 Not surprised he's a Stuart. Surprised his first name isn't Charles.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2008-06-23 15:47|| 2008-06-23 15:47|| Front Page Top

#20 Ya know, ever since .com croaked, the comments on this site really suck.

Posted by Omeaper Black2123 2008-06-23 19:45|| 2008-06-23 19:45|| Front Page Top

#21 You're welcome to go elsewhere.

Posted by Pappy 2008-06-23 21:42|| 2008-06-23 21:42|| Front Page Top

#22 .com didn't croak. He just chose to concentrate on his non-electronic life again. I do miss him, though.

Posted by trailing wife">trailing wife 2008-06-23 22:45|| 2008-06-23 22:45|| Front Page Top

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