Media Gripes: Bush Lied About Iraq Troop Visit

Newsmax ^ | Friday Nov. 28, 2003 | Staff

[Maria S]

President Bush's surprise Thanksgiving Day visit to Baghdad may have been a big hit with U.S. troops stationed there, whose morale skyrocketed afterward. But within hours reporters were grousing that the White House "lied" to them to keep the mission secret.

"There is the small but inconvenient fact that the White House lied to the press," Washington Post media critic Howard Kurtz griped on CNN - even before Air Force One had returned to U.S. airspace.

Kurtz complained that he and other reporters had been expressly told that Bush would be eating Thanksgiving dinner at his Crawford, Texas ranch. "They even put out the menu - free range turkey, if you're interested," he noted.

"A lot of the journalists I've talked to today are upset that this kind of deception was engaged in, not for military secrecy - although clearly there was a security aspect - but to set up this grand turkey photo-op for the president."

But even CNN anchor Carol Lin seemed to have trouble understanding why Kurtz & Co. were bent out of shape. "Well, if you have full access, Howard - I mean, what's the downside, really?" Lin asked. "What's the dark side of a trip like this? It was great for troop morale. It made pretty pictures. It made people feel good on an American holiday."

[Maria S]

As we tell the kids, "Now stop being such a gripey-butt!"

[Jaded]

Mainstream Media= Whiny candy-a$$ed morons.

[Pedrobud]

WWWWAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!! Howie, you pinko. Grow up !!!! The world does not revolve around you liberal media types. The military is a hell of a lot more important than you !!

[visagoth]

"There is the small but inconvenient fact that the White House lied to the press," Washington Post media critic Howard Kurtz griped on CNN ...

Good grief! Get than 'man' some cheese to go with his whine.

It's quite obvious to most people that this trip had to be kept secret to prevent AF1 from getting attacked. If the media run with this 'Bush Lied' thing, they better be ready for the repercussions from real people with real common sense.

[HenryLeeII]

"A lot of the journalists I've talked to today are upset that this kind of deception was engaged in, not for military secrecy - although clearly there was a security aspect - but to set up this grand turkey photo-op for the president."

If the President and Karl Rove wanted a bigger splash, wouldn't they have played this up in the press for several days before the trip, taken a larger entourage, and done this like Xlinton would have? Of course. The main reason for the secrecy was operational security. Why else would he have left Crawford in unmarked vehicles? Why else was it not announced until after Air Force One left potentially hostile air space? These media lefties would complain about George Bush if he cured cancer because they simply hate the fact that they've misunderestimated him and now he's cleaning they're clocks!

[Joe Brower]

[vetvetdoug]

The press didn't whine when Clinton lied to the press when he was slipping out to have sex with someone other than Hillery.

[auboy]

It's quite obvious to most people that this trip had to be kept secret to prevent AF1 from getting attacked.

I don't doubt for a minute that many in the liberal media would love to cover an attack upon AF1. As long as they were not on board.

[over3Owithabrain]

But even CNN anchor Carol Lin seemed to have trouble understanding why Kurtz & Co. were bent out of shape. "Well, if you have full access, Howard - I mean, what's the downside, really?" Lin asked. "What's the dark side of a trip like this? It was great for troop morale. It made pretty pictures. It made people feel good on an American holiday."

Carol Lin: soon to be former CNN newswoman. Auditioning for FoxNews?

[randita]

Democrats hated all the advance press leading up to the Bush carrier landing. They called it grandstanding.

Now they're grousing because there wasn't any advance press and they're still calling it grandstanding.

My brother-in-law who served in Vietnam, said "As a man who formerly wore the uniform, I can attest to the tremendous impact the President's visit had on the troops over there."

[woofer]

The press didn't whine when Clinton lied to the press when he was slipping out to have sex with someone other than Hillery.

Don't know fer sure, but I'd lie too to avoid snuggling with Hillary!(tm). And if I were a member of the press, I'd probably expect to be lied to about that.

[Dante3]

The media is just upset because Bush upstaged Hillary.

[Pedrobud]

You hit the nail on the head. Good observation.

[sandlady]

WWWWAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!! Howie, you pinko. Grow up !!!! The world does not revolve around you liberal media types. The military is a hell of a lot more important than you !!

My thoughts exactly! Especially this part: WWWWAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!

[kabar]

Howard. Hello. There was a press pool on AFI representing the entire media. Operational security was required to protect the President and everyone else on AF1 including the media.

[isthisnickcool]

Oh yea, let's give Howard Kurtz the nuke codes for safe keeping since we must not keep secrets from him.... /sarcasm off

[Fzob]

free range turkey, if you're interested," he noted.

I wonder if the guys that wrote up the press release about Bush's Thanksgiving menu chuckled to themselves when adding that to the menu.

[bert]

Hey Howie.....guess what? You're insignificant and didn't have the need to know. What's more, you're not trustworthy.

[DeepDish]

"Good grief! Get than 'man' some cheese to go with his whine."

A good french brie no doubt.

[TexasCajun]

I did see a bit of Hannity & Colmes last night.
Allan couldn't bring himself to say anything negative and actually said this was great for the troups.

[Diogenesis]

Afghan hero in Afghanistan on Thanksgiving: "Look!!!! Quickly. At the monitor.
Its our President Bush in Baghdad. He is soooo GREAT!!!!!

Her Royal Highness (D,NY): $@#^%@^%^%$#%$#%@$%

[Spottys Spurs]

I suppose the White House should have published the trip in advance .. these fools just don't get it, do they? Good for you Mr. President! Bravo!!

[Trampled by Lambs]

Cry me a river.

If the media doesn't like it, it MUST be good!

[TexasCajun]

I would have paid big bucks to see Hitlery's expression when told that our President was in Bagdad having Thanksgiving turkey with our troops!

How many F-bombs do you think the Senator from N.Y. let loose? Ha-Ha!

[Vaduz]

Yet the rat ass media thinks nothing of filtering and spin of the news they write not report.

[exDem from Miami]

Doesn't Howie consider it a military operation when the Commander-in-Chief travels to a war zone?

[Teacher317]

Anything to get the words "Bush lied" into the media stream.

[cardinal4]

What's more, you're not trustworthy

He would have leaked it before they left Crawford. In fact 99% of the White Press corps would have.

[pickyourpoison]

I was thinking the same thing. Hillery just knew her name and pic would be the big headlines.
But not so, GWB beat her out again.

I hope the dems are upset about all the pics GWB can now use for his reelection.

[mtbopfuyn]

There was a press pool on AFI representing the entire media. Operational security was required to protect the President and everyone else on AF1 including the media.

Beat me to it. The media was there, Howie, so stop whining.

[gitmogrunt]

The socialist media must have soiled in their diapers over Dubya's trip.

[pfflier]

But within hours reporters were grousing that the White House "lied" to them to keep the mission secret.

Clintoon regularly sneaked out of the White House, in an unmarked car, for a quicky. I guess there was not any question about his honesty there.

The media was an accomplice in one of the biggest presidential lies... Roosevelt was wheelchair bound.

See the french for a little cheese to go with that "whine".

[Brett66]

The whole Iraq situation is another minefield for the dems. They think that they can score points against Bush on this issue, but all Bush has to do is show up in Iraq or land on an aircraft carrier and their criticisms collapse like a house of cards. I guarantee you that Bush and team can easily turn it into a political strength instead of a liability with just a small amount of effort because most Americans trust Bush's judgement about Iraq and they trust the man too. In fact he probably already has won on this issue, it's going to be November '04 before dems wake up to realize they've just been handed their @ss again.

[SandRat]

Media Gripes: Bush Lied About Iraq Troop Visit

Who are you in the government, what is your security clearance level and need to know again?

Oh you're the press!

Sorry, you got dealt out of this hand back in Nam, then again when the marines landed on the beaches of Somalia (too bad they didn't follow emergency action drills to the letter on that one when you turned the flood lights on), in fact nothing told to you is ever kept a secret for the agreed upon times you leak worse than the HMS Titanic.

[Redwood71]

I am absolutely amazed at this article! As a member of the military for over 20 years, and knowing that the president is the commander is chief, it is absolutely the most idiotic, stupid, moronic statement I have heard. I have never openly heard a media moron call any member of the military, to include the president, a liar because their was the use of common sense toward the protection of the president during a visit to an active combat theater. Where did this piece of dung get his training in military tactics, from France?

However, this is a perfect example of the media is going after Bush on the weapons search and why Bush is not fighting back. If it was there before, and we knew it was by UN inspectors, and it is not there now, as we, kind of, know from the "half-a$$ed" inspection Blix did, then where did it go and who has it. You don't find that out by putting an ad in the paper. You have to work behind the scenes and do it covertly to accomplish that goal. And this is where the media fails and does it intentionally.

Red

[pfflier]

Actually this may help. Obviously the President didn't lie. Obviously the secrecy was related to security, Obviously the press couldn't be trusted to keep a secret.

This dilutes other arguments that he lied.

[dagoofyfoot]

Look at the contrast between the pic of Hillary and the pics of Dubya...


The soldier to Hillarys right shows no sign of even aknowledging her! Nor do any of the rest of them, as compared to ....


The soldiers obviously can not get enough of Dubya!


Hillary stuffing her fat face...Dubyas selfless act of serving the troops!


Classic!

[wny]

Right. And they marveled at what a good liar he was and how he was always able to fool them.

[johnb838]

The press didn't whine when Clinton lied to the press when he was slipping out to have sex with someone other than Hillery.

That was going to be my point. Clinton sneaks out to have sex with whores and interns. Dubya sneaks out to give the troops the best holiday gift a CinC has ever given -- himself.

Has a President ever gone to the lengths that GW has to demonstrate his love for and commitment to, the troops?

[freekitty]

I think there are other reasons that President Bush kept quiet about his visit. Could safety be one of them, you bozo reporters?

[johnb838]

filtering

I call it "news embargo". I think it is almost worse than the highly parsed "spin".

[CindyDawg]

I saw this last night. This guy needs to tell us what exactly GB lied about. Not telling everyone your business that wants to know, isn't lying. Did the president make it home and have Thanksgiving dinner? He didn't eat with the troops. The only thing I see even close was the pilot saying the plane was something else instead of AF1 and even that seemed to be a code because the British pilot backed off. It sounds like he's just mad because he wasn't invited to the party. There were 14 seat and 13 guests. As far as I know FR wasn't invited either. Nobody here crying about it, though.

[Ditto]

What upsets Howie more? "I'm have turkey in Crawford" vs. "I did not have sex with that woman."

[Semi Civil Servant]

I'll repeat what I said on a thread since moved to the FR back porch:

I'm sure the prima donnas are seething that they were kept in the dark. I wonder if a single one of them has figured out that large chunks of the public are mad at THEM for the same reason -- keeping back vital news from the public, not for any good reason but because of their political (DNC) agenda.

The President had a good reason to keep this trip secret. The lamestream press has no legitimate reason whatsoever for keeping news damaging to their political causes a secret -- but they do it all the time.

They think of Bush as a half-wit. Well, the half-wit just outwitted them. It's just one beautiful side effect of this wonderful trip to Baghdad.

[Profess0r]

The last President to do something similar went to a place called Valley Forge and stayed a while.

[StriperSniper]

to see Hitlery's expression

"He's Where?!?!"

[StriperSniper]

all Bush has to do is show up in Iraq or land on an aircraft carrier...

...or stand on the pile at Ground Zero or throw out the first pitch at the World Series after 9/11.

I say run them all back to back in one ad(saved for near the end of the campaign) about 'fearless leadership". Maybe even with little clips of the Secret Service trying to dissuade him from each.

[arasina]

It's obvious Howie doesn't really care about reporting information. He cares about making a name for himself while acting like he's reporting.

[Snardius]

Obviously the press couldn't be trusted to keep a secret.

A journalist is nothing more than a glorified gossip.

[Dog Anchor]

The most gumption, a distinctly American characteristic, since Teddy Roosevelt.