Posted on 4/20/2004, 12:00:05 PM by governsleastgovernsbest
Edited on 4/20/2004, 12:04:26 PM by Lead Moderator. [history]
A study in strange contrasts on this morning's Today Show.
This day marking the fifth anniversary of the Columbine HS shootings, Today did one of their "branded" openings. The show was entitled "Columbine Remembered" with maudlin music playing in the background.
But before interviews conducted by Katie in Colorado, Matt Lauer interviewed Bob Woodward about his recently released book, "Plan of Attack," which describes the inner workings of the White House in the time leading up to the war in Iraq.
The dynamic was this: whatever the issue, a fevered, almost crazed, Lauer would try to portray the facts in the most sensational, harmful-to-the-Bush-administration, manner. In response, Woodward played the serious adult, yanking Matt off the ceiling and down to earth.
In what should go down as one of the most remarkable moments in the history of The Today Show, at one point Woodward interrupted Lauer's ravings to say, literally, "whoa, calm down there Matt." He was not joking.
Woodward confirmed his reporting that Powell was not informed of the decision to go to war till relatively late in the game, despite Powell's current protestations to the contrary.
There was a very brief recorded segment in response from Wendy Sherman, who was indentified only as a "former State Department official," saying that Powell being out of the loop was very sad, or some such. Of course Today didn't inform viewers that the equine-visaged Ms. Sherman is a former Clinton administration official. By "former State Dept. official" people could easily have been misled into believing she was a former Bush official, perhaps one who quit in disgust, etc.
Next, Lauer tried his hardest to spin W's conversation with Saudi Prince Bandar into a dark conspiracy to bring down gas prices just in time for the 2004 election. Again, Woodward debunked the notion, portraying the situation as one of the normal diplomacy that a President would conduct who is concerned about high gas prices on the economy, etc.
Finally, in perhaps the most telling moment, Lauer alluded to passages in the book in which W does considerable praying in the lead up to the war. Lauer spoke of W's "fervor" (I believe that was the word). Lauer's seemed to be seeking to cast W as something of a religious fanatic, God-is-on-our-side type who thinks he has a mission from God to liberate the world.
Again, Woodward tried to soothe Lauer's fevered brow. He suggested that while the elites might look contemptuously at W's faith "Bush and Blair believe that the people being freed appreciate what they're doing."
Then it was on to Katie's Columbine HS interviews. She began by recreating an interview she had done five years earlier with the father of a boy who had been killed and the brother of a girl who had been killed. The father by the way is a black preacher.
This was a celebration of the maudlin, therapeutic New Age ethic at its worst. Katie's questions, asked in what I found to be a condescendingly sympathetic tone, were all about how people were "dealing" with things, and how various actions they had taken were "cathartic," etc.
To his credit, the father was trying to take some positive inspiration from the tragedy. He has begun a ministry preaching racial reconciliation, etc. and seemed genuine and sympathetic.
The brother of the murdered girl, who had been a student at the HS himself at the time, has gotten into film making. It was somewhat creepy the way in which he used the opportunity to promo his latest project "a stirring tale of something-or-other that should be in theaters later this summer."
There was one of those awkward moments at the end where authentic people don't understand when they're supposed to get off the stage. Katie clearly wanted to end the segment, but the preacher father had more to say, and continued to do so. To her credit Katie didn't cut him off, but you could feel her tension as the seconds ticked by.
When she was finally able to end the segment, Today closed with sentimental scenes of clouds and sun and literally with harp music. Please, just report the facts, and spare us the emotional manipulation.
Ms. Colon celebrating Hitler's birthday out west, huh.
Must be so hard to decide which lie to tell.
I think Lauer said "Bush's convictions" as his way of urging Woodward to join him in criticizing Bush's religious beliefs. (Do all leftist media monkeys disparage personal beliefs, or only those of Christians?)
Lauer tried to make it appear the Bush/Cheney website was mistaken to link Woodward's book, as if the book was a campaign negative, with Bush to dumb to recognize that. People won't buy into that notion at all.
I only watched the first half-hour, so missed the interview you described. Sounds like things didn't improve from the first half-hour!
I noticed that. This really was Lauer at his worst. Sometimes you wonder what gets into these people.
Looks like the "Plan of Attack" on Bush is backfiring on the RATs. Just like Retardo Clarke's book, the left attacks Bush and his poll numbers rise. I think the American people are sick and tired of the slimy RAT's and their constant bashing of the administration.
This must be the latest on the fax from Terry McAuliffe and the DNC. Portray Bush as some kind of crazed religious zealot who is leading the country down the path to national destruction. According to what I heard on Rush yesterday, this is exactly what 60 minutes tried to do.
Do any of these interviewers have an original thought at all? I guess they only ask the questions directed by the DNC.
This is the "he said/she said" we have when reporters don't reveal their sources. Woodward started this with Watergate and now it's SOP. But who should we believe? The guy who writes the book and has a monetary interest in fomenting controversy so as to increase book sales or the guy directly involved (i.e., Powell) who AFAIK doesn't have a reputation for stretching the truth.
Not the first time either, Woodward's books BUSH AT WAR, and THE COMMANDERS belies the notion that Bush runs a secret White House, or has much to hide, or is deceptive. President Bush has given Woodward incredible, unheard of access to events, almost as they happen. Proof positive, this president wants the truth exposed, and does not fear it.
Folks, I predict President Bush is single-handedly destroying any chance the left will be able to historically discredit this administration with foolish lies and desperate conspiracy theories.
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