O'Neill on PBS NewsHour tonight (Thursday 8/19/04)

PBS ^

[gilliam]

For many non-conservatives, NPR is their most respected news source.

[gilliam]

NPR and PBS, I should have said.

[syriacus]

I would tend to believe O'Neill just based on Oliphant's snide attitude.According to Oliphant

• Cable TV news is no good.
• "The press" is more believable than Swiftvets.com
• Brinkley's book is good at contradicting "Unfit."

[Atlas Sneezed]

Summary:

O'Neill got plenty of time, with Oliphant getting brief rebuttals, and letting O'neill talk.

Oliphant came across as slimy, arrogant, and squirmy. His main theme was that this is "tabloid" material because the swift vets have not met any minimal standard of proof or accuracy. (Lehrer zinged Oliphant when he reminded him that "it's not just in the tabloids any more; we're covering it because Kerry addressed it.")

Oliphant's only points were:

1. Why didn't they raise the issue at the time? Waiting until now shows it's political.

2. It is politically motivated, given O'Neill's past Nixon connections, and the Republican funding.

3. Thurlow's account disagrees with the citation of his own medal.

O'Neill swatted all these away conclusively, even when Oliphant started regurgitating the dismissed Thurlow matter.

O'Neill was cool, calm, clear, unflappable, and seemed not the least emotionally motivated. Like he was content to get out the facts, and let the chips fall where they may.

The best moment was when Lehrer asked O'Neill "are you saying that Kerry had some kind of a craven [that was the word he used] plan to get medals that he would not have deserved?" O'Neill unflincningly replied "Absolutely" and explained.

(All quotes paraphrased from recollection)

[syriacus]

What's with the hair, bowtie and the femme voice?

Oliphant was just being his usual supercilious self.

[gilliam]

Thanks for the report.

It is now in the MSM, it is up to all of us to keep the pressure on.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Oliphant's suggestion that the Swift Vets don't meet journalistic standards is like a lawyer dismissing a witness because he doen't present a lawyerly argument.

My point is that the journalists should be interviewing these vets as WITNESSES, to be able to present the truth, and the areas of dispute, to let the readers judge.

[Atlas Sneezed]

It is now in the MSM

---

Hopefully, with Lehrer covering it, the floodgates should open. PBS or not, you gotta thank Lehrer for treating this story like the monumental story it is.

This day/week will be one for the history books, I predict.

And Kerry will play the role of the political fool, not just for being a liar, but for mishandling it entirely. The Monday QBs will undoubtedly say that he should have ignored it all, so the MSM could ignore it.

[vpintheak]

I know a lot of people who watch the news hour including myself since I have no cable or satellite service. This will be big. They will see that he is no shill for Bush, and a decent man.

[BobS]

Did you hear Sean Hannity's program today? Mark Levin stopped by:)

Hannity: "Did you know John Kerry was in Viet Nam?

Mark Levin: "Which side?"

LOL!

[gilliam]

Hopefully, with Lehrer covering it, the floodgates should open.

The floodgates are open. Do some channel surfing of the MSM news shows tonight, you might be pleased.

[gilliam]

Your right. Also, a LOT of vets watch PBS.

[Rebelbase]

"Oliphant's repeated claims that the SBVs claims don't meet the high journalistic standards of the mainstream media "

Perhaps he should request that those who do the honors should create a new Pulitizer type recognition named the "Jason Blair ethical standards" award.

[jackbill]

This day/week will be one for the history books, I predict.

Exactly. It has now gone from having "legs" to being a centipede.

Journalists run in packs. Some MSM journalists have now come forward and the rest will be coming out of the woodwork to try to be the next Woodward or Bernstein.

[Cold Heat]

Leher may surprise you. He is not as balanced as you think.IMO

He is a lib.

[syriacus]

O'Neill was cool, calm, clear, unflappable, and seemed not the least emotionally motivated. Like he was content to get out the facts, and let the chips fall where they may.

Yes. O'Neill has great presence.

Oliphant said the questions about Kerry's medals just keep coming back...and mentioned years Kerry ran for office.

Oliphant seems (to me) to be contradicting himself when he says both

• Why are these questions about Kerry coming up now?
  and
• These questions about Kerry keep coming up.

[So Cal Rocket]

Here's a question that I'm putting out to Freepers who have more than a cursory understanding (which is all I have) of the McCain Feingold Campaign Finance Reform law.

It's my understanding that 3rd parties can not put out campaign ads either "for" or "against" candidates starting from 60 days before the election - which would be September 2nd.

Does this include the 527 Organizations? Would the Swifties be precluded from running their ads after September 2nd?

If this is the case, then Kerry has to fend off these guys for only 2 more weeks. Then they go away.

[Republican Red]

ABC NIGHTLINE to cover Swift Boat story tonight.

Flood them with phone calls
at 202-222-7000

I just got off the phone and they were rude, condesending and I was hung up on.

I called back and asked to speak to a supervisor and got a SENIOR PRODUCER (re: Kerry Official). He was rude and condesending too. I asked him things like "why are you regurgitating Kerry's own written citation as proof of historical fact", "why have you not requested Kerry's records", "why have you not ever focused on Soros and democrat 527's".

This guy was really talking down to me and I let him have it. He actually tried the "Kerry denounced the Moveon.org ad out today". I asked him if he thought his audience was stupid and gullible. I think many peope have called because he was on his last nerve too.

BTW, when I charged that ABC had not requested Kerry's military records the producer said - "how do you know. It takes time to get this kind of information". Not holding my breath.

Please call 202-222-7000

[txrangerette]

They will do tons of interviews,
tho, & public appearances right
thru to the election.

[WoodstockCat]

Oliphant is following the lead of Chris Matthew's Lawrence O'Donnell.
What they don't realize is (or maybe they can't) is this just reinforces the message of "We're the Elite, we know how to do it and you don't."