Posted on 11/10/2004 4:38:59 PM PST by Conservative Coulter Fan
Seemingly inspired by Chris Matthews, in a Tuesday Today segment with Lynne Cheney about her children's book on George Washington crossing the Delaware River, Matt Lauer referred to how Washington led "a rag-tag group, not well-fed, not well-clothed, completely under-equipped as compared to this great British army," and pivoted to Iraq: "Let me ask you to think about what is going on in Iraq today where the insurgents not well equipped, smaller in numbers, the greatest army in the world is their opposition. What's, what's the lesson?" Lauer argued that "the insurgents believe they're fighting for a cause as well. They don't believe any less than we believe." Cheney scolded him: "You're being awfully relativistic here. I mean, the insurgents are killing Iraqis by the hundreds, Iraqis by the thousands. It's not as though this is a matter between just 'on the one hand on the other hand.' We are on the side of freedom."
Back on the October 18 Hardball on MSNBC, Chris Matthews painted the Iraqi insurgents as modern Minute Men when he asked Jimmy Carter, author of a new novel set during the Revolutionary War, whether since that war represented an "insurgency against a powerful British force, do you see any parallels between the, the fighting that we did on our side and the fighting that is going on in Iraq today?" For Carter's answer, see the October 20 CyberAlert: 4www.mrc.org
Second Lady Lynne Cheney came aboard the November 9 Today to plug her new children's book, When Washington Crossed the Delaware: A Wintertime Story for Young Patriots.
Lauer began his 8am half hour session with Cheney, who was in-studio, by wondering "why this story?" Cheney explained that it presented a tale of "bravery." Lauer moved on to how Cheney would want young people to know winning was not a sure thing and Cheney confirmed that Washington's attack on the Hessians in Trenton was a brave and bold move. Lauer brought up how Washington used the "trickery" of leaving fires going to fool the Hessians into believing the colonialists were still encamped, but Cheney had to correct him and point out that maneuver was employed before the later battle in Princeton.
The MRC's Ken Shepherd then caught Lauer's next line of questioning.
Lauer: "Let me talk about this idea that a rag-tag group, not well-fed, not well-clothed, completely under-equipped as compared to this great British army and the Hessian could accomplish this. And let me ask you to think about what is going on in Iraq today. Where the insurgents not well equipped, smaller in numbers, the greatest army in the world is their opposition. What's, what's the lesson?" Cheney: "Well, the difference of course is who's fighting on the side of freedom. Ideas motivate people. And the idea of freedom is such a mighty one. There's a very good book by a man named David Hackett Fischer has written a book called Washington's Crossing. And I spent a good deal of time talking to him. He talks about how this is an entirely new thing. These are people who are fighting not because they had to, they could walk off. At one point Washington had to convince many of them to stay." Lauer: "I think he promised them more pay, actually." Cheney: "He did. But he also told them they were fighting for a mighty idea. And I think the same has been true. The same advantage has been at the back of Americans forever. We have a mighty cause in which we're fighting." Lauer: "I'm just saying, but the insurgents believe they're fighting for a cause as well. They don't believe any less than we believe. And yet—" Cheney: "Well, but Matt, you're being awfully relativistic here. I mean, the insurgents are killing Iraqis by the hundreds, Iraqis by the thousands. It's not as though this is a matter between just 'on the one hand on the other hand.' We are on the side of freedom. We are on the side that I think that idea is so powerful and does give us wind at our back."
Beaten back, Lauer moved on to how Washington was discouraged during the war.
It's not too late to put them on small boats headed for Halifax.
Lauer has shown he's just a not so pretty boy in a suit.
Insurgents offer an alternative to the current government.
The terrorists in Iraq are not making an offer of something different.
I must have missed the day in American History class that we learned how Washington and the "Minutemen" beheaded civilian hostages.
Taking his cue from Michael Moore, who compared the Iraqi "insurgency" to the American Revolutionaries.
I believe Lauer's entire brain could fit under Mrs. Cheney's pinky nail.
The fool has been listening to Ohio's Marcy Kaptur. The insurgents are NOT Iraqis. Matt is woefully ill-informed.
I saw the interview and couldn't BELIEVE Lauer comparing the patriots who fought for freedom for our country over 200 years ago to the terrorist who behead innocent civilians.
Moral equivalence of the left in action. The same mindset that in effect says "forget about the innocents being beheaded and slaughtered by the terrorists - let's talk about Abu Ghraib!"
It's the same as the leftist nuts who weep over a man being executed by the state but apparently couldn't care less about the people that convict murdered.
No offense to Mrs. Cheney, and I know it's easy for me to sit in my pajamas and say, but she let him off too easy. What she might have said to Matt and his viewers:
What have we come to as a nation when even well respected TV hosts cannot distinguish between the freedom loving patriots who founded a nation built on liberty over tyranny, and murderous terrorist thugs resisting the emergence of that same liberty in Iraq? Frankly, Matt, it's mind boggling. Next question?
Yeah, I recall Washington kidnapping innocent Philadelphians and beheading them in an effort to free prisoners on the barge in NY Harbour.
maybe he should join them in their struggle against america so he can be muhammed abdul lauer washington.
Something has to be done about Matt Lauer and his sidekick Katy Couric. I don't know what, but something.
Washington fought for freedom and liberty and the individual and a republic. These jerkoffs are fighting for slavery and collectivisim (they are both the brute and the mystic).
you'd first have to find lauer's brain to prove your point.
Matt's email address?
Sure.
Chris Jansing the MSNBC anchorette , called them " resistance fighters " a few months ago.
Al Jazeera uses the same term .
What a coincidence.
Of course, it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you believe as strong or stronger than we do.
Matt, how the h*ll is that suppose to make sense.
Are all these democrats on medication or have the body snatchers finally arrived for real.
Demonstrate conclusively that the MSM is america hating.
LOL
Isn't this the same jerk who said the 911 terrorists are bravers than our soldiers? What an anti-American a-hole!
Well, they're becoming equally dead. Other than that I don't see much of a likeness.
Mr. Lauer, you ignorant @$$, the difference is that George Washington's army stood a snowball's chance in hell.
The Hessians were so "old Europe".
Email address for the Today Show:
today@news.nbc.com
dung.
Exactly! Worth repeating. May I send that to Matt via e-mail. Better yet, why don't you?
Feel free to send it if you like. I think I'll pass. Thanks for the compliment though. I just think we should all show the proportionate level of--not outrage--AMAZEMENT at the sheer lunacy on parade these days. George Washington compared, basically, to the beheader Zarqawi. Stunning. It really is a mental disease, and therefore a polite chiding is insufficient. It leaves Matt's madness too close to being legitimized or normalized. In all seriousness, what Matt suggested was SICK, nevermind that most left wing nutcases have painted their own minds into this corner already. Sorry, I'm ranting. But truly, can you imagine? And by the way, she's promoting a CHILDREN'S book about Washington. She doesn't make policy. She's selling a history book for little kids.
p.o.s. You wouldnt have lasted a minute in our revolutionary period.
Lauer = a "Hate America First" anti-American Leftist
Ignore him, he's clueless about the world. All the Iraqi "insurgents" want to do is to take Iraq back for the forces of darkness and evil.
Same old left wing BS
During Vietnam era they characterized Ho Chi Mihn as the North Vietnam George Washington
http://video.msn.com/video/p.htm?t=1&i=18bfffc8-67a2-4b3f-9731-193eb689aba7
If George Washington were able to meet any of these people who so mischaracterize him I would imagine he'd be magnanimous and wave them an hearty farewell as their prison barge pulled away for the long tow to Halifax!
...and still have lots of room!
...in rough seas hopefully..
Just imagine how happy Matt would be if G. Washington
has sawed off a few lobster-back heads...and had Charles
Wilson Peale paint those memorable scenes.
Gee, Matt....do you think this might be a bone-headed
comparison? Or are you just secretly rooting for our enemies to win?
Huck, I wish you'd have been there !
HOW DOES ONE SPELL MORON?
Someone should have said on the air, that is about the stupidest comparison anyone could make. Are you trying to make a joke? Please, tell me someone called him on it during the broadcast.
"The insurgents" are disgruntled Sunnis who miss the "good old days" when their 20% of the population lorded it over the other 80% (The Shiites and Kurds) and murdered them by the thousands with impunity. They continue to slaughter their fellow countrymen by the thousands to restore their former tyranny.
Comparing these oppressive thugs with George Washington is an obscenity that should not be allowed to pass without severe sanctions.
Bill Maher said that...someone post a thread yesterday on FR from his web site where he was actually advocating murdering republicans.
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