RUMSFELD SET UP; REPORTER PLANTED QUESTIONS WITH SOLDIER (DRUDGE SIREN)

Drudge Report ^

[conservativecorner]

It figures. The newspapers are every bit as bad as the other members in the MSM. I would say this may change things for the soldiers involved, and it probably should. It's one thing to speak from your heart, and quite another to get coaching from a reporter so you show up in the local paper. It makes me sick that the marines are kicking azz in the worst parts of Iraq, and we have this kind of behavior from a soldier who is not even in theater.

[MileHi]

Huh?? .. How was it planted??

I was told yesterday that only soldiers could ask questions so I brought two of them along with me as my escorts. Before hand we worked on questions to ask Rumsfeld about the appalling lack of armor their vehicles going into combat have. While waiting for the VIP, I went and found the Sgt. in charge of the microphone for the question and answer session and made sure he knew to get my guys out of the crowd. From post 18

[lainie]

If it's a fake, we can be sure the Chattanooga Rag Whatever paper will scream bloody murder, real quick like.

[Lockbar]

"The reporter that the soldiers were with set us up the bomb...."

Hurry up, MAKE YOUR TIME! HA HA HA HA

[weegee]

Media Schadenfreude and Media Shenanigans PING

The way that the media was editing the entire encounter down to a VERY brief soundbite from Rumsfeld was evidence enough that this was a media hit.

Just like the press corps kept pushing for President Bush to use the words "it was a mistake" during the election.

Since the election is OVER, the only thing that can be concluded is that the press are a bunch of traitors. Such tactics only serve to sour morale and provide aid and comfort to the enemy (there is nothing else to be gained from sinking President Bush's "poll" numbers now, he is in his second elected term).

[Joe Hadenuf]

Oh, wait...it's been all over the news for months? Anyone who can get up close to a Humvee can check out the armor? Anyone can look up the specifications for the vehicle and see that it's got basically no undercarriage armor?

Exactly.

Of course everyone knew this.

This whole thing is ludicrous. And now they are attempting to blame all this on some idiot reporter running around, while our intelligence sits around stoned asking for his autograph.

[somerville]

My brother was an embedded reporter during the Iraq war for a mainstream magazine.I can't imagine him feeding questions to a soldier for a conference. From where I stand, what this reporter did was a clear violation of journalistic ethics. That's the trouble with having embedded reporters - the boundaries between the press and the solders become blurred. My brother talked about this but I know he tried to keep some distance between himself and the soldiers.

I imagine the soldier will have some 'splaining to do as well.

[FReepaholic]

...whats a solider?...

The opposite of a liquider.

[expat_panama]

The soldiers were used by an imbed who was a political hack.  This was a question that could only be loved by someone who either is unfamiliar with military hard ware or someone who hates the military altogether. (see post 118).

[pieces of time]

Point well taken.

[GraniteStateConservative]

We couldn't attack Iraq in an election year and you know that. We had to go in March 2003 or wait until 2005.

[fix]

I'm not taking the reporter's side or defending him in any way. I think what he did was deplorable, and I believe the soldier to be complicit in the action as well. However, I do have to ask that we clarify the definition of the MSM. The reporter came from the "Chattanooga Times Free Press." I'd hardly consider that mainstream. The MSM certainly jumped all over it as usual, but I'd hardly call this a vast MSM conspiracy.

[b4its2late]

:-)

[Lockbar]

That stupid reporter might have brought that soldier there to embarrass Rummy, but the problem is that it still came from the mouth of a soldier.

[FReepaholic]

...journalistic ethics...

Oxymoron

[Destro]

but the soldiers at that time did what they had to do and didn't whine to the press about it like these guys.

It is correct that the soldiers improvised with what they had but you are not correct to say that soldiers did not complain about crappy machines and conditions. They complained bitterly but there was nothing of that in press because of of WW2 era censorship.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Un F'n REAL!!! I bet that's the last time that reporter gets into a DoD presser.

What's Un F'n REAL is our intelligence letting this sh*t happen.

If this isn't enough, the questions were basically valid, thats why all the troops where cheering when they were asked.

[Destro]

What stunt? He was a fake soldier?

[GraniteStateConservative]

Either would be cool sci-fi weapons. Those and the transmogrifier.

[cyncooper]

Well, let's go after the messenger (reporter) and not the message (the Rumsfeld reaction).

There was nothing wrong with Rumsfeld's response.