Posted on 02/03/2005 7:54:50 AM PST by paudio
MSNBC's "Hardball" host Chris Matthews suggested last night that the high point of President Bush's State of the Union Address - the emotional hug between grateful Iraqi voter Safia Taleb al-Suhail and Janet Norwood, mother of a Marine who died liberating her country - was staged by the White House.
The cynical host apparently first voiced his skepticism during a commercial break. His comments were immediately seized upon by "Hardball" guest, MSNBC contributor Pat Buchanan when the show returned.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
Yeah, but somebody else knew they were going to be there, and figured they might have an emotional response on being introduced to each other, and put off introductions until the speech. That's how you stage an event involving non-actors, postpone the moment you want to capture on camera until they are on camera. I'm not saying their behavior was staged, I'm saying the timing and location of their behavior was staged.
What do you mean just wondering. If you think he is, then you can say he is, if you are a msm "journalist".
Remember the Rushbo axiom: Its not the evidence, its the seriousness of the charge that matters.
They met before the moment,though, before the cameras rolled.
The pictures seem to bear out this account.
The second is the shot in its original state, before it was tight cropped.
caption notes that these are 5th Div. Marines taking down the first flag while the second flag is secured in the background.
Not everything is a photo-op, sometimes you just have a better photographer present at one time than another, and he gets a better picture.
And yet nothing happened until more information was given by the President. It's no big deal.
http://www.nationalledger.com/scribe/archives/2005/02/chris_matthews.shtml
[Safia Taleb al-Suhail] said she met the Norwoods for the first time last night at the speech. Safia walked in and was sitting next to Laura Bush, when she heard the couple behind her talking to the mayor of Washington, D.C. (Janet and Bill Norwood were explaining to the mayor why they had been invited... and how their son, a Marine, got killed in the battle for Fallujah.) Safia overheard the conversation... and on her own, she turned around and introduced herself. She said she told the Norwoods "Thank you" and "Words can't express how grateful my country is to you." Safia said she felt an instant bond with Janet Norwood and was soon looking at one of the last pictures taken of Norwood's son Byron.
There was an exchange of questions... and e-mails. (The women pledged to stay in touch.) Then, the President walked in and the speech began. Safia said she was honored when the President singled her out... and even more honored when he mentioned the Norwoods. Safia said the long hug with Janet Norwood was spontaneous and emotional. Both were crying.
There was a moment during this hug when it appeared Mrs. Norwood had given Safia the ID tags that belonged to Norwood's son. In fact, Safia said that during the embrace, the tags got caught on the jewelry Safia was wearing and on Mrs. Norwood's purse. "We were bound together," said Safia, "it was an accident but somehow appropriate."
I didn't think he just happened to be present, maybe just happened to be present when they decided on a bigger flag, but my understanding is it was a bit of a hike to where they put the flag and nobody would just happen to be there.
I wouldn't say not everything is a photo-op, as you point out a good photographer can find the right shot in just about everything. I'd say that not all photo-ops have little pieces of tape on the floor (or a mysterious pile of stones on the beech as it were), and those tend to be the better ones.
So they introd themselves. It changes nothing. There is absolutely NOTHING either woman can say that proves it wasn't staged to the level I'm saying it was, because there is absolutely no part of that kind of staging either woman would have participated in. Find me a White House event staff member saying it never downed on them the two women would feel an emotional bond, those are the people that would be involved in the staging, those are the only people that would know about anything before hand, and those are the only people that can establish it wasn't staged. If either woman was involved in the staging then it would have looked stilted and forced, so obviously they weren't.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1335851/posts
Best moment of Bush's speech had no words
The Chicago Tribune ^ | February 4, 2005 | John Kass
No. The photograph of the second flag-raising was not a "photo op". There were combat photographers nearby when a second group of men hoisted a larger flag on Mount Suribachi. Joe Rosenthal swung around and happened to snap a picture of the event (he nearly missed it, and there wasn't a "do over" - remember, this was no digital camera), that when cropped, became the most popular image of the war. It was not "staged".
Some things just happen spontaneously, like two genuinely emotional people embracing one another - tv cameras or no tv cameras. The suggestion that the encounter was planned is really offensive.
They "happened to be there" because their units were there, and had been ordered to take the high ground so the Japs would quit lobbing stuff on everybody's heads.
(I guess I'm the Daughter-in-Law of an Iwo Jima Vet!)
Chris Matthews demonstrated the power of fear when he said the hug between the two obviously overcome ladies at the STOU was staged. Poor old Chris felt the cold grip of fear taking hold of his being as he witnessed all he holds dear running down the historical drain. The ability to hold back his leftist mindset vanished. All semblance of self control and prudence disappeared. Raw fear took control and forced out the most vitriolic statement he could muster. The women having a real, honest to God historic moment were fakes, staged by the RNC PR minions.
His control over bias was released. He was unable to report what he saw because the intense weight of fear overcoming his being would not allow truth. He had to lash out. He went on autopilot trying to overcome the powerful speech of the President and the emotional historical message conveyed to the world by the ladies in the gallery.
As fear continues to control and as the sense of actual doom permeates the various media types, there will be an increase in the bias as resurrection of lost cause is desperately attempted.
Thank you for posting that. Most of it is correct, except that Rosenthal really caught that shot by accident - he swung around and snapped without getting a good look. He never actually attributed the photograph to his skills.
; ) (You done good!!)
Not saying things don't spontaneously happen. But there are people in this world with the job of making sure the interesting stuff happens in front of a camera, doesn't make it any less spontaneous.
Thanks for pointing that out as well. Have you read "Flags of Our Fathers", by any chance? I think you would find it riveting. It gave me a whole new appreciation for my dad. (Please give your father-in-law my warmest regards if he is still alive - my dad was a PhM2c on a medical team attached to the 4th Marine Division.)
I honestly think you need to give this up, and just enjoy it for what it was. You were as wrong about what happened on Mt. Suribachi as you are about this.
Thanks. I know James a little bit.
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