CNN's Top War Correspondent Slams Iraq War Coverage

[Nottingham]

CNN's Top War Correspondent Slams Iraq War Coverage
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USA Today Tuesday 16th September, 2003

CNN's top war correspondent, Christiane Amanpour, says that the press muzzled itself during the Iraq war. And, she says CNN "was intimidated" by the Bush administration and Fox News, which "put up a climate of fear and self-censorship."

As criticism of the war and its aftermath intensifies, Amanpour joins a chorus of journalists and pundits who charge that the media largely toed the Bush administrationline in covering the war and, by doing so, failed to aggressively question the motives behind the invasion.

On last week's Topic A With Tina Brown on CNBC, Brown, the former Talk magazine editor, asked comedian Al Franken, former Pentagon spokeswoman Torie Clarke and Amanpour if "we in the media, as much as in the administration, drank the Kool-Aid when it came to the war."

Said Amanpour: "I think the press was muzzled, and I think the press self-muzzled. I'm sorry to say, but certainly television and, perhaps, to a certain extent, my station was intimidated by the administration and its foot soldiers at Fox News. And it did, in fact, put a climate of fear and self-censorship, in my view, in terms of the kind of broadcast work we did."

more...

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=7c8e6ebc482f5f6c

Admission the Press were muzzled :bounce:

[grytpype]

1. I wish this would hit the mainstream media, but it won't.

[fishnfla]

23. I read this in USA today

this am

[bahrbearian]

2. I'm glad to hear her say this!!!!

I was starting to wonder about her ,she been in a lot of tough spots.

[Bozita]

3. This is HUGE...She's gonna pay with her job.

She thinks that she's working for the BBC or CBC.

Love her.

[Nottingham]

4. Faux News Comment just Burns me up!

:mad: Fox News spokeswoman Irena Briganti said of Amanpour's comments: "Given the choice, it's better to be viewed as a foot soldier for Bush than a spokeswoman for al-Qaeda."


So if you disagree with Bush your Al Queda

This is a JOURNALIST!!!

She belongs in Freakin Grade School

Someday these People are going to be judged!

By History and the Higher Powers and let them use that excuse!


:argh:

[Myra]

6. Yep, Faux's response

Was right out of the fascist propagnda handbook.
Really underscored what Amanpour said, and I
just now developed respect for her.
She really put herself on the line.

But then she does work for media whores, and
should damn well know it.

[LoneStarLiberal]

7. Is It Any Wonder...

Given the prevalence of comments like this one from conservatives, is it really any wonder those of us in academia don't want them around?

Sorry, lots of conversation today about conservatives wanting "their share" of representation in academia. They have talk radio and cable news and we have higher education. Screw 'em.

[samsingh]

8. Hey Irena

how about being viewed as an objective journalist?

[loudnclear]

24. FOX's response should be held up as an example of facism and what

this administration and its "foot sholdiers" stand for. Even the simple-minded can see this kind of response for what it is. After so many true journalists were killed trying to report the truth these cowardly, Limbaulistic, twerps should not even be allowed to mention Amanpour's name.

[Gloria]

5. I saw this show!! She was on with Clarke and Al Franken....

Franken was ineffectual...his attempts a jocularity fell flat/wer out of place as Torrie "motormouth" Clarke sparred with Amanpour. He actually shouldn't have been on this show, as the two women were the ones really going at it. He wisely sort of shut up and stayed out of it once things got going.

Clarke, not dressed as a popsicle this time, was running at the mouth, as usual. Amanpour, however, really laid it on the line, as you can see from this story.

[Elidor]

9. Interesting comments, BUT

Like Dan Rather, she didn't have to play the game. Why do they play along and complain about it afterward? If someone wants to stand on principle, why do they wait until the crowd has dispersed? I saw some of Amanpour's coverage during the invasion, and it was tepid. She gave no indication that she felt this way.

Dan Rather made his inane "How high shall I jump, Mr. President?" comments and then, much later, snuck over to the U.K. to say he didn't like prostituting himself. Well, fuck me naked running backwards through the woods! Do tell! Why don't you stand up when it matters, rather than after the fact?

[Nottingham]

10. I believe a person can atone! And she is speaking out NOW!

Give her a Break! You Go Girl! :bounce:

[Bozita]

14. She has nothing to atone for. She did the same thing last year...

...blasting the American press corps at a National Press Club major event.

She's always shown courage.

[wtmusic]

16. Dead Iraqis can't atone!

[zbdent]

12. A gun to your head can be pretty convincing . . . A gun to your

family's heads can be even more convincing.

She was over in Iraq, protected, as long as she "didn't get out of line" and cover something like a real journalist.

Who was at home guarding her family?

Remember how Ken Starr badgered Momma Lewinsky?

[Gloria]

21. Yes, isn't she married to an ex-Clinton administration guy--??

is it James Rubin? (not sure of the name--but I'm not referring to the Treasury guy, from Wall Str.)

[wtmusic]

15. Media whores all

when it's safe to come outside...

[RapidCreek]

26. No kidding....Let's gang rape a 7 year old girl

then whine that fear of Bushco and Faux made us do it. What a load of sanctimoneous bullshit.

Instead of telling us she is a whore...why the hell don't her and her pals DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? They still haven't and I don't see anything changing either. Admitting you are a whore doesn't excuse the fact that you are a whore. At any rate...I appreciate the confirmation of what I already knew.

RC

[Blitz]

11. Dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=114621

[0007]

13. btt

*

[cthrumatrix]

17. This is great...maybe there should be a debate with facts and times

and examples and let the people decide...could we be soo lucky?

Let's have CNN host this event ...if they are honest they would encourage such "truth".

[Dr Fate]

18. I call Bullshit- How does Fox make CNN lie for Bush?

I'm glad she's speaking out- but I also find it interesting that she is trying to blame FOX for her own networks censorship- did Fox twist their arms and make them lie for Bush?

Looks like CNN is having a problem with "personal responsibility"- dont blame Fox, blameyourselves- Fox made you do NOTHING.

The sad fact is that CNN had a choice, and they chose to be unpatriotic instead of heroic protectors of the freedom of the press.

CNN- you are as GUILTY as Fox AND Bush- correct your mistakes by RETRACTING your pro-Bush lies ASAP- and keep your excuses to yourselves...

[roguevalley]

19. she's a good journalist and person

she went to morgues filled with dead children in bosnia so that people would know. She's been in more shoot outs and war zones than dad rather in Viet nam. I admire and like her. She's genuine and she has balls. There isn't a news organization in the world that wouldn't take her in a minute and cbs has. she works for them too.

I also know that any world leader, any one of them, will take her call and talk to her, she is that trusted to tell the truth in places around the world. She's a ballsy chick and I respect her. Go, Christiane.

[masshole]

22. makes sense

What news is covered and how it is covered is determined by ratings numbers. Nothing new there.
FOX's numbers were better than CNN's. CNN tried (tries) to cover stories "FOX-like" in an attempt to win the numbers game.
So yes, FOX does affect CNN's coverage.

They both took the low road.

[RapidCreek]

28. Actually that makes NO sense

Tell you something my friend. If 5 networks mimic fox...the only distinguishing factor being flashy background graphics and theme music then they'll all follow behind fox in ratings.

I would hazard to guess, if a network reported the NEWS...as millions of people the world over knew it to be....LONG before the war..that networks ratings would have skyrocketed. Why? because the 2/3rds of the country that aren't mentally deficient fox fans would have had some reason to tune in. Pretty damn simple really.

RC

[FlemingsGhost]

25. Amen, Doctor.

The blood on their hands didn't come from FoxNews. The manner in which CNN decided to "report" the illegal U.S. invasion was their decision.

They chose to peddle the Bushit.

[Jacobin]

20. She is a real journalist.

She has done extremely good work. I respect and admire her. No one will give her any grief about this. She can get a job at any reputable news organization she wants, although that would limit her to those situated in countries other than the United States

[FlemingsGhost]

27. So what's their excuse for Selection 2000? Or 9-11?

While you're saving face... you're losing your ass, Christiane.

(on edit: Many thanks to Lyndon B. Johnson)

[lazarus]

29. dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=114621