UPI: Rumsfeld visits Iraq with only conservative Fox News host Sean Hannity: No pool reporters

[DeepModem Mom]

Rumsfeld visits Iraq with Fox News host

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld made a surprise whirlwind trip to Iraq over the weekend, taking with him only a conservative talk show host.

Pentagon spokesman Eric Ruff said Rumsfeld "was not looking for broad coverage" when he declined to take even a single pool reporter on the trip, which would provide news reports to all media agencies. Instead, he brought along Sean Hannity, a radio talk show host and a Fox News talk show host notably friendly to the Bush administration.

"As the outgoing secretary of defense makes one last trip to Iraq on a farewell tour, only one show has total access!" states the Fox News Web site.

Ruff said Hannity approached Rumsfeld about going to Iraq with him months ago and this is the only time their schedules meshed. He denied that the Pentagon was playing media favorites in an attempt to shape coverage of the secretary's final trip to Iraq and disputed the characterization of Hannity as a "journalist" and called him a "radio talent."

Rumsfeld was in Iraq for 26 hours. He conducted two "town hall" meetings with troops in Mosul and Al Asad and met with top U.S. military commanders, including incoming Multinational Corps commander Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad....

http://www.upi.com/SecurityTerrorism/view.php?StoryID=20061211-121828-9539r

[RethugAssKicker]

1. What more proof do we need about Hannity?.... A complete

bought and paid for government shill !!!

[Captain Hilts]

2. Life's good in the glass bubble. nt

[aquart]

3. We're agreed. I wouldn't call Hannity a "journalist," either.

[DURHAM D]

4. The press management of this WH is sad and sick.

All of them are children and our lives are in their hands.

I am glad I'm old - we are in such a sorry mess.

[Shipwack]

6. The only thing sadder and sicker...

Is the fact that the press just sucks it up...

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. Hannity must have been down on his knees for this one.

More so than usual.

[saigon68]

7. His mouth was open too.

[Occulus]

14. So THAT'S how he lost his gag reflex.....

[gratuitous]

8. And now Hannity paints himself as an expert

Yep, based on 26 hours in the bubble with Rumsfeld, Sean Hannity can now bloviate for months if not years about what a great place Iraq is based on his personal experience.

One last parting gift from Mr. Rumsfeld, who's given us so many other things to remember him by.

[underpants]

10. You are right

but I have to say that Rummy, no matter how horrible he is, has really sunk to a unforeseen low to take Hannity along with him. He could have taken any of the Fox reporters but them maybe Hannity was the only one left who wanted anything to do with him.

[TheCowsCameHome]

15. They all do that. A totally sanitized, scripted trip and they're instant experts

Limpbag did the same thing in Israel, Larry Ingraham in Iraq, etc.

World-class phonies is what they really are.

[Judi Lynn]

17. These Bush administration people know what tools they're using.

There's not a chance in hell they would take an actual sentient human being with them, only an emotionally crippled, intellectually dead, Hitler-in-waiting, who has control of a microphone, and will race off to spew to his/her mentally impaired listeners as soon as the trip's over.

[TheCowsCameHome]

20. They're called puppets, only real puppets are actually smarter.

[saigon68]

21. LIke Puppet Charlie McKarzai "The Mayor of Kabul"

[leftofcool]

9. Hey insanity!!!!!!!!!!

How many times did you leave the green zone and go out among the real people? Wot? None? Asshole!

Left of Cool

[underpants]

11. Please please please tell me there is one of these photos of Hannity

[DeepModem Mom]

12. I'd forgotten that pic -- LOL! nt

[Judi Lynn]

18. Is the one on the left Tony Snow?? The other one Rep. Jack Kingston?

Kingston

The one on the left looks manipulative.

[maxrandb]

13. It's hard to sink much lower

when your White House Press Secretary is a Freeper, but just when I think this mis-administration has hit rock bottom...they start to dig!

[TheCowsCameHome]

16. They have to look straight up to see the curb......................

[spanone]

19. They don't even pretend to hide their contempt for American Values.

such as freedom of speech. Open government. You know, pesky shit like that.

[spanone]

22. If two Shits ever deserved each other....