Bill Moyers interviewing Tim Russert - a MUST read

[proud2BlibKansan]

Here is a link to the video:
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/btw/watch.html

And the transcript:

BILL MOYERS: ON THE BASIS OF HIS INTELLIGENCE SOURCES LANDAY WROTE THERE WAS LITTLE EVIDENCE TO BACK UP THE VICE PRESIDENT'S CLAIMS.

BILL MOYERS: BUT THE STORY LANDAY WROTE DIDN'T RUN IN NEW YORK OR WASHINGTON - KNIGHT RIDDER, REMEMBER, HAS NO OUTLET IN EITHER CITY. SO IT COULDN'T COMPETE WITH A BLOCKBUSTER THAT APPEARED TWO DAYS LATER ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NATION'S PAPER OF RECORD, WITH A FAMILIAR BY-LINE.... QUOTING ANONYMOUS ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS, THE TIMES REPORTED THAT SADDAM HUSSEIN HAD LAUNCHED A WORLDWIDE HUNT FOR MATERIALS TO MAKE AN ATOMIC BOMB USING SPECIALLY DESIGNED ALUMINIMUM TUBES.

AND THERE ON MEET THE PRESS THAT SAME MORNING WAS VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY.

DICK CHENEY (MEET THE PRESS NBC 9/8/02): … Tubes. There's a story in the NEW YORK TIMES this morning, this is-- and I want to attribute this to the TIMES. I don't want to talk about obviously specific intelligence sources, but--

JONATHAN LANDAY: Now, ordinarily information like the aluminum tubes wouldn't appear. It was top secret intelligence, and the Vice President and the National Security Advisor would not be allowed to talk about this on the Sunday talk shows. But, it appeared that morning in the NEW YORK TIMES and, therefore, they were able to talk about it.

DICK CHENEY (MEET THE PRESS NBC 9/8/02): It's now public that, in fact, he has been seeking to acquire and we have been able to intercept to prevent him from acquiring through this particular channel the kinds of tubes that are necessary to build a centrifuge and the centrifuge is required to take low-grade uranium and enhance it into highly-enriched uranium which is what you have to have in order to build a bomb."

BILL MOYERS: Did you see that performance?

BOB SIMON: I did.

BILL MOYERS: What did you think?

BOB SIMON: I thought it was remarkable.

BILL MOYERS: Why?

BOB SIMON: Remarkable. You leak a story, and then you quote the story. I mean, that's a remarkable thing to do.

BILL MOYERS: AND THAT'S ONLY PART OF IT. USING THE IDENTICAL LANGUAGE OF THE ANONYMOUS SOURCES QUOTED IN THE TIMES, TOP OFFICIALS WERE NOW INVOKING THE ULTIMATE SPECTRE OF NUCLEAR WAR - THE SMOKING GUN AS MUSHROOM CLOUD.

CONDOLEEZA RICE (CNN 9/8/02): There will always be some uncertainty about how quickly he can acquire a nuclear weapon. But we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud.

ERIC BOEHLERT: Those sorts of stories when they appear on the front page of the so called liberal NEW YORK TIMES, it absolutely comes with a stamp of approval. I mean if the NEW YORK TIMES thinks Saddam is on the precipice of mushroom clouds, then, there's really no debate.

BOB SCHEIFFER: (FACE THE NATION, CBS 9/8/02) We read in the NEW YORK TIMES today a story that says that Saddam Hussein is closer to acquiring nuclear weapons... Does he have nuclear weapons, is there a smoking gun here?

DONALD RUMSFELD: Smoking gun is an interesting phrase.

COLIN POWELL: Then as we saw in reporting just this morning...

TIM RUSSERT: What specifically has he obtained that you believe will enhance his nuclear development program.

BILL MOYERS: Was it just a coincidence in your mind that Cheney came on your show and others went on the other Sunday shows, the very morning that that story appeared?

TIM RUSSERT: I don't know. The NEW YORK TIMES is a better judge of that than I am.

BILL MOYERS: No one tipped you that it was going to happen?

TIM RUSSERT: No, no. I mean-

BILL MOYERS: The Cheney office didn't leak to you that there's gonna be a big story?

TIM RUSSERT: No. No. I mean, I don't have the-- This is, you know-- on MEET THE PRESS, people come on and there are no ground rules. We can ask any question we want. I did not know about the aluminum tubes story until I read it in the NEW YORK TIMES.

BILL MOYERS: Critics point to September eight, 2002 and to your show in particular, as the classic case of how the press and the government became inseparable. Someone in the Administration plants a dramatic story in the NEW YORK TIMES And then the Vice President comes on your show and points to the NEW YORK TIMES. It's a circular, self-confirming leak.

TIM RUSSERT: I don't know how Judith Miller and Michael Gordon reported that story, who their sources were. It was a front-page story of the NEW YORK TIMES. When Secretary Rice and Vice President Cheney and others came up that Sunday morning on all the Sunday shows, they did exactly that.

My concern was, is that there were concerns expressed by other government officials. And to this day, I wish my phone had rung, or I had access to them.

BILL MOYERS: BOB SIMON DIDN'T WAIT FOR THE PHONE TO RING.

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/btw/transcript1.html

[Mabus]

1. You go girl

You're right to repost this and to link to the video. Lil Russ failed at his job when he went along to get along. He became a national disgrace and he did a great disservice to the American public.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. I am amazed by how many "progressives" think he was such a great journalist

I will NEVER forget watching this on Moyers' show. Moyers laid it all out for Russert. Cheney planted a phony story in the NY Times and then went on MTP and quoted that story to prove his claims about Sadaam. And Russert just sat there with the dumbest look on his face while Moyers showed him how Cheney had played him.

A truly great journalist would have spoken up and called out Cheney for using him. My God, 4100 of our troops are DEAD because of this bullshit. But Russert just sat there looking stupid.

I will admit I admired him until I saw this clip on Moyers show. But this is just so damning. And the fact that Russert made no attempt to apologize or call out Cheney caused me to lose all respect for him.

I have sympathy for his family. I know what it is like to lose a loved one. But the canonization of this man needs to stop.

[Mabus]

9. There are some in the media who are beginning to speak the truth

http://www.progressive.org/mag_wx0601408 "A Discordant Note on Tim Russert"

Here's the last paragraph, I bring all this up, even at this delicate moment, to point out simply that even great mainstream journalists sometimes bow to patriotism and to power, and when they do, our democracy, and the cause of peace and justice, suffers.

Unlike Mr. Rothschild, I found Lil Russ (whose father was never called Big Russ until Timmie needed a title for his book) an unwatchable stooge long before 9/11.

[malaise]

2. The truth, the whole truth

and nothing but the truth.

K R - great post

[babylonsister]

3. Bookmarked - thanks! nt

[devilgrrl]

4. You grave pisser, what's the matter with you, his body isn't even cold yet...

:sarcasm:

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. I am sorry his family lost a loved one

But this is no great loss to journalism.

[KG]

6. he's being blatenly disingenuous to claim he had no 'access'

does anybody here really believe that there was anybody in the bush admin that wouldn't take a call from russert? refuse an opportunity to use him like the tool he was to launch the latest propaganda spin?

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Ding Ding ding - we have a winner, folks

:)

[Hamlette]

11. they know if they ask hard questions they will be denied access and be out of a job

So, they ask pretend hard questions so we, the viewers are fooled and people who do ask hard questions like Bill Moyers gets moved to Siberia (PBS).

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. Yet Bill Moyers still asks those hard questions

[Supersedeas]

58. the self-confirming nature of belway media-govt propoganda on display

[Berry Cool]

10. Well, congratulations, grave-pissers!

We now have proof!

Tim Russert was a HORRIBLE PERSON who DESERVED TO DIE!!!!!

DINGDINGDINGDINGDING!!!!!!!

YOU WIN!!!!!! :sarcasm:

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. Oh good grief

Show me where ANYONE said he deserved to die. My point is he was NO SAINT. He flubbed his coverage of the pre-war "intelligence" and Moyers laid it out for him. That is great journalism. Allowing yourself to be played by Cheney is NOT great journalism. People DIED because of this crap. A country was destroyed. That's not okay in my book.

[Jakes Progress]

46. These hand-wringing posters

are the proof of the effectiveness of MSM. They are vulnerable to the drumbeat of the media. KO says he is a giant who will be missed. Mitchell cries for the loss of America's finest journalist. They buy it. It does not bode well for our side now that the media will begin tarring our candidate if we are so susceptible to their lies.

Sure, you can feel sorry for his family. You can feel sorry that another human soul has passed. But don't create the myth that he stood for truth, justice, and the American way. That's the way the neocon controls minds with painted stories of how their are wmd in Iraq, a story that many still buy. Russ was a fixture on our tv sets. He wasn't supper-journalist. He was famous. That seems to be the criteria for being lauded. It does a disservice to the few real journalists trying to make the world better and safer. I could feel bad too, if MSM and the other Washington insiders didn't have to paint him as a hero.

Rest in peace. Here's hoping the industry you worked for will stop using your death to pump themselves and let you alone.

[riderinthestorm]

14. Let's see, 4100 American deaths, a million or more Iraqi deaths

Tim Russert played his part for the Bush Admin as a major propagandist. I can't forget those facts and watching the public ignore the monstrous consequences of Russert's participation is mind-boggling. This interview with Moyers is incredibly damning. Russert doesn't even deny anything - he knew and understood what had happened, and thus he's complicit.

I hope history adequately records the role that media stars like Russert performed for the thugs at the WH.

The surviving media desperately wants us to believe Russert was soooo objective, soooo un-biased because it provides them cover for their own despicable participation in catapulting the propaganda that has led to the epic tragedy of Iraq. If they can somehow spin Russert as a "good guy", he'll provide them future cover when the time comes for a real accounting of who facilitated the bloodshed.

But make no mistake, Russert and his ilk sold their souls. For money, or access, or power, or whatever - it IS horrible.

Everyone will die - comments about who "deserves" to die or not, are meaningless. It may have been fitting justice for Russert to die painfully, tortured and maimed, slowly - instead of the mercifully quick heart attack - that's a better discussion in my mind. What kind of death Russert deserved instead of a meaningless focus on whether he deserved to die at all.

[Wilms]

15. From now on, you drink deCafe. OK?

:eyes:

[BuelahWitch]

27. DUzy!

:rofl:

[devilgrrl]

17. I couldn't agree more! His likeness should be chisled onto the face of a mountain!

:sarcasm:

[AlCzervik]

20. ok now, that's just a little hyperbolic. It's an interesting interview and no one is saying

he deserved to die.

[BuelahWitch]

26. Telling the truth about someone is not pissing on a grave

Russert was no favorite with DU until he keeled over, which makes all these "grave pisser" posts especially disingenuous.

[maryf]

30. Death to Truth?

Lets rewrite history, deny it, what have you, in order to honor a man who seemingly didn't honor truth that much? May he rest in peace, but the truth should be told. In case you didn't see this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3456775&mesg_id=3456775

[sammythecat]

39. Thanks for pointing this out. I missed it.

That's an excellent summation of why a lot of us are less than crushed at his passing. I'm not glad he's dead, but I am glad he's gone. He could have played an important role in trying to prevent this tragedy of this "war", but he didn't, and that article shows why.

[maryf]

65. Yep, nt

[BrklynLib at work]

41. That is a thread that should be revived and pinned to the front page. Thanks for pointing it out.

[maryf]

64. and thanks

for the John Donne signature; his death does diminish us as any other would.

[bjobotts]

40. your brain has an obvious disconnect if you jump to that conclusion.

[DS1]

53. fuck you

Russert was a shill, and everyone knew it. This media fiasco is all about their own guilt, and giving themselves the eulogy they all desperately seek.

[frylock]

61. mix in a little grey area..

or grey matter. :kneejerk:

[lonestarnot]

16. And there we have it.

[XOKCowboy]

18. Excellent article - Read the whole thing..

Bill Moyers. Maybe the only real journalist we have left in America.

[Bluerthanblue]

19. I have NO problem with your

posting this- none whatsoever.

Was Russert a saint? Absolutely not! A post like yours, with 'meat' and facts posted to stand on its own merit a few days after his sudden death is just the kind of appropriate sharing of information and perspective that keeps me coming to DU and has kept me here for years.

This administration and the political climate in America since the Ken Starr days has been pretty toxic and manipulative (IMO)-
When 9/11 came down, people who I looked to to be voices of reason and sanity joined in the circling of wagons with VERY few exceptions. Even some of my 'heroes'- That experience has helped me to remember that even people we admire and respect can be fools- and tools. Even if we don't get to witness it on the national stage- No one is perfect- We all screw up more than we like to admit, or want to-

especially me.

peace~

[bluedawg12]

21. Why couldn't he have been part of THEIR plans but not a conspirator?

I understand that the WH leaked something to the NYT and the whole gaggle of them ran around to the talk shows--and repeated the NYT headline.

But- this still does not prove anything other than, he had a show, he got a big "Get" with Darthdick, and once on the show darthdick used that forum to disseminate the leak?

It still smells like shoot the messanger at this point.

[proud2BlibKansan]

23. Did you bother to watch the video?

Moyers confronted Russert and Russert just sat there with a dumb look on his face. He had been had, it was obvious and he could have done several things at that point. But he just sat there, with that dumb look.

It was grotesque.

[bluedawg12]

24. Sorry- I have dial up- it's like being blind to vids

takes an hour to download if it doesn't crash.

I was asking from the transcript posted here.

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. The transcript doesn't show the look on Russert's face

It was horrible and the one part of this show I have always remembered. And the first thing I thought of when I heard Russert had died.

That was his chance to say something, anything. He would have had every right to show anger at what Cheney had done to him. He could have mentioned on his next show that he regretted the way he was manipulated by Cheney.

But he did nothing. He said nothing.

I don't blame Russert alone for the war. There were lots of other reporters who dropped the ball and didn't tell the public what we should have been told before the war. He wasn't the only one who carried water for the Bush administration. But on Moyers show, in front of Moyers' camera, he had a chance most other reporters did not get. He could have expressed outrage, he could have publicly chastised Cheney. But he chose to do nothing.

[bluedawg12]

28. My question- and I understand the baffled look- but I wonder

could it be simply that TR was taken, used and felt stupid in giving an opinion like, "Hey, that was a coinicidence, the admin leaks a stainless steel tube story to the NYT-and then a few hours later Darthdick comes on my show to shill that version."

First, did TR have proof at the time of the Moyer's interview that the admin leaked the story? I guess the answer to that one is: who else?

Then, even if the admin leaked the NYT story- what does appearing on MTP show about Tim? Doesn't it show that darthdick and co. was very canny ( back then) and coordinated many media appearances with great stage craft?

Why does that mean that he was in on it?

I still don't see the smoking gun back to Russert--other than, in hindsight he and the other media were clevely used?

[proud2BlibKansan]

29. Moyers detailed the leak; that was obvious by the time he sat down with Russert

And you're right. I don't think Russert did anything wrong by having Cheney on his show. Russert had no way of knowing Cheney would lie; I mean, how often has a VP gone on a major news show and out and out lied? . But my point is that once he found out, Russert did nothing. And I think a person with integrity would have said somethign at that point, if only to distance himself from Cheney.

[bluedawg12]

32. The whole of MSM rolled over for the horse and pony show

that preceeded the IW.

They were so fearful of the label "antiwar" and "liberal media" and being seen as unpatriotic that other than Bill Maher--who was canned pronto--there was no investigative reporting about anything or any claims and assertions.

No one questioned Powel and his little vial at the UN, or the smoking gun ref from Condy.

Interesting how good the neocons are at mindf*ck and propaganda but not at execution.

Imagine if chimperator actually had an admin that was prepared for the occupation?

Incredible maroons.

[ladym55]

33. Check out Frank Rich's book

The Greatest Story Ever Sold. Rich includes transcripts of Darthdick's MULTIPLE visits to MTP during the buildup to the Iraq War. In each case, there were NO tough questions. Was Russert a part of a conspiracy? I don't know. But he was a very active spokesperson for the administration while telling the public that he was an objective journalist. He used his position of trust to advance an agenda. He was a very smart man. He knew what he was doing.

Truthfully, over time, he bothered me more than O'Reilly and Limbaugh and Hannity et al. Russert had a credibility the others don't have, and that made it easier for him to sell the company line, which he did on a regular basis.

[proud2BlibKansan]

34. Great point

Russert did have more credibility than many others.

[HelenWheels]

22. Thanks

I always thought Russert was bought by the corporations and the White House. I feel for his wife and son but he was no friend of the Democrats although some Dems thought he was. I was amazed Dave Obey eulogized him at the WI state Dem convention.

[Phred42]

31. Excellent snag! Thanks - K&R

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

35. K&R

[BearSquirrel2]

36. To my memory ...

I recall I watched all the Sunday mornings in 2000. To my memory, NONE of the hosts including Russert did anything to debunk the "Al Gore" lies stories. They were all directly or indirectly giving them play.

Which stories were these:
* Love Story
* Initiative for Federal Internet Funding
* Tobacco Farming
* etc...

All these guys seemed to do is have people on and let them transmit their lies. It didn't seem like ANY of them did any basic journalism that would determine that Al Gore wasn't lying about ANY of these things.

So yeah, Bob Sheiffer, Sam Donaldson, Cokie Roberts, George Will, David Brinkley and Tim Russert. If any of them ARE journalists, they are BAD ONES!!!!

[nam78_two]

37. Interesting interview-thanks for posting-Bill Moyers is the best

I wish there were more people like Mr. Moyers in the business. He is someone I respect a lot.
Edit: Forgot to mention-K&R.

[Swamp Rat]

38. k&r

[BrklynLib at work]

42. K & R. Truth can be painful to those who do not want to know it.

[MannyGoldstein]

43. And This Proves... What?

:shrug:

Maybe I'm dense - still working on my first cup of Joe.

[Honeycombe8]

44. It's just a recitation of old facts, as far as I can tell. I guess they're trying to say that...

somehow Cheney's shenanigans behind the scenes were somehow Russert's fault? Which defies the facts, of course. No one at the time knew that Cheney was doing that specific manipulation, except those involved, of course. And the New York Times.

Looks to me like Russert asked the right questions, though.

[MannyGoldstein]

45. THIS Allegedly Proves That Russert Was An Active Partner Of Bush?

If that's the case, then I'm stunned at the lack of discernment.

[Major Hogwash]

62. He was in their pocket.

They owned him, as it were.

[Maureen1322]

47. What is the point of going after Russert? He can't answer any questions.

There are plenty of "journalists" who sold us this war, they are alive
and still selling us BS. Maybe we should focus on getting our questions
answered instead of talking about a dead man.

[NashVegas]

48. No One's Going After Russert

But some of us ARE going after the MSM that has now spent three days holding him up as a shining example of great political journalism.

[Maureen1322]

49. "No One's Going After Russert",

are you kidding me? I won't defend him.
But to say no one is talking shit about him is dishonest.

[NashVegas]

57. On a Personal Level, No

or very, very few if there are.

If the rest of the MSM would stop trying to elevate the quality of his work to Shakespearean levels, these posts wouldn't be happening.

[Faygo Kid]

50. Kicked and highly recommended.

Would that he had fought the good fight in 2002.

But he didn't.

[happygoluckytoyou]

51. I KNOW....THIS WILL SOUND LIKE PISSING ON HIS GRAVE...

actually i want to publish early some future headlines...

SAINT Dubya Bush Dead of an Overdose

HIS HONORABLE Big Dick Cheney Dies, but his Heart Keeps Clicking

HER BRILLIANCE Condi Rice Fried

The BRAINIAC Rummy, Brain Dead Again

........you know... once they die we better make them saints... wouldn't want anyone to know what a pack of fuck-ups they were

[happygoluckytoyou]

52. Don't feel too sad.... I pissed on them when they were alive as well

[redqueen]

54. "BOB SIMON DIDN'T WAIT FOR THE PHONE TO RING." (nt)

[madokie]

55. You go Girl. :-)

timmeh rusturd helped to sell us down a river of lies, corruption and hate. In fact I can see how it is that he could, would or should have been questioned about treason.
Nothing honorable was ever in that suit of his. IMHO

[FreeStateDemocrat]

56. He had no credibility with me, just another bought rich corporate whore.

I quit listening to him years ago so I don't miss him at all.

[Radical Activist]

59. Russert wishes government officials had called him.

The fact that many non-governmental officials said the same thing didn't matter. Its the usual bias for the establishment that ignores anything that comes from activists.

[disndat]

60. Bill Moyers is a national treasure,

T. Russert was simply a stenographer for the Bush WH. He had a powerful microphone and camera, his boss was GE, member of the industrial military complex. I wonder if that "empire" was coming apart last week with the Supreme Court Habeas Corpus decision, the Obama win, and the Dennis Kucinich list of WH impeachable crimes. Russert was putting together the Sunday show, possibly to discuss these damning WH issues, when the fatal incident occurred.

[mzmolly]

63. Russert was "played" by the Bush administration?! Well then,

DAMN HIM TO HELL! :sarcasm:

[leftofthedial]

66. have the st. tim worshipers figured out yet

that timmy boy was not a journalist?

even the reagan-esque mourn-athon hasn't tipped them off?