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DonViejo

(60,536 posts) Tue Jun 3, 2014, 11:25 AM Jun 2014

GOP Strategists Arranged Interviews With Angry Members Of Bergdahl's Platoon

TOM KLUDT – JUNE 3, 2014, 10:41 AM EDT

Republican operatives apparently believe there's something to be gained by painting Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl as a deserter.

The New York Times ran one of the manifold articles Monday focused on resentment toward Bergdahl among some of the soldiers in his unit, and the paper disclosed the interviews were arranged by GOP strategists.

Republicans and conservatives have questioned the legal and national security implications of the prisoner swap that led to Bergdahl's release. But they have also scrutinized the POW over his 2009 disappearance and his stated objections to the military's actions. Some on the right have even gone after Bergdahl's father, Bob.

The Times received comment from two former members of Bergdahl's platoon who said the soldier was a deserter who should be court-martialed.

more
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/gop-strategists-interviews-bergdahl

13 replies

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Highlight:

GOP Strategists Arranged Interviews With Angry Members Of Bergdahl's Platoon (Original Post) DonViejo Jun 2014 OP

Keep it up GOP, complete political obscurity is visible on the horizon! nt tridim Jun 2014 #1

‘An interview … arranged by Republican strategists’ deminks Jun 2014 #2

Possibly paying former service members to be outraged. louis-t Jun 2014 #3

kicking for the afternoon. Huge implications here. deminks Jun 2014 #4

Color me not surprised in the bit nadinbrzezinski Jun 2014 #5

So who are their connections/owners at the Pentagon malaise Jun 2014 #6

Great question. I'd love to know that answer riderinthestorm Jun 2014 #10

Oliver North is clearly one malaise Jun 2014 #11

It worked before gratuitous Jun 2014 #7

Afraid? Scarsdale Jun 2014 #8

Two others were interviewed on radio who were members and have very different views about this. kelliekat44 Jun 2014 #9

The last guy from the GOP who went against the Army was Joe McCarthy Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Jun 2014 #12

That is so vile. Thanks for the post. SunSeeker Jun 2014 #13

tridim

(45,358 posts)

1. Keep it up GOP, complete political obscurity is visible on the horizon! nt

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Tue Jun 3, 2014, 11:28 AM

Jun 2014

deminks

(11,014 posts)

2. ‘An interview … arranged by Republican strategists’

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Tue Jun 3, 2014, 11:54 AM

Jun 2014

Another link from Maddowblog

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/interview-arranged-republican

(snip)

“Yes, I’m angry,” Joshua Cornelison, a former medic in Sergeant Bergdahl’s platoon, said in an interview on Monday arranged by Republican strategists.

Though we don’t yet have all the details, and some of the allegations may be “unsubstantiated,” the emotional reaction from servicemembers is easy to understand. But it was those other eight words that also raised eyebrows: “an interview on Monday arranged by Republican strategists”?

What exactly is going on here? The release of an American POW from his Taliban captors in Afghanistan has become a political operation in which Republican strategists direct reporters to specific sources?

(end snip)

emphasis mine

louis-t

(23,292 posts)

3. Possibly paying former service members to be outraged.

Reply to deminks (Reply #2)

Tue Jun 3, 2014, 12:02 PM

Jun 2014

It is a sickness, being a Republican.

deminks

(11,014 posts)

4. kicking for the afternoon. Huge implications here.

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Tue Jun 3, 2014, 01:42 PM

Jun 2014

nadinbrzezinski

(154,021 posts)

5. Color me not surprised in the bit

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Tue Jun 3, 2014, 01:44 PM

Jun 2014

malaise

(268,921 posts)

6. So who are their connections/owners at the Pentagon

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Tue Jun 3, 2014, 01:47 PM

Jun 2014

neo-con warmongers, MIC operatives or both?

riderinthestorm

(23,272 posts)

10. Great question. I'd love to know that answer

Reply to malaise (Reply #6)

Wed Jun 4, 2014, 06:39 PM

Jun 2014

malaise

(268,921 posts)

11. Oliver North is clearly one

Reply to riderinthestorm (Reply #10)

Wed Jun 4, 2014, 08:53 PM

Jun 2014

gratuitous

(82,849 posts)

7. It worked before

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Tue Jun 3, 2014, 01:53 PM

Jun 2014

I mean, the so-called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth got a whole bunch of air time for the disgruntled rumblings of one person who actually served with John Kerry. Every other person who served with Kerry in Vietnam supported the military's version of his service, but the media couldn't get enough of the one guy - very well-financed - with a contrary opinion. It torpedoed Kerry's candidacy while he was taking a few weeks off after the Democratic convention, and the Republicans laughed themselves sick as they began 2005 with their alleged mandate for Bush's second term.

Why not try it again? Nothing to lose, and the media has so far been eating it up once again. Yesterday Matt Lauer pulled his frowniest face on the Toady Show to wonder whether the administration was risking the lives of every American by securing Bergdahl's release. Apparently, if you didn't feel your own personal life was in danger, the Toady Show was there to tell you that you were. Or at least ask those questions. You know, just asking questions. That "some people" are asking. That's all.

Scarsdale

(9,426 posts)

8. Afraid?

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Wed Jun 4, 2014, 10:59 AM

Jun 2014

Could it be possible some of these soldiers are afraid the TRUTH will come out? Did some of them laugh at the killing of a child? War does strange things to certain people. Remember, nobody came forward for years to dispute the death of Pat Tillman.