Richard Holbrooke Blisters Media: Syria Story "Exploited By Journalists Looking For Fake Controversy

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/horsesmouth/2007/04/richard_holbroo.php

Richard Holbrooke Blisters Media: Syria Story "Exploited By Journalists Looking For Fake Controversy"
April 09, 2007 -- 07:03 PM EST // View Comments (0) // Post a Comment

Check out this appearance by former Clinton Ambassador Richard Holbrooke on today's Hardball (at link).

Holbrooke delivers a stern lashing to, well, the entire American media for its pathetic performance on the Pelosi-to-Syria trip story. And he explains why this story's bogus in terms simple enough for even CNN's Suzanne Malveaux to understand:

Favorite bit: Note how reporter David Gregory -- quite uncharacteristically -- employs one of the more vacuous and exhausted GOP talking points of this whole affair. And note Holbrooke's response:

GREGORY: But why is it appropriate to have Congress and have Democratic leaders pursuing a shadow foreign policy?

HOLBROOKE: David. David. They're not pursuing a shadow foreign policy. They're making trips to the region. The Republican group had gone out before her. She had Republicans on her group. Congressmen are supposed to travel to understand better how to spend the taxpayers' money, which is their responsibility...What Speaker Pelosi did was completely in longstanding keeping with members of Congress taking foreign trips to difficult areas to learn and to exchange views.

One other favorite bit. Holbrooke offers his diagnosis of the media's coverage in stinging terms:

I think this whole thing has been blown out of proportion by a delibrerate ambush plan by the opposition in this case the Republicans, and frankly, exploited by journalists who are just looking for a fake controversy. There is no issue here. Congressman Wolf, a major Republican, was in the region a few days earlier. Republican were on her trip. There's no issue. None.

Er, yeah, that's right.

One point about this. Maybe I've missed it, but I haven't seen any Democratic elected officials or direct Pelosi allies denouncing this story in such stark terms -- that is, by striking directly at the fraudulent nature of this whole tale, by asserting that this story is a complete GOP ruse that's only being kept alive because of journalism that's incompetent at best and outright dishonest at worst. And frankly, I'm wondering why I haven't seen more Democrats doing this.

Is anyone else wondering the same thing?

The media in this country has to be dealt with.

by the ap. they have been the leading misinformation or just plain shoddy reporting news service of late. the pelosi trip was a major ap news service misinformation hit...

Get the real news out there media, enough slaughter for these oily b*sh lying terrorists.

Go Nancy, she is really impressing me.

an intensely truthful response that strikes "directly at the fraudulent nature of this whole tale" ( I like how you phrased it.) I wonder.

I know that Sen. Kerry came out in support of Nancy's trip.. but it was just that he supported her, I am not sure if he said more than that.. and actually I doubt that he did.

What is wrong with the Dems? This is a very important issue. If they keep allowing the RW get away with this shit, we are just gonna be singing the same old song, second verse.

Kudoes to Hobrooke for telling it straight up!

:kick: & rec!


INVESTIGATE IMPEACH INDICT IMPRECATE INCARCERATE :patriot:

on Easter morning at Kos.

He and Clark had been publicly supportive of Pelosi on her trip, but most bigname Dems stayed quiet so the corpmedia always takes that as a sign of capitulation to the RW talking points, imo.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/4/8/7259/09964

Supporting Speaker Pelosi
by John Kerry
Sun Apr 08, 2007 at 04:43:10 AM PDT

We Democrats should’ve been unapologetic this week defending Speaker Pelosi because the truth was on our side: She had a right to go. And she was right to go. The coordinated attack on her trip to Syria was as inappropriate as it was irresponsible. And when that happens to a Democrat, we should all damn well stand up and be counted in our support, or else we hand partisan hacks on the other side a dangerous victory. They thrive on destroying our leaders – we can’t let them. Especially when we’ve got the moral high ground.

>>>>>>>

Hooray for John Kerry!!!... I hope the others take his lead! Thanks for the info


INVESTIGATE IMPEACH INDICT IMPRECATE INCARCERATE :patriot:

because any battle really does require an All hands on Deck response, or you just won't hear much at all.

The GOPs have perfected this - Dems are utter failures on this score - they are not good at providing backup or getting heard in any fullcourt press way. How can they? GOPs bought control of most broadcast media in the 80s and 90s.

I am proud to have voted for him in 2004 and would do so again.

I can't figure out that site enough to do a search but Kerry had a recommended diary admonishing all Democrats to support Pelosi. He was passionate about how we have to push back against the GOP noise machine and support Pelosi and others who are attacked.

Otherwise, I agree with you completely.

and clearly he defended Pelosi and how he felt she did absolutely the right thing.

And yes, why are more Dems not supporting her? I feel that if the Dems stood up for her and explained the "facts of life" to the masses that they would make more points. Remember, Congress' approval is up to 40% now as compared to 25% before the elections!

and the majority of the party holds their tongues while the said Dem gets kicked in the head repeatedly.

It might explain why Pelosi's defenders are gunshy.

:patriot:

Though I like him, there are certain Repig talking points that he latches onto.

I am pleased Holbrook put Gregory in his place.

they got him up on stage with Rove for that retarded rap gig at the media ball or whatever it was ... When I saw Gregory up there I KNEW he would come out in the next week or two and carry water for them on one of their contrived issues ...

I don't like or trust the guy much ... I can see how he is coopted as much as not ... He runs with some stories, but you can see he is like Mathews, Russert, Blitzer ... That he wants to be "in" and that you can fake for your own self that you are an "unbiased" journalist, while doing "balanced journalism" when the repugs are clearly in the wrong, and getting heavy handed with the Ds from time to time to show your support for the GOP ...

to take on this. Did he buy a second house in the Hamptons, or something?