KATIE COURIC BLINDLY REPEATS BUSH TALKING POINTS
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The media are doing it again--blindly repeating Bush's Iraq talking points and refusing to ask the tough questions. Watch the new YouTube video of Katie Couric's lapdog journalism in Baghdad--and email Couric today.  Click here |
Dear MoveOn member,
The media's failure to ask tough questions helped President Bush get us into Iraq. Now, it's happening again--blind repetition of Bush's Iraq lies. If the media doesn't shape up, our troops could be stuck in Iraq for years.
This past week, CBS News anchor Katie Couric reported from Iraq. Rather than asking tough questions to Bush and Gen. David Petraeus, Couric asked softballs and then repeated White House talking points--over and over again. Bush's troop escalation is failing miserably, but Couric's viewers got the opposite impression.
We made a short YouTube video so you could see Couric's lapdog journalism for yourself--at the end, we provide Couric's email address. Can you watch the video and email Couric today? Click here:
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2949
As we head into a big Iraq showdown this week, we need to let reporters know it's not okay to blindly repeat White House spin.
Below are several examples of Couric's irresponsible reporting. But honestly, it's worth watching the video for yourself. Here are some highlights:
- Level of violence. General Petraeus told Couric the "level of violence...has been reduced dramatically."[1] Couric let him get away with that--she did not challenge him with figures showing that civilian deaths in August were the highest of any month this year, and that more American troops died in Iraq each month this year compared to the same month last year.[2]
- Improvement in Anbar. Bush and Petraeus repeatedly say progress in the Anbar Province proves Bush's troop escalation is working. Couric didn't point out that the new Anbar strategy began in 2006--before the escalation--and actually entailed a less U.S. troops in that regioin, not more.[3]
- Mistakes made. Couric asked Petraeus what mistakes had been made in Iraq--a test of his honesty and grasp of reality. Patraeus declined to answer and referred Couric to his previous congressional testimony. Rather than pushing him to answer on camera, Couric simply laughed and said, "Alright, I'll look it up."[4] This is the exact opposite of asking tough questions and digging for the truth. (Incidentally, if she looked it up, it was never reported.)
- John McCain's market. In April, the media was embarrassed when they let McCain get away with claiming that a peaceful market he saw in Iraq was a sign of progress. It later was revealed that McCain was guarded by dozens of troops, hovering helicopters, and snipers.[5] Couric fell for the exact same trick--in nearly every day of her reporting, she used a scripted market visit as a sign of progress.[6]
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2949
Thanks for all you do.
--Adam G., Nita, Justin, Karin, and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Sunday, September 9th, 2007
P.S. Thanks to the PoliticsTV.com team for their help with this video. If you like the video, please pass this email to others you know.
Sources:
1. "Couric did not challenge Petraeus' assertion that violence in Iraq has fallen 'dramatically," Media Matters, September 5, 2007
http://mediamatters.org/items/200709060002?f=h_latest
2. "At least 1,809 Iraqi civilians killed in August," Associated Press, September 1, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20543737/
U.S. Deaths By Month, iCasualties.org
http://icasualties.org/
"Experts Doubt Drop In Violence in Iraq," Washington Post, September 6, 2007
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2938
3. "Would a Troop Surge in Iraq Work?," Time magazine, December 20, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2946
Excerpt: Much of the fighting in Anbar "continues because of the American presence, not in spite of it...The Ramadi strategy, which in essence replaces U.S. troops with Iraqis even as the fight unfolds, shows some early signs of success."
4. Eye to Eye with Katie Couric, September 5, 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsxpRrAyoMs
5. "McCain visits Baghdad market," YouTube video of April 2007 CBS report
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRW9PO6OxpU
6. YouTube - Katie Couric Repeats Bush Talking Points
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2949
