Couric to Blair: 'Do You Regret...Support' of Bush 'and War?' --12/8/2006

1. Couric to Blair: 'Do You Regret...Support' of Bush 'and War?'
CBS News and Katie Couric put repenting before the looking to the future and solutions as producers chose this question, from Couric to British Prime Minister Tony Blair, to tease at the top of Thursday's CBS Evening News: "Do you regret what many perceive as your unwavering support of this President and this war?" In the subsequent interview, Couric, who the night before called Iraq a "nightmare," pressed Blair about himself and President George W. Bush "acknowledging failures." Referring to their joint press conference, Couric queried: "The President seemed determined as ever to stay on track. Do you think he, or for that matter you, are capable of acknowledging failures in this policy and changing gears when and if necessary?" Couric's follow-up displayed her frustration with Bush: "But he's been very insistent for months now that the U.S. policy is correct and while he's accepted there may have to be a slight change, he's really dug his heels in."

2. Brokaw: U.S. Had 'No Allies' in Iraq, Lauer: Blair 'War Ally'
It seems Matt Lauer and Tom Brokaw can't get their story straight. On Thursday's Today show Brokaw falsely stated the U.S. went to war in Iraq without allies but apparently this was news to Matt Lauer as he opened the show by identifying British Prime Minister Tony Blair as a "war ally." Appearing live from Pearl Harbor, Brokaw comparing World War II to the current action in Iraq, declared: "The irony of course is that we're trying to get out of one war in which we had no allies..." But in the same hour Today host Lauer opened the program: "Good morning the study is finished, now comes the test. President Bush meets this morning with his war ally, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a day after that scathing report from the Iraq Study Group." Interestingly enough Lauer, who appeared with Brokaw in his segment, didn't bother to correct the elder sage of NBC News.

3. Kathy Griffin: Conservatives 'Banging Kids,' Catholicism 'Crap'
Appearing on Tuesday's Larry King Live on CNN, comedienne Kathy Griffin repeated her usual claim to be so liberal that she refers to herself as a Sandinista and not a Democrat. She also took delight in the downfall of Christian evangelical leader Ted Haggard, using it as a chance to ridicule conservatives: "I love it. I think it's hysterical because it's always, like, the ultra-right-wing conservatives that are banging the kids and the prostitutes and doing the crystal meth. Foley, delicious. Did you read those e-mails?" When she explained how her parents regularly attend Catholic mass, but she's "a fallen Catholic," King wondered: "Why did you fall off the wayside?" Griffin responded by denigrating Catholicism/Christianity: "I don't know. I just don't believe in any of that crap. I mean I think when you're a comedian, you kind of can't have those sensors and boundaries."

Couric to Blair: 'Do You Regret...Support'
of Bush 'and War?'

CBS News and Katie Couric put repenting before the looking to the future and solutions as producers chose this question, from Couric to British Prime Minister Tony Blair, to tease at the top of Thursday's CBS Evening News: "Do you regret what many perceive as your unwavering support of this President and this war?" In the subsequent interview, Couric, who the night before called Iraq a "nightmare" (see December 7 CyberAlert item #2), pressed Blair about himself and President George W. Bush "acknowledging failures." Referring to their joint press conference, Couric queried: "The President seemed determined as ever to stay on track. Do you think he, or for that matter you, are capable of acknowledging failures in this policy and changing gears when and if necessary?" Couric's follow-up displayed her frustration with Bush: "But he's been very insistent for months now that the U.S. policy is correct and while he's accepted there may have to be a slight change, he's really dug his heels in."

In contrast, on ABC's World News, George Stephanopoulos avoided such psychological speculation and calls for regret as he stuck to questioning Blair about the Iraq Study Group's recommendations. For instance, Stephanopoulos wondered: "Senator McCain said today that this report is 'a recipe for defeat' because it doesn't include massive increases in troops in Baghdad to secure Baghdad. Do you agree?" (NBC did not get a sit-down with Blair.)

[This item was posted Thursday night on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]

Couric teased: "I'll have a rare one-on-one interview with America's number one ally."
Couric to Blair in interview: "Do you regret what many perceive as your unwavering support of this President and this war?"

Couric's session with Blair, as edited for airing on the December 7 CBS Evening News:

Katie Couric: "The man who has stood by the President, Prime Minister Tony Blair, spoke with me this afternoon about his unwavering support for a war that's been increasingly criticized."
Couric to Blair: "Mr. Prime Minister, do you agree with the Baker commission that the current approach in Iraq is not working and the situation is grave and deteriorating?"
Tony Blair: "Well, it's certainly very tough, absolutely. And there's no doubt about it at all. We're facing a very, very difficult situation, very challenging situation, but as they say, it's a situation that we cannot afford not to win."
Couric: "Do you support the 79 recommendations?"
Blair: "I basically think the report gives us the right foundation to move forward."
Couric: "The President seemed determined as ever to stay on track. Do you think he, or for that matter you, are capable of acknowledging failures in this policy and changing gears when and if necessary?"
Blair: "Yeah, I mean we've got to evolve strategy because the situation's changed, so if you don't change when the situation changes, then you're not doing the right thing."
Couric: "But he's been very insistent for months now that the U.S. policy is correct and while he's accepted there may have to be a slight change, he's really dug his heels in."
Blair: "Well, he talked today about a new way forward, and I think the critical distinction is this: His concern, and in a sense my concern as well, is that people use the challenge that we face to drive us from the central mission itself, and that would be very dangerous because it is important that we make sure that we help Iraq to become the democracy its people want to see."
Couric: "You've supported the United States engaging with Iran and Syria. Does the President seem receptive because he didn't earlier today?"
Blair: "Well, it depends what you mean by 'engage with.'"
Couric: "Part of a regional conference, an Iraq support group recommended in the report."
Blair: "I think that provided Iran and Syria come in order to help I think people would want them as part of this group. Yes, of course they would. What is important that they come to the table helping Iraq, supporting its government, not undermining it."
Couric: "Your steadfast support, Mr. Prime Minister, of President Bush has cost you at home. In a recent poll, only 27 percent said they were satisfied with your job performance. Do you regret what many perceive as your unwavering support of this President and this war?"
Blair: "No. Look, sometimes in politics what happens is there are issues that come up that you consider so big and so important that you've got to do what you think is the right thing, and, you know, people can disagree, and they can make you unpopular, but you've got to do it if you think it's right. And even if it is difficult-"
Couric: "Even if the majority of people disagree with you?"
Blair: "You sometimes, I'm afraid, have got to govern by what you believe rather than by picking up the opinion poll. Now they may end up rejecting you as a result of it. Well, that's -- that's their prerogative to do it, but it's your duty to do what you think is right, and that's what I've tried to do. And I think that we should be proud of what we stand for in the world."

Brokaw: U.S. Had 'No Allies' in Iraq,
Lauer: Blair 'War Ally'

It seems Matt Lauer and Tom Brokaw can't get their story straight. On Thursday's Today show Brokaw falsely stated the U.S. went to war in Iraq without allies but apparently this was news to Matt Lauer as he opened the show by identifying British Prime Minister Tony Blair as a "war ally." Appearing live from Pearl Harbor, Brokaw comparing World War II to the current action in Iraq, declared: "The irony of course is that we're trying to get out of one war in which we had no allies..." But in the same hour Today host Lauer opened the program: "Good morning the study is finished, now comes the test. President Bush meets this morning with his war ally, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a day after that scathing report from the Iraq Study Group."

Interestingly enough Lauer, who appeared with Brokaw in his segment, didn't bother to correct the elder sage of NBC News.

[This item, by Geoffrey Dickens, was posted Thursday afternoon on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]

The following discussion came after a Brokaw report on veterans commemorating the attack on Pearl Harbor, during the 7am half hour of the December 7 Today show:

Matt Lauer: "Tom I have just about 30 seconds left. The Iraq Study Group, let me just ask you, I mean nine months in the making, so much anticipation, so many high hopes. What did you make of the report that you've seen so far?"
Tom Brokaw: "Well I, I've been talking to them before they got to the final conclusion and they were frustrated. They knew that there were no easy answers. The irony of course is that we're trying to get out of one war in which we had no allies and things have not been going well since an early military victory on the eve of this war which began when it was built on alliances and sacrifices at home so there are great contrasts between those two wars and I think that the 9/11 commission, the commission now that has been studying Iraq does give the President some cover but it in many ways it has taken it out of his hands, politically, despite what he says."
Lauer: "Alright Tom, Tom Brokaw in Pearl Harbor for us this morning."

Later on during her 9am news update, Natalie Morales did Lauer one better as she called Blair a "steadfast ally."

Natalie Morales: "A meeting today between President Bush and his steadfast ally in the Iraq War, British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The White House visit comes a day after the Iraq Study Group issued blunt recommendations on how to move forward in Iraq saying time is running out. Blair who was interviewed by the group is pushing for its recommendations on Iraq to be put into place as early as January."

So for the record Brokaw just got outvoted 2 to 1, on his own network, on the question of whether or not the U.S. has allies in the Iraq war. I wonder if the former NBC Nightly News anchor will issue a retraction any time soon?

Kathy Griffin: Conservatives 'Banging
Kids,' Catholicism 'Crap'

Appearing on Tuesday's Larry King Live on CNN, comedienne Kathy Griffin repeated her usual claim to be so liberal that she refers to herself as a Sandinista and not a Democrat. She also took delight in the downfall of Christian evangelical leader Ted Haggard, using it as a chance to ridicule conservatives: "I love it. I think it's hysterical because it's always, like, the ultra-right-wing conservatives that are banging the kids and the prostitutes and doing the crystal meth. Foley, delicious. Did you read those e-mails?" When she explained how her parents regularly attend Catholic mass, but she's "a fallen Catholic," King wondered: "Why did you fall off the wayside?" Griffin responded by denigrating Catholicism/Christianity: "I don't know. I just don't believe in any of that crap. I mean I think when you're a comedian, you kind of can't have those sensors and boundaries."

[This item is adopted by a Thursday posting, by Scott Whitlock, on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]

Some highlights from the December 6 Larry King Live on CNN:

-- Larry King: "Before we talk about your folks and freebies, what do you make of Ted Haggard, the minister and the choir boy?"
Kathy Griffin: "I love it. I think it's hysterical because it's always, like, the ultra-right-wing conservatives that are banging the kids and the prostitutes and doing the crystal meth. Foley, delicious. Did you read those e-mails? 'Do I make you horny?' 'No, grandpa, back off. And I'm changing the lock to the dorm.' I mean, you know, if you're doing that stuff, don't be on the ethics committees, don't be a preacher. I saw that documentary, 'Jesus Camp' because you guys showed a clip of it on the show. He's kind of busted on that. He's all freaky."
King: "The hypocrisy of it all."
Griffin: "Well, of course. Of course. It's funny, but it's also ridiculous."

-- Responding to King's questioning about a U.S. Marine that she's friendly with, Griffin used an old line to describe her liberalism:

King: "How does he feel about your being opposed to the war?"
Griffin: "Oh, he doesn't care. I mean, you know, what I learned when I went to Iraq is that they fight very hard to be apolitical. They can't do their job. And, you know, they were so -- so many of the troops came up to me and said, 'You know, we don't care what your political leanings are, we just love that you came here to make us laugh.' And, you know, I'm so far to the left, I'm not even a Democrat. I'm a Sandinista. I'm registered with the Sandinista Party. I don't even -- I don't have a party, Larry."

-- Finally, the basic cable comedienne gleefully described how she makes fun of her Catholic parents:

King: "Now what about your parents and freebies?"
Griffin: "Well, my parents -- first of all my parents love the Dollar Store. They're super obsessed with getting like Mexican toothpaste and stuff. And my mom will buy anything for a dollar whether she uses it or not. But they were so bitter when the 98-cent store opened up a mile away because my mom couldn't stop thinking about the two cents she lost. But yes, my parents are depression era and my mom's expression is 'Use it up, wear it out, make it due.' And she loves to say, 'I was doing recycling before recycling was cool.' But they're very funny. You know, my parents are Irish Catholic. My mom's very Catholic and I'm what you would call a fallen Catholic."
King: "Does your mom go to mass?"
Griffin: "Oh yes, they still go to mass, you know. You know, and I love to torture my parents. I'm terrible. I make fun of them with all the scandal with the archdiocese and being inappropriate with the kids. And my mom's response is, 'not all of them.' That's her defense."
King: "Why did you fall off the wayside?"
Griffin: "I don't know. I just don't believe in any of that crap. I mean I think when you're a comedian, you kind of can't have those sensors and boundaries."
King: "When did you turn, at what age?"
Griffin: "Like, high school. I tried to become a Unitarian and my parents were furious with me. And to this day I really don't what the Unitarians believe, but I knew I wanted to be part of them."

King, a grand member of the mainstream media, didn't even flinch when Griffin referred to Christianity as "crap." Replace that with Islam, homosexuality, or an ethnic group and what would be the result? Does anyone believe that the CNN anchor would react with such blitheness?

Griffin's December 5 appearance on Larry King was actually tame for her. On September 10, 2005, she appeared on Comedy Central's Weekends at the DL and frothed at the mouth with this venomous, anti-conservative rant:
"The President is a moron! I'm saying it. I don't care. He's an idiot. Cheney is evil. I'm sick of, impeach them, get them out! I hate them! I hate them. Get them out. They got to go!...You shouldn't give any money to religion, religion should be free, what are you sending money to religion for, it's such BS....What do you watch O'Reilly for? He's a moron, he's a fool. O'Reilly's an idiot! He and Hannity can suck it! I hate those two idiots...It's disgusting! What is it going to take for you people? Get Bush out! Impeach. Out! Out! Out!"

That was a finalist in the MRC's 2005 DisHonors Awards. For video of it, go to: www.mrc.org

For more about her appearance, check the September 12, 2005 CyberAlert: www.mrc.org

-- Brent Baker