# Fucking war news coverage!!!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [March 21, 2003, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230 "2003-03-21T22:27:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2003, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/1 "2003-03-21T22:27:52Z")
This is NOT about the rightness or wrongness of the war. Just about the news coverage.
We need one large, collective bitch-slap to the entire news media.
1. I don’t think it’s a good thing to see the entire war, live in my living room. Who needs to see this 24/7? Do the Iraqi’s have cable access? Are they getting up to date battle plans from Fox and CNN? Do they even have to bother with intelligence gathering?
2. I certainly don’t think it’s a good thing to hear the various pundits and talking heads and ex-military types drone on and on and on about what they _think_ is happeneing and what they _think_ will happen next and what they _think_ it means. Here’s a suggestion: Investigate, find out what the facts are, _then_ get back to us. We’ll still be here. Take your time.
3. Some of the reporters need to really ask better questions in the White House news conferences. I wanted to wretch when one reporter asked how GW _felt_ about Iraqi’s, there sons, their daughters, their aunts, there uncles, their assorted loved ones (yes’m, he put it just that way). And the reporter who sounded incredulous when she asked whether or not GW was watching this shit on TV. “You mean, he’s _not watching it???_” As if by not watching, GW was not up on the goings on, and worse, didn’t care. She should have been forced to surrender her credentials on the spot.
4. Ari Fleisher, get a grip. Don’t answer the obviouly moronic questions. And when you say “We told him ‘leave or be attacked’ and he stayed, so he _chose_ to be attacked”, you sound like an idiot. I understand what you mean, it’s just the worst possible way of expressing it. It’s somewhat akin to “I told him to give me his money or I’d bob him on the nose. He didn’t give the money, so he _chose_ to get bopped”. Choose your words more carefully.
Whew, I feel better.
---
### Author:  [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/2 "2003-03-21T23:00:51Z")
> [@](#):
>
> 1. Some of the reporters need to really ask better questions in the White House news conferences.
They [can’t](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=167944).
---
### Author:  [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/3 "2003-03-22T03:54:06Z")
> [@](#):
>
> 1. Ari Fleisher, get a grip. Don’t answer the obviouly moronic questions. And when you say “We told him ‘leave or be attacked’ and he stayed, so he chose to be attacked”, **you sound like an idiot.**
He can’t help it. He is an idiot.
---
### Author:  [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2003, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/4 "2003-03-22T16:06:01Z")
It wouldn’t be soooo bad if it weren’t 24/7. AAAAARRRGGGHHHH!!!
---
### Author:  [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2003, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/5 "2003-03-22T18:18:35Z")
And I’m sorry, but I think cable stations meant for entertainment should be exempt from the ‘let’s run war updates’ rule. I do NOT need to see the BBC news on BBC America, when I CAN WATCH IT ON FUCKING PBS! I’m sorry, but I want to watch EastEnders, for Christ’s sake! I don’t give a shit about the war right now, I want to know whether or not Gary and Lynne will find out that Laura’s baby isn’t Gary’s, or if dumbass Barry will ever catch onto Natalie’s cheating with Ricky, or WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO LISA IN PORTUGAL! I do NOT need to know about the war!
Ahhh…for the first time, I think one of my rants worked, because I can hear the EE theme song from my room - British news is over!
Behold, the power of the SDMB.
Ava
---
### Author:  [@Marine\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marine_One)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/6 "2003-03-22T23:19:11Z")
Did anyone else see that woman with the half pink, half grey outfit???
Holy cow, where was the fashion police?
I thought my t.v. was broken when I saw her!
---
### Author:  [@Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weird_AL_Einstein)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2003, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/7 "2003-03-23T12:47:11Z")
Don’t you just hate those 24 hour news channels, with their constant yap yap yapping, chewing endlessly over the same little drip of news they heard two hours ago? If only…if only there were some kind of device, something small and handheld, with buttons on it.
A device that would let me, by pressing those buttons…_control…remotely_…the function of the television, such that by pressing the buttons the channel to which the tv is tuned could be changed, the sound volume could be raised or lowered, or even…though this may be a difficult concept for us to get our heads around…the tv could actually be turned _off_.
That would be cool.
---
### Author:  [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2003, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/8 "2003-03-23T13:43:50Z")
That device won’t keep my shows from being pre-empted.
I like to get new information. That is, after all, the whole point of a news broadcast. Agreed?
But that is not what they are delivering. Oh, they _pretend_ it’s new information. Sadly, it’s just speculation dressed up as information.
---
### Author:  [@Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weird_AL_Einstein)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2003, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/9 "2003-03-23T13:49:21Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by spooje \*
> \*\*That device won’t keep my shows from being pre-empted.
> \*\*
Quite so. I agree with you on that one. On Wednesday I had the last few minutes of one of the few shows I watch regularly anymore pre-empted for war “news”. Wore my teeth down to a fine powder, what with the grinding.
---
### Author:  [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2003, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/10 "2003-03-23T14:40:06Z")
I care about what’s happening in the world, but it can wait till after _The West Wing_ and _Law and Order_.
😃
---
### Author:  [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/11 "2003-03-23T15:55:55Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by spooje \*
> And the reporter who sounded incredulous when she asked whether or not GW was watching this shit on TV. “You mean, he’s _not watching it???_” As if by not watching, GW was not up on the goings on, and worse, didn’t care. She should have been forced to surrender her credentials on the spot.
I think it’s Ari who needs to surrender his credentials. The exchange was a perfect example of how he can not even answer a simple question without obfuscation.
> [@](#):
>
> Q Ari, has the President watched any of this, the unfolding events in Baghdad, do you know?
>
> MR. FLEISCHER: Obviously, the President, having authorized the mission, was aware of the mission, knew when it would begin, et cetera. And I don’t think he needs to watch TV to know what was about to unfold.
>
> Q I was wondering if he had any comment on the impact of it?
>
> MR. FLEISCHER: No, the President’s approach is to gather the information about what is happening in its totality. He receives the information from his advisors, people who have a sight on all areas of what is underway. The President is aware, of course, the American people as they watch these events unfold; but he gets his information in a totality.
>
> \
>
> Campbell.
>
> Q Just to clarify Terry’s question. You said the President doesn’t need to watch TV to know what’s going on in Iraq, but you’re telling me – these are pretty astounding images – he doesn’t have a television on somewhere, he’s not watching what’s going on?
>
> MR. FLEISCHER: The President, again, understands the implications of the actions that he has launched to secure the disarmament of the Iraqi regime to liberate the people.
>
> Q Right, right, right. The question, though, is he watching TV, or not?
>
> MR. FLEISCHER: The President may occasionally turn on the TV, but that’s not how he gets his news or his information.
>
> Q I’m not suggesting it is; but we just want to try to get an image of –
>
> MR. FLEISCHER: From time to time, he might.
This being the pit, I will suggest that a better question would have been to ask if GB was jerking off while watching the bombing of Baghdad. 😃
---
### Author:  [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/12 "2003-03-23T16:25:30Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Reeder \*
> \*\*He can’t help it. He is an idiot. \*\*
Fleisher may not be your favorite person, but I’m stunned you would think he’s an “idiot”. You and spooje look at Ari Fleisher spoon feeding the media simple little sound bite answers and metaphors which they can’t dissect further or play semantics with, and which they gobble up and chew on satisfiedly, and you come to the conclusion that Fleisher is an _idiot_?
Ari Fleisher has certainly had his occasional missteps (some of his post 9-11 comments) , but an “idiot” he’s not. Ari Fleisher has a reputation as one of Washington’s smoothest operators, and you can watch that smoothness in action at most press conferences. The media are being efficiently “handled” and Fleisher is doing a fairly expert job at this task. You may disagree with the Bush Adminstration’s policies or positions, but Fleisher is due for a performance bonus regarding the way he has managed the media overall.
---
### Author:  [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/13 "2003-03-23T16:30:22Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Marine\_One \*
> \*\*Did anyone else see that woman with the half pink, half grey outfit???
>
> Holy cow, where was the fashion police?
>
> I thought my t.v. was broken when I saw her! \*\*
That was Victoria Clarke, and I firmly believe that her outfit was product placement on the part of [Baskin Robbins](http://www.baskinrobbins.com/index.shtml). See folks, the war’s not about oil, it’s about _ice cream_!
---
### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/14 "2003-03-23T16:36:37Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \*
> \*\*That was Victoria Clarke, and I firmly believe that her outfit was product placement on the part of [Baskin Robbins](http://www.baskinrobbins.com/index.shtml). See folks, the war’s not about oil, it’s about _ice cream_! \*\*
God, that was the worst fashion mistake I’ve ever seen in my life. Surely that contravened lots of UN resolutions on its own. It was a WMD: a Wearable that’s Monstrously Disgusting.
She was reading out the names of the dead in it, too. ☹
---
### Author:  [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2003, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/15 "2003-03-23T16:53:20Z")
Wolf Blitzer just asked Rumsfeld if the bombing of Saddam’s palace in was really a good thing to do since it could conceivably frighten the residents of Baghdad! WTF? We _shouldn’t_ bomb a military target since it might _scare_ civilians?
---
### Author:  [@booka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/booka)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/16 "2003-03-23T18:13:05Z")
How about the journalist who was interviewing one of the U.S. fighter jet/bomber pilots - he asked him something like “Do you ever think about the destruction and the loss of life that is a result of your missions?”.
The pilot was caught off-guard, and expectedly so - and he sorta mumbled something about trying to just do a good job so the soldiers on his side that followed would have an easier time of things. Clearly he knew that he was on TV, and wanted to be “nice” or something.
I wish he would have said something like “I do this to destroy my targets with maximum effectiveness and minimal risk to myself, my plane, and my fellow soldiers, and to lay waste, death, and destruction to the enemy. If I accomplish this, then I am a happy soldier and I’ve done my job.”
WHAT THE HELL DO YOU EXPECT TO HEAR A FIGHTER PILOT SAY, YOU DUMFUCK JOURNALIST WANKER??
My definition, he’s a professional military killer! He’s doing EXACTLY what he’s been trained for years to do. He’s doing what the U.S. asks him to do.
Looking for the “up close and personal” story, you pussy cablenews twit? GET THE FUCK OFF THE SHIP, and then cover your drowning in the Red Sea.
God GOD, infotainment coupled with war. It makes me sick.
I just wanted to reach out and bitchslap that idiot journalist putz.
---
### Author:  [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/17 "2003-03-23T19:08:59Z")
RSA, the transcript which you have coppied doesn’t seem to really demonstrate Fleischer’s tendancy to obfuscate needlessly. I’ll grant that the administration could do more to increase it’s transparency without harming national security, or whatever other vague concept they appeal to when they hide information, but this is not an example.
Sure, he could have come straight out and said, no, GWB doesn’t watch a lot of TV, but he was trying to provide a response more measured and accurate:
Yes, GWB does see some of the footage from CNN, but, like so many other posters in so many threads have pointed out, the coverage provided by CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, etc. really doesn’t provide much insight.
Bush can do better than some dumb-assed two-years out of journalism school student to tell him what’s going on, he has secure reports from the entire Armed Forces compiled into intelligent, concise, and relevant briefings by his staff to work off of.
So why would he spend his waking hours glued to the TV watching all the pretty lights over Baghdad when he has more relevant and important information available to him?
This is what Fleischer was getting at, and any _idiot_ could plainly understand this, but some self important representative of CNN, MSNBC, or whoever DEMANDS to know if they can consider GWB a member of their audience.
---
### Author:  [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2003, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/18 "2003-03-23T19:09:51Z")
I totally disagree with you guys. I think the media is doing a fantastic job. They’ve hired tons of ex military people to explain tactics and strategy, and there are a lot of journalists out there DYING so that we can get a record of this war. That is important. War is too important to leave to the generals. We need to see it in all its glory and evil, so that as citizens we can make better decisions in the future.
So far, by my count there are at least four or five journalists DEAD. And I’m sure more will die before this is over. Last night I watched a four hour long firefight in real time, and the Cameraman was standing and taking video when the soldiers were lying on the ground. It may not have been too bright, but it was ballsy, and the general watching it said that this video would be used in the future for training soldiers, because they did such a great job of recording the actions of the platoon and the outcome.
Yesterday, a Cameraman for Australian TV was killed in a suicide attack. Today, a British journalist was killed in a friendly fire accident. Three others are missing in other engagements. And David Bloom of NBC is riding right up front in the ‘tip of the spear’ with the 3rd army, which will be the first armored column to meet massed Iraqi tanks.
These guys aren’t part of the military - they don’t have the trust in their teammates, the mental preparation, and the familiarity that dozens of training exercises have provided. They’re out there in the unknown, watching fellow journalists die. I don’t know how you can make light of that.
---
### Author:  [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2003, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/19 "2003-03-24T07:18:34Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \*
> \*\* They’re out there in the unknown, watching fellow journalists die. I don’t know how you can make light of that. \*\*
I didn’t notice anyone making light of the deaths of journalists. I did say that they did not need to be there. We do not need live video feed of the battles. Sure, it’s compelling TV. But I do not agree that we need to see everything in all it’s glory and evil. We sure don’t need to see it live, and broadcasting 24/7, IMO, will only add to foolhardy decisions to get grislier footage to outdo the competition.
---
### Author:  [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2003, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230/20 "2003-03-24T08:35:23Z")
God, I am so grateful not to have a TV. And I’m not saying this to sound superior - I’m saying this because I know perfectly well that if I had one, I’d probably be spending every free minute rubbernecking as well. I don’t know why. It’s sad but true.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-war-news-coverage/163230.md?page=2)