Rep. Massa demands Fox News fire O'Reilly and Peters for comments about captured soldier
July 22, 2009 6:40 pm ET by Media Matters staff
Rep. Eric Massa's (D-NY) press release in its entirety:
Congressman Eric Massa demands that Fox News immediately fire Bill O'Reilly and Lt. Col Ralph Peters and apologize to the family of PFC Bowe Bergdahl07/22/09
Retired Navy Commander stands up for Prisoner of War and condemns Fox News
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Eric Massa held a press call to condemn the deeply offensive and unpatriotic statements of Lt. Col Ralph Peters (ret.) and Fox News Host Bill O'Reilly about prisoner of war PFC Bowe Bergdahl.
On Fox News on Monday, Mr. Peters, a "strategic analyst" for Fox News, suggested that the Taliban should execute PFC Bergdahl and "save us a lot of legal hassles and legal bills." Rep. Massa, a 24 year retired Navy Commander was shocked and deeply appalled that any American would ever wish for the death of one of our soldiers. You can watch this video by clicking here.
On Tuesday night, Mr. Peters made another appearance on Fox's O'Reilly Factor. During this appearance, Mr. Peters refused to apologize and Bill O'Reilly speculated that PFC Bergdahl must be "crazy." You can view that video by clicking here.
Earlier that evening, Rep. Massa joined with 22 other Congressional veterans in sending a letter to Fox News Chief Executive Roger Ailes demanding he issue an apology to the family of PFC Bergdahl. You can read this letter by clicking here.
"Words cannot express how furious I am at Fox News, Lt. Col Ralph Peters and Bill O'Reilly for suggesting that we should leave a prisoner of war behind and allow him to be executed by the Taliban to save us the trouble of trying to intervene" said Congressman Eric Massa. "Last night I joined with a bipartisan group of 22 other Congressional veterans in demanding an immediate apology to the family of PFC Bergdahl from Fox News, but I don't think that goes far enough. I want to see Mr. Peters and Mr. O'Reilly fired immediately for their inexcusable attacks on a prisoner of war. Their comments aid and abet our enemies during a time of war and the burden is on Fox News to prove that they reject this by taking the tangible action of issuing an apology and firing both of them."
"As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I know that our military is doing all they can to rescue PFC Bergdahl. My thoughts and prayers are with PFC Bergdahl and his family during this challenging time and I'll do anything I can to help them," added Rep. Massa.
Previously:
NBC's Miklaszewski: Pentagon says Peters' comments "could endanger" captured soldier
On CNN, Avlon says Peters "crossed the line" with "wingnut" comments on captured soldier
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Rep. Massa pretty much hit the nail on the head. Of course O'Reilly won't be fired, but he may have to apologize.
Since Massa linked to MMFA in his press release, O'Reilly will simply accuse Massa of "not doing his own research" and will proclaim Massa to be a part of the vile, character-assassinating left, of which he is a victim of again.
Let's see
MMFA, George Soros, The MSM, Ming the Merciless...
no, wait that last was Lyn Cheney.
I'm sure O'Racist will claim he was "taken out of context" and that Massa is a "pin head" and he'll state it's unfortunate that anyone was offended by his comments....but he won't apologize for the comments. He'll also claim this whole ordeal is based on "smears" from "secular far left guttersnipes".
Tune back this evening to see how many of my predictions are correct.
They offer non-apology apologies that claim it is your fault for being offended by those words.
O'Reilly will not apologize for anything. He'll just spin things around to make him be the innocent party and say its a leftwing conspiracy against him and everyone patriotic on Fox. Or he'll do what Glenn Beck does and apologize for lying on one show and then on his radio show deny lying.
Gotta love Fox!
so yeah, i think that fox and Peters should be held accountable for this.
I will hol that as true, even if Bergdahl is shown to have been a deserter. Due process and the rule of law is what America stands for. These two apparently long for thuggish brutality, akin to that of the Taliban, to rule.
They are traiors to this country and it's values. O'Rielly should be fired for this. Won't happen, but it should.
I really hope someone mentions O'racist's "ratings" as a defense.