What Gen. Clark Actually Said
Media Falsely Claim Clark Attacked McCain's Service
Clark Praised McCain's Service, While Saying it Wasn't a "Qualification to be President"
Washington, DC -- Today Media Matters for America called on members of the media to set the record straight concerning the remarks of retired Gen. Wesley Clark on Sen. John McCain's military record -- a record Clark praised while also saying that it wasn't a "qualification to be president." Many in the media have falsely claimed that Gen. Clark attacked McCain's military service in comments made during the June 29 edition of CBS' Face the Nation.
Few have reported the entirety of what Clark actually said, including his praise of McCain's service, or that his comments actually repeated CBS Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer's own words in response to Schieffer's statement that unlike McCain, Obama has not "ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down."
"The media driven notion that Gen. Clark somehow attacked Sen. McCain's military service is patently false. In fact, the opposite is true -- he praised it. This controversy was created and fueled by a media unwilling to live up to the basic journalistic standard of accuracy and thoroughness," said Karl Frisch, a spokesman for Media Matters. "It is a fact that Gen. Clark praised Sen. McCain's military service while also saying that such service is not a 'qualification to be president.' The media have a duty not only to Gen. Clark but the public to correct the record."
What did Clark actually say?
Many in the media have cropped Clark's June 29 Face the Nation interview to the short soundbite: "I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president." Those cropping the interview make two serious errors. First, they ignore that Clark was repeating Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer's words in response to Schieffer's statement that, unlike McCain, Obama has not "ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down." Second, they ignore that shortly before that part of Clark's exchange with Schieffer, Clark praised McCain's service: "I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war. He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands of millions of others in the Armed Forces as a prisoner of war. He has been a voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and he has traveled all over the world." Clark continued: "But he hasn't held executive responsibility. That large squadron in Air -- in the Navy that he commanded, it wasn't a wartime squadron. He hasn't been there and ordered the bombs to fall. He hasn't seen what it's like when diplomats come in and say, 'I don't know whether we're going to be able to get this point through or not. Do you want to take the risk? What about your reputation? How do we handle it publicly?' He hasn't made those calls, Bob."
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Being that MMfA is being mentioned outside the internet is a good thing...... I guess BillO's and others of his ilk naming you guys has forced you into the mainstream (to a certain extent).....
Here's for hoping it makes a big difference in how todays corporate owned media presents the truth and facts!
Leather,
Put your helmet on and go take a shower.
I was thinking more of having him stuff his head in a toilet...
I suspect that LeatherHelmet was subjected to numerous swirlies as a youth...
So...if Gen Clark's statement is no biggie as MMfA assures us then why is Barry and his campaign manager popping chaff in stump speeches and on morning bobble head shows?
BO's statement
Hog, I know you're a reflex Con and you've got the wingnut talk-radio disease...
But I too, as a liberal, am a little disappointed that Obama has not shown the will to take on the corporate media.
But, he does have to be careful the battles he picks. He's operating at a tremendous media disadvantage.
However, if he thinks the corporate media is going to "cut him an even deal," he's going to be very disappointed.
With each little pile of lies and filth the corporate media heaps on America--the next one will be that much bigger.
HOG,
I read your article. Obama was talking about patriotism generally, and never even so much as mentioned Clark's comment.
"Obama said that patriotism 'must, if it is to mean anything, involve the willingness to sacrifice' and sought to distance himself from Clark's remarks without mentioning them."
Moreover, the only reason Obama might want to distance himself from those comments is because he's getting the same information everyone else is. Unless he logs on to MMFA, he's not being fully informed.
JD
THANK YOU MEDIA MATTERS , THE HUFFINGTONPOST AND KEITH. YOU ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE IN THE MEDIA WHO IS TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT MCCAIN AND HIS CAMP. AND THEY WILL NOT TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT GEN. CLARK SAID BECAUSE THEY WHAT MCCAIN TO WIN AND IF THIS STORY HELP MCCAIN WITH VOTERS LIKE THE MEDIA HELP BUSH IN 2000 AND 2004 THEY WILL SAY NOTHING LIKE THEY DID WITH BUSH.
Right-Winger -
Look at your keyboard. Right next to the "A" key is a rectangular key labeled "Caps Lock". Use it.
Thank you.
But check out this evening's (June 30) NBC Evening News with Brian Williams. Every bit as bad, maybe worse coming from a member of the MSM, and shockingly dishonest. NBC truncated Clark's statement all the way down to a single, tiny, provocative sound bite, then proceeded to defend McCain's honor with an "analyst" who framed Clark's comments as a nasty Obama campaign pitch.
A Rupert Murdoch tabloid lying, blatantly distorting tactic if there was one. NBC and Williams owe Clark and, indirectly, Obama a very large apology. But don't hold your breath. McCain is their man and they intend to continue with this kind of gratuitous swift boating
Both owe a very large apology to Clark and, indirectly, to Obama. But don't hold your breath waiting for it. The MSM will continue to support their war hero and his campaign by whatever subterfuges and pretexts they can invent.
Thank God for the internet.
What if we actually had to depend on the traditional media to provide information to us? Their inability to present facts indicates incompetence or untruthfulness. As Frisch says, they can't even follow the most basic standards of journalism. You all get an F.
And the notion that Republicans are bemoaning a Vietnam vet's service being questioned (which isn't even the case here) is beyond laughable.
So, it's OK for MMFA to take clips out of context and criticize them, but if anyone else in the media does that, watch out! The "wrath" of MMFA will come down upon thee!
Anyways, even when one takes the side of Gen. Clark on this one, it is detrimental to Hussein. Let's just examine the words that MMFA thinks are so important to the context of his statement:
"But he hasn't held executive responsibility." - Neither has Hussein, so no more credibility can be given to either candidate.
"That large squadron in Air -- in the Navy that he commanded, it wasn't a wartime squadron. He hasn't been there and ordered the bombs to fall." - Well, neither has Hussein, so it certainly doesn't lend any more credibility to him over McCain. If anything, McCain is one up because he simply has military service on his resume.
"He hasn't seen what it's like when diplomats come in and say, 'I don't know whether we're going to be able to get this point through or not. Do you want to take the risk? What about your reputation? How do we handle it publicly?' He hasn't made those calls, Bob." - Again, neither has Hussein. Matter of fact, as a freshman Senator, Hussein is even further detached from this notion of responsibility and risk management than McCain is.
No matter how you feel about Clark's statements, it is obvious he is trying to discredit McCain's ability to be president. Unfortunately for him, Hussein falls right in line (but mostly behind) McCain is all these "qualifiers." The bottom line is, when John McCain was off serving his country, young Barry was being "cultural" living in various places around the world such as Indonesia, being raised by his muslim father and his hippy mother. But of course, unlike his wife (and pastor, and friend mr. ayers, and phleger, and probably rezco), Barry has always been a strong US patriot and lover of this land and it's people. Well, except for his racist grandmother...man, this is too easy...
Hey! why did you free-speech lovers remove my last post right here? It contained no profanity, no insults, no name calling, no threats, no links to anything inappropriate. I just stated the reasons why I am leaning towards supporting obama. Can whoever flagged the comment for removal please explain why it was taken down?
John,
This thread is about the media distorting and smearing General Wesley Clark.
Please go lie down and try to revive your brain. It sounds like you have talk-radio wingnut disease.
I think kerry should be the spokesman against all this. the media went to town on a bunch of falsehoods for the swiftboating. and now ONE general says that he doesnt think mccains service makes him fit to lead and its the worst thing ever said.
As for Obama's war experience...I recall that our previous president didn't have any either and he (despite any personal feelings about him you may have) didnt do so bad.
whatever happened to that budget surplus anyway? (i know...its almost impossible to type sarcasm)
so in my opinion the press puts way to much weight on what clark had to say and for that matter who george clooney chose or who sean penn is supporting. I remember when the question of who you were voting for was an impolite question and was no one elses business for whatever reason...let alone the entire worlds business.
From the Columbia Journalism Review
http://www.cjr.org/campaign_desk/attacking_mccains_military_rec.php?page=all
They debunk that there was anything wrong with what Clark said.
“Attacking” McCain’s Military Record
What Wesley Clark really said; how the press missed it
It’s crucially important that we have a political debate in this country that’s at least sophisticated enough to be able to handle the following rather basic idea: Arguing that a person’s record of military service is not a qualification for the presidency does not constitute “attacking” their military credentials; nor can it be described as invoking their military service against them, or as denying their record of war heroism.
That’s not a very high bar for sophistication. But right now it’s one the press isn’t capable of clearing.
Thanks Bottle...
That's a very timely post. And sadly, very true.