CBS Evening News failed to cover Webb amendment on troop deployment
SUMMARY: The September 19 editions of ABC's World News and NBC's Nightly News both reported on Senate Republicans' blocking of a Democratic amendment stipulating that U.S. troops could be redeployed only after receiving home leave equal in duration to their most recent combat deployment, but that evening's edition of the CBS Evening News did not.
The September 19 edition of the CBS Evening News did not devote any time to Senate Republicans' blocking of a Democratic amendment that would have stipulated that U.S. troops could be redeployed only after receiving home leave equal in duration to their most recent combat deployment. By contrast, the September 19 editions of ABC's World News and NBC's Nightly News both reported on the blocked amendment.
Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) sponsored the amendment to the Defense Department appropriations bill, which required "minimum periods between deployment for units and members of the armed forces deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom." On September 19, 56 senators -- including all Democratic members -- voted in favor of the measure, while 44 voted against. However, due to Republicans' earlier demand that all Senate amendments relating to Iraq meet a 60-vote threshold, the amendment failed to pass.
On NBC's Nightly News, anchor Brian Williams asserted, "Republicans in the Senate tonight blocked a bill that would have given U.S. troops more time at home between deployments. It was seen as a Democratic attempt to challenge the president's war policy."
On ABC's World News, anchor Charles Gibson conducted a brief interview with correspondent Jake Tapper about the blocked amendment. Gibson led off the interview by asking, "Democrats did think this was their best shot, to -- to sort of force the president's hand to withdraw the number of troops. How did they do?"
While the September 19 Evening News did not report on the Webb amendment, CBS did devote 3 minutes and 56 seconds of airtime to separate reports on O.J. Simpson's release from jail and his personal finances, and an additional 3 minutes to a report on bear sightings in residential neighborhoods.
Additionally, on the September 20 edition of CBS' The Early Show, news anchor Russ Mitchell stated that the amendment "fell short by four votes," but he did not inform viewers that the measure was supported by a majority of the Senate -- including every Democrat -- and failed only because of the Republican demand that such measures receive 60 votes to pass. On the September 20 edition of ABC's Good Morning America, news anchor Chris Cuomo similarly reported "the Senate has rejected" the amendment without noting that a minority of senators -- all of whom are Republicans except for Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), who also voted against the Webb amendment -- blocked it. Further, on the September 20 edition of NBC's Today, news anchor Ann Curry reported that "[t]he Senate failed" to advance the measure.
From the September 20 edition of CBS' The Early Show:
MITCHELL: Another Democratic attempt to force a change of course in Iraq has failed. A Senate proposal requiring U.S. troops to get as much time at home as they spend overseas fell short by four votes.
From the September 20 edition of NBC's Today:
ANN CURRY (news anchor): The Senate failed on Wednesday to advance a bill challenging the president's policy on Iraq. The bill would have required that troops be given as much time at home as they had spent in Iraq or Afghanistan before being redeployed.
From the September 20 edition of ABC's Good Morning America:
CHRIS CUOMO (co-anchor): In Washington, the Senate has rejected a bill regulating how much time troops spend in combat. The bill would've required troops to get as much time on home leave as they spend deployed. This was considered the best chance for Democrats -- and some Republicans -- to challenge the president's war plan.
From the September 19 edition of ABC's World News with Charles Gibson:
CHARLES GIBSON (anchor): Well, we're going to go to Capitol Hill next. The Senate voted late this evening on a Democratic proposal to require the troops returning from war, have as much time at home as they spent in Iraq -- before they're sent back. The National Guard and reserve would have had three years. Democrats felt the measure supported the troops, but also would have forced a drawdown in the number of troops in Iraq. Jake Tapper is on Capitol Hill. Democrats did think this was their best shot, to -- to sort of force the president's hand to withdraw the number of troops. How did they do?
JAKE TAPPER (ABC senior national correspondent): Well they lost, and they lost 56 to 44, they needed 60 votes, and what's significant is they lost by the same margin of defeat that they lost when this measure came up in July. Indicating that for now, at least, it appears that the Republicans in the Senate have stemmed the erosion of support for the president's policy.
GIBSON: Well Jake, both you and [This Week host] George Stephanopoulos have talked about the fact the Democrats thought they had a chance to turn more Republicans on this issue. Why didn't they?
TAPPER: Two words: General Petraeus. His testimony last week, President Bush was very wise to make him the front-and-center point man, and David Petraeus has a lot of credibility with wavering Republican senators up here, and when he asked for more time for the surge to work and pointed to limited progress -- not overselling it, but limited progress on the ground in Iraq -- that convinced enough wavering Republicans to give the general what he was asking for.
GIBSON: And very quickly, did Democrats then pull back now on all attempts to force troop reductions?
TAPPER: It's unclear right now. There are still two big troop withdraw bills with timelines for U.S. troop withdrawal, but those also would be headed for defeat if they couldn't get 60 votes for this bill -- it seems very unlikely they'll be able to get 60 votes for those others, because Republicans are just not coming on board, not right now, at least, not yet.
GIBSON: All right, Jake Tapper on Capitol Hill, thanks to you as well.
From the September 19 edition of NBC's Nightly News with Brian Williams:
BRIAN WILLIAMS (anchor): NBC News "In Depth" tonight: the war in Iraq. Republicans in the Senate tonight blocked a bill that would have given U.S. troops more time at home between deployments. It was seen as a Democratic attempt to challenge the president's war policy.
Meanwhile, the dispute continues over who fired first in a violent incident in Iraq. Tonight, Iraq's prime minister says the American contractor Blackwater USA is dead wrong about what happened in a weekend shootout. [Correspondent] Jim Maceda is in Baghdad for us tonight.
I love the way this website loves to scold various media outlets for not covering stories they want covered, all in the name of avoiding the dreaded "furthering of the conservative agenda"......yet when posters have the audacity to question MMFA on items they highlight, it's always "It's not your website, it's theirs, start your OWN". Funny how that is :)
As for the topic itself, the legislative branch has no business inserting themselves in this military function just as Bush had no business putting up Patraues to sell his war.
This websites very FUNCTION is to scold media outlets that dont do their job in ways that further the conservative agenda. Is your point that YOU exist to scold MMFA for not upholding YOUR standards on how THEY do THEIR job?
Do you think that's my job? Chill, I was only joking (a little)
Tommy,
Your comment knocked it out of the park. mmfa spends every waking moment issuing criticism about the way others "do their job".
But when criticism is leveled at mmfa about how they "do their job"...the usual cast of characters shows up with apoplexy.
So, we forum participants are the same people who research and write up these MMFA articles?
Didn't know I was an MMFA employee.
Nice try at changing the subject. The Republicans have have given the troops a big screw you with their vote today and you're sole concern is trivial at best.
Those are some sad priorities.
Right on schedule...just like OJ's posse.
But to clear things up...I don't have a "sole concern"...some of us are quite capable of having multiple concerns...lol.
Don't worry...apoplexy is not a permanent condition.
Your so cute when your stupid sweetheart.
But you're really sexy when you have no argument and resort to castigation.
Unfortunaly for YOU stupidity usually is
Because your criticisms are usually either THAT they are doing their job and doing it RIGHT or WWAAHHH stop exposing the blatant lies and rightwing propaganda that I love sooooo much. WWAAAAHHH. Your problem usually isnt that MMFA isnt doing their job honestly but that they ARE
"Bush had no business putting up Patraues to sell his war. - tommy ...
I agree with that ... But it's a clever, smart move Bush has made. And it worked.
That decision has resulted in a big PR payoff for Bush as a result of the ill-advised MoveOn ad attacking the good general.
The MoveOn Ad was a serious mistake and has backfired badly. Instead of killing the honorable messenger, MoveOn should focus on the general's Commander in Chief. Bush should have been the focus of the Ad.
Bush is in effect, hiding behind his respectable messenger. Bush has ordered Patraues to sell his war. - - Shameful
PLUS ... I don't agree with this:
"As for the topic itself, the legislative branch has no business inserting themselves in this military function... - - tommy
Congress cut funding for Vietnam and can do the same now. Problem with that is a lack of enough Republican votes. Also Bush has plenty of money in the pike to do whatever the heck he wants till the end of his blundering war term.
Meanwhile many news outlets are highligting the lowest approval rating for the Legislative Branch and tagging that label on a newly elected "Democratic Congress."
They never explain how there aren't enough votes. They won't report what Republican's are busy doing in congress to cause this.
They report that the Congressional Democrats have failed to accomplish the mandate of the voters. Mostly it's about the "Stay The Course" issue. Our country wants out of The Republican Iraq War Blunder.
It's all blammed on them darn Democrats now in control of Congress.
I'm still waiting for the truth to arrive at the major news outlets. I've seen just one fair report so far on CNN. Jach Cafferty was pushing the spineless Democratic story on Senator Chuck Hagel.
Republican Senator Chuck Hagel. He was answering a question from Jack Cafferty on the CNN Cafferty File. A one hour special which aired 2 days ago.
Jack asked Chuck why the Democratic controlled House and Senate are failing to get things done?
Jack also asked Senator Hagel (Republican of Nebraska) why hasn't Nancy Pelosi with her control at the House of Representatives, cut the funding on the war?
Senator Hagel, Republican, said the Senate Democrats don't have the votes they need. - - - Then Hagel said Pelosi in the House must adjust her tactics and stategies to the realities of the lack of votes in the Senate.
Why can't news outlets just report the simple truth like Republican Senator Hagel does.
Other News: Dan Rather is back to defend the truth of his CBS report on President GWB. Dan was on Larry King last night. Many of us already know it was true.
Tommy,
You know better that to say that “the legislative branch has no business inserting themselves in this military function.” Even the Federal Goverment knows that the legislative branch and executive branch share responsibility for the military. I am a DoD employee and we were required to take an online Constitution Day class recently and even in this class, we were taught that the legislative branch does have a say in military decision making through Article 1 Sec 8.
"I love the way this website loves to scold various media outlets for not covering stories they want covered"
WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.
That's "stories that NEED TO BE COVERED".
In this case, a story about the actions of our elected officials that have a direct bearing on a war, the soldiers that fight it, the President who owns it, and the families affected by it.
It's not just the war opponents and the chickenhawks who are watching this war on TV, it's thousands of families who've seen their loved ones overextended, backdoor drafted, inadequately rested, permanently injured, or brutally killed.
YES, THIS NEEDS TO BE COVERED, and any major network news media outlet that shirks its duty by not covering it deserves to be highlighted, criticized, even SCOLDED.
Thanks to CBS, a few more people are going to continue adhering to the idiotic talking points, "why aren't the Democrats doing anything about the war? Why haven't they gotten anything done? Why don't they support the troops?"
"the legislative branch has no business inserting themselves in this military function"
WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.
Is our Constitution mere toilet paper to you?
U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 8:
The Congress shall have the power...
To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces;
SAVE DEMOCRACY, VOTE FOR A DEMOCRAT!!
Tommy, please don't cry, don't leave, please don't stop posting here, it's your page as much as anyone. Without you we can't highlight the shallow mind that blocks it's view of the reality no matter how distructive their ignorance may be, even to themselves!!
If you have prodigy, and desire a free, strong, and more perfect union, you would desire your nation to only use it's military in combat for tangible, real, strategic benefits! Not for the empowerment of a political party, or the financial benefit of the political allies like the oil & military industries, or to completely erode constitutional restraints on their own power!
If you want your ancesters to have anything of a nation, or enviroment; then good, sincere governance from freedom loving, protecting, defending DEMOCRACIES will have to flourish!
If you love democracy, if you believe in the Constitution, how do you ignore the crimes against it by this Administration, by it's media, and by those whom would distort, or lie to facilitate it's crimes?
A free press, an inquisitive media on the public airways should be expected to report in the public's general interest, not just a narrow corporate interest, not to propagandize.
Happy Thoughts;
Dan Grady
Got that off your chest then, good.
The first part of the sentence of your second paragraph is I believe incorrect. The legislative branch has every right to insert themselves into military functions, did, does, and will continue too do so.
I didn't say military functionS. I said this particular military function, in my opinion.
It is their business and it's the right thing to do for the military families who are being ripped apart by this occupation.
A stubborn, politically calculating Republican minority is filibustering publicly supported bipartisan measures at a rate three times greater than has ever been seen.
Clean Energy legislation, lower price negotiations for Medicare, troop withdrawal from Iraq all and more filibustered by a cynical minority.
But the WITH crowd cannot, will not understand that it is absolutely vital the press report on these purely political tactics that a partisan minority is using to stifle majority rule.
This country being held hostage by a minority of radical ideologues. But really, why is this here?
I agree that the press should more aggressively report the real news.
But today's vote on the Webb amendment was not bipartisan...it was the republicans vs. the democrats...with the democrats enlisting the usual support of a handful of rinos.
That's nice. Take a nice comfy neutral position.
How's the g and t Buffy?
Ok...how 'bout you back up your vapid rhetoric about bipartisan legislation being shot down by a rabid minority.
As a once famous poster...now sadly departed...used to say...get to digging or get gone.
Or I'll simply wait for the apoplexy to pass.
Trent Lott said it best, "The strategy of being obstructionist can work or fail…and so far it's working for us."
--Trent Lott, Roll Call, April 18th
I'm well aware of the partisan actions...I want to know where you come up with the bit about "bipartisan measures" that are being filibustered...at a rate 3 times higher than any time in history.
That's right, while not all measures are bipartisan, they are all supported by a clear majority of the people. Thus the application of the term radical, as in radical Republican minority, is apt. They are disobeying the will of the governed to preserve decision making power for The Party, that's radicalism
And yes, the Republicans are filibustering at a rate three times higher than has ever been seen.
[link to home.ourfuture.org]
[link to www.mcclatchydc.com]
Like I said, take a netral stance. You have to. You can't defend this Webb amendment vote by any stretch and apparently you can't criticize your boys for telling the troops to go screw themselves.
You make this an us vs. them thing, totally dodging the severe reality of the whole damn obstructionist strategy. Meanwhile our soldiers are maimed and dying to preserve oil profits.
Sad priorities, Wes.
Sadly we cant wait for your stupidity to pass. It is most assuredly here to stay
Well at least you can't blame Katie this time ;-)
After they get a nice long vacation, it's BACK TO THE FRONT! Dems aren't calling to END the war, they're just trying to make it more "comfortable" for the troops, condemned to return to Iraq eventually. Long-term occupation seems to be the overall plan of BOTH parties. Damn them both.
"I love the way this website loves to scold various media outlets for not covering stories they want covered, all in the name of avoiding the dreaded "furthering of the conservative agenda"......yet when posters have the audacity to question MMFA on items they highlight, it's always "It's not your website, it's theirs, start your OWN". Funny how that is :)"
Do you also think it's funny when the aforementioned media outlets undergo license renewal hearings to see if they are serving the public interest?
Just today the FCC Commissioner said:
"Let's begin at the beginning tonight, reminding ourselves that all of us do indeed own the airwaves and that corporations are given the privilege of using this public asset. and to profit from that use. in exchange for their commitment to serve the public interest. Broadcasters have been given very special privileges and they have very special responsibilities to serve their local communities. Serving the public interest is supposed to be their lodestar."
[link to tap.gallaudet.edu]
Can you find a source that says web sites have the same responsibility?
Do you think the public interest is served when a major news corporation like CBS totally ignores the Webb amendment on it's flagship evening broadcast?
Web sites and major media broadcasters are as different as the private automobile and public transportation.
See if you can figure that one out.