Brokaw falsely claimed Giuliani's Florida ads "don't mention terrorism"
SUMMARY: On Meet the Press, Tom Brokaw claimed that Rudy Giuliani's television ads airing in Florida "don't mention terrorism." In fact, just two days earlier, the Giuliani campaign launched a new ad, airing in West Palm Beach, that contains video footage of New York City in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
On the January 20 broadcast of NBC's Meet the Press, former NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw claimed that Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani's television ads airing in Florida "don't mention terrorism." In fact, just two days earlier, the Giuliani campaign launched a new ad, airing in West Palm Beach, that contains video footage of New York City in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The footage appears as the narrator says of Giuliani: "[W]hen the world wavered. And history hesitated. He never did."
From the January 20 broadcast of NBC's Meet the Press:
TIM RUSSERT (host): Let's start with the Republicans. Tom Brokaw, John McCain wins South Carolina, a week from Tuesday, he goes to Florida. Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, at least, all lying in wait.
BROKAW: You know what it reminds me of now, Tim, is that in rural America, they have these quarter-mile dirt tracks, and they have wreck-'em derbies. And they put all the cars on the track at the same time, and they run into each other until there's just one car standing. I think we've got a wreck-'em derby going on in the Republican Party right now.
I've just gotten back from Florida. Rudy Giuliani's ads on the air don't mention terrorism. He's the man who reduced the corporate taxes in the city of New York, created new jobs, reduced crime, and also took a lot of people off the welfare rolls.
So this election on the Republican side now is changing both in tone and in content. And it seems to me that John McCain -- who, I suspect everyone around this table shared my views six months ago that he was down for the count -- has made an astonishing comeback. And people are looking for authenticity, and it may be embodied by John McCain on the Republican side.
According to a January 18 press release on Giuliani's campaign website:
The Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee today announced the launch of a new television ad entitled "It Matters." The ad is airing in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Visit http://www.joinrudy2008.com to view the ad. The script is below.
Script for "It Matters":
Voice Over: "When corruption ruled, he challenged it. When welfare failed, he changed it. When crime thrived, he fought it. When government broke, he fixed it. And when the world wavered. And history hesitated. He never did. Rudy Giuliani. Leadership. When it matters most."
Mayor Giuliani: "I'm Rudy Giuliani and I approve this message."
On January 18, Talking Points Memo blogger-reporter Greg Sargent posted a copy of the ad on TPM Election Central. Sargent wrote:
Rudy Giuliani's new ad, running in the West Palm Beach area, uses actual video footage from 9/11 to promote Rudy's candidacy -- and includes this surprising line about the terror attacks:
"When the world wavered, and history hesitated, he never did."
The suggestion appears to be that Rudy's response to the disaster was better than that of literally the rest of the world -- better than Bush's, better than that of the first responders or the people depicted in the ad running from the disaster, better than America as a whole. Indeed, Rudy's response showed him to be stronger and more unshakable than all of history.
Of course, in reality Rudy had nothing to do with America's response to the disaster.
Brokaw's statement is just pathetic. Giuliani's use of actual video from the 9-11 attacks and their aftermath as part of his Florida ads has been news for almost a month. If Brokaw the journalist actually read, listened to or watched the news, he'd have found it hard to miss the stories about Giuliani's use in his TV ads of video and photos from the September 11, 2001 attacks:
Here.
Rudy Giuliani's campaign released a new ad in Florida Friday that uses footage and photographs of 9/11 and the ruins of the World Trade Center to emphasize his leadership as New York City mayor.Here.
In the commercial, Giuliani recalls the World War II era and shows pictures of that period, as well as 2001 images of firefighters, other first responders, and an American flag amid World Trade Center wreckage. As classical music plays, Giuliani strikes an optimistic tone and recalls U.S. achievements like the space program to illustrate the country's will in overcoming challenges.Here.
Rudy Giuliani's new ad, running in the West Palm Beach area, uses actual video footage from 9/11 to promote Rudy's candidacy -- and includes this surprising line about the terror attacks:
"When the world wavered, and history hesitated, he never did."
Here.
ABC News’ Jan Simmonds reports: Rudy Giuliani's media blitz of Florida continues Friday with the launch of another television ad with a focus on his leadership in the aftermath of 9/11.
After lauding Giuliani for his efforts to fight corruption, change welfare and clean up New York, the ad, entitled "It Matters", shows images of 9/11, including then-New York City Mayor Giuliani at Ground Zero embracing victims' loved ones and thanking those who were helping with relief efforts.
it's possible brokaw saw ads in miami, which is a different target audience than palm beach county, which has many new york transplants. see link.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/01/18/new-giuliani-ad-shows-trade-center-ruins/
Oh come on. Brokaw isn't just some casual viewer. If he hadn't seen ALL of Giuliani's ads, he had no business making the comments he did.
No, the ad doesn't use the word "terrorism." It just shows burning buildings and news footage of 9/11. Who does Brokaw think he's trying to kid?
I MISS WALTER CONKRITE AND DAN RATHER.
I'm with you Bright.
However, despite this mistake or innocent blunder, Browkaw is still the best of the journalists we have today.
Opps Brokaw, not Browkaw.
It's early, need more coffee ;-)
Jeter,
I don't know whether I agree with you about Brokaw being the best of what we've got, but I certainly miss Rather and Cronkite as much as you do. We need REPORTERS.
Script for "It Matters":
Voice Over: "When corruption ruled, he challenged it. When welfare failed, he changed it. When crime thrived, he fought it. When government broke, he fixed it. And when the world wavered. And history hesitated. He never did. Rudy Giuliani. Leadership. When it matters most."
Mayor Giuliani: "I'm Rudy Giuliani and I approve this message."
Point out where he says "terrorism" in there?
I was in Fla this week and saw the ad. It does show the iconic image of the I-beams/rebar standing on top of the ruble. It only shows it for a second or two then fades to Rudy's name. I did not see any firefighters nor police in the shot.
I can understand the argument against showing this, but it was tastefully done and was not gratuitous in nature. Rudy was the mayor after all. Had any other politician been mayor, I'm sure they would work this into a campaign add.
Hog,
Thanks for the 'hands on' report. It looks to me like Brokaw told the truth.
MMFA is not arguing the tastefulness or gratuitousness, they are arguing the mention of terrorism.
Brokaw was clearly speaking in a general sense. Do you honestly think that Brokaw believes it's not an invocation of terrorism until you actually mention the word 'terrorism'?
Deny it all you want. Rudy cited a terrorist act in a campaign ad as a reason to vote for him. The voters will decide how tasteful or gratuitous it is.
OK, I see Pete. MMfA can "divine" intent when it comes to Republican ads, but if it comes to parsing words for Dems then all bets are off. Am I right? MMfA pulls this more and more now (must be an election year) and I'm just pointing it out.
Did the ad say terrorism as the lead implied? Yes or no counselor?