"On Cable, a Fog of Words about Kerry's War Record"

[AmerDem]

On Cable, a Fog of Words About Kerry's War Record

By ALESSANDRA STANLEY

Published: August 24, 2004

There is the fog of war and then there is the fog of cable.

Over the last few weeks, 24-hour news networks have done little to find out what John Kerry did in Vietnam, but they have provided a different kind of public service: their examination of his war record in Vietnam illustrates once again just how perfunctory and confusing cable news coverage can be. Facts, half-truths and passionately tendentious opinions get tumbled together on screen like laundry in an industrial dryer - without the softeners of fact-checking or reflection.



Somehow, on all-cable news stations - CNN as well as Fox News - a story that rises or falls on basic and mostly verifiable facts blurs into just another developing news sensation alongside the latest Utah kidnapping or the Scott Peterson murder trial. (It is particularly confusing on Fox News, where so many of its blond female anchors look like Amber Frey.)

Fox News, which delivers its news with "Fight Club" ferocity, has relished the controversy the most, seizing hungrily on charges that Mr. Kerry lied to gain his medals. Those accusations, which have not been substantiated, were made in the book "Unfit for Command," co-written by a former Swift boat commander and longtime Kerry critic, John O'Neill. Fox News has pushed the story early, often, and sometimes even late.

Yesterday, President Bush denounced all third-party campaign ads, including the ads by a group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, and called his opponent's war record admirable. Fox anchors made note of that development, then raced back to the disparaging remarks former Senator Bob Dole made to CNN on Sunday about Mr. Kerry's Purple Heart medals. ("Never bled that I know of," said Mr. Dole, who was badly wounded in World War II.)


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/24/politics/campaign/24watch.html

[mr_binklesworth]

1. question regarding medals...

Hey, I've never been in the military, so I've got a silly question regarding Senator Kerry's medals. I don't quite understand how they're awarded, but the negative campaign has made it sound as if the medal cabinet was open, and Kerry just helped himself.
It seems that someone of superior rank would have to have nominated Kerry in order for him to be eligible, and that person wouldn't likely have awarded the medals so frivolously.

Anyone want to shed light on this? Is this just silly or is there any validity to the discrediting of Kerry's medals, or are they just full of it?
Need I ask? I think we all know the answer.

G'day!
-Mike

[AmerDem]

2. as you say" they are full of it"

Of course ALL of Kerry's medal were written by superiors but the jest behind the Swift Boat Liars is that Kerry wrote his own recommendation and in the heat of battle the superiors just took it as a certainty and pushed it thru.PURE NONSENSE!

It totally takes away all meaning of valor these medals represent from all soldier in our American history.These repukes will stop at nothing to regain power, even if it means destroying our American history of heroism!

[moondust]

3. The Fog

being used by CNNFAUX and the other Bushmedia is similarly intended to conceal and distract. Every day spent on the disgusting Swiftsmear baloney is another day Bushco does not have to answer for their failed record. Bushmedia will continue pumping their fog until they're convinced it is no longer working at which time they will move on to another battlefield tactic.

[AmerDem]

4. Do you see what is happening though?

CNN is being linked in the same breath as FAUX more and more . I have started to notice this more so in the last few weeks.

[moondust]

5. Yep, CNN is getting worse and it's more obvious.

With few exceptions it is unwatchable. Clearly Bushmedia.