MoveOn Targets Katie Couric's Stenography
From their email:
The media's failure to ask tough questions helped President Bush get us into Iraq. Now, it's happening again--blind repetition of Bush's Iraq lies. If the media doesn't shape up, our troops could be stuck in Iraq for years.
This past week, CBS News anchor Katie Couric reported from Iraq. Rather than asking tough questions to Bush and Gen. David Petraeus, Couric asked softballs and then repeated White House talking points--over and over again. Bush's troop escalation is failing miserably, but Couric's viewers got the opposite impression. [..]
Our nation can't afford Couric's lapdog journalism--we need strong watchdog journalism. Can you watch the video exposing Couric's bad reporting and email her today?
If you do email Katie, please let MoveOn know that you did.
UPDATE: Christy at FireDogLake has more...
I just wanted to say something besides the "F" word here.
If you read what CBS has to say about Gen. David Petraeus’s testimony you will discover that what they have to say is what the National Review has to say.
“Democrats will be courting political disaster if they make a full frontal assault on General Petraeus when he testifies about the surge today before a joint hearing of the House Armed Services and International Relations committees. Petraeus knows more about Iraq than they do; he has more credibility; and - judging by his careful statements about the surge so far - he is considerably more sober-minded.”
This admin doesn't care about our troops, even Vietnam was a sham, every war in US history has been about games where Johnson, Trueman could care a less. They are and have always been evil.
anyone got a comment line phone number???
seems to work a lot better than e-mails, a little more direct.
Kind of like sending the High School yeabook editor to cover Vietnam ... really, so sad America.
If the media doesn’t shape up, our troops could be stuck in Iraq for years.
Yeah, it's up to the MEDIA. Uh huh. Wake up C & L, it's a foregone conclusion that our troops are there indefinitely.
The fucktard in the WH continues his winning ways.
Yeah, but she's "cute". What more do you need in a news anchor who sits in the chair once occupied by Murrow and Cronkite?
I like Katie OK as a person.. She's kind of a hottie, kinda. But as a journalist... She seems to be a lightwight out of her element... She probably should have stayed on the today show where fluff pieces are really the staple, and she was pretty good at delievering it.. Her and ol Matt made a good pair... There wasn't a whole lot of serious gravitis there which was OK for an early morning drone to wake up to... It worked... Katie as a female Peter Jennings.. Ehhh not so much....
Personally I think this whole Iraq reporting bit was more about the network trying to burnish her image and reputation as a 'serious' journalist as part of a larger strategy attempting to shore up the sagging numbers of her evening news show more than either supporting or critiquing the admin... That whe was a lap dog on the interview bit shows the lack of weight she brings to the task.
Also says as much about the news media in general as it does for her in particular. In the Jennings era, the media wasn't giving any passes to admin propaganda and supporting it with weak softball questions... Yea...she ain't ever going to be no Peter Jennings, or Walter Cronkite, or Ed Murrow... You should go back to the puff piece type journalism Kate... You're really OK at that... Reporting the serious shit... ehhhh.....JD
I guess the upside is that no one is watching her crappy show anyway.
Dr. Acula @ 6:
So true...and General P. has already been quoted as saying that U.S. troops will be
needed in Iraq for the next 9 years, at a minimum; but of course purposely avoiding
giving any specific details as to the numbers. If his "estimate" is anywhere near
being accurate, that means it is already a long range plan for us to be there for 13
(Thirteen) years..Gotta keep that LARGEST U.S. Embassy in the World safe and occupied
and of course, be sure that U.S. Oil companies are able to have access to the Oil.
FWIW,
Under the subject line "Poor Mr. Cronkite", I sent this email to Katie the Cute:
Dear Ms. Couric,
I watched in amazement, chagrin, and anger the way you brown nosed our un-elected, appointed criminal President when you "happened" to run into him behind a bazillion soldiers in Iraq. Your pandering and lack of sharp, insightful questions are a shame to your profession, and they do a tremendous disservice to the American people.
Zogby polls show, Ms. Couric, that the majority of the people in this country want the US out, and we want them out now. Your blind allegiance to Cheney's puppet helps only the neocons in power and the 30% of Americans who are too dumb to think for themselves.
I demand that you apologize to the American people and that you help poor Mr. Cronkite stop spinning in his grave.
I don't think Katie understands her time has come and gone, she's peaked, and she missed her chance to get out while she was at the top of her particular game.
CBS just wants to salvage their investment in her, and will milk her dry for what they can get.
Hopefully she won't get killed over there while on assignment.
Paul, I agree with your post but I think Uncle Walter might take exception -- since he's still alive!
Katie and the rest take their marching orders from their producers and network execs. Anyone that thinks Katie will just wake up one day and decide to become a hard-hitting journalist needs to lay off the crack pipe.
C'mon! Did they really purport that she "just happened to run into" Arbusto?"
Do you think she cares?
If this horrible war drags on and there is a draft do you think her daughters will fight? Hell know!
It's always the well connected that speak so highly of this war.
I am not surprised about Couric. I will never forget an interview she did while still at Today with a husband and wife who were both shipping off to Kuwait before the invasion. Couric asked the couple if they explained to their kids the reasons mom and dad were both heading off to Kuwait. The wife said "we told them we are going to fight the people who attacked us on 9/11." What was Couric's response? Silence. She did not bother to say that there was no connection between 9/11 attacks an Saddam. Here she was on national television, allowing the Big Lie to remain in effect.
Um, Pierre I don't think your letter will be taken too seriously 'cause Walter Kronkite is RETIRED not DEAD you doof!
You want ace reporter, Katie Couric (who makes how many millions of dollars per year?) to give her corporate management (beholden to BushCo) the proverbial middle finger?
Keyboard militancy ain't gonna do a thing in this case.
I saw a Katie Couric thing being promoted on the news this weekend. I'm paraphrasing but the commercial basically said "Katie Couric is great! Look at who she got to sit down for an interview!" Nothing to give one the impression that Katie just might have gotten the interview by agreeing to a blow job.
Olbermann needs her job.
The MSM is not going to be doing any serious journamalism anytime soon. They forgot how to do it, and are as happy as CNN to report the news of the latest dead or dopey blonde.
Atrophied muscle won't spontaneously generate. No MSM network will get back into journalism until the owners fire the dopes and build up bureaus that do investigative work. They won't be doing this for all kinds of reasons--all of them lame.
"we need strong watchdog journalism."
Seems like a thing of the past. How did we get to the point where we have republican journalism and democratic journalism. Shameful what has become of the media in this country. The corporate media has been playing both sides against the middle for years. The politics of division benefits the bottom line I guess.
goatsage @ 7:
Two comments to make:
#1 - I never liked Katie Couric. She always seemed to me like that snotty little entitled cheerleader in high school. You know the one with the slightly upturned lip as if something smelt bad as she looked down on the other kids cause she thought she was better than everybody else. That's how she always came across to me since way back in the Today Show days. Now that snotty little cheerleader is taking over Dan Rather's chair, no wonder CBS News ratings are on the bottom. Though some people like Katie I think there are probably an equal number of people who don't.
#2 - Let's not forget Dan Rather was ousted because of the noise made by the reich wing noise machine over his reporting of GOP and Bush Regime failures and corruption. CBS cowered and kicked Rather to the curb. Katie was put in Rather's place to be the Not-Dan-Rather. And not Dan Rather she is.
I wrote them:
"I wonder; during your trip to Iraq, where were the tough questions for our Generals in the field?
Where were the tough questions of this Administration regarding it's policies' effectiveness?
I nominate the CBS Evening News for the first Judith Miller Excellence in Journalism award.
You've guessed already, I'm sure:
The award statuette is a golden lapdog that repeats on the national news whatever you tell it."
Subject: Arf Arf Arf, I sent this:
Dear Ms. Couric,
Congratulations. You have confirmed that the media is merely a lapdog pressing the vile agenda of the Bush administration. Please, go back to doing the fluff pieces you do so well.
With all due respect, every time I see your face interviewing someone, I want to smile because I think something "happy happy light light sweet sweet" is coming. You are totally out of your element.
As part of the enabling media for the Iraq war, your hands have the blood of U.S. soldiers on them. Your colluding mentality contributes to the pain and suffering of the living as they return maimed, embittered, and mentally unstable because of GEORGE BUSH'S OPTIONAL WAR FOR OIL. Do you not understand that's what it's all about??
If you love this war so well, you may yet have the opportunity send your daughters, if the American presence in Iraq continues as the Bushies would love. Does that sound fine?
Thank you,
Judy
quit watching these shows. that's the only way to send a message.
not defending her, but you do recall her prefacing the whole thing by saying something to the tune of;
before the trip, to the news media asking her. Pretty honest about it being propaganda. It has now been a couple weeks since she said that. many people will have forgotten, and that is what the script NBC gets paid to write is all about. covering the truth with fiction. news is.
it is her handlers that tell her what to say. you don't think they pay her to be smart do you?
er, people, Walter Cronkite isn't dead, just retired.
which to to be fair, is good as dead to assclowns at CBS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Cronkite
Last night they had that silly bitch on again on 60 Minutes. I had no choice but to shut it off and read up on my favorite book of Auroleus Phillipus Theostratus Bombastus von Hohenheim (Paracelsus).
It really doesn't matter what Katie does or doesn't say. A large number of American troops will be staying in Iraq at those loevly new bases Halliburton/KBR, etc. have been buidling over the past couple years. The only way our troops will be leaving Iraq is if Dubya and the Evil One et al decide to attack Iran - then they'll be marching east a few miles. What C&L people need to be doing is supporting the impeachment of the aforementioned fools ASAP, and help to educate the masses about the PNAC group (and their documented plans) and the NWO crap. I'm not sure if there is anyone currently on the national political scene who could get us out of this mess, but it sure as hell won't be the ones in office now.
sorry, I put in an arrow and it erased her comment; she said right from the start that "they are telling me what to see and say"
she was being honest about it being a shill from the word go, goes with above #27
xoites defends Constitution @ 2:
Hey drunk is drunk, no matter how less drunk.
redcat @ 26:
Absolutely. That's what I did years ago. Cancelled my cable subcription and went online.
xoites defends Constitution @ 1:
Oh Fudge.
I sent this:
Congratulations to Katie Couric!
I see from her latest Baghdad broadcasts that she has accepted the position of White House spokesperson.
Now, which channel is asking the hard questions?
Jill N.
She's dumb as a bag of hammers, but Couric can be my lapdog anytime she wants.
This is what I wrote to CBS (Ceramic Bowl Swirlings):
The next time you have Katie Couric report from Iraq, why not just have her wear a red, white and blue cheerleader uniform on with matching pom-poms and "I Heart George W. Bush" written across her forehead. This is CBS' excuse for journalism? She did not ask ONE question that wasn't a softball. She did not say ONE WORD that wasn't a reiteration of the Bush administration's talking points for staying in Iraq. Your network sure has sunk to some dismal depths since the days of Walter Cronkite. There was once a time when the mainstream media was ahead of the curve on current events, such as during Watergate. Now the media -including CBS- is lagging behind the American people, who see this administration for what they are - lying, corrupt and wrong. How about reflecting the views of the people you are supposed to serve instead of trying to raise GWB's poll ratings? You helped pushed this country into this hellhole of Iraq. The blood is on YOUR hands just as surely as on the hands of this administration.
I'm not going to say anything most of you don't already know, but.... if you want an "exclusive" interview with BUSH, you HAVE TO ASK SOFTBALL QUESTIONS, or you DON'T get an interview, and you will NEVER be invited back to anything. It's that simple. It's a career decision for Katie, and CBS. She's not a journalist, she's a career-girl.
Thank you, MOVE ON, for reminding us that THESE were the people responsible for getting us into IRAQ in the first place, by not asking REAL questions.
I still never got an answer to WHAT WAS THAT BOX ON BUSH'S BACK, DURING THE DEBATE.... That one never got asked (career suicide to ask it). The rest of the world LAUGHS at the U.S. Even shit nations have better journalists.
earl @ 5:
More like sending the homecoming queen, I think.
MoveOn has pointed out an ineresting fact...the once Sunni-dominated Baghdad is now dominated by Shiites. Pretty soon the Shiites won't have anyone left to kill, sectarian attacks will go down, and this will be attributed to the success of The Surge.
i think cbsnews thinks that if newsmodels, like couric, just GO to iraq than good journalism magically follows. like a rainbow-peeing-fairy, it works like magic.
to hope or expect the 'nightly news' on nbcbsabc to ever improve is--while a noble aspiration and desire--is crazy.
here is an idea: don't watch it. getting your news from the MSM leaves one partially uninformed and partially misinformed.
Good God, this is what CBS is putting on TV as the face of journalistic credibility? I hadn't seen her on the news before (gave up on MSM a long time ago), but this is like a college journalism student trying to season herself but failing miserably. She's more sorority sister than journalist. The CBS management ought to be ashamed.
Dr. Acula @ 13:
Oooh, my bad, apologies to all, especially Mr. Cronkite
(buries red face in the sand on Miami Beach!)
Katie was hired to do just what she's doing. She is the spoke person for the criminal White House. She did such a great job of lying, spinning and blaming others during her time on the Today Show. She is following orders and doing it well. Yes her ratings are the lowest and yes people know she's a liar but that's what CBS wanted in Prime Time. Bob is to busy telling the truth so they kicked him out. Katie is like Matthews, O'Reilly and Snow who will do and say anything for the money. Look at he poll numbers on how many people trust the media it's really low. Right now Petraeus is giving the speech that was written for him by the White House if he doesn't follow it and has a spine and tells the truth he will be fired. Katie will continue to report the lies and collect the pay for doing it.
Katie Couric, Bryan Williams and Charles Gibson are accessories to War Crimes. They knew damn well about the Downing Street Memos but CHOSE not to report on them. They knew damn well that the Military Commissions Act erased Habeas Corpus but CHOSE not to report it. They know Posse Comitatus was erased but CHOSE not to report on it. They know that a MILLION Iraqis have died in this war/occupation but CHOSE not to report it. They know that Bush's directive NSPD51 gives Bush dictatorial powers in the event of any event he deems and "emergency" but CHOSE not to report on it.
I could go on and on and on.
Why did they CHOOSE not to report on any of this? Because Bushco. has given Media monsters like ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN HUGE TAX CUTS and has MASSIVELY DEREGULATED their industry. This has resulted in untold BILLIONS of $$$ in their pockets.
And of course, they CHOSE not to report this either.
In an earlier post I told what I had written to CBS. Here is the response they sent me:
"Sorry you didn’t get a chance to see much of the reporting from Iraq….if you had, you wouldn’t have written such a note…imagine all your info came from a blog…too bad."
Not TOO condescending, eh? How many others here have also been insulted by this network in the same way as I have?
Dominic P. Lucarelli @ 45:
Dominic, would you please forward that email to the Site Team at the link on the home page? We want to forward it to MoveOn.
Dominic P. Lucarelli @ 45:
Can you please share with us the email address you sent your letter to. I have some things to send to them too.
Katie will do anything for access. She should be ashamed of herself for being a neo Pravdaite
jr @ 48:
Pravda had journalistic standards.
....with all due respect, Katie Couric is an ENTERTAINER, and
NOT A JOURNALIST.
Also, Katie kind of gave up a few years ago when she decided to try to emulate
Britney Spears by dyeing her hair that slut-blonde color and wearing
hooker booty shorts (okay, I'm just just kidding about the shorts.)
What kind of braindead dipshit expects news from someone named Katie?
BennyP @ 51:
How about newsfotainment?
I think we have to look at the bright side; where did she sleep that night? AF One? For those who point the finger at the media for being in the pocket of this administration, bravo; it is a sad commentary when we have to get real news from the BBC!
Tim @ 9:
CBS used to be 'my news station.' Now I get my news internationally, from the internet, for the most part, and sites like Crooksandliars.com and MoveOn.org. It's much nicer to breathe in fresh air rather than broadcasts with the stale air of BS in them.
jtp
Katie Couric has never been to Iraq before and has nothing to compare present-day Iraq to. Just because things look good for the 5 minutes that she is in an area proves nothing.
BennyP @ 51:
Coming from a guy named Benny, I wouldn't criticize women's names if I were you.
Couric is not and never has been a journalist. Sending her to Iraq still doesn't make her a journalist. I want to say she is an idiot to go to Iraq just to boost ratings, but I think a better word than idiot is whore. She obviously will do ANYTHING to boost ratings EXCEPT take a class in journalism.
HEY EVERYBODY, " Life is returning to Normal " so say Katie Couric, what the hell dose she think " normal " is in Iraq, Kids getting Diarrhea and DYING , or dying from malnutrition , NO electricity, or little for an hour or two, HIGH unemployment. These are the same deviants who use the word " stability " , they used in El Salvador, in Nicaragua, when people stop resisting the military dictatorship there, it was stable, while at the same time, they had no rights, doors were still broken down, poverty was rampant, but it was " stabilized" . Just like Iraq.
These sycophants can play it safe by pandering to the military, the Administration and to the Right, they are powerful forces in this country, who DON'T want to hear anything about, OCCUPATIONS, military bases, a monstrous embassy, or PEOPLE who don't want to live under an occupation, Couric justs follows the same script, call everybody " terrorists" say the troops are doing a " great job", and NEVER, NEVER bring up EVEN the possibility that the U.S. wants Iraq's Oil . If the due (rarely) it's framed in the dis indigenous way they "perceive" or its just " perception", not REALITY.
I'll believe DAHR JAMAIL, (a REAL JOURNALIST ) who was IN fallujah, after the slaughter there, not Katie " stenographer " Couric, who gets her story, from riding along a General, coddling their terrific effort, killing Iraqis .
Put a fork in it, there is virtually no independent main stream media, most of them have all been corrupted, bought off or are too cowardly to confront power . Keep praising the occupation Couric, you look real good in a helmet .
That was sickening to listen to, I emailed her:
And posted it at MoveOn.
How do these shills sleep at night?
I heard a couple of her reports from Iraq and was appalled. Sounded like she had signed on to the Bush propoganda machine. I haven't watched her since.
When Couric took over as anchor, one of her very first guests was Rush Limbaugh.
That pretty much told me the direction her reports were headed.
Come on, who here is really shocked at Couric's fluffy reporting? That a nutted newsroom like CBS sent her there?
I'm in Canada, but I assume the BBC is readily available to most markets in the States. Watch it, support it. We all know American MSM is a joke.
Katie Couric. Jesus.
take the time and e-mail her....I did this morning....when i get home we'll see what happens
I hear ghost towns are pretty peaceful too.
Anyone watching television is too far gone to recover. We need to focus on those seeking truth.
Now I feel gypped!
Here's Mine:
Dave,
Thank you for your email and your interest in our recent coverage from Iraq and Syria. We invite you to view the following broadcasts in their entirety to take a fair look at how this challenging story will continue to be investigated and covered by CBS News. "
http://video.cbsnews.com/2007/09/04/video3233699.mp4 Tuesday’s broadcast
http://video.cbsnews.com/2007/09/05/video3237494.mp4 Wednesday
http://video.cbsnews.com/2007/09/07/video3242091.mp4 Thursday
http://video.cbsnews.com/2007/09/07/video3243853.mp4 Friday
What can we expect from someone who had a small part in one of the Austin Powers movies? She also hosted the Tonight Show (and showed us her fantastic legs).
When did it become okay for 'journalist' to be out on the town promoting their latest books? When did it become okay for 'journalist' to hit the late talk show circuit? Why do they go to White House dinners?
I don't remember Walter C. on the set of the Honey Mooners back in the day. It's so disgusting!
[...] have written such a note…imagine all your info came from a blog…too bad.” (CrooksandLiars commenter) “Actually most intelligent people were very impressed by the quality of our reports from [...]
[...] have written such a note…suppose all your info came from a blog…too poor.” (CrooksandLiars commenter) “Actually most intelligent humans were very impressed by the quality of our reports from [...]
BennyP @ 51:
Wow, that's some staggering sexism there. Ms. Couric's irresponsible journalism has nothing to do with her name, or her sex. Just look at all the Davids, Thomases, Williams, Charleses, etc., out their delivering the same crap. Scores of Katies out there could do much better than any of them. (Why they're not on the airwaves doing it has to do with the much-discussed-here interests of the corporate news media.)
BennyP @ 51:
What kind of braindead dipshit expects news from someone named Katie?
What the fuck? The only thing wrong with getting your news from a "Katie" is that you're too fucking dumb to understand it's her paycheck, not her name that makes her do what she does.
~From a brilliant published woman named Katie with two Master's degrees and a morally-based politic who can also sub in for a classic French chef any day of the week and twice on Sundays
[...] have written such a note…imagine all your info came from a blog…too bad.” (CrooksandLiars commenter) “Actually most intelligent people were very impressed by the quality of our reports from [...]
My opinion, sent to the CBS braintrust:
The idea that I would look to your network for “information” instead of looking to any number of excellent “blogs” is laughable. I used to take pride in watching network news religiously. Now, I feel horrible every time I tune in, which is invariably due to sheer boredom.
Your “journalism” is farcical, your productions disgraceful. Pablum for the masses. I’m sure your corporate overseers are pleased.
Still your future relevance is dubious at best. And that goes for virtually all the “news” programming of the major networks, 24/7/365.
Chet, David, Walter, even Dan – it was good to know you.
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