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Dimsdale
Captain
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 527
Location: Massachusetts: the belly of the beast
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 Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 3:35 am Post subject: |
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My letter to Broder:
| Quote: | Dear Mr. Broder,
You state the following: In a year when war in Iraq, the threat of terrorism and looming problems with the federal budget and the nation's health care system cry out for serious debate, the news organizations on which people should be able to depend have been diverted into chasing sham events: a scurrilous and largely inaccurate attack on the Vietnam service of John Kerry and a forged document charging President Bush with disobeying an order for an Air National Guard physical."
"Time was when any outfit such as Swift Boat Veterans for Truth that came around peddling an ad with implausible charges would have run into a hard-nosed reporter whose first questions -- before he or she ran with the story -- would have been, "Who the hell are you guys? What's your angle? What's your proof?"
I could not agree more: where is your proof of the "scurrilous and largely inaccurate attack" by the Swiftboat Veterans of Truth? I hear the claims by commentators, reporters, Kerry spinmeisters and Kerry himself, that "95%" or "100%" or "all" of the claims of the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth are "lies" or "untrue" or "slander" or "defamation" or "proven wrong," yet I have yet to hear a single claim of the Swiftees factually, I repeat, FACTUALLY, debunked or disproven, by any of the above, particularly Kerry himself. Why is that, Mr. Broder?
In this controversy, it is Kerry, not the Swiftees, that have had to retract their stories (see "Christmas in Cambodia" or the Kerry admission that his first Purple Heart was awarded for a self inflicted wound), yet the "mainstream" media takes no notice.
Have you, David Broder, once asked yourself or anyone the questions you pose above? Why haven't you specifically asked Kerry why he won't authorize the release of his FULL military/medical records as President Bush has done (or, even more importantly, his closed door Senate Intelligence committee attendance records)? The so called "mainstream media" has gone over President Bush's Air National Guard attendance with a fine tooth comb, over and over again, and have even sued the President to get records they *think* he has. And now CBS has stooped to using forged documents in an attempt at "gotcha" reporting when the President's ANG records didn't fit their preconceived notions.
The Swiftees have been organized since the beginning of May, yet the so called "mainstream media" did it's level best to completely ignore them, creating a near media blackout of their story. Joe Wilson's now debunked claims against the President were covered for weeks, ad nauseam, with Wilson having free run of any news or talk show he chose to go on, but John O'Neill of the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth was snubbed and continues to be. How can Michael Moore's fact challenged "documentary" elicit such media attention and praise, while "Unfit for Command" goes unreviewed? How else could you explain Dan Rather and 60 Minutes completely ignoring the Swiftees, yet doggedly pursuing any and all anti Bush authors or commentators? How can the "Today" show feature the likes of Kitty Kelly and her gossipy tome when they completely ignore the Swiftees?
Where is your much vaunted news media? If the story were reversed, and a group of 255+ of President Bush's ANG contemporaries and commanders came out against him, I would bet my paycheck that the "mainstream" media would be all over that story like a gorilla on a banana.
But no, "pundits" such as yourself simply repeat the talking points of the Kerry campaign and the DNC talking points, without even the least bit of guilt over your collective loss of journalistic integrity and ethics. It shows in the way these so called "journalists" lazily use the same terminology (remember "gravitas?"). The Swiftees have been defamed and smeared, and in the same breath been called the ones "smearing" and "defaming" Kerry. Well I am from Missouri. Show me. Prove to me that you are not a shill for Kerry. Ask the tough questions of him that your ilk asked of the President. Pursue this story with the same level of scrutiny that the President's ANG servide "enjoyed." Make him authorize the release of his FULL military record and let the chips fall where they may. The very fact that the Swiftees have been repeatedly demanding this, and Kerry's steadfast refusal to do so, indicates that Kerry has more to lose from the release of his FULL military record than the Swiftees. And unlike Kerry, the Swiftees who were witnesses to Kerry's service in Vietnam have signed affidavits as to their veracity. Kerry has done no such thing. And the vaunted press has let him get away with it.
In other words, Mr. Broder, put up or shut up. The truth is getting mugged in an alley, and all the neighbors are drawing their shades and closing their windows, closing their eyes to a journalistic injustice in progress.
Will you be the one to open the windows, turn on the lights and reveal the truth? Or will you shut your eyes and pretend it isn't there and wait for it all to go away?
I watch with great interest.
Most sincerely,
Dimsdale. |
Can Broder ignore it when thousands of emails all complain about the same thing?
_________________
Everytime he had a choice, Kerry chose to side with communists rather than the United States. |
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68RSVN
Seaman Recruit
Joined: 27 Aug 2004
Posts: 20
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| Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 3:42 am Post subject: Re: My email to Broder... |
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| Billman wrote: | | As for the most-discussed question - the presence of hostile fire on the Bay Hap - this is at best a draw, neither proven nor disproven. See Mike Dobbs' excellent article. Mike subsequently stated, appropriately, that he only attempted to address that particular question and not the bulk of the Swift Vets' charges. |
It is my opinion that Kerry's conduct on this day is MUCH worse if there were enemy fire. According to Unfit For Command, Kerry quit his boat with a very minor wound leaving the other officers short handed. If there were enemy fire, his conduct would only be that much worse. I'm guessing that that's what Thurlow was referring to when he said"When the chips were down, you couldn't count on John Kerry". |
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W.P. Wily
Lt.Jg.
Joined: 26 Aug 2004
Posts: 101
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| Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 4:49 am Post subject: |
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While I was gathering my thoughts about this article, I came across this commentary over on PowerLine http://www.powerlineblog.com/
Since their stories move around, I'll post it here:
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Clueless in D.C.
This piece by David Broder of the Washington Post, "The Media, Losing Their Way," couldn't be more clueless if Richard Cohen had written it. Broder starts off on solid ground. He observes that "the American news media have been clobbered" in this election cycle, and he admits his "shame and embarrassment at our performance." It is when he tries to analyze why the media has became such an embarrassment that Broder quickly loses the plot.
Broder thinks that the main culprits are (I kid you not) cable news networks, bloggers, and the influx of "political stars" into traditional television news organizations. With so much sensationalized information being doled out by people lacking credentials in journalism, it is no wonder that "old pros such as Dan Rather and former New York Times editor Howell Raines got caught up in this fevered atmosphere and let their standards slip." It never occurs to Broder that bias may have played at least a bit part in the MSM's self-destructive conduct. Or that the rise of cable news networks and serious blogs (none of whom seems to have up screwed up the way Rather did) is the effect of the MSM's lack of responsibility, rather than its cause. Yet these are easily the most plausible explanations for the phenomena Broder decries. Consider this passage:
"Time was when any outfit such as Swift Boat Veterans for Truth that came around peddling an ad with implausible charges would have run into a hard-nosed reporter whose first questions -- before he or she ran with the story -- would have been, 'Who the hell are you guys? What's your angle? What's your proof?' Any Texan with a grudge against George Bush and the National Guard who suddenly produced a purported photocopy of an explosive 30-year-old order signed by a dead man would have been treated with the deep distrust he deserved by the reporters to whom he offered his wares. And no professional journalist would have made a call to the Kerry campaign encouraging a flack to contact this dubious source."
But the reason why no hard-nosed reporter challenged the Swiftvets was not the existence of cable news or bloggers. If the old media were really under great pressure to compete with these sources, their representatives would have been all over the Swiftvets. No, the reason why the MSM didn't jump on this story (as we predicted they wouldn't) is because they thought it was in John Kerry's interest to let the story die. Only when it became clear that this wouldn't happen did the Washington Post make a run at discrediting the Swiftvets allegations. The reason why the Post and others didn't get further in this endeavor is because most of the allegations have held up.
Broder's discussion of the CBS story also contains its own refutation of his broader thesis. Broder is horrified that the network called the Kerry campaign to encourage it to contact Rather's source. This clearly is not the fault of cable news organizations and bloggers. Nor does Broder provide any reason to believe that it had to do with the presence of "political stars" at CBS. How can Broder overlook the most obvious explanation for CBS's contact with the Kerry campaign -- that the two share a common objective?
Broder is an honest journalist -- one of the "adults" of the MSM. But when the adults are this clueless, they cannot serve their adult function. That's one of the reasons why school has been out at institutions like the Washington Post for years. |
And that's why I'm not a blogger, because this response is so much better than anything I could come up with to express the same sentiment. Kudos to PowerLine, again.  |
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Stevie
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
Joined: 25 Aug 2004
Posts: 1451
Location: Queen Creek, Arizona
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| Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 5:18 am Post subject: |
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| jim_nyc wrote: | | My email was returned ...no such address.....anyone else have this problem...anyone with a current address? |
davidbroder@washpost.com
it is also listed in truthserum post above.... good luck!
_________________
Stevie
Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage
morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should
be arrested, exiled or hanged. |
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truthserum
Seaman
Joined: 12 Sep 2004
Posts: 190
Location: Cincinnati, OH
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| Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 1:57 pm Post subject: |
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davidbroder@washpost.com
That's the email address I used twice actually, because I was angry about another column of his, and both went through.
Maybe we crashed their mail server which would be lovely. 
I read the Powerline blog too. Terrific piece.
_________________
Sister to a Marine vet who served in Vietnam and proud of it.
PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! |
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MrJapan
PO1
Joined: 27 Sep 2004
Posts: 465
Location: Chiba, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 2:19 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry Nx3 
Guess I didn't catch this thread 
And I guess I get my news a day or 2 late 
Hi all.... hope to make some good discussion with you, I've learned a lot these past couple of months reading a few of the blogs... my favorites being here and also moorewatch.com...
I really wish I could see all of the news reports/ads and whatnot going on over there.... seems the only thing the news (or pretty much any other thing on TV) is baseball and soccer
Sorry... slightly off topic...
Some of what he said was at lest partially true, in his own twisted way of saying it, but it was pointing the wrong direction...
(I should spellcheck before I post )
_________________
USAF
31 TFW (307th/309th)
Homestead AFB (until Andrew took care of it, 1992)
Desert Shield/Desert Storm
Texas Army NG 13E FDC
BTRY B 3-133 Arty |
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jataylor11
Vice Admiral
Joined: 10 Aug 2004
Posts: 856
Location: Woodbridge, Virginia
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| Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 2:53 pm Post subject: |
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Excellent letters to Broder. Rather than repeat my entire letter. I'll just post the ending of mine.
Dear Mr. Broder,
.....
I guess I should cut you a break -- it must be tough to realize you are a buggy whip in the world or automobiles. I wish you good luck in trying to develop new job skills at your age, given that opinions based upon lies will no longer persuade in the age of the internet. |
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MrJapan
PO1
Joined: 27 Sep 2004
Posts: 465
Location: Chiba, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 3:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | I guess I should cut you a break -- it must be tough to realize you are a buggy whip in the world or automobiles. I wish you good luck in trying to develop new job skills at your age, given that opinions based upon lies will no longer persuade in the age of the internet. |
ouch!
_________________
USAF
31 TFW (307th/309th)
Homestead AFB (until Andrew took care of it, 1992)
Desert Shield/Desert Storm
Texas Army NG 13E FDC
BTRY B 3-133 Arty |
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noc
PO1
Joined: 24 Aug 2004
Posts: 492
Location: Dublin, CA
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| Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 3:26 pm Post subject: |
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The media (now the main stream echo chamber) has picked up a theme and continues to repeat assertions the SBVT are somehow "largely discredited".
When writing letters to respond to these pundits make sure to BCC the media contact list:
http://www2.swiftvets.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2424&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
When they make false statements, just like CBS, they should be held accountable. They also become part of the story instead of just reporting on it.
If you don't have the ability to blast out to the 250 plus on the list send me a PM and I will arrange to send it for you or get a GMail account that it at the end of the thread.
btw, the media list is mostly the Washington Press corp, national papers and news mags. If anyone has a comprehensive list that includes the 4000 or so local newspapers and also the 8000 or so radio stations please PM me. |
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fortdixlover
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
Joined: 12 May 2004
Posts: 1476
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| Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 4:54 pm Post subject: |
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| debewley wrote: | | My e-mail to Mr. Broder is below. |
here's mine:
Dear Mr. Broder,
How much did the DNC pay you to write your article?
Sincerely,
FDL
* note: as someone with extensive experience in liberal settings, when odd coincidences happened (such as the absolute march-step of the MSM), I thought of several things - in this order:
1. drugs
2. mental illness
3. payoffs
4. nepotism
5. drugs |
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Fort Campbell
Vice Admiral
Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 896
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| Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 11:58 am Post subject: |
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| Anybody hear from Broder? |
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jataylor11
Vice Admiral
Joined: 10 Aug 2004
Posts: 856
Location: Woodbridge, Virginia
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| Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 7:00 pm Post subject: |
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I received a form letter response that basically said Broder receives thousands of e-mails and can't respond to each on individually and write his columns.
Something tells me he does read most of them. Mine was short.
I am tempted to respond back that he can stop writing given it is all lies, and that he doesn't go research. So how long does it take to develop opinions on nothing, or parrot DNC talking points? |
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Cali-HeyGirl
Seaman
Joined: 11 Aug 2004
Posts: 156
Location: Mayport
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| Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 9:48 pm Post subject: |
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I just sent off my e-mail to Broder, but I doubt I will hear back from him. It has become apparent that anytime you e-mail the media and mention SwiftVets in the text, the media sends it back, unopened or you hear nothing. The media has become too elite for those of us who say just give me the facts please, not your bias opinions...
OOH-YAH!
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Cali-HeyGirl....proud to be a CWO5 Navy wife! |
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IamHG
Ensign
Joined: 21 Aug 2004
Posts: 69
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| Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2004 7:20 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Who the hell are you guys? What's your angle? What's your proof?" |
This is what I don't understand..... isn't an eye witness account considered evidence? aren't 60 sworn affidavits proof? What would the the Media do with 60 sworn affidavits saying something negative about Bush?
I actually think some in the MSM have found a silver lining in the CBS debacle.. they can lump the SwiftVets in with it and discount them together.
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<insert pithy signature here> |
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Me#1You#10
Site Admin
Joined: 06 May 2004
Posts: 6503
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| Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2004 7:23 am Post subject: |
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| IamHG wrote: | This is what I don't understand..... isn't an eye witness account considered evidence? aren't 60 sworn affidavits proof? What would the the Media do with 60 sworn affidavits saying something negative about Bush?
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That sure is my understanding. Perhaps Beldar might care to opine briefly on the legal standing of eyewitness testimony. |
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