Bipartisan is not fair or balanced on Gibson's Big Story
Reported by Chrish - March 8, 2005
To the unpracticed eye, John Gibson hosted a bipartisan dialogue on Big Story today 3/8/05. We Newshounds know once you factor in the rightist host the ratio becomes 2:1 and the progressive representative is on the defensive (which makes it hard to make a proactive message heard). Michael Ledeen from the American Enterprise Institute and P.J. Crowley from Center for American Progress discussed the war in Iraq, the "war on terror" and the spread of democracy in the Mideast.
(Comment: After reading some biographical material it occurs to me that if Ledeen was a Democrat he would be roundly denounced as an elitist. A "scholar" with controversial policy ideas! WWBO'RD?)
Gibson started by asking Crowley if "we should thank GWBush for the outbreak of worldwide democracy?"
Crowley replied that the deaths of Arafat and Hariri and the support of AL Sistani were largely responsible, and that Bush originally had to be convinced to hold elections in Iraq. Gibson talked over him, indignant already, saying "you would really withhold credit for the Iraqi election from president Bush at this point?" Crowley replied that while it was a dynamic moment sending shockwaves through the Middle East, it was not part of the November 15th agreement which Paul Bremer initially negotiated. Gibson, who may or may not have AADD, said "but that was a long time ago". Crowley replied that Bush finds himself in the right place, because freedom and democracy are essential for fighting the war on terrorism, but this has come about despite the Bush administration and not because of it.
Gibson is incredulous and asks Ledeen is "the present worldwide outbreak of democracy despite the administration, not because of it?" Ledeen begins by judging Crowley "incredibly churlish and meanspirited to say so" and goes on to say Bush is "this man who risked his entire presidency on this doctrine that practically nobody believed in...he risked his career, his reputation and the election on it and he won." (Comment: he "won" on homophobia, abortion, and vote-flipping .)
Gibson said to Crowley "It appears most people are giving him credit, but people on your side are withholding it for some reason." Crowley answered (essentially) that we are at a good place now for fighting terrorism, "we're finally on the right strategy, we're finally on the right approach, but we can't go back and replicate the uneven way in which we got here."
Then Gibson says something shocking in its honesty: "Well Michael, I know that the excuse was made that 'we're going to go after WMDs' and that was the initial selling point of the war, are we forgetting, or let me put a point on it, is PJ forgetting about the call for Iraq's democracy even on invasion day?"
Ledeen replies "Yes he is. In fact Bush has not changed his mind at all; he's been saying the same thing all along."
Comment: Hussein has Weapons of Mass Destruction. There is an alliance with Al Queda. 45 minutes to Armageddon. Hussein has Weapons of Mass Destruction programs. Regime change. Liberate the Iraqi people from ruthless dictator. Hussein has had Weapons of Mass Destruction programs.
We were lied to, SOLD a war. That Gibson and the rest of the crew at Fox is not outraged and calling for impeachment is all we need to know to call them on their bias.
