Media Bias Outrage of the Week - ABC News: Clinging To Doubt In The Face Of Proof

banner: fairpress.org, Citizens Coalition for Responsible Media, fighting media bias


Home Media Bias Outrage/Week Outrage of the Month Outrage Archive On The Offensive On The Offensive Archive Hot Topic Links Special Features Activism Press Releases Rolodex Activist Handbook Thread Archive Identify Media Bias Mission Statement Guestbook Contact Us	ABC News: Clinging To Doubt In The Face Of Proof 02/10/2003 Is anything the U.S. says or does believable? Apparently not to Peter Jennings. Following the testimony of Secretary of State Colin Powell to the U.N.'s Security Council, he cast doubt and skepticism on the evidence of Iraq's failure to disarm. During his tease to ABC's World News Tonight on Wednesday, February 5, he stated: "The administration's evidence: audiotapes, satellite photos, more than an hour of accusation trying to convince the skeptics. But is there really a connection between Iraq and al-Qaeda?" When the broadcast began, he had this to say: "Good evening, everyone. We're going to begin tonight with show and tell about deadly business. In the United Nations Security Council this morning, the Secretary of State Colin Powell took almost an hour and a half to make the Bush administration's case against Saddam Hussein. Mr. Powell was talking to many different audiences at home and overseas. It was the Bush administration's justification for attacking Iraq if the Iraqi leader cannot be dealt with any other way." Fellow unbeliever Martha Raddatz reported on the satellite photos: "The satellite imagery is more open to interpretation. Secretary Powell said this was a satellite picture of a storage area for chemical or biological weapons with a decontamination vehicle and heavy cargo trucks nearby. A satellite image taken two months later at the same area, Powell said, showed the vehicles gone, buildings bulldozed, and to keep inspectors from being able to sample the soil, he claimed, the top layer had been hauled away." Jonathan Tucker, former UNSCOM Inspector: "We have to, of course, take Secretary Powell on faith to some extent about the significance of the images because they are very difficult for a layman to interpret." Faith? In a member of the Bush administration? At ABC News? Let's keep looking. Consider this exchange between Jennings and political analyst George Stephanopoulos: Jennings: "And somebody did observe today people will believe that they want to believe at this point. Mr. Powell certainly had another important constituency to convince, and that was Democrats on Capitol Hill…George, I gather from what you and I talked about earlier, that Democrats were generally impressed today. On what basis?" Stephanopoulos: Well, I think three reasons, Peter. First of all, the volume and the vividness of the evidence that Colin Powell presented today, especially those audiotapes. Secondly, the person who made the argument. Colin Powell is very popular with the American people, and he's trusted by the skeptics because he's been perceived to be a reluctant warrior. And then finally, the place he made it, the UN Security Council. Democrats and skeptical Republicans have been saying work with the UN. By going to the UN today, Colin Powell demonstrated that." Jennings: "Let me add a note of skepticism. Does this mean they were impressed with substance or performance?" Stephanopoulos: "A little bit of both, Peter…" Later, the subject of the chemical and biological weapons came up. Why not throw some scare tactics onto the heap? Jennings: "As we said at the outset, many people will believe the Secretary of State today and some will not. And there is one more consideration. If he is right on the money with his analysis of Iraqi capabilities in the case of war, or as somebody in Washington said today, if he's half right, it could be hell for American troops if the country goes to war, ABC's John McWethy is at the Pentagon. Take it from there, John." McWethy: "And frankly, Peter, if in addition to what the Secretary said, presenting this kind of intelligence in public could make it even tougher for U.S. troops by showing the Iraqis how much the U.S. knows. Chemical and biological weapons: If Secretary Powell is right about Saddam Hussein having a massive stockpile of these weapons, what U.S. forces could face in any war might be far worse than earlier predictions. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld today acknowledged the possibilities could be ghastly."… Jennings: "John, very quickly, it's an 'if' still at the Pentagon, is it? 'If' he has all of these provisions?" McWethy: "If he has them all, Peter, yes. But many here in the Pentagon are fearing the worst, and frankly they've trained the troops for the worst." Jennings has all but called the Secretary of State and other members of the Bush administration liars. As if this is just some kind of practical joke and they are making up evidence against Saddam Hussein because they don't like his haircut. This tone is inappropriate and obnoxious. Below is the contact information. Peter Jennings c/o ABC News 77 West 66th Street New York, New York 10023 Phone (212) 456-4040 Fax (212) 456-2795 Email Contact Page Read More Here: MRC CyberAlert, 02/06/2003: Jennings Expresses Skepticism Toward Powell's Case When you feel your personal media bias tolerance gauge rising into the red zone, don't throw stuff at the TV screen! Send your suggestion to outrage@fairpress.org! Each week, one hideous example of media bias will be selected for closer examination. Hmmmmmm . . . Click below for more: