Bozell Column: Media Credit for Bush?
When word emerged Sunday night that President Obama would be making remarks from the White House at 10:30 pm, viewers knew it must be important. When it began to leak that America had finally found and killed Osama bin Laden, there was joy from sea to shining sea.
The nagging pain that this radical Islamic assassin had never received American justice was finally relieved. Crowds gathered in front of the White House and at Ground Zero to chant joyously “USA! USA!” But for most, it wasn’t jubilation. It was the silent fist pump, and a silent prayer of thanksgiving for the safety of our extraordinary military. And a thanks to this president for his leadership in bringing justice to that monster.
Unfortunately, while the president spoke for the whole country in remembering the pain of 9/11, his remarks left a gaping hole. He made no generous bow to all the efforts of his predecessor George W. Bush as well as his team. My one regret is that Bush 43 didn't get this scalp. He deserved it more than anyone.
Instead, Obama played subtle and wholly undignified games. He underlined that Osama had “avoided capture” under Bush and “continued to operate” during his tenure. But “I directed” CIA director Leon Panetta to make getting Osama the “top priority” (as opposed to?), and “I” gave the go-ahead to the final mission. Obama also avoided Bush in a Medal of Honor ceremony on Monday afternoon. Even in a Monday night “bipartisan” event at the White House, Obama honored the “military and counter-terrorism professionals” and “the members of Congress from both parties” who offered support to the mission....but no credit for Bush.
If the roles had been reversed, you know Bush would have been more generous. It’s what Bushes do.
What about our media? No one in the media wondered if Obama was being rude. No one seemed in any hurry to give Bush credit, either. In the media’s mind’s eye, Bush just doesn’t deserve it. They didn’t like him then, they don’t like him now.
Will the media have any apologies for the abuse they inflicted on President Bush over the Osama bin Laden issue? Let’s review a few occasions where Bush was unfairly maligned.
1. Start in 2003, where NBC’s Bob Costas interviewed radical filmmaker Michael Moore on his HBO show. Moore insisted – quite seriously -- there was a Bush-Osama alliance. Costas asked, “He's under the protective watch of the United States?" Moore answered yes. "I think our government knows where he is and I don't think we're going to be capturing him or killing him any time soon." Moore was then further applauded by the Bush-hating media for forwarding that thesis in “Fahrenheit 911.”
2. In a puffball 2004 CBS “60 Minutes” interview with John Kerry and John Edwards, Lesley Stahl asked “Ron Reagan Jr. was very critical of President Bush invoking religion when it comes to policy, particularly in the war in Iraq. He said something like he felt that Bush was justifying the war in Iraq by citing God. And he said that is what Osama bin Laden does, and he said that there's no place for that. What do you think of that?”
Kerry replied by merely laying out the Abe Lincoln quote that he hoped to be on God’s side. He didn’t suggest comparing Bush to Osama was distasteful. Instead, he said, “It is not the job of the president of the United States to decide what the religion of America is or what the religion of the world should be.”
3. Days before the election in 2004, when Osama released a tape attacking Bush, former CBS anchor Walter Cronkite went on CNN’s “Larry King Live” and insisted with a straight face that Karl Rove “probably set up” this tape with al-Qaeda.
4. In January 2006, CNN commentator Jack Cafferty also insisted Bush colluded with al-Qaeda: "The last time we got a tape from Osama bin Laden was right before the 2004 presidential election. Now here we are, four days away from hearings starting in Washington into the wiretapping of America's telephones without bothering to get a court order or a warrant, and up pops another tape from Osama bin Laden. Coincidence? Who knows?"
5. In that same month, Chris Matthews asked Bush aide Karen Hughes on Osama’s behalf that our military presence in Saudi Arabia was “insulting his country” and was to blame for 9/11. “Are we sometimes to blame for the hell that we’ve raised?” It was the kind of question the Reverend Jeremiah Wright would likely ask.
Imagine any of these people suggesting an alliance or a similarity between Obama and Osama. Hell would freeze over. Why did our media so easily and carelessly smear Bush with an Osama brush? They still have much to answer for.
- Brent Bozell's blog
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Comments
I know what you meant, but...
Submitted by Chris Norman on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 10:58pm.
"My one regret is that Bush 43 didn't get this scalp. He deserved it more than anyone."
I agree with your commentary, and know what you meant about Pres. Bush, but with all due respect, who really deserved this act of justice were the victims of 9/11 and their families and all the others who have suffered from bin Laden's abominations.
All true.
Submitted by hbnolikeee on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 11:10pm.
However, I believe the issue being addressed here is that the person most involved in setting the stage for what happened was Bush in intel gathering, setting up the needed interogation, building the command control structure that BO inherited, but which he took full credit for this outcome.
Unfortunately, not mentioning Bush here is just the usual way those with no class behave.
And further, I'm betting Sun Tzsu is not jealous of this administrations military wisdom.
As I said, I know what Mr.
Submitted by Chris Norman on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 11:31pm.
As I said, I know what Mr. Bozell meant and in that narrow regard, I agree. I think, however, this just can't be looked at as just between Osama and an American president. The politics of this threatens to devour the enormity of what happened that day. Just a reminder of caution when discussing the politics of all this.
It takes me back...
Submitted by GeneralAl on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 11:20pm.
It takes me back to the sixties.These media goons are products of the sixties generation who think they have all the answers in life and no one is any good unless they approve. Bush will never get a fair rating from them because he runs counter to their progressive grain. Hell will freeze over before he gets any credit from them!
"Old Soldiers never die, they just fade away"!
This is actually quite sad
Submitted by shawn. on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 12:45am.
Most of the time folks on this site use logic and reason and it has helped me realize that liberals are much more biased than liberals
The past few days, I truly see how biased some are and I forgotten how truly divided we are. Obama and his strategic commanders have succeeded in killing Osama Bin Laden. This is a huge accomplishment to put on a resume
However, except for some lukewarm kudos I have heard nothing but criticism of this amazing feat. He waited too long, his speech was self serving, he should have bombed the mansion, too bad Bush could not have caught him, he deserved it more
Obama is not a good President, his policies might bankrupt our nation, but in this case I believe our nation owes a lot of gratitude to both Obama and his advisers on destroying this monster.
I think Obama does get credit
Submitted by ant on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 1:45am.
I think Obama does get credit for this. He could have been a "No" on the whole affair and for going through with it, he should get some credit, just as I was glad about the outcome with the Somalia pirates and the hostages of the merchant ship ( whether he gave the final order, however, was never exactly made clear). But I think the whole point is, the Presidents words have not been so gracious and were focused on the usual "I, me, mine". Former Pres. Bush's statement was not so full of "I..I...I..". Not to mention the media and Obama's instant amnesia on their stance on interrogation and general interference in the war from the outset. Now, all of a sudden it's "Hip, hip, hooray!". If Bush were still in Office we would have already been deludged with.. "Did he have the authority to enter Pakistan?".. "What if it had failed?".. "Will he just incite further jihad violence?"... etc.,etc., ad infinitum.
Let's compare:
Submitted by Smidgen on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 8:23am.
When Clinton led us to war in Bosnia, the story about Scott O'Grady was released and Republicans rejoiced right alongside Democrats. That is how you treat an American hero!
Osama bin Laden is finally killed and Republicans are rejoicing right alongside Democrats.
When Bush was president, our military had countless successes and most were never mentioned because the media and democrats were too busy calling Bush a liar, criminal and warmonger and many--Kerry, Durbin, Murtha...OBAMA--were calling our soldiers terrorists and torturers.
Under a democrat president, we get the favorable half of the truth and under a republican president, we get the unfavorable half of the truth.
Nope
Submitted by shawn. on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:38am.
I remember George Bush's speech under the "mission accomplishes" banner. I remember even Chris Mathews calling Bush a hero. Most Americans were real proud that day and did not no the disaster that would come just a few days later.
Mission accomplished refers to taking Baghdad.
Submitted by Smidgen on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:42am.
That's when Howard Dean, Begala, Carville, Mcauliffe, I'm sure there were many others, assembled in a room to figure out how to respond to this. You remember at the time, the media was already wondering where the WMD's were, as if they were going to be sitting in a big pile next to Saddam's statue. Carville said something like, "OK, here's what we're gonna do. We say, 'Where's the WMD's? And then we say, 'Bush lied' and then we tell people like Shawn on Newsbusters to call Bush a liar every single day. Then we call him a war criminal (refer to my ealier post.)
Congratulations to them, though. It worked. I can't remember how many brain-dead morons chanted "Bush is a liar", "War Criminal" and couldn't explain why.
I disagree totally Shawn
Submitted by Tomorama on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:41am.
What this site does Shawn is point out media bias and as EXPECTED the bias is present in this HAPPY STORY AS WELL.
The 15 different stories this admin has been allowed to give in regards to what happened are we not allowed to question that?
The fact that this POS was given a bleepin' funeral with dignity pisses me off to no end and again that story has changed as we have gone on as well, again, are we not allowed to say WTF?
The fact that he slept on it for 16 hours while his aides were begging him for an answer as they were worried the chance would be lost, again, are we not allowed to question that?
The fact that many of the ideals and mechanisms that OBAMA and the liberals were against, MADE THIS HAPPEN, again, we are not allowed to point that out?
The fact that the Decisive one can't decide to release the damn photo of this dead POS, again, we are not allowed to question that?
I applaud BOTH Bush and Obama, but MORE SO the men and women of our military and intelligence communities that have boots on the ground and are not allowed to "watch" from cushy chairs in the green room well out of harms way.
Again, BOTh Bush and Obama deserve some............... credit and that 'aint" happening as EXPECTED.
Tomorama
Submitted by shawn. on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:57am.
Of course you are allowed to criticize him. What I mean is, even though perhaps his plan might have been flawed, he still succeeded. I don't like the fact he got an Islamic Funeral either, but a bullet to the head kind of makes up for it.
Do his commanders and intelligence people get credit too? Of course they do, but overal it was the President that has been briefed on the intel for months and I believe it was his idea to use the Navy Seals
The nation owes this President a debt gratitude and are blinded by their intense dislike of this President to realize it.
shawn, I disagree. We owe
Submitted by bassndude on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:08am.
shawn, I disagree. We owe this President nothing. All this guy did was give the "Go". And it took him 16 hours to do that. 16 hours after he had all the information! And this goof had to sleep on it.
The upshot of it is that, if it got out that he knew where Osama was and did nothing, he would not have been voted out of office, the people would have snatched him up and tossed him out on his ear! Then he would have been ridiculed out of the country. He would wind up living in some third world country in Africa, where no one knew where he was or who he was.
It is the first time he ever really did the job he was voted in to do. We owe him nothing special for this. The best I can manage is an, "It's about time!"
Save a SeAL, club a liberal/troll!!
Bass
Submitted by shawn. on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:18am.
He was trying to think about the best way to go about doing it and trying to limit the casualties
I believe this covert operation was his idea, where others just wanted to bomb the house. You have a right to your opinion, but folks like u prove how divided our country is right now. Even if Obama did this mission to perfection I suspect u would still find a flaw.
You've got it mixed up Shawn
Submitted by Blonde on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:23am.
Read this, and get back to me.
You'll get a better understanding for the "delay" in "the decision".
Fascinating stuff. If Jarrett gets fired or resigns shortly, you'll have all the proof you need as to the veracity of this story.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
Wow B
Submitted by shawn. on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:49am.
That's alot to take in. I am kind of at a loss for words now, I will get back to you tonight.
Blonde
Submitted by shawn. on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:02pm.
After taking time to digest the information and if it is true, then I think Obama was being stubborn and it was not the brightest decision, however I still feel what him and his commanders did was great thing for our country and we should at least give him some credit.
Hi Shawn. They did the covert
Submitted by Free Stinker on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:23am.
Hi Shawn.
They did the covert op instead of bombing to be more certain that OBL was dead.
/// Sarah Palin Fan since July 11, 2007 /// خال
Hi Free,
Submitted by shawn. on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:03pm.
Its been a while buddy. Yes I totally agree
Oh please, Shawn. Really? You
Submitted by bassndude on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:26am.
Oh please, Shawn. Really? You don't think the joint chiefs thought of using special forces on this? Your kidding, right? And as hand ringing as this bunch around Obama is about collateral damage, you think Obama was the single person in the room that wanted to use special forces?
Obama followed recommendations that were given to him. Face it, Obama is a military idiot. He did not plan this mission. He did not sit there and say,
"I want you to take 3 choppers and 24 SEAL's and go kill Osama."
Really? He was the only one?
Save a SeAL, club a liberal/troll!!
I don't know Bass
Submitted by shawn. on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:29am.
I think he was given a few options and he picked the riskiest one.
shawn, I think he was not
Submitted by bassndude on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:42am.
shawn, I think he was not given a choice in the matter. I think he was not informed untill after the choppers were off the ground.
Save a SeAL, club a liberal/troll!!
bass...
Submitted by Jer on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:49am.
I read the gripping and explosive real story by the "insider" on notorious birther Pam Geller's website yesterday.
We need to bet a steak dinner or something which you will owe me when that insidious drivel is revealed to be unmitigated hogwash.
Jer
Jer, I could go for a good
Submitted by bassndude on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:54am.
Jer, I could go for a good steak. I prefer a lean cut sirloin, medium well.
As far as the birther thing goes, I have never been a fan. But as far as the Osama thing goes, I think, given as wishy washy as Obama is, the decision was made for him when others got tired of his indecision.
You have to admit, he is, and has been, and absentee President.
Save a SeAL, club a liberal/troll!!
bass...
Submitted by Jer on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 11:24am.
I'm aware of the accusation [absentee prez] and I do wish he would spend a little less time on the links and more time at the office. But I seem to recall Reagan was called disengaged and accused of taking too many naps, and it appears he did a pretty good job.
Jer
btw...I'll put you down for prime cut lean sirloin steak m-w, salad, loaded baked potato, with a beverage of your choice, and Dutch apple cobbler topped with a generous helping of double vanilla ice cream. Okay?
Im hoping its not true Bass
Submitted by shawn. on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:04pm.
but my taste are more expensive. I prefer Fillet Mignon :-)
BINGO!
Submitted by Master-of-Disaster on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 3:01pm.
He was forced into this with the knowledge that if he missed the opportunity he would be out in 2012 without a doubt. He is way too smart not to realize that. It is ironic that he got the Nobel Peace Prize and gave the go on an assassination. I support him in this operation but everyone knows he never wanted to be there. That pensive look on his face as he sat next the General was probably when the chopper set down hard. He was having Jimmy Carter - Desert One flashbacks! He had to take the shot, it was too obvious. He would much rather have waited until Summer 2012 to ensure his re-election. Now he has no trump (no pun intended) card to play. Watch for the October Surprise to be release of the photos! Bottom line, Ding Dong the Witch is Dead! GWB knows what he contributed, he doesn't need the adulation or the hat tip from Obama. I'm glad GWB signed my retirement papers. He was the right man at the right time in history and he will always know that he set the country on the course of justice for this terrorist. History will record his role, not the lamestream media.
Palin/Bachmann 2012 - Let's give the girls a chance.
Liberty Valence
Submitted by Agnostic on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 3:06pm.
Love John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart and John Ford but it is doubtful to me President Obama would have ever watched 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence' but it looks like the media may be trying to prop up this politician with a 'myth' about killing a man as well. (Myth in that he doesn't deserve all the credit the media is heaping on his narrow shoulders)
One of the few times
Submitted by Blorg on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 1:58am.
One of the few times that Obama didn't blame Bush.
Lib plans to find someone else to run in 2012
Submitted by ekslib on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 7:09am.
have now been put on hold.
Obama's CURRENT rise in the polls damages the chances of Democratic rivals, not Republican rivals.
Let's admit it
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 7:54am.
What we're seeing here is a replay of WWII.
So where FDR was unable to win WWII, Harry Truman was the hero.
GWB-does not wish the limelight-
Submitted by JIMMY1660 on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:02am.
i was not happy with the progressive nature of he and then father-however-he was never close to being the radical liberal BHO is.
take a close look at those who surround BHO and those GWB had around him.
Night and day.
After 9/11-GWB had to take a destroyed intelligence and military and bring them back from Clinton's budget surplus destruction ways.
Under the circumstance GWB never sought limelight then or now.
OBL is dead-with many more to be killed-BHO is very fortunate the last four terrorist attempts failed by buffoons-GWB would never have let it get to defcon 10
History will tell the story-Clinton has Monica-BHO has complete destruction of my Beautiful America-
Those are facts-not emotion.
Wrong, Mr. Bozell...
Submitted by Jer on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:34am.
Although Obama, in his remarks announcing the demise of bin Laden, did pay tribute to the tireless efforts of the military and counterterrorism professionals over the last ten years resulting in disrupting terrorist attacks, strengthening homeland security, removing the Taliban government which had given bin Laden safe haven, and the deaths of scores of Al Qaeda terrorists, I wish he had mentioned George Bush by name and publicly thanked him as well. The Bush/Cheney policies clearly paid dividends.
But with respect to Bozell's expression of regret that "Bush didn't get this scalp because he deserved it more than anyone", my response is "baloney".
The following are revealing comments made by Bush when he was specifically asked about bin Laden during a press conference in March of 2002:
"So I don't know where he is. You know, I just don't spend that much time on him, Kelly, to be honest with you. I'm more worried about making sure that our soldiers are well-supplied; that the strategy is clear; that the coalition is strong...."
Q But don't you believe that the threat that bin Laden posed won't truly be eliminated until he is found either dead or alive?
"Well, as I say, we haven't heard much from him. And I wouldn't necessarily say he's at the center of any command structure. And, again, I don't know where he is. I--I'll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him..." [Bush then continues with an explanation that OBL had been shoved out and marginalized.]
Contrast that with the unambiguous and emphatic words of candidate Obama during a presidential debate in August, 2008:
"And if we have Osama bin Laden in our sights and the Pakistani government is unable or unwilling to take them out, then we have to act, and we will take them out.
We will kill bin Laden. We will crush al-Qaeda. That has to be our biggest national security priority."
[John McCain on another occasion chastised Obama for his aggressive stance toward Pakistan and the potential threat to Pakistani sovereignty]
I'm sorry, Mr. Bozell, but the right man got bin Laden's scalp and deserved it.
Jer
So Obama deserved it more
Submitted by NC Cop on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:06am.
So Obama deserved it more because, once again, he was campaigning and gave a good sound byte, while Bush who endured 9/11 and showed great leadership after it didnt deserve it.
Got it.
Well of course you're just
Submitted by Jer on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:37am.
Well of course you're just making up the premise, but you know that.
Jer
Making up the premise?
Submitted by NC Cop on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:42am.
Making up the premise? Please explain. What premise am I making up?
Too funny, Jer---
Submitted by matthewdean on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:41pm.
"Contrast that with the unambiguous and emphatic words of candidate Obama during a presidential debate in August, 2008" -
Only a true liberal worshiper of the Messiah could make this lazy assed, dilly-dallying, dithering wimp of a dorkster out to be a man's man when it comes to being unambiguous and emphatic.
What a joke.
I despise the pos, but at least I admit it.
That is much better than being in your shoes - wondering what god-awful Obama administration screw-up you are going to have to explain away in the future while trying to stay within the "they do it too" guidelines.
MD
If Bush was a better
Submitted by Giygas on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 5:55pm.
If Bush was a better commander in cheif, we would have gotten Osama Bin Laden much sooner. But instead, we were distracted by Bush's war in Iraq, which killed 4,000 American troops and well over 100,000 civilians. By invading Iraq, bush provided a breeding ground for terrorists to recruit even more members to plot more attacks on America.
Brent Bozell doesn't understand when to give credit to the other political party when the facts necessitate it. Brent Bozell is not an "objective journalist", but just an ideologue with sixth grade reasoning.
Just asking.
Submitted by Par for the Course on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 7:15pm.
Do you have any links/sources for your assertions? Just asking.
And, if we weren't in Iraq, do you think Saddam Hussein would have given us the guy who provided the courier’s identity, the key to the whole operation?
[...]
The file suggests that the courier’s identity was provided to the US by another key source, the al-Qaida facilitator Hassan Ghul, who was captured in Iraq in 2004 and interrogated by the CIA.
[...]
The picture that emerges from al-Qahtani’s Guantanamo file supports statements given in the last 24 hours by US officials, who named Ghul as the “linchpin” in the intelligence operation to find bin Laden.
[...]
Source
And I think we all know who the real ideologue with sixth grade reasoning is and it's not Mr. Bozell.
Also Giy
Submitted by Boudin on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 8:57pm.
What makes you think Saddam woulf not be racing Iran for Nukes? That reminds me, how long ago was that prediction that Iran would have Nukes in 2yrs? Oh yea, who care NOW, right?
Will you please do some math
Submitted by Master-of-Disaster on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 3:11pm.
As a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom I really wish you libtards would get a basic grasp of math and some perspective. First, the death rate among military members from all sources has stayed pretty steady over the last fifteen years despite two wars and numerous contingencies. It is also interesting that the violent death ate for the same age group here at home is significantly higher. Second you keep saying we killed innocent civilians. That happens in war but I will tell you there are a lot fewer "innocents" than you make it out to be. You said 100,000 and others say a million, that is quite a discrepancy so how many is it? I bet a lot fewer than you said. Just some perspective please.