Stephen Colbert Slams MRC's Brent Bozell in Montage Mocking Use of Waterboarding in UBL Killing
Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert, on Tuesday's Colbert Report, featured Newsbusters's publisher L. Brent Bozell in his "The Word" segment that ridiculed those who credit enhanced interrogation or waterboarding in the killing of Osama bin Laden. After playing a clip of Bozell, from the May 6, Fox and Friends, saying waterboarding led to the death of bin Laden and hailing: "Hip, hip hooray to George Bush" Colbert joked: "Yes, three cheers for George Bush! Unless you're in a gagged stress position, in which case try three grunts."
Colbert then went on to make fun of Donald Rumsfeld, mocking that the former Secretary of Defense must have just taken a hit from a blunt to have, in his view, contrasting views on the interrogation issue, as seen in the following excerpt from the May 17 Colbert Report:
(video and transcript after the jump)
STEPHEN COLBERT: Best of all folks, this act of closure opens an old wound.
(Begin media montage)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The death of Osama bin Laden rekindled an old debate over enhanced interrogation, what some have called torture.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: This week's events have reignited this heated debate.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER#2: That news also reigniting the media debate over waterboarding.
(End montage)
COLBERT: Yes, the debate over waterboarding has been rekindled and reignited, which begs the question, did we try fire boarding? But folks, there is one way to end this torture debate, and it's the subject of tonight's "Word." Enhanced Rejustification. Nation, the torture debate seemed over. In the last presidential election, Obama was against waterboarding and McCain was against all forms of enhanced interrogation, but then, of course, we got bin Laden. Now some credited Obama. Some credited Bush, but the real hero was an elite team made up of a dish rag and a water bucket. Jim.
(Begin montage)
GLENN BECK: It was the waterboarding of the hairy back guy that provided the intel that led to UBL's doorstep.
REP. PETER KING: We obtained that information through waterboarding.
DICK CHENEY: The enhanced interrogation played a role. That is to say that some of the early leads came out of that program.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Without the enhanced interrogation, we never would have found where bin Laden was hiding.
BRENT BOZELL, PRES & FOUNDER, MEDIA RESEARCH CENTER: You know what, it is because of waterboarding that Osama bin Laden is dead and everybody knows it. Hip, hip hooray to George Bush.
(End montage)
COLBERT: Yes, three cheers for George Bush! Unless you're in a gagged stress position, in which case try three grunts.
[On screen graphic: "Hip, Hip Dislocation"]
COLBERT: Folks it went down, it went down like this. Here's, here's how the whole thing played out. We waterboarded Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, obviously after this picture was taken because he clearly hadn't touched water for some time. Now, at some point, at some point KSM gave up the nickname of one of bin Laden's couriers. We followed that courier and that's how we nailed bin Laden, therefore validating torture. But the "I want to be able to look my children in the eye" crowd refused to admit torture is the real hero here.
(Begin montage)
ADMIRAL DENNIS BLAIR: Torture is not moral. It's not legal. It's not effective.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN: It was not torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of detainees that got us the major leads that ultimately enabled our intelligence community to find Osama bin Laden.
SEN. MARK UDALL: All of our experience shows that you generate better information, more accurate information when you treat prisoners humanely, when you befriend them, when you connect with them.
CHRIS HEDGES, FORMER NEW YORK TIMES MIDDLE EAST BUREAU CHIEF: Probably the most tortured detainee, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who was watered boarded 180 times, did not divulge the name of this courier.
(End montage)
COLBERT: So he didn't give the name during waterboarding, but he did eventually. We were just loosening the jar, you know, by holding it under running water. The point is, the point is we need a definitive statement that waterboarding led us to bin Laden. How about the guy who ordered it? Rumsfeld, help us out.
DONALD RUMSFELD ON CNN: Some Information that came from normal interrogation approaches in Guantanamo did lead to information that was beneficial in this instance, but it was not harsh treatment and it was not waterboarding.
RUMSFELD ON FOX NEWS: Anyone who suggests that the enhanced techniques, let's be blunt, waterboarding, did not produce an enormous amount of valuable intelligence, just isn't facing the truth.
(End montage)
COLBERT: Now, when he says, "let's be blunt," is he referring to what he was smoking to be able to say both of those things in the same week?
- Geoffrey Dickens's blog
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Comments
Colbert, Udall, Hedges:
Submitted by Comrade Jim on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 6:58pm.
Where have I heard three less impressive guys? I can't remember.
What is their experience in interrogation?
Sensitive much?
Submitted by buttercup815 on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 7:00pm.
The headline reads that Colbert "slammed" Bozell. Really??It was just a comedy bit on the subject of waterboarding. Bozell was mentioned once. Were his feelings hurt? Does he need a bandaid for his ego?
Headlines often use such
Submitted by balboa on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 7:19pm.
Headlines often use such "statements" such as "fretted," "applauded," etc. Their accuracy varies.
hello mr. balboa.
Submitted by The Vet on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 9:39pm.
once again you seemed to have wondered off. You have made the accusation that a convicted cop killer is clearly nearly innocent. I sir have spent precious hours of my time proving to you she was indeed justly indicted and convicted. I have made my case and I am insistent that you make yours. It is not fair to make an accusation without any source whatsoever then taunt and needle those that prove you wrong then run off to post elsewhere as though nothing is wrong whatsoever.
Kindly return to the source of your accusations and back them up with actual sources please.
liberalcup0000000
Submitted by MrShy on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 7:34pm.
It was just a comedy bit
It was just a comedy bit
It was just a comedy bit
It was just a comedy bit
It was just a comedy bit
It was just a comedy bit
It was just a comedy bit
It was just a comedy bit .....
And repeat..... for all influential -- but "just a comedian" -- liberal entertainers. (Oh, especially the ones with "fake" news shows, but who's shows are looked up to these days in the leftist community as the most "honest take" on world events.)
It's so easy being a liberal, isn't it?
- Shy on Vinyl
Join Mr. Shy and The 1* Percent
In context
Submitted by buttercup815 on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 7:42pm.
So you think that the use of the word "SLAMS" in the headline was appropriate in the context of the actual transcription?
→ clutterbutt
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 8:05pm.
Don't we know you under another name?
Yes, I am fajar..or at I was
Submitted by buttercup815 on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 8:19pm.
Yes, I am fajar..or at I was till a while ago.
You miss-understand
Submitted by Boudin on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 8:44pm.
He means here, not in your vididiot game
libcup0
Submitted by MrShy on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 8:20pm.
"So you think that the use of the word "SLAMS" in the headline was appropriate in the context of the actual transcription?"
So you think you're successfully pivoting away from the truth that I exposed, above -- that liberals like yourself defend anything your influential, talking-head entertainer/comedian brethren do/say with "their just comedians" -- with this inane question?
So you think we don't all know that words like "SLAMS", "ATTACKS", "HITS", etc., are common, garden-variety verbs used in headlines for just about any story?
So you think we don't know how transparent and dishonest you are?
"Yes", to all three, apparently. But you're also wrong on all three, because you're not all that clever.
- Shy Grooves
Join Mr. Shy and The 1* Percent
Well, it WAS a comedy bit, on
Submitted by balboa on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 8:35pm.
Well, it WAS a comedy bit, on a comedy channel, by a comedian, so...
dumboa
Submitted by MrShy on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 9:38pm.
Well, that WAS a dumb post, on an otherwise smart blog site, by a dumber-than-a-doorknob poster, so...
Shy on Wax
Join Mr. Shy and The 1* Percent
That's good stuff. But if it
Submitted by balboa on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 9:48pm.
That's good stuff. But if it is a comedy bit, then it is a comedy bit. This wasn't 20/20 or something.
Hello again Mr. balboa.
Submitted by The Vet on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 11:44pm.
Hi. Say, I see you are here taunting others but to kindly emphasize my point, we are still waiting for you to make your case concerning the innocence of Joanne Chesimard, a convicted cop killer that escaped from prison and left the country for Cuba where we have no extradition treaty. I have patiently made my case and I am still waiting for you to back up your statements.
NewsBusters is in the business of pointing out untrue statements by the liberal media. It is really really not fair to come here and make untrue statements of your own and then run off without providing evidence of outrageous inflammatory statements of your own.
Kindly go back to the forum where you made the inflammatory statements and make your case. Then you can run off and taunt Mr. Shy and others with ever more inflammatory taunts.
Thank you.
Um
Submitted by The Irishman on Thu, 05/19/2011 - 10:05am.
I thought I was balboa. Are you now changing your position?
Dont think it has gone un-noticed
Submitted by Boudin on Thu, 05/19/2011 - 1:11pm.
That we either see a lot of you, or Bal
YOU are waiting. No one else
Submitted by balboa on Thu, 05/19/2011 - 11:12am.
YOU are waiting. No one else cares.
Again Mr. balboa.
Submitted by The Vet on Thu, 05/19/2011 - 12:21pm.
You made outrageous over the top accusations that our criminal court system unjustly imprisoned 2 cop killers. Kindly go back and prove your case.
I now say over the top because you have repeatedly refused to make your case. Kindly act like a good netizen and back up what you say with real evidence.
According to GLAD ridicule is
Submitted by buddyc on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 7:58pm.
According to GLAD ridicule is bullying and it is a hate crime. You should read the information your organization puts out.
Huh?
Submitted by buttercup815 on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 8:13pm.
First of all GLAD is not my organization, I don't even know what it is. And if they claim that ridicule is the same as bullying they are fools. Now I admit that Colbert was ridiculing the practice of waterboarding. However, the segment would have been just as effective had the short Bozell clip been omitted. It was not a "Slam" against Mr Bozell and therefore the headline is misleading.
I use to think Colbert was
Submitted by buddyc on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 7:46pm.
I use to think Colbert was funny even though his special talent was taking the DNC talking points and using them to make republicans look look funny.
Now his show is stale and booring.
Does anyone really watch it anymore?
I mean you could listen to Obama weekly radio address with laugh track in the background whenever he rips republicans and it would be as good or better than Colbert.
Done with it
Submitted by jon_torlin on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 7:59pm.
I watched it off and on, more off than on(which is why I said off first). But when he made that farcical appearance at a Congressional committee hearing, that's when I lost ANY shred of respect I had of him as a person or whatever else he professes to be. Not the persona he plays, but the actor, the man.
That should be used as an objective lesson to the uneducated masses on why Democrats (of these days) can not be taken seriously(except as a threat to this country a la Mulva who calls them un-American) or even trusted to do the right things for this country.
-Jon
obama doesn't believe in torture.
Submitted by MidAmerica on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 7:46pm.
He just shoots em dead.
I would venture to say obama, with his stepped up predator campaign, has killed more Pakistanis and Afghans in two years than Bush did in eight.
The Left used to say that Bush was just creating more terrorists. So I guess the Pakistanis and Afghans are cool with the idea obama could blast them and their families into a bloody mist at any time. Maybe they don't want to complain because they don't want to be accused of racism.
I would disagree. He has
Submitted by buddyc on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 7:57pm.
I would disagree. He has killed more innocent Pakistanis and innocent Afghans in 3 years than W did in 6 years. But since when was simply killing innocent people the goal of W or why should it be Obama's goal.
The goal is to defeat the taliban so that Afghanistan and Pakistan are not used as terrorists basis to attack us.
Can you possibly imagine how Obama has contributed to suicide bombers and recruits into Al Qaeda with his killing of so many innocents and his escalation of the war in Afghanistan? (you do recall that liberal argument don't you?).
yeah, I meant the innocents
Submitted by MidAmerica on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 8:11pm.
That's why I used the terms Pakistanis and Afghans as opposed to mentioning terrorists or Taliban.
I'm also sincere when I say that the Taliban are cool with obama blowing them to smithereens rather than Bush because they know obama is doing great damage to this country and is extremely divisive. It is in the best interest of the terrorists and the Taliban that obama stay in office.
the King of KISS
Submitted by Injest on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 11:12pm.
"obama doesn't believe in torture. "
He also doesn't believe in taking prisoners.
No prisoners means no one to question.
No one to question means no one to use harsh interrogation on!
Obama, the King of KISS! (Keep It Simple Stupid)
Yeah, I alwasys get my "news"
Submitted by jdhawk on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 7:56pm.
Yeah, I alwasys get my "news" from Comedy Central . . . .
Meanwhile, it is a bit strange that Colbert would use a quote from Admiral Blair given this issue: Reports of disobeying orders
According to journalist Alan Nairn, Blair disobeyed orders from civilians in the Clinton Administration during the 1999 East Timorese crisis during his tenure as commander-in-chief of the U.S. Pacific Command. Amid growing international concern over violence against the independence movement in Indonesian-occupied East Timor, Blair was ordered to meet with General Wiranto, the commander of the Indonesian military, and to tell him to shut down the pro-Indonesia militia. According to Nairn, two days after the Liquiçá Church Massacre, Blair failed to deliver this message; instead he presented Wiranto with an offer of military assistance and a personal invitation to be Blair's guest in Hawaii. Consequently, Wiranto’s "forces increased the Timor killings"
I guess, Colbert chose him because had he acted sooner, as he was ordered to do, less torture and killing may have resulted.
It appears that Blair, with little or no direct experience in intelligence was our third DNI. But, wait, there's more. Blair's rapid rise through the ranks and then on to the DNI job was because he is best "buds" with clintoon. They attended Oxford at the same time.
Even duhbama couldn't stomach this apple polisher and fired him after the Fort Hood murders, the Christmas Day bomb plot, and the Time Square car bomb plot all occurred on his watch.
But other than that, it was a fine report and we will never ever under any circumstances whatsoever torture even a tiny bug let alone a human being when it is the life of our nation that may hang in the balance. We just won't do it. Nice is better even if your dead . . . .
Colbert is a nobody.
Submitted by jessieH on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 9:38pm.
Colbert is a nobody.
will to resist
Submitted by Injest on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 10:37pm.
Water boarding broke the fat hairy guy's will to resist.
Before Water boarding, the fat hairy guy wouldn't say anything, nothing, nada, zippo.
After Water boarding, the fat hairy guy wouldn't shut up!
For years!
He gave lectures to the CIA on how a terrorist operation works and yes he gave info, raised a flag about OBL's lackey runner, causing the CIA to wounder who is this lackey and why is KSM trying to protect him?
This is called a lead. And that lead was followed up by the CIA with other prisoners until they got a fix on the who the lackey was, his real name.
From there the rest is history.
Water boarding wasn't done to get info while being water boarded, we all ready knew the answers to the questions he was asked, that's how they knew when he was lying.
Water boarding is done to break "will to resist".
Use yur head, there is a 2000 year history of Water boarding, if it didn't work why would it still be used?
BTW, Water boarding, based on 2000 year written history, requires water to fill the nasal cavity.
Without that its not Water boarding.
We put a barrier tween the face and the water so no water fill the nasal cavity.
In 2004 the definition of Water boarding changed and included a barrier tween the face and the water so no water fill the nasal cavity.
Don't blame Colbert. He must
Submitted by NC Cop on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 10:42pm.
Don't blame Colbert. He must discredit the action that gave Obama his moment of glory, simply because it comes from the Republicans. Pathetic.
Let me C
Submitted by donabernathy on Thu, 05/19/2011 - 1:35am.
So the methods to gain the information to carry out an assassination were brutal ...... but the assassination itself was.... what...... humane?
That's some logic!
roflmmfao
Well how many times has Brent
Submitted by wiwf on Thu, 05/19/2011 - 9:31am.
Well how many times has Brent mentioned Stewart/Colbert in his blogs, usually in a negative fashion? Doesn't surprise me that Stephen returned fire!