Sam Donaldson Thanks Anti-American TV Network Al-Jazeera
ABC News prominently featured the anti-American television network Al Jazeera on "This Week" Sunday.
Not only was the network's Washington bureau chief afforded a good amount of time during the Roundtable segment to sing Al Jazeera's praises, but as the show neared its conclusion, Sam Donaldson actually thanked the organization (video follows with transcript and commentary):
JAKE TAPPER, HOST: Abed, before we begin, there's been a lot of talk about the Egyptian government stopping the satellite feed of Al Jazeera and Al Jazeera English in Cairo. What is the status of that? And what do you think that says about the way that the government there is trying to monitor the freedom of information?
AL JAZEERA WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF ABDERRAHIM FOUKARA: Obviously, the offices of Al Jazeera in Cairo have been shut down. The -- as you mentioned, satellite, Nilesat, owned by the Egyptians on which -- on whose frequencies Al Jazeera has traditionally broadcast, has been switched off. So Al Jazeera has switched now to an Arab site.
Look, this is a classic example of a government in the region going in one way and its people going in another way, as far as coverage is concerned. We've heard this story about Al Jazeera from previous governments before.
I don't want to make too much propaganda for Al Jazeera, but let me just say this: Al Jazeera is an imperfect medium in an imperfect world. But the importance of what's going on in the Middle East right now, this is the story of a generation. Al Jazeera, despite its imperfections, has brought this story to 300 million people in the Arab world and beyond. This is a story of huge importance and consequence of the United States. And Al Jazeera is, in its own way, bringing this story to the United States, to the Arab world.
A few years ago, several years ago, Bill Clinton talked of Al Jazeera as a beacon of democracy. Should that be true, and to the extent that the United States is invested in the future of democracy in the Middle East, Al Jazeera will be an asset. It has provided a platform on which people in the Arab world, from one corner of it to the other, have expressed their grievances and aspirations.
For a guy who didn't "want to make too much propaganda for Al Jazeera," he sure did a fine job.
But the best was still to come as shortly before the show concluded, Donaldson put in his two cents:
SAM DONALDSON: May I say just a word -- talks about propaganda for Al Jazeera -- thank you for what you're doing. People say Al Jazeera fanned the flames here by bringing the fact that democracy is in existence and that people are being suppressed. That's what we need; we need more communication in the world. It's not Al Jazeera's fault...
MARTHA RADDATZ, ABC NEWS: They watched Tunisia...
DONALDSON: ... that Mubarak is under a siege now.
GEORGE WILL: On the other hand, we in the media tend to think the media drives the world. And I have a feeling this would be going on across this region regardless of the media.
DONALDSON: But the world drives the world to the extent the world knows about what's happening everywhere else. That's what media does.
Maybe, but that's not what Al Jazeera does.
Did Donaldson and the producers of "This Week" forget that one of its own former reporters, David Marash, quit Al Jazeera English in 2008 specifically because of its anti-America bias?
Apparently so.
And as it pertains to this crisis in Egypt, contrary to Donaldson's assertions, there are some that believe Al Jazeera has indeed been fanning the flames in this region to oust pro-American governments. NewsMax reported Friday:
One big winner has emerged from the tear-gas-laced chaos erupting in Egypt and several other Middle East nations: Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based satellite channel that many U.S. leaders view as anti-American. [...]
Al Jazeera “has helped galvanize insurgents across the Arab world this week even before Egypt’s planned ‘Day of Unrest,’ or ‘Day of Rage’ depending on how you translate it,” according to New York magazine.
Observers say Al Jazeera’s reports, which are followed closely throughout the freedom-starved Middle East, contributed to the fall of former Tunisian President Ben Ali’s government.
That revolution in turn inspired the uprising in Egypt. Indeed, Al Jazeera media coverage has been the common theme as the contagion of civil unrest has spread from nation to nation.
One major factor propelling the rise of the satellite channel, according to New York magazine: It helped “shape a narrative of popular rage against oppressive American-backed Arab governments (and against Israel) ever since its founding 15 years ago.”
Is this why you think Al Jazeera deserves thanks, Sam? Is that what you think media should do?
- Noel Sheppard's blog
- Login to post comments
Comments
Donaldson said that there is
Submitted by ricklail on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 2:29pm.
Donaldson said that there is a lot of ham in him. I think he is mistaken. It is actually crap that might smell like ham.
He needs to go back to his ranch and step in the stuff he's telling us.
This is (comparitively) nothing!
Submitted by mzk1 on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 2:35pm.
During the Gaza operation Al Jezeera basically gave Hamas ranging information, and not only didn't we (Israel) jail them, as far as I know they are still in the country.
I'm seeing tons of comments
Submitted by Slyrr on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 2:52pm.
I'm seeing tons of comments in news like 'US losing credibility by the day'. 'Islamic Brotherhood vow to topple any country allied with the US', 'Rise of Islamic hard liners' and other such things.
And all of this under Obama's watch.
Obama and the Democrats - the and the party who said if we just show the terrorists that we mean them no harm, they'll put down their weapons and we can all live forever in paradise on earth. Obama - the man who throws himself at the feet of every dictator who walks in the room. Obama - the man who says 'diplomacy' is the only answer. Obama - the man who said if we just elected him, then all nations would gather round his campfire to sing kumbaya. Obama - the man who has apologized for the US at every turn, saying he regrets our power, regrets our influence, and vowed to do everything he can to make sure the US is no longer a superpower. Obama - the man who has aggressively moved to destroy US military power with lopsided treaties that cut off our troops at the knees and embolden our enemies.
How's that 'hopey changy' thing working out for us? We've had two years of Obama's bungling, fumbling, disastrous attempts at being a world leader. For all his apologizing, for all his cutting of our defense, for all his sucking up to dictators, thugs and terrorists - what has it gotten us?
Terrorists on the march across the globe. Russia and China ganging up in an obvious bid to rekindle the arms race against the US. Drug cartels in Mexico running rampant and murdering US citizens. Bombings, mass killings and sneering defiance from other countries who no longer fear the US, and certainly don't respect Obama either as a man or a leader.
The Democrats fantasized about a time when the US was no longer 'the policeman of the world'.
See what it got us?
Cast them all out in 2012, and in the meantime, we must do all we can to stop their agenda before they make things even worse. This country needs a strong, sensible leader to make all these violent thugs across the globe come back to their senses with competent leadership and strength.
Obama is a weak, failed leader and things will only get worse as long as he disgraces this country by walking the halls of power.
Hello Nevil
Submitted by FaulknerFan on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 3:29pm.
Obama is the reincarnation of Nevil (Peace in our time) Chamberlin. The results are apt to be the same as well. The START Treaty, passed with the help of my two Tennessee Republican Senators, is likely the same thing with the same effect as Chamberlin's agreement with Hitler.
Slyrr---
Submitted by matthewdean on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 5:45pm.
A+.
MD
Problem is...
Submitted by uhohshortsonthe... on Tue, 02/01/2011 - 10:38am.
..all those idiots in other countries who actually believed their own delusions. "He's one of US!" I saw a Kenyan woman proclaim. No doubt many, many muslims worldwide thought the same, just because he has darker skin than any other president before him, and he has a muslim name. Newsflash: he is a politician, and one who was brought up in the most corrupt political arena the USA has to offer, Chicago.
I'm still on the fence with
Submitted by bkeyser on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 2:53pm.
I'm still on the fence with this whole thing. Of course I don't want to see any society suffer needlessly at the hands of a tyranical leader; though I don't know that Mubarak was such a leader. At least to the point that has been lavished upon him this past week. Could be, I just don't know enough about it to choose a side.
I do know this, however; the Muslim Brotherhood is nothing more than a front group for radical Islam. Big Peace notes the difference in MB's two websites: the English version with a picture of a young girl and the word "Freedom" vs the Arabic version with a symbol of crossed swords and an Arabic expression from the Qur'an loosely meaning "Prepare" or "Make preparation." According to Big Peace, that phrase is from a particular passage of the Qur'an from Surah 8 which reads:
What I do find ironic though is the idea that the media seems to be coming down on the side of the average Egytian and their quest to overthrough Mubarak. I realize that unemployment is high in the country, as well as illiteracy; there's low wages, and generally poor living conditions as compared to industrialized nations, but I've not heard of a single instance where he gased his own people. I know the military is in the streets but thus far they seem to be more in a peace-keeping role than a "put-down-the-opposition" role. I can't remember the media taking the same stand against another Middle East dictator who actually did things much worse than Mubarak.
I know that we're not talking about the US militarily overthrowing Mubarak, but this violatility (must be okay in the ME, just so long as the protesters aren't registered Republicans) could really get out of control. A couple guys get crazy with gasoline and a match in Tunisia and look at what's happened since. If we do have to step in, I wonder how the media will react then...
brotherhood, yeah, right
Submitted by jon_torlin on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 3:22pm.
I like how they are described as a peaceful group that tries to convert people to Islam through peaceful means. Then there's the unspoken threat that if they don't convert, according to Islam, they have to be killed.
This is a situation that can hurt the US in so many ways, especially if the Chairman was colluding with the opposition as he apparently has done. That sorry piece of crap ElBaradei is apparently someone who wants to be president of Egypt. You know with his involvement with the brotherhood that he'll enact Sharia law if he were president.
-Jon
ElBaradei
Submitted by stratman on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 6:58pm.
ElBaradei is worrisome and potentially dangerous, either by design or delusion.
Looking at just the Wikipedia page on him, usually a measure of how truly bad someone is when the Left record it about one of their own, ElBaradei, Director General of the IAEA, was opposed by the US in his bid for a third term in the IEAI. John Bolton was opposed to ElBaradei - 'nuff said for me.
He has said that Israel is the number one threat in the Middle East - apparently ElBaradei has not heard the saying that if the Arabs were to surrender their weapons there would be peace, but if the Israeli's laid down their weapons there would not be peace. I guess to ElBaradei, Arabs can't help themselves when it comes to wiping out Israel and Jews. It ain't their fault. Can't these victims come up with something a bit more snappy like Flip Wilson's "the Devil made me do it"?
Then there is this gem of an observation, probably sworn over his expected 72 virgins in Jupiter:
Now that's a doozy!
ElBaradei sort of reminds me of that duplicitious, opportunistic stooge Ahmad Chalabi that rushed back to Iraq after the liberation and declared himself candidate for leader of the country.
Two Interesting Articles Re; Muslim Brotherhood
Submitted by TexasMom0517 on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 9:45pm.
http://www.redstate.com/laborunionreport/2011/01/30/the-american-lefts-r...
http://www.canadafreepress.com/2006/loftus101106.htm
WHAT is it with these Alphabet Networks?
Submitted by Calypso Jones on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 3:05pm.
You can ALWAYS count on them to bash everything good in this country and defend and support our enemies.
I am sick of the Sam Donaldsons of the Left-wing Media!
Submitted by TexasMom0517 on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 3:14pm.
Any jacka*s can see what the results of the propaganda of Al-Jazeera can accomplish. In Tunisia, they are hailing the return of the Islamist leader and anyone who thinks that Al-Baradei isn't a supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood is an idiot. What does Donaldson think the Muslim Brotherhood wants to happen in the region? I didn't notice the legacy media OR the current president of the United States speaking out in support of the Green Party movement in Iran!
We STILL suffer from the stupidity of Jimmy Carter's policies on Iran though he was only president for four years forty years ago, and I'm sure that Obama is consulting Brezninski about how to handle the situation in Egypt- clever move. I couldn't stand to watch him on Christiane Amanpour this morning- had to change the channel. Interesting question: wasn't Valerie Jarrett and her family IN Iran prior to the overthrow of the Shah? You'd think she'd have a little understanding of what we did wrong in that instance. However, perhaps she agrees with what Carter did there. Who knows?
Glad to see Donaldson has updated his toupee.
Submitted by KyWriter on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 3:36pm.
It's a little fuller than the old one with the proper amount of gravitas-gray, but it hasn't improved the brain function underneath.
brain function?
Submitted by OldJoe on Mon, 01/31/2011 - 9:49am.
what brain function?
Donaldson
Submitted by sarge329 on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 3:44pm.
Sam McDonald thanking Al-Jazeera? So much for objectivity and journalistic integrity , as in who/ who/what/where/when/how/why. Or is that too much to expect?Just another reason to distrust the LSM, as if we need another reason. I don't even watch local news, since it's almost the same, word for word, regardless of the station. If I didn't know better, I would think that the newscasts were written, like a script for a TV show. But then, don't we have a " president " who reads all of his press releases from a teleprompter? That tells me that he no idea what he's looking at, so he's not prepared. Gee, what a shock.
McDonald forgot to thank the
Submitted by Cowboy on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 3:50pm.
McDonald forgot to thank the Muslim Brotherhood for its news releases ???
Sam must watch PBS
Submitted by picofaradpjf on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 4:11pm.
I am curious as to why there isn't more talk and outrage over the fact that PBS airs Al Jazeera propaganda segments.
Which is worse?
Submitted by Jerry Mack on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 4:43pm.
I do not know which is worse? Donaldson's hair peice or his evaluation of Al- Jeezera.
Sam has joined al his former
Submitted by jkwtrading on Mon, 01/31/2011 - 1:36am.
Sam has joined al his former buddies in telling us he was biased for so long his nose is now 8 foot in length.
Cronkite declared to King he was always the social type, Donaldson, Olbermann, Maddow, Matthews almost all the bugs are now out in the open.
We should do an open thread to list all those in the press whom openly have adopted the commie lingo..
Have to agree w/ Sam, unfortunately
Submitted by TangoUniform on Mon, 01/31/2011 - 4:18am.
Sitting here in the M.E. watching English Al-Jazeera, it seems their coverage is very very unbiased. They are not making any judgement or opinions in their reporting, as opposed to the the biased US lame stream media. Actually the coverage is very good. Talking about how the people are actually starting to run out of basic needs of living. Can't believe I would actually agree with S.D.