Howard Kurtz: Why Isn't Obama Getting More Credit for Gaddafi's Death?
I'm not sure what press reports media analyst Howard Kurtz observed since Thursday's announcement that Moammar Gaddafi had been killed in Libya, but they certainly can't be what most people in this country have seen.
On CNN's "Reliable Sources" Sunday, Kurtz actually asked his guests why the press aren't giving President Obama more credit (video follows with transcript and commentary):
HOWARD KURTZ, HOST: Remember when President Obama was getting pounded in the press for dragging his feet on Libya? Eight months later, we got this news.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REPORTER: Three sources, all rebel sources, are saying that Gadhafi has, in fact, been killed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KURTZ: Did most journalists give credit to the president when it paid off? I must have missed that.
"Remember when President Obama was getting pounded in the press for dragging his feet on Libya?" No, I don't.
Quite the contrary, back in March, Kurtz himself scolded the media for drumbeating war again and not asking skeptical questions about this mission:
KURTZ ON MARCH 20, 2011: One major question about the assault on Libya, what happened to the media's skepticism?
U.S. warplanes hitting targets in Libya for a second day today. And I have to say this at the outset -- the media get excited by war, the journalistic adrenaline starts pumping as we talk about warships and warplanes and cruise missiles, and we put up the maps and we have the retired generals on. And sometimes something is lost in that initial excitement.
It reminds me of eight years ago this very weekend, when Shock and Awe was rained down upon Baghdad and the media utterly failed to ask skeptical questions. So, I looked at my "New York Times" this morning, went through all the sections, I looked at my "Washington Post" this morning and looked through all the sections. Didn't see any skeptical articles, columns, editorials about this no-fly position. Two fine newspapers, don't see the skeptical questions.
What if there's a long-term stalemate here? What is this goes on and on? What if there are American casualties? Do you stop this operation with Gadhafi still in power?
So seven months ago, Kurtz was scolding the media for not asking tough questions concerning this mission. Now he claims Obama was getting pounded for it.
"Did most journalists give credit to the president when it paid off? I must have missed that."
I guess he did, for the initial reaction Thursday was so jubilant, conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh said the media "are having orgasms."
NewsBusters reported some of them:
- NBC's Guthrie to McCain: Do You Retract Foreign Policy Criticism of Obama?
- MSNBC and ABC Eager to Herald ‘Vindication’ for Obama in Qadhafi’s Death
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS: He doesn't believe America's role ought to be the leadership role. We really have no intention of enforcing a threat that Gadhafi is going to be removed.
KEITH OLBERMANN, CURRENT TV: So, this is about making sure Gadhafi goes, except it's not about making sure he goes. We're not clear why we are fighting, who exactly we are fighting with, who the rebels are that we're fighting for, what a no-fly zone accomplishes.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
Interesting. So back in March, Kurtz felt media were drumbeating war and weren't asking skeptical questions about the mission. Now, to prove the opposite, he showed clips of one of the Left's most strident antiwar commentators and a Fox News host.
Exactly how was that indicative of mainstream media reports at the time? But I once again digress:
KURTZ: So, now that the Libyan rebels have won and Moammar Gadhafi has been killed, is the press finally giving the president some credit for pulling this off?
This is Friday's "New York Times." Here is a story. For Obama, some vindication of his much criticized approach to war is right down on the bottom of the page.
Joining us now here in Washington, Amy Holmes, anchor for the Blaze on Glenn Beck TV; Dana Milbank, columnist for "The Washington Post"; and Terence Smith, former media correspondent for the "PBS NewsHour."
And, Terry, the media wallowed for months I would say in criticism of the administration's Libya policy. Why don't they stop now and give some credit to the president when a brutal regime is toppled and the policy has been successful?
Without knowing it, Kurtz was guilty of the same lack of skepticism he accused media of back in March, for exactly how does Gaddafi's death signal success in Libya? Did Saddam Hussein's death in Iraq signal success to that mission?
What Kurtz did mostly right in March was point out that typically antiwar media were behaving like cheerleaders over the President's decision to attack Libya without any provocation or input from Congress.
The fact that the rebels have won and Gaddafi is dead doesn't change any of that, especially as no one knows what Libya is going to become now that this brutal regime has been overthrown.
If cheerleading was wrong when this began, it should be similarly so now as the same questions still remain.
It's disappointing Kurtz doesn't see it that way and is instead wondering why the media aren't taking an even more disgraceful victory lap.
- Noel Sheppard's blog
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Comments
You can't "lead from behind"
Submitted by robert108 on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 4:37pm.
You can't "lead from behind" and then claim victory when things happen to turn out right in the end.
→ Directing Barney Frank?
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 4:43pm.
Maybe you're right.
Credit for what?
Submitted by ricklail on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 4:40pm.
It was French planes that took out the convoy. It was rebels that caught him in a drain pipe and rebels that blew a hole in his head. It was luck from what I understand that they attacked the convoy. What has this got us? Another country under Sharia law. There is no democracy there. These people are not going to be free. You'll not hear the part about Sharia law on the MSM.
You're right, rick: Sharia Law
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 6:16pm.
“We as a Muslim nation have taken Islamic sharia as the source of legislation, therefore any law that contradicts the principles of Islam is legally nullified,” he said.
Another Sharia flower blooms in the Islamic Spring...
And after, as Kurtz says,Obama dragged his feet while other nations stepped up Miss Hillarious is now out there saying that it was Obama who "put together the coalition."
The history of the action is being re-written already.
Giving him credit tends to
Submitted by ThePickle on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 4:55pm.
Giving him credit tends to undermine the argument that this was a war that was primarily the responsibility of France and other E.U. nations and that the US military played a subordinate role in what was essentially a N.A.T.O. operation.
How then could the leader of our nation "take credit" for the elimination of this despot when he said the U.S. would support a NATO-enforced air mission to stop Gadhafi from slaughtering his own people. It would take days, not weeks, he said in March. And he would never commit U.S. troops to the ground in Libya.
Given his own administrations admission that the US played a subordinate and limited role in the eventual death of Gadhafi how foolish and arrogant would this President appear if he were to blithely accept credit for that death? Especially after doing everything he could to reassure the American public that the US role in Libya was so very small that he didn't even need to get Congressional approval.
But then again this President doesn't seem to have much of an issue with being viewed as arrogant and foolish, as he routinely engages in policies and behaviors that makes him appear as just that.
You can ask the illustrious
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 6:04pm.
You can ask the illustrious Secretary of State about that. She said, "We came, we saw, he died."
Nice of her to humbly leave out the "we conquered."
I guess just know that the US was offering support to the rebels was enough to do him in.
the cold light of day
Submitted by kata on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 4:59pm.
The footage of Gaddafi's last moments... well, you can't put a rose colored tint on that very easily. Not that some won't try.
I was thinking the same
Submitted by MikeB on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 5:03pm.
I was thinking the same thing, rick. Obama doesn't deserve any "credit". He spent years dissing Bush about Iraq and Afghanistan. He voted against the "surge"; I'm surprised he didn't vote "present" on that particular bill for funding for the military. Obamao campaigned saying he was going to close Gitmo, he was going to stop the renditions, he was against everything W was doing foreign policy wise. As soon as he is elected, the continued the policies he said he was gong to stop.
He tried to claim "credit" for Bin Ladin's death, too. I will give him credit for giving the go ahead order. Unlike Billy Jeff, he could keep it in his pants long enough to give the order. Although, why he would sanction the killing of a fellow muslim puzzles me.
As for Libya? Give me a break! We had no national interest there, unlike Afghanistan and Iraq. And, even worse, the cheese-eating surrender monkeys were the ones who wanted to go in and kick butt. Ear Leader "led" from behind; behind the Fwench, for cryin' out loud. What credit does he deserve?
A couple of points
Submitted by jon_torlin on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 5:24pm.
It's true that it was a fellow muslim, but there are various factions like the sunnis, shiites, and etc, not sure how many tribes/sects there are. Despite following the Koran, they will kill themselves just as easily as killing the infidels. That's all they do. They do worship death after all.
The other point was that all these things he did was in the "hopes" of making our enemies like us, trying to put himself in a higher pedestal, but that didn't work out too well for him after dissing his allies and trying to ally with enemies. All he did was make the US weaker than ever before.
As for Libya, there's no rhyme or reason for taking part in that whatsoever. In a macabre sense of humor, I could only guess he took part in it so that he can get Khadafy to stop calling him "my son" since we know Soetoro has some real serious daddy issues.
The only thing we're going to get out of all the Arab Spring and etc happening over there is a bigger threat of Islam than ever before. Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya already swore to live under Sharia which is far worse than what they had before. The women can't possibly be for that. Hell, I can't imagine any sane person being for that.
You liberals that post on here, and you know who you are, do you want to live under Sharia?
-Jon
Let's give the RBFSOB total credit!
Submitted by Newsbubba on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 5:10pm.
Then in about 18 months or two years when the entire northern part of Africa, including Libya, is in complete turmoil and the Shiite Heads have taken total control, let's remember to give Him credit for that.
Obama has insured that the next president is going to have one hell of a time sorting through all the crap that He has thrown up in the air. People wonder why conservative presidents get caught up in war? Because they HAVE to to sort out the mess that liberals make of the world.
full credit
Submitted by forest on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 5:15pm.
I give Obama full credit for the extra-judicial beating and murder of Kadaffy. And in advance, I give Obama full credit for the tribal warfare, mass murder and eventual brutal Islamist regime in Libya.
I don't want to hear any leftist claiming I never gave Obama credit for anything.
The contrast between this
Submitted by robert108 on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 5:25pm.
The contrast between this killing of Qaddaffi and the orderly trial of Saddam is extreme. The lefties want to make President Bush a war criminal for rescuing the people of Iraq from a murdering, torturing dictator, but make obama a hero for a street mugging of one who killed and tortured far fewer of his own people. Interesting.
The contrast between this
Submitted by robert108 on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 5:26pm.
The contrast between this killing of Qaddaffi and the orderly trial of Saddam is extreme. The lefties want to make President Bush a war criminal for rescuing the people of Iraq from a murdering, torturing dictator, but make obama a hero for a street mugging of one who killed and tortured far fewer of his own people. Interesting.
So the line next year is
Submitted by goldbough on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 6:05pm.
So the line next year is going to be that Obama had Osama bin Laden and Ghaddafi taken out so he should be reelected. Well, if he's had the bad guys killed we don't need to reelect him again since the job is done!
Hold on Howard...
Submitted by Rackie on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 8:02pm.
gold leaf is still being applied to Obama's sedan chair.
I would like to see Kurtzy ask why it is that the Dear Ruler...
Submitted by Dave. on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 6:25pm.
...who claims to be a Christian (yeah, right) is aiding in the cause of the true-believing Islamists by helping them to oust moderate Arab leaders, but won't do anything about the hard-core ones like Akhmedinnadinnerjacket and others.
There has now been a pretty obvious pattern established that even the dullest of the dullards in the MSM should be able to see.
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
Credit for what???
Submitted by Dave81 on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 6:29pm.
What exactly does he propose we give him credit for?! As far as I know we launched about 100 cruise missiles into the country a few months ago and that was it. It's not like Obama single-handedly shot the man like he did Bin Laden. /sarc
That'd be like giving some bank credit for the iPhone's success because they gave Steve Jobs a loan back in the day.
Obama 'leads' from under the bed
Submitted by Slyrr on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 7:53pm.
Gee - maybe it's because Obama spent all eight MONTHS of the Libya conflict hiding in the coat closet? Or playing golf? Or swilling booze in Martha's Vineyard? During the unfolding of the entire crisis and all the bloodshed, Obama cringed and sniveled under the bed.
Obama is a pathetic leader. All I've ever seen him do is sit around on his pustule-encrusted backside, watching events unfold, and then after everything has ended, he stampedes in front of the nearest camera to shout, 'I did this!'
He's a sad, small, dangerous opportunist who runs out in the front of every mob he sees (after it's formed) and pretends to be the one leading them and directing their destinies.
The sooner this foul man is cast out, the better off we'll all be.
golfing
Submitted by jon_torlin on Mon, 10/24/2011 - 12:06am.
He's played golf 85 times now. What is it, 20+ this year so far?
He's the reason I refuse to play these days. I haven't played ever since I found out how often he plays and when, as in avoiding certain events or moments.
-Jon
What should we give him credit for?
Submitted by CobraMan on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 9:10pm.
What should we give Obama credit for, the unconstitutional way he stared a civil war in Libya, or the extra-judicial murder of a Libyan citizen? Like it or not, Gaddafi was a Libyan citizen. The people who killed him are just as guilty of murder as Gaddafi himself. It's the French revolution all over again.
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
Maybe because he didn't do a d*mn thing to support it.
Submitted by drsamherman on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 9:44pm.
Kha-daffy was holed up in some burrow just like Sodamn Insane. Is there something about fallen Muslim dictators that they are required to hide in a hole before someone catches up to them?
Makes you wonder why
Submitted by Boudin on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 10:13pm.
They dont just fill them in?
I so agree, Boudin.
Submitted by drsamherman on Mon, 10/24/2011 - 12:13am.
Were that these Sharia governments willing to take on responsibilities more than just enforcing 11th century law among their own countrymen, we would see less dictators and more accountable governments. Considering most of them have been dictatorships for centuries, the likelihood of that ever happening seems to be approaching zero. From what I can tell, there are few Muslim traditions related to democracy or republican forms of inclusive government.
Hate to interrupt Obama and his MSMinions' victory lap, but...
Submitted by Phryj1 on Sun, 10/23/2011 - 11:35pm.
The new Libyan gov't wants Sharia Law.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/libyas-transitional-lead...
Way to go, Obama!
Progressives seem to be completely averse to facts and logic. Apparently, reality has a conservative bias.
as a Muslim it may be that
Submitted by TruthMonger on Mon, 10/24/2011 - 11:46am.
as a Muslim it may be that obama and the media WANT sharia law there...
Congratulations Jimmy Carter!
He doesn't get credit for this for the same reason he shouldn't
Submitted by gmaniac1 on Mon, 10/24/2011 - 12:18am.
get credit for a lot of things that normally go right in this country. His decision making or lack thereof has been completely wrong and he has rode Bush's policies to victory every time. So in lieu of blaming his predecessor for everything that he screws up, Obama may want to actually follow some of the more successful ones like he did in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, it seems like Obama is making a cluster-you-know-what out of all that too. But meh, it's just national security so unless it helps his political career it means zilch to his worthless butt!
And speaking of the Boy Wonder acting like a child and blaming Bush for any and everything, I don't recall Bush doing the same to the perverted liar before him.
Has Kurtz lost his skepticism?
Submitted by bluecollarbytes on Mon, 10/24/2011 - 10:13am.
Has Kurtz lost his skepticism? I was unaware the purpose of intruding in Libya was to kill Gaddafi. His killing, not a bad thing at the hands of those he was daddy to, was denied as a goal over and over again in the preceding months up to his death. But now the messiah takes credit for the hit.
Obama has received plenty of credit from PopMedia for having pushed the button on Gaddafi, going so far as to backfill his wandering foreign policies- creating 'the obama doctrine'. PopMedia has its work cut out, in full support and allegiance, constructing illusions of success in the time of Obama, in time for Obama to win his 2nd term.
Shouldn't all the OWS-ers go home
Submitted by Quasi-socialist on Mon, 10/24/2011 - 4:57pm.
now that Obama got Gaddafi?
Have OWS-ers even said one thing about how great it is that the president went out and got Gaddafi? No?
Racist ingrates!