On this morning's Today show, NBC's Kelly O'Donnell opened her report of the President's tour of Latin America with protest coverage, showing footage of a sign of Bush with a Hitler mustache, a man chanting "Gringo go home," and even noted local priests' desire to "purify" a Mayan site, Bush planned to visit, of "bad spirits." Over video of protestors O'Donnell emphasized: "The President is followed by Iraq and how bitterly unpopular the war is here. Protests in each country he visits."
The following is the full report as it aired on the March 12th Today show:
Ann Curry: "In the news this morning President Bush is in Guatemala today on his five nation Latin American tour. His visit has been greeted with protest against his war policy and now the President is making a case for sending another 8200 troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. NBC's White House correspondent Kelly O'Donnell is traveling with the President. Kelly, good morning."
Kelly O'Donnell: "Good morning, Ann. A different kind of protest will follow the President today. He plans to tour Mayan ruins here in Guatemala and we're told some local priests want to purify the site afterward with a kind of ritual they say will get rid of what they call 'bad spirits.' Visiting Latin America for what he calls a tour of quiet diplomacy-"
George W. Bush: "I appreciate your hospitality."
O'Donnell: "The President is followed by Iraq and how bitterly unpopular the war is here. Protests in each country he visits. In Guatemala a march outside the U.S. embassy."
[Man chanting: "Gringo go home!"]
O'Donnell: "In Colombia clashes between riot police and protestors. At a news conference the President talked about the announcement over the weekend that he is sending more troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. For Iraq he described the increase as support for the more than 20,000 troops recently sent to help secure Baghdad and Anbar."
Bush: "Those combat troops are gonna need some support and that's what the American people are seeing in terms of Iraq. To support troops necessary to help the reinforcements do their job."
O'Donnell: "The cost for both missions, another $3.2 billion."
Bush: "My hope, of course, is that Congress provides the funding necessary for the combat troops to be able to do their job without any strings attached."
O'Donnell: "The White House hasn't been saying very much about these protests that we've been seeing except to say that it shows the people in these emerging democracies feel safe and free to express their opinions. Ann."
—Geoffrey Dickens is the senior news analyst at the Media Research Center.
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Who is "we're told" & "some local priests"?
March 12, 2007 - 09:41 ET by PawpawNWho are the sources? Seems to me that "we're told" is a weird way of saying a source, & "some local priests" doesn't say how many, what religion, etc. Just another URBAN LEGEND, south of the border, concocted by the MSM(mean spirited media).
I love the "evil spirits
March 12, 2007 - 09:53 ET by GalvanicI love the "evil spirits" stuff. Let's see, some modern day Mayan 'priests' -- who a thousand years ago would be performing human sacrifices in the name of a civilization that kept slaves --- will 'purify' this sacred place.
If anything, they should purify it everytime someone with a Spanish name visits, or speaks Spanish at the site. Afterall, it was the conquistadors who --- through contageous disease and warfare -- eliminated an estimated 90% of indigenous people in Central and South America in the 16th Century.
So, have at it. Grab a young maiden, cut her chest open with an obsidian knife, and hold her heart out for the gods to approve.
My thoughts exactly. The Ma
March 12, 2007 - 10:24 ET by PeskyDaneMy thoughts exactly. The Mayans and the Aztecs are were a horrific people.
Guatemala
March 12, 2007 - 10:00 ET by iveseenitallGuatemala, another country rife with poor, uneducated people ready to accept Communism in the name of Liberation Theology. This is the basic philosophy of B. Hussein Obama's Trinity church in America. Problem is that the poor and uneducated of Guatemala and the rest of Central America are that way because of dictatorial oppression, not freedom. These dictators are behind all these protests and the naive, uneducated "jounalists" in America are falling right into their hands. Every day our press shows its ignorance and cowardice. Liberals are sickening people, a danger to our future and that of the entire world.
NEVER, NEVER trust a liberal
The real Mayans (read origina
March 12, 2007 - 10:18 ET by old croThe real Mayans (read original) would cut out Kelly O'Donnall's heart (if one exists) and throw her into a well for sacrifice. Why don't she take part in their ritual instead of the media's ritual of cutting the heart out of the American peoples support for conflict in Iraq and this president. We are turning the page now on the new/old MSM playbook of "world opinion" and "demonstrations against Bush" that will run this news cycle. I cannot recall similar reports being filed for bj clintons' war in Kosovo when he visited foreign countries.
According to aerodynamic laws, the bumblebee cannot fly. Its body weight is not the right proportion to its wingspan. Ignoring these laws, the bee flies anyway.
- M. Sainte-Lague
O'Donnell ignored the obvious politics of the "preists"
March 12, 2007 - 10:21 ET by RJApparently, the so-called preists claimed their reasons are President Bush 1) is at war in Iraq and 2) mistreats Mayan illegal "immigrants".
No surprise that O'Donnell didn't report the blatant political reasons behind the statements of the "preists."
In any event, is it possible to "purify" their bloody, murderous site?
Bush mistreats their immigran
March 12, 2007 - 10:53 ET by GalvanicBush mistreats their immigrant brethren? Tell that to the Border Patrol, two members of which are now in jail for shooting one of their brethren in the ass --- oh, I forgot to mention that the guy had over 700 lbs of marijuana --- because the Feds decided to take his word over the word of the cops.
Bush has, I believe, deliberately failed to vigorously enforce our immigration policies. These quasi-Mayans ought to be grateful for Bush, adn Clinton, too, for that matter..
Protests in each country he v
March 12, 2007 - 15:39 ET by Conservative in the ArtsProtests in each country he visits."
And of course no MSM reporter will say that there are protests no matter who the President is, they are protesting how evil America is. And they won't put it in prospective that there are protests at world bank meetings, G8 summits, just about everywhere anyone big and powerful meets! the Left has gotten into the business of professionally protesting. Where's the story of the guy on street selling anti-bush shirts? "get your 'Bush=Hitler' sign here, only 5 pesos!"
What I woud like to know is w
March 12, 2007 - 10:31 ET by PeskyDaneWhat I woud like to know is what is it to anyone in Guatamala if we are at war with anyone but them or one of their neighbors? They should be grateful that our president bothers to stop in long enough to use the restroom.
Right Pesky, I hear the Mal
March 12, 2007 - 19:33 ET by BlazerRight Pesky, I hear the Malaria infested mosquitos even fly through non-stop to get somewhere better.
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
Quality of journalism
March 12, 2007 - 10:43 ET by misterbillQuality of journalism- for Heaven's sake, if I missed it, my mistake, but what religion are these priests from?? Do they still practice the "old ways"? Will the purification drive evil Americans away or seek forgiveness for past human sacrifices? How many protestors? How many of them are already anti Guatemalan government. And finally, it must have cost the Dems a lot of money to fly those leftie protestors down there. LOL.
Clearly an effort to show only the negative side.
An ugly American is one who does not support his country.
media shows what it wishes us to see
March 12, 2007 - 11:38 ET by Gary HallRE: "showing footage of a sign of Bush with a Hitler mustache"
Media shows what it wishes us to see - not what it doesn't.
Had this picture been of a President Bush likness - we'd all be seeing it on the front pages and on the network news: Clinton in German Parade
And I suspect that the left would have made it into teeshirts, bumper stickers, posters and the like.
Why do Republican presidents
March 12, 2007 - 13:34 ET by Chris NormanWhy do Republican presidents insist on subjecting themselves to visits to Latin America, anyway? They're usually just nightmares...
The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.
- Arabian Proverb
Chris - it's just the media
March 12, 2007 - 14:17 ET by Gary HallChris - it's just the media.
Remember on August 30, 2000 - over 20 people were killed in anti-Clinton protests in Colombia.
One would wonder if the news media's memory goes back that far. Bet they find a nasty connection to Reagan first.
Gary, I originally typed in &
March 12, 2007 - 14:53 ET by Chris NormanGary, I originally typed in "US presidents", but changed it to "Republican" - thinking that, because the way the media covers these things, any anti-US violence "disappeared" during Clinton's visit(s). So, I'll expand my question, why do they do it? Does any tangible good come from these visits? It's not like they see anything other than the inside of the presidential palaces, after a ninety mile an hour ride from the airport. The photo ops stink. I see very little good will. I suppose it's to cater to the ego of el presidentes...
The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.
- Arabian Proverb
Chris.. good question
March 12, 2007 - 15:13 ET by Gary HallChris.. good question. My point was more about media bias, of course. While the MSM was carefully cautious on Clinton's trips to Latin America (free Trade, Plan Colombia) it seems that they sought to play low key on the policies and on the reception. By the nature alone of how the media plays up the negativity of President Bush (over the years - and as his trip approached and coinciding with) one can only expect that not only the protests would be larger and louder - and then, in turn, be played up more by the media.
Why do they go. Look, there's far left and there is far right. Clinton, to some extent (like JFK) really felt that the best way to keep the commies out of South and Latin America was to promote Western ideas and free trade. That should remind us all - Al Gore, John Edwards, Obama, Dennis Kucinich, Howard Dean - these folks are all way to the left of Bill Clinton - on all of these issues.
The media now, with a Republican president - feels free to pounce on it from their leftist viewpoint.
Gary, all I can figure is tha
March 12, 2007 - 15:28 ET by Chris NormanGary, all I can figure is that the presidents of these latin countries demand that the US presidents make these trips. It doesn't help the US presidents here, politically, and it causes anti-Latin American sentiment to rise. Does it help those latin presidents - a kind of "respect thing"? You'd think it would be more beneficial to meet each other on a more friendly and neutral ground. What does it say about these countries that they let a foreign president (Chavez) organize protests against these visits? These whole things seem to be big messes.
The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.
- Arabian Proverb
Gary, I originally typed in &
March 12, 2007 - 14:55 ET by Chris Normandamn...
Geez! Another lemon sucker
March 12, 2007 - 15:39 ET by Tim the EnchanterGeez! Another lemon sucker! Where do they find these sourpusses?
If Latin Americans hate
March 12, 2007 - 19:28 ET by BlazerIf Latin Americans hate Bush so much, then why in the hell do they keep coming up here to be closer to him?
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.