Whoops: Koppel Predicted Iranians Would Hold British Hostages Until Blair Left Office

Photo of Tim Graham.

Over at the liberal website Slate.com, Jack Shafer mocks former ABC personage Ted Koppel his latest commentary for National Public Radio on Iran's British hostages, claiming "If history is any guide, Iran may wait until Tony Blair's tenure as prime minister comes to an end in a few months." Oops. Shafer also finds the subject of Iran is too close for Koppel to ignore himself:

Is there a more pompous egomaniac purring on the airwaves today than Ted Koppel?

Two days ago, the bouffanted one filed a commentary piece on NPR pegged to the seizure of 15 British sailors and marines by the Iranians. For self-obsessives like Koppel, all journalism is autobiography, so the story doesn't seem new to him. Instead, it echoes the hostage-taking of American diplomats 28 years ago in Tehran because, as Koppel doesn't have to remind listeners, it was the news event that started the show America Held Hostage that became Nightline and made his career!

Koppel's stunningly original lede: "As Yogi Berra so elegantly put it: 'It's deja vu all over again.' "

Early on, Koppel offers listeners a little self-disparagement to remind them the story is about him, noting that 28 years ago he predicted in a piece that the face-off between Iran and the West would end soon. "If, by soon, I meant 444 days, I was right on the money," he chortles.

Because it's deja vu all over again, Koppel predicts that the current incident will unfold like the last: The Iranians will humiliate Prime Minister Tony Blair—as they humiliated President Jimmy Carter—by holding the captives until a new head of state takes office.

The British sailors and marines touched down in Heathrow Airport today.

You're 2-for-2, Ted.

—Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center


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Ah, I hate to be the one to b

Ah, I hate to be the one to break the news to Koppel, but Jimmy Carter was humiliated along time before the Iran deal. That was just icing on the cake, is all.

Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!

In some ways I wish that the

In some ways I wish that the confrontation would have lasted, only to dee dome real action by the ball less idiots in power now.  Sink a couple their ships and ground their fleet and then they would have to do something.  Or take one of thier ships and all crew and give Iran an ultimatim.  I dont know of any solution that won't let the camels nose under the tent ... more than it is now. 

Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark. -- save my gun, shoot a liberal.

Koppel is wrong for many reasons...

Mostly because...people, particularly those who still have some semblance of a spine...are beginning to freely talk about using Nuclear Weapons and simply wipe out all existence of these people and take over parts of the middle east. You think I am kidding? I hear it on talk radio where once such callers were prevented from getting through to speak. But if that isn't the MAIN reason, the truth is Iran is suffering and can't AFFORD intense sanctions.

Now, in another world where the Pelosi's, Koppel's, Oprah's, Ellen's, Geraldo's, Andrea Mitchell's, Rather's, Couric's, Jessie Jackson's, NYT's, Liberal Fag Politicians and so on were STF up...I would formulate a plan to Nuke Iran and seize possession of that land in the name of America and put a sign out that said NEXT PLEASE. Maybe it appears I am a bit over the top with my comments but the day is coming,and it may be a bit off maybe sooner than you think...that the use of Nuclear Weaponry to devastate if not wipe out, aggressors and fanatics like Islamo-fascists will be in order. Islamo-fascists only understand death.

Shut up and blog! If you claim to be a conservative, please don't disgrace yourself and conservatism by thinking and arguing like a liberal. Go Rudy!

If we get hit again - take ou

If we get hit again - take out mecca with nukes

I would have to argue that if

I would have to argue that if we're going to wait to get hit again before nuking Mecca, that it should only be in response to a similar event here. I don't see how nuking a city for a bus bomb attack would be justified. Besides, how is nuking Mecca going to help exactly?

The Isrealis wouldn't use nukes on the Palestinians no matter how many times they were attacked. Obviously because they would suffer from the fall out as well. What they should have done was bulldoze the whole area and push them all into the Mediterranean or Jordan.