Good on Imus: Catches Boettcher Spinning Bombing as Response to Zarqawi Killing

Good on Don Imus! On today's 'Imus in the Morning,' he called NBC reporter Mike Boettcher on his attempt to spin a bombing in Baghdad as a "not good" response to the killing of Zarqawi.

Here's how it went down. Boettcher was reporting from Baghdad and had this to say:

Boettcher: "Well, good morning, Don. We have the response here right now [to the Zarqawi killing], it’s not good. There have been, there has been another bombing. Thirteen people are dead in central Baghdad. So that is apparently the current reaction from the insurgents to Zarqawi's death."

Imus: "How do we know that's a reaction to that, Mike?"

Boettcher started to back down: "We don't know for sure, Don. You’re right, you’re absolutely right."

Imus: "Yeah. I mean, this could be another bombing. They try to blow the place up every day, so, but go ahead, Mike."

A by-now abject Boettcher: "No, you’re absolutely right."

Bravo, Imus, for calling Boettcher on this. Would Matt Lauer or another NBC host have done the same, or would they have uncritically bought into Boettcher's spin?

*Hat tip to YaYa123 of Free Republic.

Finkelstein lives in the liberal haven of Ithaca, NY, where he hosts the award-winning public-access TV show 'Right Angle.' Mark will be a guest on the Lars Larson Show this evening at about 6 PM EDT to discuss MSM coverage of Zarqawi's death. Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net