She interviewed NBC reporter Richard Engel on this morning's Today show in the wake of the release of a new videotape of Jill Carroll, the US journalist kidnapped in Iraq last month. The tape showed a composed Carroll speaking before a floral backdrop.
Couric, ever the fashion maven, declared "it's actually kind of a pretty setting." Perhaps Katie can pick up some matching shoes while in 'Torino'. Engel explained that the captors appear to be sending the message that they are looking to negotiate.
It could well be that for tactical reasons, the kidnappers might currently want to talk rather than kill. But Couric took things a giant step further, imagining that, deep down inside, these are killers with a warm 'n fuzzy side. She suggested to Engel:
"As far as you know, this particular splinter group is not as vicious as some of the others we've seen in the past."
Engel let Couric down easy. "Yes," he responded at first, but then let reality creep in:
"I don't think you can take too much comfort in that. Because she's still under their complete control and this group can change their opinions very quickly. Right now there's something of a vote going on on extremist websites where they're asking people, asking the followers whether they think Jill Carroll should be killed or whether she should be kept alive and unfortunately the majority of the people who are writing into these web sites said that they think she should be killed."
We'll cut Katie slack for wanting to hope for the best in this anguishing situation. But can Couric really believe that these terrorists, reportedly former members of Saddam's barbarous security services, wouldn't kill Carroll in a heartbeat if it suited their purposes? Does Katie realize that these kinder 'n gentler terrorists killed Carroll's interpreter during the kidnaping?
Couric displayed the kind of naiveté that can be lethal in dealing with terrorism.
Finkelstein lives in Ithaca, NY where he hosts the local TV show 'Right Angle.' Email him at: mark@gunhill.net
