CBS anchor Katie Couric on Wednesday night empathized with the plight of incoming Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat, as his wish to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq hits roadblocks. After a story by David Martin on testimony before the committee by General John Abizaid, chief of the Central Command, Couric ran a taped Q & A with Levin. She began with a very leading question: "Senator, were you as frustrated with General Abizaid's position today as John McCain and Hillary Clinton?" Levin expressed how he was similarly “frustrated” by Abizaid's “stay the course” position, leading Couric to empathize with his frustration: "So as the future Chairman of the Senate Arms Services Committee, where does that leave you, Senator Levin? I mean, what are your options? You have long advocated a phased withdrawal, but how are you going to make that happen? It seems almost impossible right now."
In her third, and final, question to a politician who has constantly assumed the worst about Iraq, Couric seemed apologetic for seeing “the glass as half empty” when that matches Levin's contention and the picture painted by the news media: "I don't mean to see the glass as half empty, but what if the Iraqis and the Iraqi government, what if they're not up to the job?"
The MRC's Brad Wilmouth corrected the closed-captioning against the video for the taped interview which aired on the November 15 CBS Evening News:
Katie Couric: "Senator, were you as frustrated with General Abizaid's position today as John McCain and Hillary Clinton?"Senator Carl Levin (D-Michigan), from Capitol Hill: "I was somewhat frustrated because I thought basically he was saying that we should stay the course, which is, I think, clearly a position that's been rejected by the American people overwhelmingly. Staying the course in Iraq is not a strategy for success. The horrible violence on the ground, it seems to me, is proving that every day."
Couric: "So as the future Chairman of the Senate Arms Services Committee, where does that leave you, Senator Levin? I mean, what are your options? You have long advocated a phased withdrawal, but how are you going to make that happen? It seems almost impossible right now."
Levin: "What I'm hoping to do is now that the election's over is to see if there aren't some Republicans, and I believe there are, who also believe we've got to change the course in Iraq, and that only the Iraqis can change that course because only they can work out the political settlement which is so essential to ending the violence."
Couric: "Senator Levin, I don't mean to see the glass as half empty, but what if the Iraqis and the Iraqi government, what if they're not up to the job?"
Levin: "We cannot save them from themselves, Katie. We've done everything that any country could to give them an opportunity. The only people who can reach a positive outcome here are the Iraqis and their political leadership. If they're going to have a civil war, that's got to be their choice."
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
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Katie has a show where a few
November 16, 2006 - 05:24 ET by Andrew H.Katie has a show where a few people view the commercials and go to the bathroom when she returns. The rest of us are watching FOX, Court TV or the History channel.
Never relent to those who would enslave our life... fight the leftists until death!
Katie Colonic
November 16, 2006 - 10:38 ET by BBallleaperI'm sure men all over America think one thought when they see Couric. Premature withdrawl! Yuck! Or, to quote a great American, Benjamin Franklin,
"Not on your life!"
Stupid, stupid, stupid. Eve
November 16, 2006 - 06:24 ET by PeskyDaneStupid, stupid, stupid. Even given the minimalist way in which this war is being fought, only a fool would advocate withdrawl now. With every terroist from Central Africa through South Central Asia converging on Iraq to gleefully throw themselves onto the bayonnets of our troops, why would we want to withdraw? We have succeeded in holding our enemies at arms length and engaging them far away from our shores. Leaving now with the job only partially done, would be an invitation for our enemies to hit us at home. They have proven they can, and if we demonstrate any sign of weakness, (say, like electing appeasers to our national legislature), they will be encouraged to redouble their efforts to do so. Smoking gun? Forget it. If we withdraw we'll be dealing with smoking cities again in another year. Libtards like Couric just don't get it.
As Couric's Ratings Fall Farther Down The Well
November 16, 2006 - 08:12 ET by Guy Arthur ThomasPlease Couric, it isn't that we don't understand the ratings results of inept national news broadcasting, we just haven't seen a disaster like you, so continue on, please. It is nice to know someone is willing to not only run to last place as you have done, but be their own cheerleader while doing so. Bravo Couric, you are as clueless as the rest of your generation.
I am a member of LSCA (Lazy Spell Checkers Anonymous).
how do you spell insighting
November 16, 2006 - 08:31 ET by foolnomorefrustration : oh yes i do feel your pain ,
how about maybe putting some ice on "it"
It is disgusting that a foo
November 16, 2006 - 08:57 ET by Red JeepIt is disgusting that a fool like Levin will in some way affect all our lives in part. Where does he get his expertise in military matters. Is he an expert on anything?
Levin is a prime example of why the 17th Amendment should be repealed (making Senators elected by the people, not appointed to be state’s ambassadors to Washington) and term limits.
Also would someone on Levin’s staff tell him to either push his glasses up on his face or take them off? He looks like an idiot with those reading glasses posed to fall off his face. It does not make him looked learned or distinguished; neither do his words.
Unfortunately, it's those dam
November 16, 2006 - 09:40 ET by Scout FinchUnfortunately, it's those damn spectacles that keep getting Levin re-elected every time here in Michigan. Stupid people think his glasses make him look like a wise old uncle who looks out for them. The very fact that he wears them on the tip of his nose and the lenses never obstruct his view makes it obvious he only wears them for affect. He and his brother Sander are Michigan politicians for life. Make that a life sentence for us in Michigan.
Levin a Ben Franklin want-a-be.
November 16, 2006 - 09:55 ET by CTAlong with his nose glasses Levin allows his greasy hair to grow long enough to curl in order to affect a Benjamin Franklin look. Too bad he posses none of Franklin’s intellect or common sense.
I saw a clip from the exchan
November 16, 2006 - 09:02 ET by GalvanicI saw a clip from the exchange between Levin and Abazaid, and I think the general made a very poignant observation. When Levin said that the status quo was unacceptible, Abazaid agreed, and expanded his remark to say that in Iraq, there is a determination to change the status quo, but whenever he comes to Washington, he senses despair.
His point is important, because changing the status quo from the Dems' perspective doesn't mean trying a new approach toward victory; it merely means withdrawal, the timetable for which varies from immediately (Kucinich and Murtha), to 6-12 months (Clinton and some others). Making a withdrawal the objective of a "New Direction" in Iraq concedes defeat. Any terms or "new" policies aimed ostensibly at compensating for the withdrawn troops is merely a facade --- a "peace with honor" move.
Since the Dems and MSM love to make a corollation between Iraq and Vietnam, they ought to take a look a "Vietnamization" (the New Direction of its day), which they erroneously remind us "didn't work." Vietnamization was beginning to take hold, as the ARVN success in the '72 Communist Easter Offensive proved. But Vietnamization had to be backed up by US air power. The results of '72 notwithstanding, the US had already decided to renege on its promised airpower, and by '75, exhausted by years of conflict in SE Asia, the US had withdrawn altogether, leaving the Saigon government to fall to the invading NVA.
Since I've heard nothing in the Dem rhetoric about the details of a New Direction beyond withdrawing troops, we know that victory is not the objective of the New Direction. The Dems never seem to ask what it will take to win, and they seem frustrated by the obeservations of military commanders on the scene (e.g. Abazaid) when those commanders don't beg for withdrawal. I'm sure their answer will be to call for Abazaid's relief of command, to be replaced by a Wesley Clark-type.
Oh shucks, the military isn't
November 16, 2006 - 14:05 ET by dscottOh shucks, the military isn't buying the new direction rhetoric. Reality will set in soon and Mr. Levin will like the rest of the Dems will promptly blame George Bush for not getting us out sooner or not putting enough troops to quell the insurgency. But then again, Mr. Levin just like Howard Dean knew from the outset of the Bash Bush agenda on Iraq, they couldn't pull out without dire consequences to the Iraqi people. So now we have Levin back pedaling by saying it's the Iraqi's problem, tough luck to you as though somehow this will pressure the Iraqi ministers to get their act together or somehow get the terrorists to cease their operations long enough to declare victory and leave. I'm curious, how many lib supporters would advocate cut and run knowing tens of thousands of people would die as a consequence to their actions? No, the entire Democrat campaign agenda was never to pull out of Iraq, that was a ploy to get votes and money. I'm waiting for that Clintonesque moment when some top Dem says, "That was then and this is now".
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius
Empty little perky one.
November 16, 2006 - 10:12 ET by CTClueless Couric understands nothing but her own frustration. I am so sorry Levin is "somewhat frustrated" with our military commanders first hand perspective position while our troops are fighting and dying for America. Senator Levin's frustration on one hand our troops on the other, Levin go take a hike!
The cut and run retreat in defeat Democraps aren't even sworn in for their term to take down America and they are already FRUSTRATED!
Iraq
November 16, 2006 - 10:53 ET by pbanks7"...only the Iraqis can change that course because only they can work out the political settlement which is so essential to ending the violence."
The same failed policies of the last 60 years. Let's negotiate with sociopaths and be surprised when they renege.
Ignorance is bliss. It's easier to repeat a mindless slogan than to do some actual research.
wow
November 16, 2006 - 12:00 ET by iveseenitallCouric and Levin , geniuses of the world. WOW!
NEVER,NEVER trust a liberal
Did we find the nukes yet, Carl?
November 16, 2006 - 12:06 ET by Gary HallDid we find the nukes yet, Carl?
Katie Couric asked you again about that, right? Yep - thought so.
The dems are innate spender
November 16, 2006 - 13:08 ET by JDWThe dems are innate spenders. In order to increase current outlays they must either increase taxes or decrease military (cut and run).
JDW
Kerry: "You know, education, if you make the most of it ... you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."