Reps. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) and Mike Lawler (R-NY) appeared on Thursday’s Andrea Mitchell Reports on MSNBC where the eponymous host did not take kindly to the suggestion that the American media repeated Hamas propaganda on the hospital in Gaza. Lawler held his ground, informing Mitchell that CNN specifically behaved in a shameful manner worthy of “Baghdad Bob.”
Mitchell began by asking Moskowitz, “And Jared, what do you know so far about Israel and the intelligence that the U.S. says Israel was not responsible for the bombing of the hospital, although at this point it may not matter, because the Arab world thinks so, and the State Department issued a travel warning, Jared Moskowitz, against -- about terror threats around the world to any Americans traveling.”
Moskowitz, clearly and justifiably agitated, shot back:
Here’s what I know, what I know we saw a disgusting display of anti-Israel, anti-Zionism, and anti-Semitism, from the international media around the world. They immediately took Hamas's word for it, Hamas, a terrorist organization, who said something and ran with it. It caused riots around the world. It caused the president's meetings to be canceled, but when Israel said it wasn't true, they had to show satellite imagery, they had to show trajectory of the bomb, they had to explain the crater size, they had to show all sorts of audio intelligence, but Hamas, their word was taken seriously.
On the whole situation, Moskowitz added, “So, look, this shows how dangerous it is to be listening to a terrorist organization when they put numbers, when they put out facts and figures and they put out statements and it's a lesson for the media and elected officials that this is an active war zone and we have to be careful before we take stuff and weaponize it because look what it caused in the Arab World.”
Lawler then piggybacked on that sentiment, “We had, Andrea, we had the media, we had members of Congress promulgating this lie and there are consequences to that.”
Mitchell then interrupted and in the midst of the crosstalk, tried to shame Lawler, “Congressman, not the NBC media. Not most of American media. You’re talking about-- You’re talking about; you're talking about media in the Arab world.”
Perhaps feeling charitable, Lawler conceded, “I did not say NBC,” before adding “but CNN did.” MSNBC did too, but Mitchell, still interrupting, repeated, “you're talking about media in the Arab world.”
On the question of CNN, Lawler held firm, “CNN did as well and I will tell you, it is wrong. It is wrong. We need to -- when you are in war, you better make sure you have your facts. We cannot have Baghdad Bobs running around promulgating these lies. Especially members of Congress. So, it is imperative -- it does matter. Facts matter here and we need to make sure that people understand, Israel did not attack a hospital. That was a terrorist organization that did that.”
Mitchell is simply wrong that the rush to regurgitate Hamas propaganda was confined to Arab media as this collection of English-language headlines screenshotted by the IDF shows:
Media outlets around the globe were quick to run Hamas’ headlines—without fact checking.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 17, 2023
We now know that an Islamic Jihad rocket aimed at Israel misfired and hit the hospital in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/DzJgsbxS4i
Here is a transcript for the October 19 show:
MSNBC Andrea Mitchell Reports
10/19/2023
12:14 PM ET
ANDREA MITCHELL: And Jared, what do you know so far about Israel and the intelligence that the U.S. says Israel was not responsible for the bombing of the hospital, although at this point it may not matter, because the Arab world thinks so, and the State Department issued a travel warning, Jared Moskowitz, against -- about terror threats around the world to any Americans traveling.
JARED MOSKOWITZ: Here’s what I know, what I know we saw a disgusting display of anti-Israel, anti-Zionism, and anti-Semitism, from the international media around the world. They immediately took Hamas's word for it, Hamas, a terrorist organization, who said something and ran with it. It caused riots around the world. It caused the president's meetings to be canceled, but when Israel said it wasn't true, they had to show satellite imagery, they had to show trajectory of the bomb, they had to explain the crater size, they had to show all sorts of audio intelligence, but Hamas, their word was taken seriously.
So, look, this shows how dangerous it is to be listening to a terrorist organization when they put numbers, when they put out facts and figures and they put out statements and it's a lesson for the media and elected officials that this is an active war zone and we have to be careful before we take stuff and weaponize it because look what it caused in the Arab World.
MIKE LAWLER: We had, Andrea, we had the media, we had members of Congress promulgating this lie and—
ANDREA MITCHELL: You had-- let me just say –
LAWLER: -- there are consequences to that.
MITCHELL: Let me just say.
LAWLER: There are consequences.
MITCHELL: Congressman, not the NBC media. Not most of American media. You’re talking about—
LAWLER: I didn’t—I did not say NBC, but CNN did.
MITCHELL: You’re talking about, you're talking about media in the Arab world.
LAWLER: CNN did as well and I will tell you, it is wrong. It is wrong. We need to -- when you are in war, you better make sure you have your facts. We cannot have Baghdad Bobs running around promulgating these lies. Especially members of Congress. So, it is imperative -- it does matter. Facts matter here and we need to make sure that people understand, Israel did not attack a hospital. That was a terrorist organization that did that.
