U.S. Navy veteran Michael White stepped out of a Swiss government plane in Zurich, Switzerland, and back into American freedom, Thursday, after spending two years in an Iranian prison on charges of allegedly insulting the supreme leader. In an interview with Fox News, White thanked President Trump for his release and for making America great again. But neither his release nor his thanks were covered by ABC’s World News Tonight and the CBS Evening News.
In 16 seconds, NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt sped right through the good news:
A U.S. Navy veteran imprisoned in Iran is headed home. Michael White spent nearly two years in custody accused of insulting Iran's supreme leader. White’s release came after indirect talks with Iran and after the U.S. freed an Iranian-American doctor.
But at least NBC covered it. ABC and CBS chose to continue to boast about former military leaders bashing President Trump, and suggest his base of support was eroding.
Fox News Channel had an exclusive with White on the Zurich tarmac and during Special Report, State Department correspondent Rich Edson declared: “He's free after nearly two years in Iranian custody, U.S. Navy veteran Michael White has been released.”
“The State Department’s Iran envoy, Brian Hook completed the transfer and walked White off the plane into American custody and back into freedom,” he added.
In soundbites, White said that he was doing well and that he wanted to thank the President for getting him out:
Doing all right, happy to be back.
(…)
I want to extend my personal thanks to President Trump for his efforts both diplomatically and otherwise for making America great again and I look forward to what's going to happen here in the future.
(…)
I’m recovering pretty decently, getting back into shape.
As part of the deal to get White back, the U.S. traded Iran an Iranian-American doctor who was jailed after violating U.S. sanctions on the regime.
There are still more Americans being kept hostage by Iran, and Hook told Fox News the U.S. wasn’t going to stop until they were home too. “This is a regime that has been taking Americans hostage for 41 years. And our diplomacy has been successful and we’re going to keep working at it,” Hook said.
NewsBusters has extensively documented the terrible habit the broadcast networks had of covering for the murderous Iranian regime; including ignoring the sentencing of a different American hostage while they all gushed about a dog saving a drowning deer.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
Fox News Channel’s Special Report
June 4, 2020
6:06:32 p.m. EasternBRET BAIER: A Navy veteran detained in Iran for nearly two years is on his way home tonight and Fox News is the only channel on the scene in Switzerland. Michael White had been sentenced to a decade in prison for insulting Iran's supreme leader. State Department correspondent Rich Edson has the story tonight from Zurich.
[Cuts to video]
MICHAEL WHITE: Doing all right, happy to be back.
RICH EDSON: He's free after nearly two years in Iranian custody, U.S. Navy veteran Michael White has been released.
WHITE: I want to extend my personal thanks to President Trump for his efforts both diplomatically and otherwise for making America great again and I look forward to what's going to happen here in the future.
EDSON: In images captured exclusively by Fox News, White was transferred to American officials at an airport here in Zurich. White landed in a Swiss government plane. The State Department’s Iran envoy, Brian Hook completed the transfer and walked White off the plane into American custody and back into freedom.
WHITE: I’m recovering pretty decently, getting back into shape.
EDSON: In July 2018, White says he was visiting his girlfriend in Iran when authorities there arrested him. In March 2019, he was sentenced to ten years in prison on charges he insulted Iran's supreme leader and posted private photographs on social media. A U.S. official says the State Department negotiated for nearly four months with Iranian officials through Swiss intermediaries to secure his release.
BRIAN HOOK: Negotiating with Iranians is never a linear process, there's a lot of stops and starts, you are to be very patient [Transition] This is a regime that has been taking Americans hostage for 41 years. And our diplomacy has been successful and we’re going to keep working at it.
EDSON: A senior U.S. official told Fox News that as part of the deal to free White, the U.S. agreed to release an Iranian-American doctor, Majid Taheri. He served 16 months for violating American sanctions against Iran, and was sentenced Thursday to time served. The official says Taheri lived in the U.S. for 33 years and is a medical doctor in Florida.
[Cuts back to live]
Senior U.S. officials say they are still trying to free several other Americans detained in Iran. As for Michael White, we asked him what he plans on doing when he returns to the United States and he says he’s going to Disney World. Bret?
BAIER: Rich Edson in Switzerland. Rich, thank you.
---------------------------------
NBC Nightly News
June 4, 2020
7:25:08 p.m. Eastern [16 seconds]LESTER HOLT: A U.S. Navy veteran imprisoned in Iran is headed home. Michael White spent nearly two years in custody accused of insulting Iran's supreme leader. White’s release came after indirect talks with Iran and after the U.S. freed an Iranian-American doctor.
