Two Nets Salute Vets

America's veterans got their due from two of the networks that didn't have their prime time news programming pre-empted by sports on Sunday, Veteran's Day 2007.  NBC and Fox News both carried segments honoring America's military without politicizing the issue.

NBC Nightly News Veteran's Day coverage included a rundown by anchor Lester Holt of President Bush's speech to a veteran's group in Texas, footage of Vice President Cheney laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and coverage of the keynote speech given by former Secretary of State Colin Powell at the ceremony commemorating the 25^th anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  To end the broadcast NBC also featured a profile of a 91-year-old World War II and Korean War veteran who was returning to college to study history.  

Fox News' Fox Report also included a roundup of the day's speeches, actually running some of the Vice President's remarks at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  Fox included a feature on the 25^th anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, focusing attention on the pilgrimage many Vietnam veterans make to the black granite wall each year.  The story included this quote from retired General Colin Powell: “We say thanks to the veterans of all generations who have preserved this freedom that we enjoy.  And we say thanks to their families.”

Kristen Fyfe is senior writer at the Culture and Media Institute, a division of the MediaResearchCenter.