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28 November 2004

The biggest fear is of doing anything that could get you or your network accused of being liberal

Some interesting comments from the former producer of the MSNBC Donahue show.
In 2002, I was an on-air commentator at MSNBC, and also senior producer on the "Donahue" show, the most-watched program on the channel. In the last months of the program, before it was terminated on the eve of the Iraq war, we were ordered by management that every time we booked an antiwar guest, we had to book 2 pro-war guests. If we booked two guests on the left, we had to book 3 on the right. At one meeting, a producer suggested booking Michael Moore and was told that she would need to book 3 right-wingers for balance. I considered suggesting Noam Chomsky as a guest, but our studio couldn't accommodate the 86 right-wingers we would have needed for balance.

I was never a fan of Phil Donahue, but he did have the highest rated show on the MSNBC network at the time of its cancellation and it looks like conservative corporate mainstream media interests axed it in lieu of more pro-war programming.

Liberal media bias my arse…

21 November 2004

When he was killed in front of my eyes and my camera -- the story of his death became my responsibility

Kevin Sites, the embedded reporter who filmed the video footage of a U.S. Marine shooting a wounded man inside a Iraq Mosque, breaks his silence and speaks out about the event.
"He's fucking faking he's dead -- he's faking he's fucking dead."

Through my viewfinder I can see him raise the muzzle of his rifle in the direction of the wounded Iraqi. There are no sudden movements, no reaching or lunging.

However, the Marine could legitimately believe the man poses some kind of danger. Maybe he's going to cover him while another Marine searches for weapons.

Instead, he pulls the trigger. There is a small splatter against the back wall and the man's leg slumps down.

Sites has been the recipient of death threats in the aftermath of the release of this video.

I disagree strongly with those who believe this U.S. soldier is guilty of war crimes. Everybody that our forces come across are suspect, and many booby traps have been unleashed, as these insurgents and terrorists are eager to employ any underhanded scheme to inflict damage. However, it must be acknowledged that such video footage will be perceived much differently in the Arab world. Which is why I opposed this immoral invasion from the start, believing its outcome would be tainted and the U.S. would not be accorded liberator status, but instead, be decried as bullies. And that's precisely how this sordid campaign is playing out.

We're not winning the hearts and minds in Iraq. Which calls into question why we are there, given the fact that the other justifications (WMD, Al-Qaeda link, etc.…) were found to be fraudulent.