Embedded journalists get their asses kicked. Na na na na…. na na na na….. hey hey hey…. good bye!
Hooters Girl butt signing Geraldo Rivera has been escourted out of Iraq after drawing a map on television and pointing out where his unit was and where it was heading. Smart man, that Geraldo. They should have broken a chair over his face, would have been just like old times.
Celebrity TV journalist Geraldo Rivera kicked out of Iraq: Pentagon
US Military Moves Reporter Geraldo Rivera from Iraq
Of course, he denies his removal.
Geraldo Denies Being Kicked Out of Iraq
And he’s not the only one in trouble.
NBC Fires Arnett After Iraq TV Interview
NBC fired journalist Peter Arnett on Monday, saying it was wrong for him to give an interview with state-run Iraqi TV saying that the American-led coalition’s first war plan had failed because of Iraq’s resistance. Arnett himself called the interview a “misjudgment.”Oops. Guess I should say America screwed up on the enemy’s television station. Better luck next time.Arnett, on NBC’s “Today” show on Monday, said he was sorry for his statement but added, “I said over the weekend what we all know about the war.”
“I want to apologize to the American people for clearly making a misjudgment,” Arnett said.
NBC had defended him on Sunday, saying he had given the interview as a professional courtesy and that his remarks were analytical in nature. But by Monday morning the network switched course and, after Arnett spoke with NBC News President Neal Shapiro, said it would no longer work with Arnett.
“It was wrong for Mr. Arnett to grant an interview to state-controlled Iraqi TV, especially at a time of war,” NBC spokeswoman Allison Gollust said. “And it was wrong for him to discuss his personal observations and opinions in that interview.”
But, wait, he’s not going down without a fight!
I am still in shock and awe at being fired. There is enormous sensitivity within the US government to reports coming out from Baghdad.Yep, you just keep telling yourself that.They don’t want credible news organisations reporting from here because it presents them with enormous problems.
I reported on the original bombing for NBC and we were half a mile away from those massive explosions. Now I am really shocked that I am no longer reporting this story for the US and awed by the fact that it actually happened.
That overnight my successful NBC reporting career was turned to ashes. And why?
Because I stated the obvious to Iraqi television; that the US war timetable has fallen by the wayside.
I have made those comments to television stations around the world and now I’m making them again in the Daily Mirror.
I’m not angry. I’m not crying. But I’m also awed by this media phenomenon.
The right-wing media and politicians are looking for any opportunity to be critical of the reporters who are here, whatever their nationality. I made the misjudgment which gave them the opportunity to do so.
I gave an impromptu interview to Iraqi television feeling that after four months of interviewing hundreds of them it was only professional courtesy to give them a few comments.
That was my Waterloo - bang!
God, these people are blowing golden opportunities over there.
