February 24, 2007

Sleazy Think Progress, Anderson Cooper lie about Tom Tancredo

Think Progress continues their reputation as illogical smear merchants - and Anderson Cooper continues his reputation as a fluff "reporter" - with "CNN Fact Checks Tancredo, Proves He Once Suggested Bombing Mecca". He did suggest that, but neither Think Progress nor Anderson Cooper properly contextualized his suggestion.

At the post there's a video outtake [transcript] from an unknown date featuring Edina Lekovic from Muslim Public Affairs Council (link: "Los Angeles-based Muslim organization whose leadership defends extremist violence") saying that Tancredo suggested bombing Mecca to "send a message". Tancredo objects, saying that she is being disingenuous and is not putting his remarks in the proper context.

Then, the video cuts to Anderson Cooper who disingenuously pretends that the question is about whether Tancredo suggested bombing Mecca, when his complaint was about the context.

Tancredo's original comment was that he'd only do that under certain conditions: if it was determined that terrorists had struck several U.S. cities with nuclear weapons and it was determined that it had been "extremist, fundamentalist Muslims" that had done it, only then would we bomb their "holy sites". The host said, "you're talking about bombing Mecca", and Tancredo responds, "yeah".

Lekovic did not mention Tancredo's pre-conditions, and her comment as well as Think Progress' complaint and Anderson Cooper's "fact-checking" are completely disingenuous.

You can contact CNN using the link at cnn.com/CNN/Programs/anderson.cooper.360, and that also links to their blog where you can leave (moderated) comments. Best of all, just don't watch his show.

UPDATE: I've since found and linked the transcript.

Posted to Politics at February 24, 2007 11:18 AM

Comments

The forces of mob rule & foreign invasion are set to cream Tancreado the same as they creamed Curt Weldon (crooked congressman who took bribes through his daughter, under FBI investigation), Katherine Harris (crooked congresswoman who took bribes from Mitchell Wade, under FBI investigation)and Randy Graf (white supramacist).

The mob rule forces spent about $100,000,000. to defeat those 3 candidates.

If the last election said anything it said oppose illegal immigration you get annihilated by national corporate money.

Posted by: Smitty at February 24, 2007 01:39 PM

I can't imagine any situation in which it would be justified to bomb Mecca. This would be a religious target, and our government should not be in the business of taking military action against religions.

I support Tancredo for president, but unfortunately he seems to be a flawed standard-bearer for the cause. What a shame.

Posted by: Hal K at February 24, 2007 05:57 PM

Tom Tancredo has a history of mental instability. He got a "mental health" deferment to avoid the draft during the Vietnam War.

As for his "bomb Mecca" statement: What purpose would bombing Mecca have other than being a statement? It would be like bombing Bethlehem for what Hitler did.

Posted by: John P at February 24, 2007 06:21 PM

Tancredo doesn't have a chance of being nominated because Big Business,Big Labor and Big Media wouldn't allow it. These are the forces that control the election process. Check it out here.

The only real choices are to leave the country or start some kind of unorganized (impenetrable to informers) guerilla warfare. A Third Party has a chance only with a self-financing billionaire like Ross Perot. Guys like that are scarce-disregarding for the moment that Perot was a nutcase.

Posted by: perroazul del norte at February 24, 2007 08:25 PM

John P., Hitler wasn't a Christian, and he didn't wage war in the name of Christianity! If anything, he was a pagan, with heavy reliance on images from Norse mythology.

Posted by: dchamil at February 25, 2007 05:40 AM

Tancredo is the only one who does make sense on the border. That's why the media doesn't want him. If we disdain the media coverage of everything else why the heck would we listen to who they recommend for President??? As for Anderson Cooper I cannot stand his program. He is the most wishy washy journalist since the sixties..UGH!!!

Posted by: mary at February 25, 2007 01:52 PM

dchamill,
Actually Himmler was rhe one with the fixation on pagan Norse myhology. Hitler seems to have been an atheist with a contempt for Christianity, but willing to either use it or attack it based on political and wartime expediency. Thus, he allowed the reopening of churches in the Ukraine. This, after killing or imprisoning thousands of Catholic priests in Poland. He was fearful of repressing the Catholic Church too much in Germany(though some orders were banned) because it might weaken support for his regime.

Posted by: perroazul del norte at February 25, 2007 02:29 PM