The smell of herring…
What should we make of Wesley Clark’s allegation that the White House tried to get CNN to fire him as a military analyst? From a report by FOX:
“The White House actually back in February apparently tried to get me knocked off CNN and they wanted to do this because they were afraid that I would raise issues with their conduct of the war,” Clark told Newsradio 620 KTAR. “Apparently they called CNN. I don’t have all the proof on this because they didn’t call me. I’ve only heard rumors about it.”
This certainly isn’t the first time a politician–or at least a wannabe–has floated a rumor for political advantage. This is a classic red herring fallacy. While this fallacy drives logicians crazy, as a tool of political rhetoric it can be rather effective (depending upon intention and results). The allegation itself is news in our current media environment. Notice that FOX, and other news organizations, will be happy to run with this as long as they get a reaction. This is “buzz” as news.
Here’s the reaction from the White House:
White House officials told Fox News that they are “adamant” that they “never tried to get Wesley Clark kicked off the air in any way, shape or form.” Beyond that, the White House “won’t respond to rumors.”
It won’t, but it did, which is an interesting rhetorical maneuver–an attempt at dismissal without dignification, which is like having your cake and eating it, too.
Is the White House telling the truth? I have no clue, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the spokesman fibbed. If I were advising Bush, I’d have at least expressed my concern about Clark’s relationship with CNN in regard to his opinions about Iraq policy and the prosecution of the war. There’s also the issue of “equal time” to think about, considering we’ve known since at least February that Clark might run for president. I would not have suggested trying to get him fired, but that could have easily been the decision following those three concerns. (Here’s a “But”: Such a tactic can easily backfire. It is risky enough that I seriously doubt the WH tried to get him fired. They may have certainly expressed their concern to CNN–something that happens frequently and may be interpreted in multiple ways.)
Is Clark telling the truth? I have no clue, but it wouldn’t surprise me if this rumor were based on the thinnest of evidence, i.e. some CNN flunky happens to make a comment within earshot of a Clark supporter who passes on the “intelligence.” The Clark spinners then puff up this whisp of ether into a storm cloud.
I doubt we’ll ever get to the truth of this situation. But, in terms of persuasion, the truth hardly matters. The allegation–the buzz–is now the news. It is a thing in itself. Proving it or disproving it will be quickly swept away in the flood of punditry and prognostication that may likely follow.
Some reporter somewhere might decide to do the long, difficult work it would take to run this down.
Naaaahh…
It appears Wesley Clark has had problems with veracity in the past. According to an article in The Weekly Standard (http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/003/047eravy.asp) Clark claimed someone in the White House told him to publicly link the terrorist attacks of 9/11 to Saddam Hussein. The always unreliable Paul Krugman picked up the story, Clark was forced to write a letter to NYTimes saying it was only a man from a “Middle East Think Tank” in Canada, of which there is none, etc. etc. You get the picture. There is also something from Rich Lowry in NRO (http://www.nationalreview.com/lowry/lowry082603.asp) which details the whole sorry saga of how Clark blew the l999 Kosovo debacle and how Bill Clinton ended up firing Clark. If Clark does get into the race for president, he’ll have a lot of ‘splaining to do.
Too bad we all can’t agree that unsubstantiated rumors do not news make.
(Yeah, I know, it’s way past April 1st, but it’s not like we’re living amidst a paucity of “real” news nowadays!)
This story is bs. CNN is a rabid Lefty “news” outlet. Clark has always worn his own Lefty politics on his sleeve, even while lacking the guts to come right out and state them in plain English.
For the WH to even attempt such a ploy would be bone-headed, because CNN would immediately jump in front of its cameras and scream about how the WH was trying to stifle free speech and how Dubya was attacking poor little Wesley Clark.
If there was a shred of truth to this, CNN would be shouting it from the roof tops. They aren’t. There isn’t.
You guys are shaking in your boots that your golden boy-moron, Bush, is going to lose the election to General Wesley Clark. A purple heart winning hero of this great country.
Bush is a bumbling idiot, not fit to lead the greatest country in the world, let alone a McDonalds.
Don’t try to paint General Clark as a liar, he is a good man that took bullets in Nam. You cowards never served, you are just trying to bash him so that your personal views on abortion and affirmative action will be protected.
You are selfish and should be ashamed of yourselves.
This country was founded with trust in the collective wisdom of the people. You treat the American public as simpletons by attacking a war hero for wanting to run for President.
General Clark will win and he will be a fair and honest leader. God Bless America!