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Keep Gen. Batiste’s Ad On TV

By SusanUnPC on May 11, 2007 at 12:03 PM in Current Affairs

As you probably heard last night on Olbermann, Gen. John Batiste was fired from his CBS consulting job for courageously speaking out in VoteVet.org‘s new TV ad, which is the #1 download at YouTube.

Our fourth story on the COUNTDOWN, retired general John Batiste the latest example, one of two generals who actually commanded troops in Iraq, one of three generals in total now appearing in a series of scathing ads sponsored by a veteran‘s group alarmed at the effect the president‘s decisions are having on the military they love. … General Batiste says he resigned because he couldn‘t stand what former secretary of defense Rumsfeld was doing to the military, and he is still paying the price. The general, who describes himself as a diehard Republican, has been asked to leave his position as a consultant to CBS News because of that ad.

VoteVets needs our support to keep this ad on the air, and to air two new ads featuring retired Major General Paul Eatom and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, retired General Wesley Clark. Here’s the YouTube of the Batiste ad:

Olbermann played the ad before interviewing Gen. Batiste:

OLBERMANN: In the military, it is a given, an active general who disobeys or publicly criticizes the commander in chief pays a price, an indecisive McClellan removed by Lincoln, an unraveling MacArthur fired by Truman. But the generals are not always wrong, and the badly bungled war in Iraq may be setting a new standard for career military officers willing to criticize the competence of the president, even if it means their early retirement.

Our fourth story on the COUNTDOWN, retired general John Batiste the latest example, one of two generals who actually commanded troops in Iraq, one of three generals in total now appearing in a series of scathing ads sponsored by a veteran‘s group alarmed at the effect the president‘s decisions are having on the military they love.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, TV COMMERCIAL)

BATISTE: Mr. President, you did not listen. You continue to pursue a failed strategy that is breaking our great Army and Marine Corps.

I left the Army in protest in order to speak out. Mr. President, you have placed our nation in peril. Our only hope is that Congress will act now to protect our fighting men and women.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OLBERMANN: General Batiste says he resigned because he couldn‘t stand what former secretary of defense Rumsfeld was doing to the military, and he is still paying the price. The general, who describes himself as a diehard Republican, has been asked to leave his position as a consultant to CBS News because of that ad.

That means he is free to join us tonight for an exclusive interview.

And we‘re honored to have you with us, General. Thank you for your time.

BATISTE: Thanks, Keith. Good to be with you.

OLBERMANN: From Eric Shinseki, the four-star general who was criticized by, of all people, Paul Wolfowitz when he said at the start that the war would require several hundred thousand troops, do these ads that you and General Eaton and General Clark have done for VoteVets.org, there seemingly has never been this much public friction between the military and the civilian leaders. What moved you to make these ads and moved you to make them now?

BATISTE: Keith, it really is quite extraordinary. I was moved to make this ad working with VoteVets because I care about our country, and I care about our soldiers and Marines and their families.

I‘m a patriot, as are the rest of us in VoteVets. VoteVets is not an antiwar organization. We‘re focused on what‘s best for this country. We‘re focused on being successful and winning the effort against global terrorism. And we‘re damn sure focused on doing what‘s right for our great military, which, by the way, is doing incredible work in Iraq and Afghanistan. God bless them all.

OLBERMANN: In a piece for MSNBC.com called “America‘s Angriest General,” Mike Hirsch from “Newsweek” says that you wish more generals would speak out. But last year you had said at the end of the day, you either salute and execute, or you make a decision to retire or resign, that‘s the way it is. Is this what you‘re trying to change? What are you hearing from the colleagues of yours who are still in uniform?

BATISTE: Keith, I‘m in a very unique position. I have a platform upon which I can speak. I‘m no longer wearing the uniform of our country. I have no ties to the defense industry. I can speak honestly. I have a duty to do so.

And I know there‘s other generals, both active duty and retired, that are doing all they can within their means. In my case, I‘ll continue to speak out. …

READ ALL.

  • Centrocitta

    I seem to recall that Saddam Hussein warned Bush that US forces would be defeated in Iraq. It’s time for a regime change at the White House.

  • http://noquarter.typepad.com susanUnPC

    Keith’s transcript is finally up, so I added portions to the story.

    Btw, I think it was cowardly of CBS to fire him. They KNEW his position on the war already.

    And he was speaking on behalf of a group that is not anti-war, but pro-veterans and is strongly in favor of going after the REAL terrorist challenges around the globe.

  • CalGal

    I made a $25 donation yesterday. I am retired and not wealthy, but I appreciate the people working so hard at Vote Vets. I also sent and email to CBS complaining about the firing on a honest person trying to tell the truth. I said that I didn’t complain when they fired Dan Rather, but this is the last straw.

  • ybnormal

    So, CBS apparantly thinks it’s somehow good for viewer ratings to fire Batiste. It seems that the kinetic energy generated by Friendly and Murrow ran out a long time ago, and CBS news has been running on vapor ever since.

    Dan Rather was the potential that fumbled, finally with the Bush Service Record story. I say fumbled because the premise was, and remains today, a valid one. As an 18 year old in 1970, I and many others were acutely aware that no one got into the Ntl Guard without being on a waiting list.

    The Murrow torch CBS news presumes to carry is an illusion. It’s now carried by others, none of whom are at CBS. Thankfully, Kieth O. is one of them, in spite of his own expressions of humility to the contrary.

    Keep it up Kieth.
    Or should I say, give ‘em the knock-out K.O.

  • http://www.pnhp.org dr.steveb@verizon.net

    But why the hell is he still a Republican?

    Lots of ex-military realize that Dems support American value more than Repugs… from Murtha & Kerry to Wes Clark and Sestak.

  • Leslie

    From Josh Marshall at TPM:

    “CBS News Consultant Michael O’Hanlon has repeatedly advocated for the “surge.” Has CBS fired O’Hanlon?”

  • Sky-Ho

    My email to CBS was returned with a link to the appropriate message board.

    Huh?

  • Sky-Ho

    My email to CBS was returned with a link to the appropriate CBS message board.

    Huh?

  • Mart

    Rather forced out for a story which was true, and Couric has Pills Limbaugh on as guest commentator from her inception; and this Bush bootlicking is taking place while the BoyKing is surging at 28%. So, it’s not the polls, therefore it’s logically not ratings, so, what does CBS fear? And perhaps more importantly, why don’t they fear the apparently impending 2008 Dem sweep?

  • Steambomb

    about the MSM…. Anyone that is still fooling themselves with the thought that the MSM is not covering important news because it is not entertaining enough. Needs to think about this. Throughout all the forthcoming news about Jeff Gannon the male prostitute the MSM barely uttered a peep about it. Now CBS is pulling a story about the DC Madame’s phone records saying its too boring. My what a change comes over the MSM when the party that controls the presidency changes. We all remember the 24-7 coverage of Bill Clintons sex life. Dont We? You cannot tell me the MSM is liberal. Likewise you cannot tell me that the MSM isn’t protecting Bush.

  • http://noquarter.typepad.com susanUnPC

    That’s a great distinction, Steambomb.

    If it were Harry Reid’s aide who was on the madam’s list, the news reporting would be non-stop.

    Say, has there been much outcry on the blogs about CBS firing Batiste? I haven’t noticed any.

    DrSteveB, it baffles me why some people remain Republicans since the party they (and I) once knew is now gone. Why do David Iglesius and John McKay still call themselves Republicans when their own state parties set out to destroy them, and the White House eagerly helped?

  • Eclaire

    Why do some people remain Republican? I guess for the same reasons some women, in other matters smart, spunky and liberated, remain Catholic. Somewhere deep down inside they believe that their organization is the one true path to redemption (or lower taxes), and that the current leaders, whether they wear a cowboy hat and boots, or a white dress and cool red shoes, are somwhow an aberration. Change can only come from within, and all that. But kick over the traces and join another group? Never!

  • http://profile.typekey.com/mpumpky/ PrchrLady

    excellent comments steambob… MSM media has been complicit in facilitating the coup in this country since bushie boy declared his candidacy… I think even longer than that… Black is white, and white is black, the sky is falling… tell it to the people long enough, and in enough different ways, and soon it will be believed as truth… Thank God for the blogs and the internet.

    I posted a link to this video on another thread here, but at that time I did not know about the VoteVets campaign to help keep it on the air… thanks for the update, and for all you do… Marlene