Media Focus On Sanchez Flawed
As usual, the spin we've heard for days on end is that Sanchez' recent speech was harshly focused on the Bush Administration. I try to remember when I hear those blasting headlines that I need to look at the context and not get drawn into believing the hype. Here are exerpts from his speech the drive-by media overlooked, even though he was addressing them;
" IN SOME CASES I HAVE NEVER EVEN MET YOU, YET YOU FEEL QUALIFIED TO MAKE CHARACTER JUDGMENTS THAT ARE COMMUNICATED TO THE WORLD. MY EXPERIENCE IS NOT UNIQUE AND WE CAN FIND OTHER EXAMPLES SUCH AS THE TREATMENT OF SECRETARY BROWN DURING KATRINA. THIS IS THE WORST DISPLAY OF JOURNALISM IMAGINABLE BY THOSE OF US THAT ARE BOUND BY A STRICT VALUE SYSTEM OF SELFLESS SERVICE, HONOR AND INTEGRITY. ALMOST INVARIABLY, MY PERCEPTION IS THAT THE SENSATIONALISTIC VALUE OF THESE ASSESSMENTS IS WHAT PROVIDED THE EDGE THAT YOU SEEK FOR SELF AGRANDIZEMENT OR TO ADVANCE YOUR INDIVIDUAL QUEST FOR GETTING ON THE FRONT PAGE WITH YOUR STORIES! AS I UNDERSTAND IT, YOUR MEASURE OF WORTH IS HOW MANY FRONT PAGE STORIES YOU HAVE WRITTEN AND UNFORTUNATELY SOME OF YOU WILL COMPROMISE YOUR INTEGRITY AND DISPLAY QUESTIONABLE ETHICS AS YOU SEEK TO KEEP AMERICA INFORMED. THIS IS MUCH LIKE THE INTELLIGENCE ANALYSTS WHOSE EFFECTIVENESS WAS MEASURED BY THE NUMBER OF INTELLIGENCE REPORTS HE PRODUCED. FOR SOME, IT SEEMS THAT AS LONG AS YOU GET A FRONT PAGE STORY THERE IS LITTLE OR NO REGARD FOR THE "COLLATERAL DAMAGE" YOU WILL CAUSE. PERSONAL REPUTATIONS HAVE NO VALUE AND YOU REPORT WITH TOTAL IMPUNITY AND ARE RARELY HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR UNETHICAL CONDUCT."
I am amazed that we believe anything they write about. His speech was not just slamming the Bush Administration, it was slamming the media and all of Washington. I don't know about you, but I cannot disagree with him. The Administration has done a terrible job of managing communications on the war. Granted, Bush Derangement Sydrome hasn't helped, but nonetheless the communication skills currently employed in the White House sucks. They should have hired Tony Snow in 2001, and fired any and all Clintonistas still there, or anywhere in any executive level department.
I'm still awaiting action to be filed against William Jefferson, Democrat Louisiana. The DoJ's pursuit of this criminal has been tepid at best. I won't even get into Sandy Burglar, I covered him here...ad infinitum. With the administration's ineptitude, the drive-by media's compliance toward the left, we know our military is wonderful to have made so many strides in spite of them.
" IN SOME CASES I HAVE NEVER EVEN MET YOU, YET YOU FEEL QUALIFIED TO MAKE CHARACTER JUDGMENTS THAT ARE COMMUNICATED TO THE WORLD. MY EXPERIENCE IS NOT UNIQUE AND WE CAN FIND OTHER EXAMPLES SUCH AS THE TREATMENT OF SECRETARY BROWN DURING KATRINA. THIS IS THE WORST DISPLAY OF JOURNALISM IMAGINABLE BY THOSE OF US THAT ARE BOUND BY A STRICT VALUE SYSTEM OF SELFLESS SERVICE, HONOR AND INTEGRITY. ALMOST INVARIABLY, MY PERCEPTION IS THAT THE SENSATIONALISTIC VALUE OF THESE ASSESSMENTS IS WHAT PROVIDED THE EDGE THAT YOU SEEK FOR SELF AGRANDIZEMENT OR TO ADVANCE YOUR INDIVIDUAL QUEST FOR GETTING ON THE FRONT PAGE WITH YOUR STORIES! AS I UNDERSTAND IT, YOUR MEASURE OF WORTH IS HOW MANY FRONT PAGE STORIES YOU HAVE WRITTEN AND UNFORTUNATELY SOME OF YOU WILL COMPROMISE YOUR INTEGRITY AND DISPLAY QUESTIONABLE ETHICS AS YOU SEEK TO KEEP AMERICA INFORMED. THIS IS MUCH LIKE THE INTELLIGENCE ANALYSTS WHOSE EFFECTIVENESS WAS MEASURED BY THE NUMBER OF INTELLIGENCE REPORTS HE PRODUCED. FOR SOME, IT SEEMS THAT AS LONG AS YOU GET A FRONT PAGE STORY THERE IS LITTLE OR NO REGARD FOR THE "COLLATERAL DAMAGE" YOU WILL CAUSE. PERSONAL REPUTATIONS HAVE NO VALUE AND YOU REPORT WITH TOTAL IMPUNITY AND ARE RARELY HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR UNETHICAL CONDUCT."
I am amazed that we believe anything they write about. His speech was not just slamming the Bush Administration, it was slamming the media and all of Washington. I don't know about you, but I cannot disagree with him. The Administration has done a terrible job of managing communications on the war. Granted, Bush Derangement Sydrome hasn't helped, but nonetheless the communication skills currently employed in the White House sucks. They should have hired Tony Snow in 2001, and fired any and all Clintonistas still there, or anywhere in any executive level department.
I'm still awaiting action to be filed against William Jefferson, Democrat Louisiana. The DoJ's pursuit of this criminal has been tepid at best. I won't even get into Sandy Burglar, I covered him here...ad infinitum. With the administration's ineptitude, the drive-by media's compliance toward the left, we know our military is wonderful to have made so many strides in spite of them.
I agree with your analysis that the MSM seemed to focus on the juicy anti-Bush details...but I find it incredibly WRONG of today's general officers to stand up on their hind legs AFTER they've retired. Seems to me that if they were that BRAVE, they'd have made their opinions known WHILE in a uniform, rather than drawing a big retirement check sitting in the 'armchair.'
Sorry, Sanchez just joined a group of GO's that I'll always view with a very jaundiced eye.
See you on the high ground!
MajorDad1984
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Major, I read a masterful description of why/how the military has never really elevated dynamic leaders to generalship. Few have demonstrated charisma and leadership to the degree we might have liked, but perhaps it is better they do not...insofar as the founding fathers were concerned when they were framing our founding papers. Afterall, dynamic and charismatic leaders in other countries military frequently form coups, and take over as despots. Point taken. My experience with the military, you included, is that the really great guys and gals with leadership qualities become retired majors, lt. cols, cols., et al.
In Sanchez' defense, he may just be trying to do a huge CYA, and is preparing his memoirs as we speak! It's sad he's not man enough to give credit where credit is obviously due; to General Petraeus. He's going to regret his cowardice someday.
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I first heard of his speech a few days ago when I ran across references to it in blog comments. The lefties were using the part where he criticized the Bush Administration to try and discredit the war. It was only later that I read this part that you quote above. His criticism of the media is dead spot on, too.
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