One of the things I’ve learned in my four (!) years at Media Matters is that conservative politicians are very adept at using conservative media in order to push their agendas. When cons are in trouble or need a media environment that will play pattycake even more than the mainstream press will, they go to talk radio.
That’s why in 2004 President Bush made an appearance on Rush Limbaugh, and why in 2006 Dick Cheney dropped in with the Oxycontin addict. Other Republican pols also go on Sean Hannity’s show in appearances that are often so scripted they make pro wrestling look spontaneous.
Hugh Hewitt is considerably down a few rungs from Limbaugh and Hannity and even O’Reilly (who lost his DC radio affiliate because he could only muster 1/10 of 1% in the ratings) but it’s still enough of a platform for Gen. David Petraeus to try out the early stages of what will probably be the "the surge is working, we just need more time!" talking points. Like Tommy Franks, a military man is now engaging in partisan hack-jobbery, and it’s probably downhill from here.
For some perspective, WWRC (AAR’s DC affiliate) hasn’t registered above a 0.0 in over a year.
Well at least part of that is because the signal SUCKS. I should be in their prime broadcast area and I can’t pick it up.
Obviously, you aren’t wearing your tin-foil hat properly.
Has Gen. Petraeus appeared on anything other than Hugh Hewitt’s show?
Well, duh. If he wasn’t a right-wing hack Bush never would have put him in charge.
Hey, how’s that War Czar making out? We haven’t heard anything from him since he took the job.
Gee. Another military person the left hates. What kind do they like? Why one who volunteers, takes the oath, and trains with his fellow and then ducks and runs.
All we need to know about General Petraeus is this: He went to the GOP Caucus ONLY to discuss Iraq strategy as it applies to GOP Politics!
“ANDREA MITCHELL: I think the Republicans are going to crack. What I’ve been told from inside the moderate center of the Republican caucus is that the vote in favor of the president this week — it was against the president but the Republicans holding for the president — was misleading. That they really are not in favor of the surge. They don’t believe it’s going to work. But they basically said the president has until August, until Labor Day. After that, if it doesn’t work, they’re running.
+++
MITCHELL: They’ll stick until September and then they’ll leave. I believe very firmly that they’re against what he is doing but they feel that General Petraeus has persuaded them that for all intents and purposes, they can’t vote a withdrawal before September.
ANDREA MITCHELL: Petraeus went to the Republican caucus and told them, I will have real progress to you by August. They told him, if — we’ll stick with you —…”
General Petraeus may have been appointed by Bush, but he was approved by your democrat-controlled Congress in a unanimous vote, Mr. Willis. And he revealed his strategy of the surge to them too, so who is the real hack here? The General or the Congress that is now stabbing his back knowing full-well what he was going to do anyway?
They’ll stick until September and then they’ll leave.
Well, now it’s looking like November. Maybe January.
re what Duros said.
I think there is a problem if Petraeus needs to slip until Nov. An answer in September that says we can’t do an assessment is a tacit negative re progress of the surge - IMO. The CinC said Sept and it should be Sept.
I think there is a problem if Petraeus needs to slip until Nov.
WOW! Ya think?
You know what, go and actually listen to the interview with Petraeus.
The general was not giving Hewitt all the rah-rah success-is-here answers he wanted.
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