Defeat the Press: Powell aide tries to shut down Meet the Press Interview

[johnfunk]

"I think that was one of your staff, Mister Secretary. I don't think that is appropriate."

That's approximate -- but that's what we heard Tim Russert say this morning toward the end of an interview with Secretary of State Colin Powell on Meet the Press. Russert had been hammering Powell with tough questions about Iraq -- -- when suddenly, the camera was taken off Powell and viewers were treated to a scenic shot of palm trees and the ocean as some testy conversation could be heard.

More here.

[soothsayer]

1. this was mentioned in an earlier thread called "did something just happen

on meet the press" or something

Powell's press agent Emily pushes the camera out of the way and he fights with her

Russert just showed it again on CNN! LOL

[priller]

2. Powell is undermining Chimpy any chance he gets now

And he's not even being that subtle about it any more. He's desperately trying to salvage his reputation after being loyal to the Idiot for so long. As much as I like seeing him tell the truth about the Bush cabal, I still think it's too little, too late.

[lovedems]

4. I agree, however

I will be willing to forgive him if he can bring this administration down. I am not justifying his past actions and I don't think the ends justify the means but if he shows the world the true nature of this administration and they are shown for the criminals they really are, I will forgive.

[Just Me]

34. Me, too. I would be willing to forgive him, too. n/t

[hang a left]

40. I will never forgive the over-applauded sob.

But I promise never to speak his name again.

[Robbien]

3. I wonder how this is going to be treated in the mainstream press

And there is this other interesting bit in the article

At one point, we heard Powell say, with irritation in his voice, "Emily! Get OUT of the way! Bring the camera BACK, please!"

Our "insider" in Georgetown, Morrie Friendly, tells us that he believes "Emily" may be Emily Miller, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of State. Miller is a former press aide to Tom DeLay.

[maddezmom]

7. CNN Late Edition just had Russert on

they replayed the clip and discussed in detail.

[webtrainer]

60. This might be her on the right . . .

from http://web.wm.edu/news/?id=3580

ON EDIT: Quote from dear Emily from back in 2000 while * and SCOTUS were stealing the election
-----
"This was not a threatening band of armed thugs," said DeLay spokesperson Emily Miller, referring to the raucous demonstrators who stormed the Miami-Dade elections department. "They were idealistic, enthusiastic, young Republicans who felt they were being shut out."

Well, not exactly. Turns out a good portion of those idealists were Republican Party operatives -- including DeLay staffer Thomas Pyle, and Elizabeth Ross, an aide to Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott -- many of whom had been flown in by the Bush campaign. I wonder if it was a package deal: "Spend fall break in Florida. Sun, sand, surf. Shut down the Miami recount and the third night's free."

http://www.ariannaonline.com/columns/column.php?id=304

[pfitz59]

64. Powell rebuffs his "minder".....

Remember, watch what you say! Perhaps Colon has ssen the light?

[Enraged_Ape]

5. My God, did this really happen?!

Who wants to predict when civil war will break out in this country? November? January? This is nuts!!

[shanti]

68. they are prepared for that scenario

haven't you heard of the "detention" camps that have already been prepared for us? it's true.

[TankLV]

6. Actually - it was a lot more than that.

Even before Russert could complete his question to Powell, the camera swung away, and a male voice, very much like Powell's, could be heard saying something like "Oh f---, not that crap again!". It clearly wasn't a female voice.

I think the "Emily" thing is misplaced guilt - I belive it was Powell himself that tried to blow this thing away by turning away the camera in a fit of unscripted rage.

[american_mutt]

35. will nepotisim pay off?

or will Micael fine daddy 500,000 for obsenity?

[Arugula Latte]

58. LOL! Good question!

However, you must not have heard the FCC's new definition of obscenity: anything that is not pro-Bush.

[leesa]

70. Hysterically funny predicament! I'm quite sure nepotism will pay off!

Good one!

[Eloriel]

74. That doesn't match what I saw -- not even close

Nor any of the various renditions and transcripts I've seen of it.

Edit for transcript:

Colin Powell attempts to come clean, press aide yanks camera

Colin Powell is a problem for the Bushites. He wants to level about Saddam's illusory WMD but when he does the Bushites go crazy. For instance, when Tim Russert asked Powell about the "faulty" intelligence concerning Saddam's non-existent WMD on Meet the Press, Powell's press aide, Emily Miller, yanked the camera off Powell and fumed at Russert.

Here's the transcript:

TIM RUSSERT: Finally, Mr. Secretary, in February of 2003, you placed your enormous personal credibility before the United Nations and laid out a case against Saddam Hussein, citing.

(Camera moved off of interview subject)

EMILY MILLER, STATE DEPARTMENT PRESS AIDE: You're off.

SECRETARY POWELL: I am not off.

EMILY MILLER, PRESS AIDE: No. They can't use it, they're editing it.

SECRETARY POWELL: He's still asking the questions.

EMILY MILLER, PRESS AIDE: He was not ...

SECRETARY POWELL: Tim, I am sorry I lost you.

MR. RUSSERT: I am right here Mr. Secretary. I would hope they would put you back on camera. I don't know who did that.

EMILY MILLER, PRESS AIDE: He was going to go for another five minutes.

SECRETARY POWELL: We've really scre...

MR. RUSSERT: I think that was one of your staff Mr. Secretary. I don't think that's appropriate.

SECRETARY POWELL: Emily, get out of the way. Bring the camera back please. (Camera returns to the interview subject) I think we're back on Tim, go ahead with your last question.

MR. RUSSERT: Thank you very much, sir.

In February of 2003, you put your enormous personal reputation on the line before the United Nations and said that you had solid sources for the case against Saddam Hussein. It now appears that an agent called "Curve Ball" had misled the CIA by suggesting that Saddam had trucks and trains that were delivering biological chemical weapons.

How concerned are you that some of the information you shared with the world is now inaccurate and discredited?

SECRETARY POWELL: I'm very concerned. When I made that presentation in February 2003, it was based on the best information that the Central Intelligence Agency made available to me. We studied it carefully. We looked at the sourcing and the case of the mobile trucks and trains. There was multiple sourcing for that. Unfortunately, that multiple sourcing over time has turned out to be not accurate, and so I'm deeply disappointed.

But I'm also comfortable that at the time that I made the presentation it reflected the collective judgment, the sound judgment, of the intelligence community, but it turned out that the sourcing was inaccurate and wrong and, in some cases, deliberately misleading. And for that I'm disappointed, and I regret it.

MR. RUSSERT: Mr. Secretary, we thank you very much for joining us again and sharing your views with us today.

-- more -- http://kurtnimmo.com/

[kiahzero]

75. How, exactly, did he do that?

Telekinesis?

[Cocoa]

8. Russert explained what happened

he said that Powell's press aide tried to cut off the interview before the last question, and that he appreciated that Powell overruled that aide.

And McCain made a pretty funny joke later, when Russert asked him for the umpteenth time about running with Kerry, McCain said he wished they'd cut to a palm tree. :-)

[Occulus]

11. Pass this one into cultural consciousness.

Use it. When anyone asks you a question you'd rather not answer, use that. "I wish you'd cut to a palm tree on that one." They'll ask what you mean.

Tell them. :)

[goforit]

13. Now that is funny!!!...Even if McCain is wacky, he does have a good

sense of humor at times.

I would puke though if Kerry picked the SOB tough.

[Sagan]

9. Ha ha ha ha! Emily Miller former press aide to the Bug Man!

From Pundit Pap referenced above:

*snip*
Our "insider" in Georgetown, Morrie Friendly, tells us that he believes "Emily" may be Emily Miller, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of State. Miller is a former press aide to Tom DeLay.

*snip*

Well, THAT explains the high-handed treatment.

[Penndems]

73. Um, sorry, but a correction's needed here

With all due respect to "Morrie" (if that's his real name): Either Emily fed him a boatload of crap or he invented that little remark. This girl is a lackey Public Affairs Assistant who just happens to be a Bush appointee. She probably got that job because Delay (or somebody on his staff) recommended her. My God, the rank and file at State must be fuming over this.

Her job is to meet with Secretary Powell once a day to run through his interview schedule and field calls from reporters. Then, she goes over briefing papers and a list of POSSIBLE questions with the Secretary, gets him to the interview on time and applies his make-up. Oh, and attend meets with the Spokesman, the Deputies and the PA Assistant Secretary (Richard Boucher, and I won't go there, LOL). That's it. Extent of job. Over and out.

Julie Reside, the woman doing the "spin", has been at the State Department for quite some time. She's not just doing damage control; she trying to save her own ass.

How do I know this? Well, at the risk of "outing" myself somewhat, I worked in the PA front office during the end of the first Clinton Administration. The phone number listed in the directory is MY former number.

Stupid bitch. If I was Secretary Powell, I'd personally frog-march her to the C Street entrance and throw her and her belongings out - sans recommendation letter. :mad:

[goforit]

10. OMG!!!....Miller is a former press aide to Tom DeLay???.....WTF???

Why the hell would Powell be allowing this turd, Emily Miller,
to even be on his team????

Come on Powell.......You're a little brighter than that!!!!

[carpe diem]

15. there are people planted by the White House...

...(i.e., Dick Cheney)at the State Dept. to reign Powell in. If she used to work for Tom Delay, she was probably one of the Rove/Cheney operatives.

[goforit]

22. No wonder Powell's constantly giving two messages. He's held hostage!

Hmmm......

If only the military would follow the good leaders!!!

[aquart]

29. Powell is NOT a good leader.

His ambition is first and always. The nation is dead last. Emphasis on "dead."

[Bleacher Creature]

33. I'm starting to agree with you.

I've wanted to give Powell the benefit of the doubt since the start of this "administration," but simply cannot any longer.

I figure he's got three options here:
(1) Fire this staffer;
(2) Resign (if the Bush/Cheney/DeLay cabal won't let him); or
(3) Never mention it again.

If he picks (3), it means this was all planned or that he was complicit. Either way, he's done

[katusha]

30. no matter what you call it

political commissars, nazification, ba'athification no matter what the final political system that evolves it always starts with infiltration of loyal ideologues into all levels of government and finally the military.

[Junkdrawer]

12. Video here:

http://algraffix.nstemp.com/powellMTP.wmv

[stepnw1f]

16. Is there a RMV of that video file?

[RC]

32. Try this

http://downloads-zdnet.com.com/3000-2192-10021962.html

[Judi Lynn]

23. Thanks for sharing the chance to see this with DU'ers.

That was the most unacceptable behavior, (outside the intimidation at the Miami-Dade vote recount which ended it, to our great loss) I've ever seen by anyone connected with government in a news story. Actually running away with the camera is bizarre, and it shows us Republicans seem to believe they have unlimited power.

Pity.

[loftycity]

24. Un F***ing real! Thanks Junkdrawer.

Passing this on to friends...meltdown is here.

[wryter2000]

25. Holy effing shiite

They've lost it. They've utterly and totally lost it. How long is Powell going to put up with this crap? I sure hope someone verifies "Emily's" identity.

[Cooley Hurd]

43. Links to clips - broadband & dialup:

http://algraffix.nstemp.com/powellMTP.wmv <-high bandwidth (6MB Windows Media stream)

http://algraffix.nstemp.com/powellMTP.rm <-dial-up (600KB Real Media stream)

[stepnw1f]

14. Good For You Powell

it's the least you can do, but still, good for you and now us!

[JCMach1]

17. They are trying to 'MIND' Powell

OMFG...

Yes, good for you Mr. Secretary... you are the only one deserving of that title in this misadministration.

[maddezmom]

18. Transcript here:

~snip~
Russert: Finally, Mr. Secretary, in February of 2003, you placed your enormous personal credibility before the United Nations and laid out a case against Saddam Hussein citing...

Powell: Not off.

Emily: No. They can't use it. They're editing it. They (unintelligible).

Powell: He's still asking me questions. Tim.

Emily: He was not...

Powell: Tim, I'm sorry, I lost you.

Russert: I'm right here, Mr. Secretary. I would hope they would put you back on camera. I don't know who did that.

Powell: We really...

Russert: I think that was one of your staff, Mr. Secretary. I don't think that's appropriate.

Powell: Emily, get out of the way.

Emily: OK.

Powell: Bring the camera back, please. I think we're back on, Tim. Go ahead with your last question.

Russert: Thank you very much, sir. In February of 2003, you put your enormous personal reputation on the line before the United Nations and said that you had solid sources for the case against Saddam Hussein. It now appears that an agent called Curveball had misled the CIA by suggesting that Saddam had trucks and trains that were delivering biological and chemical weapons. How concerned are you that some of the information you shared with the world is now inaccurate and discredited?

Powell: I'm very concerned. When I made that presentation in February 2003, it was based on the best information that the Central Intelligence Agency made available to me. We studied it carefully; we looked at the sourcing in the case of the mobile trucks and trains. There was multiple sourcing for that. Unfortunately, that multiple sourcing over time has turned out to be not accurate. And so I'm deeply disappointed. But I'm also comfortable that at the time that I made the presentation, it reflected the collective judgment, the sound judgment of the intelligence community. But it turned out that the sourcing was inaccurate and wrong and in some cases, deliberately misleading. And for that, I am disappointed and I regret it.

Russert: Mr. Secretary, we thank you very much for joining us again and sharing your views with us today.

Powell: Thanks, Tim.

Russert: And that was an unedited interview with the secretary of state taped earlier this morning from Jordan. We appreciate Secretary Powell's willingness to overrule his press aide's attempt to abruptly cut off our discussion as I began to ask my final question.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4992558/

[last1standing]

19. It's getting to be too much for them to take.

I think we are witnessing an administration in meltdown. The only thing propping them up at this point is an obedient press. If the media cracks and we begin to see the truth in prime time television and print, even the October Surprise will not help bush* and his cabal.

[Entente]

20. Emily get out of the way!!

This administration is full of Emilies, who don't allow the scary thruths to be told. My new motto is going to be "Emily, get the F*#k out the way!!

[Judi Lynn]

36. Odd snippet on Emily Miller, from a google search

(snip)
"We do think Tucker is a big jokester and not a real Republican," said House republican Emily Miller, spokeswoman for GOP whip Tom DeLay. But Miller told PAGE SIX she's "fine" with Carlson and has not complained about him to the network.

DeLay has been known to call CNN the "Clinton News Network" or the "Communist News Network." Miller said, "I have had ongoing discussions with Frank Sesno about this - CNN does not have any real conservatives . They think they do with Bob Novak and Tucker Carlson, but I keep telling them they don't."

"CNN's ratings are horrible - Fox News kills them because they have real conservatives and present both sides of the issues," Miller noted.

John Feehrey, spokesman for House speaker Dennis Hastert, declared that CNN isn't the only left-leaning news organization. "The media does tend to be liberal, and Fox News is the only network with full representation." If Hastert is seen more on Fox than CNN it's because "I'm just trying to get my boss as good coverage as I can," Feehrey said.
(snip)

http://216.239.39.104/search?q=cache:3x7VlzT1segJ:soejima.to/boards/info/18.html+%22Emily+Miller%22+%2B+Republican+%2B+spokeswoman&hl=en

[bluedog]

41. also from search:::::: Fl 2000/Mob scene

That's how I felt watching Majority Whip Tom DeLay suddenly morph into a champion of protest marches and civil disobedience. "This was not a threatening band of armed thugs," said DeLay spokesperson Emily Miller, referring to the raucous demonstrators who stormed the Miami-Dade elections department. "They were idealistic, enthusiastic, young Republicans who felt they were being shut out."

[Judi Lynn]

51. How can anyone put "idealistic" and "Republicans" together

in the same sentence without getting struck by lightning? She's tempting fate.

[Entente]

21. Powell is becoming a wild card!

He seems to do whatever he wants whenever he wants. Too smart for this administration?

[Snellius]

26. Powell admits some info at U.N. was "deliberately misleading"

Maybe that's why someone wanted to cut him off.

[TacticalPeek]

42. There it is: "in some cases, deliberately misleading". That's news, IMO.

I believe that is the first public admission by an insider that they were snookered, presumably referring to Curveball and Chalabi's INC.

It's fine that the media cover the camera fubar, but they should pay attention to the answer that followed.

For Russert, "nuclear weapons" (Cheney), "deliberately misleading" are details he'll leave to the blogs and magazines to clear up.

[MidwestTransplant]

27. IT's great that it was unedited!

[Spinzonner]

28. OK now, Does Garry Trudeau have new Icon

for an Administration member ?

Powell as a Palm Treee.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

31. And people thought the "yawning boy" Letterman brouhbaha was some

kind of joke.

[Alerter_]

61. the media stopped playing nice since the CIA is throwing some

to the wolves. It just shows how tightly the media has been controlled for the last few years.

[Lou_C]

37. Powell looks like a fool

I love it because they are all going to go down sooner or later and I hope that it will be sooner.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[Dover]

39. I am still waiting for SOMEONE to make a big stink about certain people

working under Rumsfeld calling CBS to get them to hold off on the prison torture story. And CBS AGREED! I also wonder if during that waiting period Berg was beheaded......

[fearnobush]

45. In late 2000, CBS also agreed to do a rather damaging piece with

Greg Palest exposing his 2 CD's and video clips of the voter scrub and of Florida election commis. Clayton Roberts basically admitting the fraud on the audio portion of video after they forced the BBC to shut the cameras off. After consulting with Jeb Bush, CBS declined to do the Palest interview and as a likely result, we ended up with 911, some 1000 dead U.S. solders, 30,000 dead Iraqi civilians, X number of dead iraqi solders, Enron, you fucking name it. Thank you CBS for caving to the fascist fuckers and enabling them to ruin our democracy.

[Cooley Hurd]

44. Hi johnfunk

I didn't see your AJC link before I locked this, so I unlocked. My apologies... :hi:

[Malva Zebrina]

46. why are we seeing so much of Colin Powell in the news lately?

He has been nothing more than a serious looking, prop for three years,and now, with all the scandal coming out, we get to see the "stable and sober" Colin Powell coming forth representing the government, which was so clever to appoint him Sec'y of State--Colin gonna fix it all, even if it means making it appear that he does not agree with Bush

This is just as sick as Bush, Rice, Wolfowitz and Rumsfeld

[johnfunk]

48. Colin did some SERIOUS damage to the Bush Regime today

... especially the admission that WMD intelligence was "discredited" -- not to mention his statement that evidence had been "deliberately misleading."

"I'm disappointed and I regret it."

OUCH! Quick -- someone hand Smirk some pretzels and Wild Turkey. He'll need it.

[Neshanic]

47. Shrub....Meet Colin Palm

[bluedog]

49. Now Comes the Spin!!

State Department spokeswoman Julie Reside said Powell had scheduled five interviews one after another and that NBC went over the agreed upon time limit. She said every effort was made to get NBC to finish up, but that other networks had booked satellite time for interviews with Powell.

The executive producer of "Meet the Press," Betsy Fischer, said the exchange was not edited out because most taped interviews are not altered before airing.

She said Powell aide Emily Miller called right after the taping to "express her displeasure" that the interview ran long. Fischer also said Powell called Russert a few hours later to apologize.

The State Department would not confirm either call or that Miller was the aide addressed by Powell.


more at: http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/bw-exec/2004/may/16/051607070.html

[uncertainty1999]

52. yah right -- MTP is *the* premier political news show...

Emily Miller should know that if Tim Russert wants an extra 2 minutes, then he should get it! (given that, I don't believe the interview ran long at all ... the woman is full of it.

[LizW]

55. Too late for spin

Russert already said on Late Edition that he was aware of the tight schedule. Powell had only about 6 minutes for the interview. Russert said that they told him in his earpiece to wrap it up and he started to ask the last question, but the camera swung away before he finished asking it.

I think it's very interesting that "Emily" assumed MTP would clean up and edit the interview and that she could just cut it off whenever she wanted. Russert was obviously pissed. He told Blitzer that in 30-something years of broadcasting, nothing like that had ever happened in one of his interviews.

[mbperrin]

50. Hellooooo, Emily!

Grabbed any other "cameras" lately?

[Catshrink]

53. I think Powell needs to stay out of small aircraft.....

Wonder if Jr. will come out in full support of his SOS????? Doubt it. They'll make Powell the fall guy instead of Rummy.

[uncertainty1999]

54. Why now? This was not such an unusual question.

I don't understand - the question was not that unusual, and clearly Colin was ready to answer it. what is going on? some ideas:

1) Emily Miller panicked, and tried to protect (albeit clumsily) Colin Powell from a critical question.
2) Emily Miller is really working for someone besides Colin, and she (or other powers that be) did not like what Powell was about to say.
3) Colin P. staged the whole thing to look like a hero.

This was just *weird* (and scary, frankly).

ON EDIT: I would pick #2, after giving it some more thought.

[oblivious]

71. #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 EOM

[Sparky McGruff]

76. Maybe a fourth option...

#4. Emily thought she'd show the "Liberal Media" that they have to play by HER rules.

She figured that Russert would just edit the tape, and they'd go do some ass kissing interview with Fox news. She'd show them how the game is played. If you ask the right questions, we'll give you a good interview.

[spooked]

56. The Cameraman's Code Word

The Cameraman's Code Words seem to have been "February 2003" The INSTANT Russert utters that phrase, the camera moved away from Powell. I believe Emily told the cameraman beforehand (maybe after the previous commercial) to move the camera off Powell THE INSTANT Tim Russert might those words. Watch the video clip again, it's clear that the words "February 2003" were the words Emily & Co. did not want to hear.

[tinanator]

59. come on

that camera operator wasnt part of the problem, he surely has his job to do, and that aint part of it. spooky?

[daleo]

57. Multiple source turned out to be not accurate?

"Powell: I'm very concerned. When I made that presentation in February 2003, it was based on the best information that the Central Intelligence Agency made available to me. We studied it carefully; we looked at the sourcing in the case of the mobile trucks and trains. There was multiple sourcing for that. Unfortunately, that multiple sourcing over time has turned out to be not accurate. And so I'm deeply disappointed. But I'm also comfortable that at the time that I made the presentation, it reflected the collective judgment, the sound judgment of the intelligence community. But it turned out that the sourcing was inaccurate and wrong and in some cases, deliberately misleading. And for that, I am disappointed and I regret it."

It sounds like the multiple sourcing all led back to the same source to me. It could be that they are thinking of throwing Chalabi to the wolves, to protect themselves (or at least Powell is).

[rocktivity]

62. Anybody got audio or video?

I'm sure someone will, too. I must have missed it by few seconds--I saw Tim and Colin as I was turning to Channel 2 to see Sy Hersh on Face the Nation. Well, the replay will be on MSNBC at 10PM EST--think they'll leave it in?

:headbang:
rocknation

[maddezmom]

65. compliments of junkdrawer

http://algraffix.nstemp.com/powellMTP.wmv

[Cooley Hurd]

66. Links to high and low bandwidth clips:

http://algraffix.nstemp.com/powellMTP.wmv <-high bandwidth (6MB Windows Media stream)

http://algraffix.nstemp.com/powellMTP.rm <-dial-up (600KB Real Media stream)

[DoYouEverWonder]

63. I wonder how many time they had to cut away the camera

for W's last interview?

No wonder Timmy is sick of this shit?

[DoNotRefill]

67. He didn't try to dodge the question....

he proverbially slapped the aide down and finished the interview. That was the right thing to do.

[Kolesar]

69. AP Newswire link

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=ap/powell_cut_short
This is an account from the newswire, not a pundit site.

[Francine Frensky]

72. They are running this clip at 20 after allnight on headline news

my question is, why are they running this? It's not really news, it's kind of funny, but the only person who looks dumb is this emily person, are they setting her up to be fired, and if so, who cares if she is fired?

Did Powell say some things that the news media don't want us to hear, and so instead they are sidetracking us with this kind of irrelevent technical problem? Was russert's original question ever answered? That's what i'd like to know.