Urgent: Leslie Stahl needs your feedback

[Iceburg]

At the end of the 60 minutes broadcast tonight Stahl stated that the VAST majority of emails received regarding the Clarke interview were negative i.e. 60 Minutes was a "propaganda arm of the liberal elite and should be tried for treason etc etc."

It never would have crossed my mind to send an email to 60 minutes over what seemed like a well conducted and well timed piece of journalism -- but then I'm Canadian eh!

Given that Leslie Stahl's Clarke interview was the first evidence of journalistic balls shown since 9/11 please email your support ... give her a bone to throw at her corporate masters.

Use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of the page ..
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1998/07/08/60minutes/main13504.shtml

BRING IT ON AMERICA

[hang a left]

1. Leslie Stahl is a Bilderberger.

A bought and paid for elite shill.

[Hamlette]

3. here interview with Clarke was fine

cut her some slack and give them support or else the freepers win by intimdation.

[yardwork]

2. Thank you!

I sent them an email thanking them for interviewing Richard Clarke. I also reminded them of the right-wing habit of flooding emails and skewing polls.

[Iceburg]

4. Kick : Or Risk Losing A Good Media Ally

Sent to CBS:

I was stunned to hear that the majority of the letters received regarding the Richard Clarke interview were negative. I regarded this as the most comprehensive and fair piece of journalism from a U.S. journalist since the invasion of Iraq.

I am a Canadian, and therefore perhaps less blinded by the prestige of the Office of the President; I (perhaps naively) believe that the foundation of democracy rests in questioning authority. Clarke (and Stahl) are to be commended for their bravery in this era of fear.

Until the broadcast last week I was ready to cancel my TV cable subsciption because of the propaganda nature of the news coverage by the major network outlets over the last year. Edward R. Murrow must surely be spinning in his grave! I like to think his rotations slowed when Stahl and Clarke were on air.

Don't let the "Flying Monkeys" stop the CBS tradition of fine journalism.

Robyn Kall, Ottawa

[BootinUp]

5. I just sent one

Sent via their 60 minutes contact page

Dear Ms. Stahl,

I wish I had written you last week. I watched the Richard Clarke segment and found him to be such a credible man. A man who really cared about his job and tried to raise awareness of the problem of al Qaeda in early 2001, but was not listened to by others in the Administration.

The effort at character assassination from the Whitehouse is so telling. But the more smears that are launched at him, many times in contradiction to each other, only discredit the smear campaign.

Please continue to follow this story and don't let the character assassination bury the story. It is too important, and American lives are still at risk.

Sincerely
XXXX

[Iceburg]

6. Thanks Jim4 -- Your message was terrific

[LEW]

7. Last week after the interview

There was a post started here and I know there were several of us who sent e-mails thanking her for a great interview.

Don't know if I believe most were negative. Also, his interview was well publicised, so I'm sure the repubs were ready to rebeut and smear. Remember the White House had to approve the book so they knew what was coming. We seem to forget they have had several months to formultate a defense and smear campaign. It's sad they had all this time and can only come up with character assignation as their defense.

[Iceburg]

8. Good Points but in the words of Dick Clarke ...

"it wasn't enough". The journalists who dare to go where no journalist has been for the past 3 years need support. The freepers are there why aren't we?

[laruemtt]

9. thanks for reminding us

how important it is to let those journalists who show courage how much we appreciate them. gotta keep on top of these metasticizing freepers.....

[JohnyCanuck]

10. Here's what I sent

Thanks for the great interview you did with Richard Clarke and for allowing him a fair opportunity to present his case to the public. The only people who would have been upset at your coverage of this story would be those who had their illusions shattered that Dubya really does have a hotline to heaven and gets his instructions transmitted directly into his head from Jesus every day.

I would like to suggest that you interview again Sibel Edmonds the former FBI translator who has already made one appearance on 60 Minutes. She recently held a press conference in which she made some rather startling claims that the FBI had much greater pre-knowledge of the 911 attack than previously acknowledged, that there appeared to be systematic efforts within her department to thwart her efforts to produce timely and accurate translations of intercepts, that some translators had relationships with persons who were subjects of FBI investigation and then translated intercepts acquired during these investigations, and that she was approached by the Department of Justice after 9/11 to alter some existing translations to make them seem less incriminating re. the details given within the document about terrorist attacks. This story was reported at Salon.com on Friday March 26

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/03/26/translator/index_np.html

Also on the web site of investigative reporter Tom Flocco.

http://tomflocco.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=50

Thanks again for the great Clarke interview and please don't back down from providing the public with an honest look at all aspects of the Bush administration based on the frothing at the mouth rantings of the far right nut cases from freerepublic.com

Regards
xxxxxx

[Iceburg]

11. Excellent Letter and Suggestion JC

Thank you.

[creeksneakers2]

12. I sent them a nasty E-mail

I think they really let Rice off the hook. They didn't ask her a thing about the specific accusations against her. I've been following this closely for the last week and haven't seen her asked what she actually DID do herself about terrorism. It turned out today that the warnings she claimed that SHE sent out were sent out by Clarke. She lied over and over all week but wasn't asked about a single lie on 60 Minutes.

What about disclosing the E-mails with Clarke like he suggested today?

She said Bush had a plan to eliminate Al Queda. He doesn't have a plan to this day.

She lied about Clarke being offered a meeting to brief the president.
They didn't ask about that. The whole thing only lasted about 15 minutes.

The RWs get angry. We should too.

[Iceburg]

14. Very good points .. I especially liked

"She said Bush had a plan to eliminate Al Queda." And that has worked out quite well, hasn't it. Perhaps the plan needs to be revised. Ah, but she plays the fool so well -- wouldn't you agree.

[CatWoman]

15. keep em coming -- just sent mine

:kick:

[BiggJawn]

70. I wonder how much editing they had to do with Condi?

Bet they had to chop out a lot of "That's it (standing up) I'm LEAVING. We agreed that I would NOT talk about that particular subject..."

Condi was in the driver's seat for sure, and I'm mentioning that along with the roses for the Clark interview.

"Why can't you be 'Far and Balanced' like Fox News?" indeed....

[oasis]

13. Rethugs are circling the wagons again. The Reagan movie pullback was

an indication of their ability to network against the networks.

[alcuno]

16. Anybody here going to contact CBS about interviewing Condi?

Didn't think so. The Rights penchant for stifling dissent is disgusting and un-American. My email is now sent.

[truth2power]

58. I sent an email. nt

[nostamj]

17. i have my problems with Stahl BUT...

she made the freepers look VERY bad tonight.

she read some very ugly stuff and ended with a solid, positive note.

the right *wantS* to run against the "angry" dems.

let's see if 60 Minutes decides to do a little report on republican ANGER and HATE ?

[Iceburg]

19. You are absolutely correct but ...

Give her boss the numbers to continue what she has started.

[nostamj]

25. oh, well... I did already...

I wrote immediately after the broadcast last week.

[Robbien]

18. I sent her one on the Clarke interview

Said that Faux and talk media has conditioned the fundie right to automatically send hate mail whenever a story is not slanted to the right. Then thanked her and CBS for giving Richard Clarke the opportunity to air his story.

[Iceburg]

21. Bravo - Two Birds with one Stone Email

Cheers Robbien!

[Media_Lies_Daily]

52. Done.

[keithyboy]

20. Sent my e-mail.

We need to keep up the good fight.

[Iceburg]

24. Thank you Keith!

Sometimes we spend to much time ranting on this board when we could be taking advantage of precious moments and opportunities to spread the word beyond. Again thanks!

[Jacobin]

22. done

thanks for the heads up on this.

Freepers must have hammered them for airing the truth.

[Iceburg]

26. Thanks Jacobin

Sometimes I think this site makes us a tad lazy ... but by gosh when there is a call to arms I am impressed.

[Cleita]

23. Clarke's book is a best seller.

Many are buying his book and reading it. It's what, in it's fifth printing now? That means it's selling out and being reordered. Some negative freeper mail to 60 Minutes doesn't change the fact that millions of Americans are looking for the truth.

[Robbien]

29. Yes, but if they are flooded with viewer mail,

They sometimes do a follow-up segment. It would be great to have a follow up segment on Clarke. That is what I am hoping for; and if not that then at least a follow-up segment on Clarke viewer mail.

It is always a good thing that we are letting CBS know there voices out here other than the rabid right.

[nostamj]

32. follow-up...

on astroturfing, freeping, mass email bombing, and the republican hate machine in action

[Robbien]

35. That would be a really interesting show!

and it is something everyone needs to know. How the right influences the media by their hate mail campaigns where they force non-right talk radio hosts off the air, or threaten sponsors of non-right television shows.

[nostamj]

38. from the email I sent tonight (post #30)

Story suggestion: If the Republicans are going to paint the Democrats as the 'angry' party, how about giving the organized right-wing hate campaign equal time?

[Cleita]

44. Don't worry about the email.

I sent it last week and will again this week with an additional criticism of tonight's show.

[Iceburg]

46. Go with it -- send the idea in to CBS

Or at the very least, inquire about the selected content. Was it intentional?

[nostamj]

49. but but but....

I DID! I sent what I posted in #30.

[Mari333]

27. done

[tandot]

28. I just saw 60 minutes and was disgusted with the letters she read

and send an email to CBS. How can she even pay attention by those right-wing idiots calling Clarke and CBS traitors. How dare they call us traitors just because we want to know the truth

We only spring into action when we see something we dislike. Whenever I saw that interview with Clarke, I thought it was excellent. I didn't even think about emailing and thanking her for the interview. The right-wing idiots, however, do not lose any time to whine and complain as soon as their King is portrayed as incompetent.

[Iceburg]

33. You raise an extremely important point ...

"We only spring into action when we see something we dislike."
We must modify our thinking. The media is terrified of taking on the Wizard of OZ. In Dan Rather's words " we are afraid of having a flaming tire put around our necks". With respect to modified thinking and tactics we must get the message through that we not only approve but will stand valliantly beside those journalists and bureaucrats who dare to swim upstream in a current of lies.

[Iceburg]

69. U.S. reporters are simply too afraid to ask ...

On the BBC television show, Newsnight, an American journalist (Dan Rather)confessed that, since the 9/11 attacks, U.S. reporters are simply too afraid to ask the uncomfortable questions that could kill careers:

<snip>
"It's an obscene comparison, but there was a time in South Africa when people would put flaming tires around people's necks if they dissented. In some ways, the fear is that you will be neck-laced here, you will have a flaming tire of lack of patriotism put around your neck," Dan Rather said. Without his makeup, Rather looked drawn, old and defeated in confessing that he too had given in. "It's that fear that keeps journalists from asking the toughest of the tough questions and to continue to bore in on the tough questions so often."
<snip>

The Flying monkeys continue to attack any journalist who dares to take a step in the direction of truth. We must be more vigilant in responding to the media when they do move in the direction of truth and not just when they piss us off.

Todays Target: Please do your bit by emailing CBS regarding the Clarke and Rice interviews.

[nostamj]

30. my letter for tonight....

I thought Ms. Stahl was quite effective in presenting the negative responses to her interview with Richard Clarke.

Surely CBS is well aware of the organized on-line campaigns to flood (or 'freep') stations or programs with the harshest right-wing rhetoric.

By presenting the ugliest of these messages, she put the appropriate face on the seething republican hate machine.

Story suggestion: If the Republicans are going to paint the Democrats as the 'angry' party, how about giving organized right-wing hate campaign equal time?

CBS and 60 Minutes continue in a tradition I've known for as long as you've been on the air.

Thanks.

[Iceburg]

36. Good Response

A true liberal soldier!

[dflprincess]

31. Sent my email in -

apologizing for not sending positive feedback sooner. And, seeing as CBS likes to bring Edward R. Murrow up as the ideal reporter and the standard CBS strives for, I suggested that, when confronted with the corruption of this administration, to do what Ed Murrow would have done.

[Iceburg]

40. Ah .yes.. Edward R. Murrow

Good response princess! Keep up the good work!

[Ilsa]

34. The good news is that the freeper letters she read on TV

were so strident as to sound like Nazi's! They weren't even close to reasonable. One even advocated for trying Clarke for treason for bush-bashing and having everyone that promoted his story lined up and shot as well. Another made a comment like "Why can't you be fair and balanced like Fox News?" I think putting the vicous stuff on was a great idea to show how out of touch these people are. I only hope it works.

(BTW, I sent CBS a supportive email about the Clarke interview last weekend (or whenever it ran).

[Iceburg]

41. You're absolutely right about the "theme" of the letters

and why CBS wanted to air this evasion of the truth (read hatred). Thank you for supporting the journalist of the week "Leslie Stahl"

[ldf]

37. also sent my email

we need to be just as responsive as the other side.

although i think it has taken 60 minutes a long time to come around, maybe they are beginning to.

we can hope.

[Iceburg]

43. Your right ..we need to encourage the brave

And agreed, its been along wait. If they drop the ball now I am prepared to bury my tube (ie TV) and rely soley on the blogosphere for info.
Thanks for chipping in LDF. In an election every vote counts, in the lead up every letter counts.

[ThatPoetGuy]

39. Text of my letter

I just wanted to thank Leslie Stahl for having the courage to interview Richard Clarke, a true American hero; people I know are calling him "the last warrior for truth."

For several years a group of cowards and liars has intimidated the fourth estate, and many media outlets have been afraid to tell the truth. 60 Minutes will go down in history as a hero of the American republic, as the institution that brought truth back to the people.

[Iceburg]

47. "Last Warrior for Truth"

You sure know how to make a grown woman cry! Thank you for taking action. I truly hope they read your letter next week.

[BillZBubb]

42. Just sent an email

Told her to keep up the good work.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

45. Thanks - sent them an e-mail

n/t

[Kool Kitty]

48. Done. n/t

[myccrider]

50. My email to CBS

Here's the email I just sent. It is, unfortunately, true that *I* generally only get off my lazy tush to do something like this when someone has done something to anger me - and this is STILL a case of anger at the attack emails!

"After tonight's reading by Ms. Leslie Stahl of the emails sent to 60 Minutes by the right-wing hate machine, I feel compelled to write in support of the show you did on Richard Clarke last weekend.

I apologize for not doing this immediately.

I had nearly given up, over the last year, on American media actually doing investigative reporting and trying to objectively present ALL the facts to the American people. 60 Minutes has given me some renewed hope for a free press in this country. That scene when Steve Hadley claimed that no such meeting had taken place between President Bush and Richard Clarke (as described in Clarke's book and in your interview with Clarke) and Ms. Stahl confronted him with the FACT that there were witnesses who confirmed the conversation was a moment of investigative reporting at its finest. Edward R. Murrow smiled, I'm sure.

My disappointment with American media has inclined me to eschew TV and radio almost completely in the last year, I will again start watching 60 Minutes on a regular basis.

Please continue to do these kinds of investigative reports and expos'es. You have special privileges under our Constitution that require special responsibilities of you to question and confront those in authority and those with power."

[Iceburg]

51. Exceptional Letter -- Be Proud myccrider

Until the election is over, we must live "the buck stops here" and do OUR part each and every day. Thank you.

[Robbien]

54. You are doing a great job at keeping the thread encouraged

And by your post count you seem to be new at posting on DU.

Welcome to DU, Iceburg, love your enthusiam.

[Iceburg]

66. Thanks for the warm welcome Robbien

As a Canadian I must limit my enthusiasm to non-monetary actions. However, I have put my furdotters(dogs) on a reduced diet to help finance Air America. We do love Americans and going to America but since the non-election in 2000 we have limited our travel to your great country to urgent business trips only. If Bush does get re-selected we are have a plan to re-patriate our comedians.

[myccrider]

62. Thanks!

I think you, others on this thread, and on other threads are correct that we need to become much more vehement in our *support* of the media and politicians when they act in the best interests of the country as a whole instead of the narrow interests of the few who are rich & powerful.

I don't think that will be enough to wrest control of the country from the capito-fascists, but it may help in the war against them. I am going to start exerting myself more in that direction. This is the first year I have ever given money to a politician's compaign (Dean & Kerry) and it will be the first year I start writing LOEs and such.

I am soooooo fed up with the misdirection of the US in the last 30 years...I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK!!!!!

:grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

:bounce: :headbang: :bounce: :headbang: :bounce:

[jean]

53. kick!

[Only Me]

55. I just sent mine it said....

Thank you for the interview with Richard Clarke. I appreciate very much his story.

When Bush spoke after the Commissions interview of Clarke, Bushes responses to the media were disturbing. The way he spoke about what he didn't know before the 9-11 attacks, it would occur on 9-11, in New York City, etc.,. In my opinion, it was as if he could be trying to mislead the public by being so very specific about what he didn't know. Ms. Rice's lack of appearance and her contradictions. The limited way President Bush and V.P. Cheney choose to speak to the committee. The way they have tried to demoralize Mr. Clarke publicly for speaking out is sickening. The administrations handling of the whole matter has been less than forthright.
I personally think the press has been far to kind to this administration on many issues, which has been surprising considering some of the issues.

The administrations reluctance to commit to the public in an honest, open, under oath, interview is disrespectful to the American People. We have had our country turned upside
down. We deserve to know the truth.

Thank You

[Robbien]

56. Just what they need to know

There are many of us out here that need a press that is on the side of the people.

And participation from another new poster!
Welcome to DU MyDay38!

[Only Me]

57. Thank You for the Warm Welcome!!

This is a wonderful board. I am glad to be apart of it.

[CatWoman]

59. another hearty welcome here

:hi:

[Broadslidin]

60. Sent an e-mail expressing Appreciation for Leslie Stahl's Truth Seeking.

And a Thank You to the D.U. family for thoroughly analyzing
this important key moment in our nation's history.

[Only Me]

61. Thank You Cat Woman!!

:hi:

[ezee]

63. Thanks

I just sent mine

[Hekate]

64. kick!

:kick:

Hekate

[G_j]

65. sent another

although I sent one last week, I figured it wouldn't hurt to send another.
I told them the Clarke interview was one of the most important interviews they have ever aired.

[Iceburg]

67. You are in the running for the toaster oven this week

Keep up the full court press!

[devinsgram]

68. Done

We can't let those freepers out do us.

[Iceburg]

71. That's the spirit devin!

We must turn the tides one email at a time. Everyone must contribute if we are to liberate the media. They are being held hostage by the Flying Monkey's fear machine.

[JNelson6563]

72. Done

Thanks for posting info

[Enraged_Ape]

73. Let this be a lesson to us to praise as much as we criticize...

if not more.

I just sent my e-mail, though I sure wish I had sent it earlier. I will never let another opportunity slip away again to encourage those who stick their necks out for us.

[Iceburg]

74. Dear Diary

Today I ---
1. emailed Larry King requesting that he have Loretta Scott
King on his show:
2. emailed CBS about the Clarke and Rice interviews
3. ordered 5 copies of Against all enemies (4 are going to my
US friends)
4. Sent $100 to Air America
5. Start to compile a list of advertisers on Fox
6. Walked my fur dotters and while I pondered my next move


Please continue to e-praise the efforts of the journalists who are brave enough to solicit the truth.

[Iceburg]

81. oops

make that Coretta Scott King (coffee hadn't quite kicked in!!)

[Paradise]

75. tried to do it, but

there was no way to 'submit'???

[tandot]

76. I clicked on the "contact us" link on the bottom of the page

to sent my email.

[Paradise]

78. thanks, i got that far

but, after completing my message, there was no way to submit. i finally got it done, though, a du'er gave me another link that worked.

[Iceburg]

77. Go to this link

http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/feedback/fb_news_form.shtml
Good luck and thanks!

And bookmark it for future use.

[Paradise]

79. thanks, this one worked. n/t

[Mandate My Ass]

80. Done

I thanked them and sent them a list of whistle blowers that Minstrel Boy researched and posted on DU. I said all of these people can attest to the fact that not only did the Bush admin not adequately address the threat of terrorism prior to Sept. 11th, they actively thwarted these people from doing their jobs.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1293947

[2bfree]

82. Thanks for the link.........

I sent my letter in as well.

[Iceburg]

83. OK Monday Afternoon shift : Write to CBS 60 minutes

one of the few media outlets still willing to get out the truth.

Use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of the page ..
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1998/07/08/60minutes/main13504.shtml