[VolandoVengoVolandoVoy]

TLDR: Brian Williams has claimed for years that he was in a helicopter in Iraq that was hit by small arms fire and an RPG. A Stars and Stripes(military newspaper) investigation showed that he was nowhere near the action and arrived in a separate helicopter an hour later. He then got on the air and gave a self serving bullshit apology saying he was confused and made it sound like he was in a helicopter right behind the one that was hit.

My take: Fuck him. He should resign or be fired. His credibility is toast.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/...story.html

Quote:

NBC News anchor Brian Williams conceded on Wednesday that a story he had told about being under fire while covering the invasion of Iraq in 2003 was false.

Williams said he was not aboard a helicopter that was hit by enemy fire and forced down — a story he retold as recently as last week during a televised tribute to a retired soldier during a New York Rangers hockey game.

On “NBC Nightly News” Wednesday evening, Williams read a 50-second statement apologizing for his characterization of the episode.

“After a groundfire incident in the desert during the Iraq war invasion, I made a mistake in recalling the events of 12 years ago,” he said. “It did not take long to hear from some brave men and women in the air crews who were also in that desert. I want to apologize. I said I was traveling in an aircraft that was hit by [rocket-propelled grenade] fire. I was instead in a following aircraft. . . . This was a bungled attempt by me to thank one special veteran and, by extension, our brave military men and women, veterans everywhere, those who have served while I did not.”

The admission is a rare black mark for Williams, a poised, veteran newsman who has anchored NBC’s signature newscast since 2004 and has endeared himself to non-news audiences through appearances on “30 Rock,” “The Tonight Show” and other entertainment programs.

At least in the short term, the false story may damage the anchor’s most valuable asset — his credibility. NBC has not said whether he will face discipline for perpetuating the false story.

Williams’s apology came after the Stars and Stripes newspaper contacted crew members of the Chinook helicopter that Williams had said he was aboard when it was hit by two rockets and small-arms fire. They said that Williams was not aboard the aircraft during the incident at the onset of the war in March 2003. They said Williams arrived on another, undamaged helicopter an hour after the crippled Chinook had landed.

“I would not have chosen to make this mistake,” Williams told the newspaper. “I don’t know what screwed up in my mind that caused me to conflate one aircraft with another.”

In the hockey broadcast last week, Williams told viewers, “The story actually started with a terrible moment a dozen years back during the invasion of Iraq when the helicopter we were traveling in was forced down after being hit by an RPG. Our traveling NBC News team was rescued, surrounded and kept alive by an armor mechanized platoon from the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry.”

Williams’s claim of surviving an air attack bothered several soldiers familiar with air operations at the time, including Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Miller, who was the flight engineer on the helicopter that carried the NBC News crew. “No, we never came under direct enemy fire to the aircraft,” he told the newspaper. The soldier’s complaints prompted Williams to issue his first apology Wednesday afternoon on the “NBC Nightly News” Facebook page.

“I spent much of the weekend thinking I’d gone crazy,” Williams wrote. “I feel terrible about making this mistake, especially since I found my OWN WRITING about the incident from back in ’08, and I was indeed on the Chinook behind the bird that took the RPG in the tail housing just above the ramp.”

He added, “Because I have no desire to fictionalize my experience (we all saw it happened the first time) and no need to dramatize events as they actually happened, I think the constant viewing of the video showing us inspecting the impact area — and the fog of memory over 12 years — made me conflate the two, and I apologize.”

He continued, “Nobody’s trying to steal anyone’s valor. Quite the contrary: I was and remain a civilian journalist covering the stories of those who volunteered for duty.”

The episode dates to a report by Williams on March 26, 2003. During the prime-time “Dateline NBC,” he recounted the dangers faced by U.S. helicopters. But in that broadcast, he noted that the helicopter that was hit was not the one he was aboard. Over footage of a damaged Chinook, he said. “That hole was made by a rocket- grenade, or RPG. It punched cleanly through the skin of the ship, but amazingly it didn’t detonate. . . . We learned [the helicopter] was shot at by some of those waving civilians.”

But over the years, the story began to morph into an incident that involved Williams himself.

Williams has told the helicopter-under-fire story before. In a 2013 appearance on David Letterman’s talk show, he said, “Two of the four helicopters were hit, by ground fire, including the one I was in, RPG and AK-47.”

A somewhat ambiguous recounting appears in “Operation Iraqi Freedom: The Inside Story,” a book written by NBC Enterprises in 2003. That account has Williams in the helicopter and details such as the grenade round grazing a crewman’s face.

It’s unclear in the book which Chinook Williams was riding in, but he comments: “There was some symbolism in all of this. A Vietnam-era RPG going clean through the tail of a ­Vietnam-era Chinook helicopter.” And a caption describes a photo taken inside a helicopter, saying “With NBC anchor Brian Williams . . . aboard, Army Chinook helicopters are forced to make a desert landing after being attacked by Iraqi Fedayeen.”

Lance Reynolds, the flight engineer on the Chinook that was hit, told Stars and Stripes: “It was something personal for us that was kind of life-changing for me. I know how lucky I was to survive it. It felt like a personal experience that someone else wanted to participate in and didn’t deserve to participate in.”

Reynolds told the newspaper that Williams and the NBC cameramen arrived in a helicopter 30 to 60 minutes after his damaged Chinook made a rolling landing at an Iraqi airfield and skidded off the runway into the desert.

[Dusty]

The lying going on these days is fucking sick. Tall tales everywhere.

Williams, Rolling Stone, Jackie Coakley, Emma Suckatitz, Sen Gillibrand, 1 in 4, Obamacare, Lena Dunham.

Fuck all of them.

[Roosh]

If he really did "conflate" the event, as he claimed, then he has some mental disorder or intellectual deficiency which precludes him from being a TV news announcer.

So either he's a liar or mentally deficient. I fail to see why he should be allowed to keep his job.

[VolandoVengoVolandoVoy]

Watch starting at 2:50, fuck him, what a lying turd, says we we we, and tries to make himself sound like a soldier, and very specifically talks about getting hit and goes on at length:

[kaotic]

Old news, doesn't anyone remember Hillary Clinton landing under "sniper fire"?

The irony of Brian Williams covering this.

[YossariansRight]

Next up for Brian:

   

[It_is_my_time]

Same station that doctored the Zimmerman 9-1-1 tapes and got sued for it.

NBC is a ruined brand, IMO. They have become a shill for the Democratic party/SJW.

[joseywales]

[The Lizard of Oz]

I feel that the reaction to this is excessive. This kind of embellishment of a story to make it sound a little more exciting, especially progressive embellishment over time, happens a lot. It's the most innocent kind of lie and as far as I can see there is very little harm done.

It is a delusion to think that this is something particular to this time; the difference is that because of the web and digital records, all sorts of little lies are much harder to get away with, and some people make it their business to grimly prosecute them to the bitter end, however insignificant they may be.

This has nothing to do with the kind of malicious and systematic slander that we saw in the Rolling Stone/UVa story, the "mattress" story, and the rest of the false rape hysteria propaganda. Those are lies directed against a group of innocent people, with the explicit and evil purpose of ruining their lives. To conflate that with perfectly normal human embellishment and excusable self-aggrandizement is a category error.

I feel, by the way, that this inquisitorial pursuit of "the factual truth" even in contexts where it's of no great importance and a white lie would do just as well is another sign of the pinched and straitened character of the times. When people find the world to be hateful and life "meaningless", they fasten onto "facts" because they feel that is the only place where they are on solid ground; and so, in the thinness of their minds and lives, they fetishize and overvalue pedantic factual truth and lash out at anyone who sins against it.

It's an unfortunate misapprehension; the Truth is, indeed, one of the very greatest and supreme values, but to truly respect it requires a sense of proportion and human balance that is lacking in the mincing pedantry of this time (which yet allows and abets the ideologically approved BIG LIES).

[Quintus Curtius]

As a reporter, this guy is supposed to have some level of integrity and subscribe to some code of ethics.

Anyone now doubt that the American media lies, manipulates, and distorts?

If he is going to lie about this, what else are they lying about?

Looks like those of us who have been saying this aren't so "off-base" after all.

[birdie num num]

delete

[TheWastelander]

(02-05-2015 02:19 PM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:  

I feel that the reaction to this is excessive. This kind of embellishment of a story to make it sound a little more exciting, especially progressive embellishment over time, happens a lot. It's the most innocent kind of lie and as far as I can see there is very little harm done.

It is a delusion to think that this is something particular to this time; the difference is that because of the web and digital records, all sorts of little lies are much harder to get away with, and some people make it their business to grimly prosecute them to the bitter end, however insignificant they may be.

This has nothing to do with the kind of malicious and systematic slander that we saw in the Rolling Stone/UVa story, the "mattress" story, and the rest of the false rape hysteria propaganda. Those are lies directed against a group of innocent people, with the explicit and evil purpose of ruining their lives. To conflate that with perfectly normal human embellishment and excusable self-aggrandizement is a category error.

I feel, by the way, that this inquisitorial pursuit of "the factual truth" even in contexts where it's of no great importance and a white lie would do just as well is another sign of the pinched and straitened character of the times. When people find the world to be hateful and life "meaningless", they fasten onto "facts" because they feel that is the only place where they are on solid ground; and so, in the thinness of their minds and lives, they fetishize and overvalue pedantic factual truth and lash out at anyone who sins against it.

It's an unfortunate misapprehension; the Truth is, indeed, one of the very greatest and supreme values, but to truly respect it requires a sense of proportion and human balance that is lacking in the mincing pedantry of this time (which yet allows and abets the ideologically approved BIG LIES).

Stars and Stripes, a military newspaper, pursued and uncovered this story. I think it was something worth doing given that he was lying about being in a helicopter actual soldiers were in when it got hit and went down.

Read the article. Brian Williams sounds like a complete sociopath and a compulsive liar.

Quote:

Williams’s claim of surviving an air attack bothered several soldiers familiar with air operations at the time, including Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Miller, who was the flight engineer on the helicopter that carried the NBC News crew. “No, we never came under direct enemy fire to the aircraft,” he told the newspaper. The soldier’s complaints prompted Williams to issue his first apology Wednesday afternoon on the “NBC Nightly News” Facebook page.

Quote:

Lance Reynolds, the flight engineer on the Chinook that was hit, told Stars and Stripes: “It was something personal for us that was kind of life-changing for me. I know how lucky I was to survive it. It felt like a personal experience that someone else wanted to participate in and didn’t deserve to participate in.”

Reynolds told the newspaper that Williams and the NBC cameramen arrived in a helicopter 30 to 60 minutes after his damaged Chinook made a rolling landing at an Iraqi airfield and skidded off the runway into the desert.

[birdie num num]

(02-05-2015 01:16 PM)Roosh Wrote:  

If he really did "conflate" the event, as he claimed, then he has some mental disorder or intellectual deficiency which precludes him from being a TV news announcer.

Actually, that makes him perfectly qualified to serve as a corporate mouthpiece.

[aSimpNamedBrokeback]

(02-05-2015 02:19 PM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:  

It's the most innocent kind of lie and as far as I can see there is very little harm done.

If he would get on The Letterman show and lie like that you know he has no soul, and lies like that all the time. I used to work with a guy who to sit back in his chair just like Williams and tell the most outlandish tales that no would believe, but you could never call him out on it cause it involved some far off land and people you could never meet. This guy was also a lowlife thief who would steal you what he could if a room was empty. Listening to Williams makes reminds me of this guy, and lets me know in real life Williams is a soulless hack.

I bet as we speak keyboard journalist are digging up everything they can on him and double checking everything he said. Its going to be fun.

[jariel]

Reporters are paid to lie and spread disinformation.

He might win an award.

[WalterBlack]

This video gives you an idea of the level of conformity in US news:

I never watch American news if I can help it. It's terrible.

[aSimpNamedBrokeback]

(02-05-2015 02:40 PM)WalterBlack Wrote:  

This video gives you an idea of the level of conformity in US news:

I never watch American news if I can help it. It's terrible.

Yeah, that starts off funny and then turns bizarre. If that happens with that many local stations, then imagine how in line national news is. That clip was the final nail in the coffin for me and TV news.

[Menace]

The segment stories are developed by a central company and then shipped out to local stations. That's why they're all the same. Pretty sure that's how it works.

[Disco_Volante]

Allison couldn't be reached for comment.

[LouieG]

(02-05-2015 02:19 PM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:  

This has nothing to do with the kind of malicious and systematic slander that we saw in the Rolling Stone/UVa story, the "mattress" story, and the rest of the false rape hysteria propaganda. Those are lies directed against a group of innocent people, with the explicit and evil purpose of ruining their lives. To conflate that with perfectly normal human embellishment and excusable self-aggrandizement is a category error.

Lizard of Oz nails it (again). This is embarrassing for Williams, but what he said in no way distorted the fundamentals of the situation—American helicopters were regularly taking fire, whether he experienced it or not.

If you want to get mad, save your anger for Williams’ colleagues at MSNBC, who are on air 24 hours a day, concocting inflammatory angles that gin up ratings and appeal to their demo, but bear no resemblance to the truth. The Maddows and Olbermanns (and Hannitys and O’Reillys) are actively distorting millions of people’s perceptions of the world, warping and withholding facts so as to fabricate stories that play to (and reinforce) their viewers’ biases. They foment outrage and further polarize an already fractious country.

The worst is that for most of them, this is a calculated act. O’Reilly, for one, is known to be far more moderate in person. His on-air persona is crafted (skillfully) to enrage and engross.

Quote:

The admission is a rare black mark for Williams, a poised, veteran newsman who has anchored NBC’s signature newscast since 2004 and has endeared himself to non-news audiences through appearances on “30 Rock,” “The Tonight Show” and other entertainment programs.

What does annoy me about this is, it’s yet more evidence of Williams’ attention-whoring nature, which is very much a sign of these narcissistic times (and apparently runs in the Williams family). His constant sitcom cameos and talk show appearances are unbecoming, and frankly puzzling from a guy who’s already on national TV, alone, for half an hour every night.

I do think the desire to inject one’s self into the story (as Williams did here) is having a negative effect on American journalism. If you look for it, it’s astonishing how often you notice writers including personal information in articles that have nothing to do with their own lives. (Here’s an unfortunately typical example of what I mean.)

It’s lazy writing, and more importantly, it limits the scope of what’s published to only those stories / perspectives known by the type of person who becomes a journalist. Personal essays are everywhere, but if I had one piece of advice for a young writer trying to stand out, it would be to write about anything and everything except himself. That alone makes you a rare bird these days.

[aSimpNamedBrokeback]

(02-05-2015 03:22 PM)Menace Wrote:  

The segment stories are developed by a central company and then shipped out to local stations.

Just like the govt and the larger networks.

[kosko]

(02-05-2015 03:22 PM)Menace Wrote:  

- All News - stories are developed by a central company and then shipped out to local stations. That's why they're all the same. Pretty sure that's how it works.

FIXED!

But it is true. Local News has not much money anymore and gutted and fired majority of their news staff a decade plus ago. They just source feed the same news from a central source. Newspapers use the AP for this which is a just a money for print shop and not a news agency. In Canada it is the CP which just gets most of its stuff from the AP.

They will tell you cheezy feel good stories about cats and Christmas but then also tell you propaganda that job numbers are up also. We can try to window dress it.. but it is what it is.. centralized propaganda.

[Simeon_Strangelight]

Look - he may be really cool with that - what's a little sex scenes with his daughter for a man who has taken part in high level orgies with under-age hookers? He laughs at that kind of prudish thinking.

Hollywood and most elite circles were always degenerate in that respect. Also the media is a bunch of liars and psychopaths.

Besides - her ass is too flat to be that openly displayed - maybe he should be ashamed a bit by that. On the other hand the parents of her co-star should feel even greater shame:



Also regarding Williams - in order to be hired as a high-level reporter you have to be a liar. They usually don't hire fools or idiots unless they only read teleprompter lines, but he is no fool - it's basically a well paid actor job where you are supposed to play a certain role - the role of a sane honest journalist. Most of those hucksters play that role well enough for the masses for whom the propaganda is designed.

[Dusty]

^^

[VolandoVengoVolandoVoy]

(02-05-2015 03:23 PM)Disco_Volante Wrote:  

Allison couldn't be reached for comment.

Heh. I had to look that up to see what it was from. I was thinking maybe she was in a weird French movie or something. I learned that there is a series called Girls that is likely some sort of Sex and the City for the younger generation.
It's also something I would never do. I mean, what the fuck, who in the hell would stick their tongue in someone's ass?
Maybe I'm just a prude, but it holds absolutely no appeal to me. I wouldn't be down with a girl doing it to me either, as I enjoying kissing while banging, and would not be comfortable making out with a woman who had her tongue up my ass.