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unprecedented access to the war in Iraq.
“How about the war at home? And in this case,
unlike Iraq, I will pay my own expenses.
“Signed,
“Your News Dissector
“Danny Schechter”
No, I am not holding my breath for a positive
response, but as I read and write about the
embed experience, I decided I would like to try it
for myself. As a former assistant to the Mayor of
Detroit, I know that the inside-the-entourage
view can be more revealing than the view from
the outside where one hangs around waiting for
handouts and pithy sound bites.
I have been as skeptical as every other journalist
has been about the impact of the embedding.
I know the Pentagon rated it a big success
and plans to do it again.
Former TV reporter and author Michael Bur-
WINNERS AND LOSERS
NEW YORK, MAY 23, 2003
PENTAGON PUTS JOURNALISTS
TO USE IN SELLING THE WAR
They have to decide whether to embed or stay out of bed
mbed me, please. Ari, beam me up. I have sent the following request to Ari Fleischer, the soon
to be departing White House minister of media pacification, the man who Howard Fineman of
Newsweek compared with some party line promoting mouthpiece of the old Kremlin.
“Before you leave us, Ari, would you consider a request for embedment in the office of Karl
Rove, the White House’s Machiavelli of the moment?
“I crave an up-close and personal insider view of his movements and machinations. You gave us
33
ton explains, “This is the first American war
where journalists are ‘embedded’ with the
troops. The idea originated with the Pentagon,
where military and political strategists pitched
the idea to editors last year as a compromise.
The Pentagon strategists, already planning for
the Iraqi war, wanted proud, positive, and patriotic
coverage over the national airwaves. If the
editors agreed to all their provisions for security
reviews, flagging of sensitive information, limitations
on filming dead bodies, and other restrictions,
then journalists would be welcome. The
editors not only went along — they accepted the
ground rules without a fight.
“The majority of editors and publishers are
pleased with the program, because it allows
reporters to be much closer to the action than in
the 1991 Gulf War.”