NBC’s Brian Williams recants Iraq story after soldiers protest

[Revmitchell]

WASHINGTON — NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams admitted Wednesday he was not aboard a helicopter hit and forced down by RPG fire during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, a false claim that has been repeated by the network for years.

Williams repeated the claim Friday during NBC’s coverage of a public tribute at a New York Rangers hockey game for a retired soldier that had provided ground security for the grounded helicopters, a game to which Williams accompanied him. In an interview with Stars and Stripes, he said he had misremembered the events and was sorry.

The admission came after crew members on the 159th Aviation Regiment’s Chinook that was hit by two rockets and small arms fire told Stars and Stripes that the NBC anchor was nowhere near that aircraft or two other Chinooks flying in the formation that took fire. Williams arrived in the area about an hour later on another helicopter after the other three had made an emergency landing, the crew members said.

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

http://www.stripes.com/news/us/nbc-...ts-iraq-story-after-soldiers-protest-1.327792

 

[InTheLight]

I wonder if Hillary Clinton and Brian Williams would get together and swap war stories? Remember Hillary claimed she took on sniper fire while on board a helicopter in Bosnia.

 

[padredurand]

I'm waiting for footage of his pants catching on fire.

 

[Zaac]

We forgive you Brian Williams. Don't let it happen again. Moving on.:thumbs:

 

[church mouse guy]

I wonder if Hillary Clinton and Brian Williams would get together and swap war stories? Remember Hillary claimed she took on sniper fire while on board a helicopter in Bosnia.

What is it with Democrats? Did I hear that he has been telling this lie since 2003? Doesn't he need to step down?

 

[Bro. Curtis]

Most folks hold democrats to a different standard.


Too busy looking for lies from FOX to notice their own.

 

[Zaac]

What is it with Democrats? Did I hear that he has been telling this lie since 2003? Doesn't he need to step down?

Step down for what? I thought this was his personal story. It wasn't news. Reprimand him.

But all humans tell lies and embellish stories from time to time.

Now if someone can show a pattern of him lying on air about NEWS stories, then that's an offense for which he should be let go.

Congress lies to us all the time. Nobody seems to be asking the lot of them to step down.

Just my opinion.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

He's been sitting on the lie for 12 years. He's told it numerous times.

If he would lie about that, any body who would trust anything he says is a moron.

 

[InTheLight]

Step down for what? I thought this was his personal story. It wasn't news. Reprimand him.

But all humans tell lies and embellish stories from time to time.

Wait a minute. Here is a news anchor, going out into the field as a news reporter. This is not a personal trip to Iraq to see the war. LOL! He's in the role as a reporter. Yet he makes up a story that he got fired upon to add drama and immediacy to his field work? Then he gives a lame excuse that he can't remember if it was his helicopter that was fired upon? His helicopter showed up a half hour after the others had been fired upon, landed safely, and got waved out of the area by soldiers. He can't remember that? Oh boy.

The other thing is--Brian Williams is a frequent, dare I say monotonously persistent "guest" on the Jimmy Fallon show, the Seth Myers show, and was on Jay Leno's show. It seems whenever NBC can't fill their late night show's guest list they call Brian Williams. He's told this story on these shows as well.

 

[Zaac]

Most folks hold democrats to a different standard.


Too busy looking for lies from FOX to notice their own.

I don't trust any of the news outlets. Too much concentrated power and money seems to have corrupted them all. These media conglomerates have adopted the same strategy in controlling the media as have the megabanks in controlling the money.

Bain Capital ( Clear Channel)-Radio: 866 radio stations and Premiere Radio Networks (a national radio network that produces, distributes or represents approximately 90 syndicated radio programs, serves nearly 5,800 radio station affiliates and has over 213 million weekly listeners. Programs include the Rush Limbaugh Show, Glenn Beck and the Sean Hannity Show); Fox Sports Radio; Fox News Radio; Australian Radio Network

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TV: Twenty-nine television stations and CBS Television Studios; CBS Entertainment; CBS News; CBS Sports; CBS television stations; CBS Television Studios; CBS Studios International; CBS Television Distribution; the CW; Showtime; CBS College Sports Network; CBS Television Network; Smithsonian Networks

Radio: CBS Radio and 130 radio stations

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Entertainment: CBS Films

Other: CBS Outdoor; CBS Connections; EcoMedia

Comcast Corporation TV: NBCUniversal; twenty-four television stations and the NBC television network; Telemundo; USA Network; SyFy; CNBC; MSNBC; Bravo; Oxygen; Chiller; CNBC World; E!; the Golf Channel; Sleuth; mun2; Universal HD; VERSUS; Style; G4; Comcast SportsNet (Philadelphia), Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic (Baltimore/Washington, D.C.), Cable Sports Southeast, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, MountainWest Sports Network, Comcast SportsNet California (Sacramento), Comcast SportsNet New England (Boston), Comcast SportsNet Northwest (Portland, Ore.), Comcast Sports Southwest (Houston), Comcast SportsNet Bay Area (San Francisco), New England Cable News (Boston), Comcast Network Philadelphia, Comcast Network Mid-Atlantic (Baltimore/Washington, D.C.); the Weather Channel (25 percent stake); A&E (16 percent stake); the History Channel (16 percent stake); the Biography Channel (16 percent stake); Lifetime (16 percent stake); the Crime and Investigation Channel (16 percent stake); Pittsburgh Cable News Channel (30 percent stake); FEARnet (31 percent stake); PBS KIDS Sprout (40 percent stake); TV One (34 percent stake); Houston Regional Sports Network (23 percent stake); SportsNet New York (8 percent stake)

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Telecom: Clearwire Communications (9 percent stake)

Other: Comcast Interactive Media; Plaxo; Universal Studios Hollywood; Wet 'n Wild theme park; Universal Studios Florida; Universal Islands of Adventure; Philadelphia 76ers; Philadelphia Flyers; Wells Fargo Center; iN DEMAND; Music Choice (12 percent stake); SpectrumCo (64 percent stake)

News Corp- News Corp’s media holdings include the FOX Broadcasting Company; television and cable networks such as Fox, Fox Business Channel, National Geographic and FX; print publications including the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post and TV Guide; the magazines Barron’s and SmartMoney; book publisher HarperCollins; film production companies 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Blue Sky Studios; numerous websites including MarketWatch.com; and non-media holdings including the National Rugby League.

TV: Twenty-seven television stations and FOX Broadcasting Company (FOX Network, MyNetworkTV); FOX News; FOX Business; FOX News Radio Network; FOX News Talk Channel; FSN (12 regional sports networks); FX; SPEED; FUEL TV; Fox College Sports; Fox Movie Channel; Fox Soccer Channel; Fox Soccer Plus; Fox Pan American Sports; Fox Deportes; Big Ten Network; National Geographic U.S.; Nat Geo Adventure; Nat Geo Music; Nat Geo Wild; Fox International Channels; Utilisima; Fox Crime; NEXT; FOX History & Entertainment; the Voyage Channel; STAR World; STAR Movies; NGC Network International; NGC Network Latin America; LAPTV; Movie City; City Mix; City Family; City Stars; City Vibe; the Film Zone; Cinecanal; Elite Sports Limited; BabyTV; STAR India; STAR Taiwan; ESPN STAR Sports; Shine Limited

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Print: HarperCollins Publishers; the New York Post; the Daily News; News International (the Times; the Sunday Times; the Sun); News Limited (146 newspapers in Australia); Dow Jones (Wall Street Journal, Barron's, SmartMoney, Factiva, Dow Jones Newswires, Dow Jones Local Media, Dow Jones VentureSource)

Telecom: Satellite: BSkyB (39 percent minority share); SKY Italia

Entertainment: Fox Filmed Entertainment; Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment; Twentieth Century Fox Television; Twentieth Television; Fox Television Studios

Other: Marketing/advertising: News America Marketing Group; News Outdoor; Fox Library; IGN Entertainment, Inc.; Making Fun, Inc.; Wireless Generation

Time Warner, Inc.-Company Overview: Time Warner is the world's second-largest entertainment conglomerate with ownership interests in film, television and print.

TV: One television station and the Warner Brothers Television Group; Warner Brothers Television; Warner Horizon Television; CW Network (50 percent stake); TBS; TNT; Cartoon Network; truTV; Turner Classic Movies; Boomerang; CNN; HLN; CNN International; HBO; Cinemax; Space; Infinito; I-Sat; Fashion TV; HTV; Much Music; Pogo; Mondo TV; Tabi; CNN Español

Online Holdings: Warner Brothers Digital Distribution; TMZ.com; KidsWB.com

Print: Time, Inc.; 22 magazines including People, Sports Illustrated, Time, Life, InStyle, Real Simple, Southern Living, Entertainment Weekly and Fortune

Entertainment: Warner Brothers; Warner Brothers Pictures; New Line Cinema; Castle Rock; WB Studio Enterprises, Inc.; Telepictures Productions, Inc.; Warner Brothers Animation, Inc.; Warner Home Video; Warner Premiere; Warner Specialty Films, Inc.; Warner Brothers International Cinemas

Other: Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment; DC Entertainment; DC Comics

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TV: Viacom Media Networks (160 cable channels including MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, TV Land, Spike TV, Tr3s, BET and CENTRIC)

Online Holdings: ParentsConnect.com

Entertainment: Viacom Filmed Entertainment (produces motion pictures under numerous studio brands including Paramount Pictures, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies)

Walt Disney Company-Company Overview: The Walt Disney Company owns the ABC television network; cable networks including ESPN, the Disney Channel, SOAPnet, A&E and Lifetime; 277 radio stations, music- and book-publishing companies; film-production companies Touchstone, Miramax and Walt Disney Pictures; Pixar Animation Studios; the cellular service Disney Mobile; and theme parks around the world.

TV: Eight television stations and the ABC television network; ESPN; Disney Channels Worldwide; ABC Family; SOAPnet Networks; A&E (42 percent stake); Lifetime Television (42 percent stake); the History Channel (42 percent stake); Lifetime Movie Network (42 percent stake); the Biography Channel (42 percent stake); History International (42 percent stake); Lifetime Real Women (42 percent stake); Live Well Network (42 percent stake)

Radio: ESPN Radio Network; Radio Disney

Print: ESPN The Magazine; Disney Publishing Worldwide; Juvenile Publishing; Digital Publishing; Disney Music Publishing; Marvel Publishing

Entertainment: Marvel Entertainment; ABC Studios; ABC Media Production; Pixar; Walt Disney Pictures; Walt Disney Records; Hollywood Records; Mammoth Records; Buena Vista Records; Lyric Street Records

http://www.freepress.net/ownership/chart

 

[Zaac]

Wait a minute. Here is a news anchor, going out into the field as a news reporter. This is not a personal trip to Iraq to see the war. LOL! He's in the role as a reporter. Yet he makes up a story that he got fired upon to add drama and immediacy to his field work? Then he gives a lame excuse that he can't remember if it was his helicopter that was fired upon? His helicopter showed up a half hour after the others had been fired upon, landed safely, and got waved out of the area by soldiers. He can't remember that? Oh boy.

The other thing is--Brian Williams is a frequent, dare I say monotonously persistent "guest" on the Jimmy Fallon show, the Seth Myers show, and was on Jay Leno's show. It seems whenever NBC can't fill their late night show's guest list they call Brian Williams. He's told this story on these shows as well.

But that's what I mean. If it was part of a news story, it presents credibility issues. If he's not behind the news desk telling it, then it's just a man telling a big fish story.

I say give him a pass with a reprimand. But we've got our eyes on him now.

 

[InTheLight]

But that's what I mean. If it was part of a news story, it presents credibility issues. If he's not behind the news desk telling it, then it's just a man telling a big fish story.

I say give him a pass with a reprimand. But we've got our eyes on him now.

From the story linked in the OP:

“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,” Williams said on the broadcast. “Our traveling NBC News team was rescued, surrounded and kept alive by an armor mechanized platoon from the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry.”

Miller, Reynolds and Mike O’Keeffe, who was a door gunner on the damaged Chinook, said they all recall NBC reporting that Williams was aboard the aircraft that was attacked, despite it being false. The NBC online archive shows the network broadcast a news story on March 26, 2003, with the headline, “Target Iraq: Helicopter NBC’s Brian Williams Was Riding In Comes Under Fire.”

If it was not Williams reporting this story, who did?

 

[Zaac]

If it was not Williams reporting this story, who did?

No. I understand he did it during a news broadcast the first time. :laugh: Reporters have been fired for less. But he was the heir apparent at the time.

But the subsequent times that the story has been told by him, have those been with him behind the news desk? If so, that's a credibility issue.

If it was just some other show , like Leno or Letterman, then I think it's just an embellished story that became something of folklore just because it's been repeated.

Darn near everybody who goes on those shows do a bit of lying.

Has he reported his story again as part of a news story from behind the anchor's desk?

 

[InTheLight]

No. I understand he did it during a news broadcast the first time. :laugh: Reporters have been fired for less. But he was the heir apparent at the time.

I believe he was the weekend anchor at the time, so yes, he was heir apparent to the NBC Nightly News anchor job.

But the subsequent times that the story has been told by him, have those been with him behind the news desk? If so, that's a credibility issue.

If it was just some other show , like Leno or Letterman, then I think it's just an embellished story that became something of folklore just because it's been repeated.

It doesn't matter. There is an expectation of accuracy from a prominent member of the news media. It also cheapens the experience of other news reporters that have actually been under fire while on the job.

Has he reported his story again as part of a news story from behind the anchor's desk?

I don't know, but I doubt it.

 

[Revmitchell]

....The omission isn’t sitting well with some.

“Brian knew what he was saying. He didn't forget what chopper he was on. It took the soldiers that were there to make him finally admit he lied about the incident,” SSG of the U.S. Army Anthony Anderson, who operates the Guardian of Valor website and Stolen Valor Facebook page, told FOX411. “Although it doesn't meet the definition [of] ‘Stolen Valor,’ it's still along the same lines, as he claimed to be in an incident involving combat that he wasn't in. I believe he only apologized because the soldiers protested. Had they not spoken up, would he have ever apologized for it?”

Kris “Tanto” Paronto, a former Army Ranger from 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment and a survivor in the 2012 Benghazi Consulate attack, was outraged.

"This is one of, if not the most despicable acts of lying to those who have served and the United States Citizens. He is stealing valor from those that have actually seen combat, been shot at with RPG's and small arms fire," he said. "I can tell you from firsthand experience that you do not misremember being shot at. This lie and continual lying to cover up the first lie says a lot about Mr. Williams’ character, or lack thereof. This is a serious offense."

Paronto added that while he is doubtful there will be any repercussions by NBC toward their prized “Nightly News” anchor, the public should scrutinize his legitimacy and everything he says.

"What concerns me as well is how much has he and/or NBC lied about over the years? In my opinion, and that's all it is, both are fully compromised news organizations and should no longer be a credible source for news for many years to come," he stated. "Keep in mind, if military personnel would've done this, he/she would at very least be given an Article 15, busted down in rank, and possibly pay withheld until a full investigation was completed."

Jonathan Gilliam, former Navy SEAL and federal agent condemned Williams for what he called “minimizing the lie” in his apology.

“Minimization and lying are the characteristics of a deviant behavior and are typically signs of guilt,” he said.




http://www.foxnews.com/entertainmen...n-williams-for-iraq-lie-question-his-apology/

 

[Zaac]

It doesn't matter. There is an expectation of accuracy from a prominent member of the news media. It also cheapens the experience of other news reporters that have actually been under fire while on the job.

Yes and no. If he were sitting across from another anchor or reporter, then I'd say the expectation is there.

But when he's visiting Leno or Letterman or whomever is doing these night shows now, those are about entertainment. I think you kinda have to take everything that anybody says on those with a grain of salt. And Brian seems to fancy himself as something of the dry wit comedian type from what I've seen.

That's why I say reprimand him for when they know he did lie from behind the news desk. I just don't think it's something to fire him over if it wasn't news coming from him as the news anchor.

But just the fact that he did it is gonna be painful enough from which to recover. Right now, he's got egg all over his very long face.:laugh:

But I thought I read that he's apologized. So I say, give him a pass on this one.

But he needs to remove that story from his repertoire.

 

[InTheLight]

Congress lies to us all the time. Nobody seems to be asking the lot of them to step down.

Let's imagine what the news media would do if a GOP candidate for office were to be caught lying about being shot at while on a helicopter in Iraq. Just let that hypothetical play out in your mind.

 

[Revmitchell]

Imagine of you will the outrage from cals on this board if Williams had ever criticized calvinism. :laugh:

 

[Revmitchell]

....March 2005: During an interview on Tim Russert’s CNBC show, Williams says of that day in 2003, “the helicopter in front of us was hit. A pickup truck stopped on the road, pulled a tarp back; a guy got up, fired an RPG, rocket-propelled grenade. These were farmers, or so they seemed. And it beautifully pierced the tail rotor of the Chinook in front of us.” This description suggests that Williams witnessed the attack.



http://www.breitbart.com/big-journa...ied-to-tim-russert-about-helicopter-incident/

 

[Revmitchell]

NBC News anchor Brian Williams told actor Alec Baldwin in March 2013 that he was afraid he was going to die when a Chinook helicopter he was riding in during the Iraq War was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.

But as Williams admitted on Wednesday, he was never in a Chinook that came under fire on March, 23, 2003. Instead, he was in a helicopter miles behind the one that was hit.

The interview with Baldwin, which was conducted on WNYC’s “Here’s the Thing,” is the first one to be uncovered following Williams’ retraction.

“I guess I do say to myself and to others — ‘I’ve got this’ — and I don’t know where that unbridled confidence comes from,” Williams told Baldwin, trying to describe where he gets his thirst for action and challenge.

“And I’ve done some ridiculously stupid things under that banner, like being in a helicopter I had no business being in in Iraq with rounds coming into the airframe,” Williams said.


http://dailycaller.com/2015/02/05/b...-die-during-supposed-helicopter-attack-audio/