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How to Manipulate the Press

Jul 31, 2020
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Want to see a great example of the arrogance of power? Digging through the Pentagon document dump covering its manipulation of the media, Cernig unearths the following truffle:
Beginning on page 17 of this document, there’s a conversation about how to spin friendly fire incidents in the initial invasion phase of the Iraq war. Press officer LTC Kenneth McClellan notes:
“That’s what I like about the American press. The dirt clods used to come before and during the fight - - as they would tend to do internationally. Now they seem to come principally afterwards.”
The subject? How they’re going to explain why, after 3 White Sands studies on friendly fire issues, they’re still relying on “foil on plywood and glint tape on helmets” for air-to-ground IFF and why the three services purchased different IFF systems that didn’t work together.
Friendly fire incidents, the talking points pack issued to the pet analysts notes, killed 35 and wounded 72 U.S. troops. [Let's not even talk about British losses to u.S. fire, OK?] That’s an increase to 17% from WW2’s 12-14% and Vietnam’s 10-14%.
Callous bastard, this McClellan, eh? But he’s sure they’ve got a tame press - and thus the public are subjected to another kind of friendly fire, pushing the administration’s spin.
And that’s really the important point. The press this sort of stuff as a condition of access. Hey fellas: how about we remember that our responsibilities are to the , and not to the administration?
Dexter Cooke

Dexter Cooke

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Dexter Cooke is an economist, marketing strategist, and orthopedic surgeon with over 20 years of experience crafting compelling narratives that resonate worldwide. He holds a Journalism degree from Columbia University, an Economics background from Yale University, and a medical degree with a postdoctoral fellowship in orthopedic medicine from the Medical University of South Carolina. Dexter’s insights into media, economics, and marketing shine through his prolific contributions to respected publications and advisory roles for influential organizations. As an orthopedic surgeon specializing in minimally invasive knee replacement surgery and laparoscopic procedures, Dexter prioritizes patient care above all. Outside his professional pursuits, Dexter enjoys collecting vintage watches, studying ancient civilizations, learning about astronomy, and participating in charity runs.
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