Scheer's Lame Defense

Robert Scheer lamely attempts to defend himself today from the intense criticism over last week's hysterical and mendacious column where he accused the Pentagon of fabricating the Jessica Lynch rescue.

The column starts with the salacioius headline "Pentagon Aims Guns at Lynch Reports" In fact, nobody from the Pentagon aimed their guns at Scheer, a spokeswoman merely responded to his nutty allegations in a letter to the editor. Does Scheer really think that he is a victim as were the journalists in Saddam's Iraq who really did have to look down the barrel of the regime's guns for questioning their rulers? He then plays the Defense is Treason Canard in the very first line ("It is one thing when the talk-show bullies who shamelessly smeared the last president ... now term it anti-American or even treasonous to dare criticize the Bush administration").

Scheer implicitly backs away from his most ridiculous assertions from last week, such as repeating the BBC claim that the American rescuers were firing blanks and using Hollywood effects to simulate explosions. And he tries to cover himself with non-statements like

several major publications such as the Chicago Tribune and the London Daily Mail have independently verified much of the BBC's disturbing account of what the broadcasting corporation called "one of the most stunning pieces of news management ever conceived."

But he doesn't say what is the "much" that the other media verified, and which of Scheer's claims were dismissed elsewhere as fraudulent.

In short, Scheer is capitulating in the face of a rout and calling it a victory, and the L.A. Times has given him the platform to do so. I expect that Mrs. Scheer's newspaper up in San Francisco will do the same.

Hugh Hewitt is not impressed with Scheer's defense:

Coming on the heels of yesterday’s leak of John Carroll’s promise to purge liberal bias from the news columns of the paper, Scheer’s combination of posturing as a victim and acting like a clown keeps the Times in the deep, deep hole it has dug for itself since 9/11.

Roger Simon, who until today had been going easy on Scheer, is not impressed either. Simon writes:

IS ROBERT SCHEER A RIGHT-WING PLANT?
As lifetime liberal/leftist I would have to think he is, considering his pathetic, self-serving RESPONSE, if that's what you call it, to allegations he trumped up charges against the Pentagon on the Jessica Lynch rescue. This "defense" contains not one single fact, only vague references to other articles he "says" are on his side. (Of course, they are unlinked; this is print journalism). If I were the Republican National Committee, I'd put this guy on staff. Scheer concludes weakly:

The truth hurts, but that's no excuse for trying to shoot the messenger.

No, just fire him.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at May 29, 2003 10:14 AM