Civil War, Conventional Wisdom And Cronkite Moments

By: Vaughn Ververs
Topics: News History

(CBS/The Early Show)

As we noted earlier, NBC has made an editorial decision to begin describing the ongoing violence in Iraq as a "civil war." NBC's cable channel, MSNBC, has been discussing the change all day but it's hardly the first time the situation has been described as such. I'll leave the debate over semantics to other forums. But this turn of phrase is already being touted as a turning point. It's kind of hard not to wonder who will be the first to call this a "Cronkite Moment."

That would be tempting, considering all the hot and heavy debate over use of the term "civil war." Just one problem – this war has already seen its "Cronkite Moment." In fact, it's seen a few of them. Remember when Congressman John Murtha first called for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq? A Cronkite Moment. When ABC anchor Bob Woodruff and cameraman Doug Vogt were severely injured in an attack? A Cronkite Moment. When conservative icon William F. Buckley pronounced Iraq a failure? You guessed it, a Cronkite Moment.

Of course, Walter Cronkite himself has provided that moment by repeatedly voicing his view that the U.S. should get out of Iraq. We've written about what it takes to have a true Cronkite Moment and discussed whether it was as momentous as we've come to believe. One thing we can say with certainty is that even if a true Cronkite moment is no longer possible, the phrase has taken on a life of its own.

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by vriss November 29, 2006 12:10 AM EST: We have lost the Iraq War and I'm tired of being lied to by the Bush Administration.; Reply to this comment


by sanfelz November 28, 2006 8:48 PM EST: I suppose CBS has hid the non-existent WMDs in the basement of NBC with ABC hiding the keys to the basement door.; Reply to this comment


by neuro-con November 28, 2006 6:10 AM EST: Vaughan --

This may be more of a Rathergate moment for NBC (and the Associated Press). Check out Michelle Malkin's blog, summarizing the latest reportage exploding the AP's use of non-existent sources and pro-terrorist stringers to hype the "civil war" meme. Patterico also has a devastating deconstruction of a recent LA Times story about a brutal US attack on Iraqi civilians that never happened. I think these investigations are worthy of coverage on your blog and on Katie's evening broadcast.; Reply to this comment


by ikez78 November 28, 2006 3:04 AM EST: This is only days after the utterly dishonest AP lead story of "Deadliest day EVER in Iraq" , of course it wasn't the deadliest day EVER in Iraq but maybe since the invasion. But facts don't matter when you have a military to undermine.

Next day was Tom Raum of the AP saying that the Iraq war had lasted longer than WWII. My email exchange with Mr. Raum revealed a pathetic ignorance of the fact that U.S. troops were still stationed in Europe, Germany and Japan.

CBS today had the nerve to tell Abizaid that the U.S. already "lost" Iraq. The nerve of this #@$#%# to tell a General that she knows more about warfare than him is utterly typical of the condescending snobbery and bias of these people.

And of course NBC lecturing all of us about how Iraq is now in a civil war. Of course they claim to know more than our military leaders, Iraqi leaders, Kofi Annan and most military observers.

Overall, a lousy, biased, ignorant, and typically useless day for the scumbags known as the (anti) American media; Reply to this comment


by ikez78 November 27, 2006 8:22 PM EST: At least NBC has the decency to call it a civil war,

CBS is already out there proclaiming the war as being "LOST" by the U.S.
http://newsbusters.org/node/9283

You people never slow down in your rushing and hoping to humiliate and undermine this country. Utterly disgusting.; Reply to this comment


by ikez78 November 27, 2006 8:14 PM EST: And in other news, CBS is writing it's 118th story accusing the U.S. military of using "propaganda" to defeat the enemy in Iraq http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/21/politics/main1335356_page2.shtml

while simultaenously complaining that the war is going on too long.

You hypocrites never cease to amaze me.; Reply to this comment