Considering how Bush barks at the news media (vis-a-vis that Irish TV interview) it's no wonder. The media is ratings driven. No access, no ratings.
Here's the Larry King transcript:
cnn.com
KING: Are we going hit a point Dan where you think where the American public gets weary of it?
RATHER: Well, I think Senator McCain is right, it depends on the casualties. And Larry, let's point out that the administration and one can like it or not like it, they just about convinced the wire services and others only to carry the killed in actual combat rather than the total number of casualties killed in the country. And you know, I don't want to make a big thing of it, but frankly I think that's unworthy of a great country such as ourselves. We had more than 800 young men and women killed here.
Each and every one of them came here, did their service. And whether they're officially classified as having died in combat or not, you know, the number is 800. That's the number. And that's the number of families who have something missing at the table, missing around the house. But if the casualties rise, then I think public opinion will go down. If the casualties are lowered, I think public opinion will go the other way.
One of the things we that would help that, Larry, and I know you want to take a break, is it's inexplicable to me and it's inexplicable to a lot of the soldiers, including some of the commanders here, that Syrian border is porous. And these terrorists and outside fighters are pouring across that, coming across the western desert. Why more pressure hasn't been put on the Syrians is one of the great mysteries. And Iran is still allowing Taliban fighters and the Mujahedeen jihadists to come over from Afghanistan through Iran. Now, where are the Washington part of this operation is on those two subjects remains a great mystery to me. |
