CNN anchor apologizes for calling Dallas Police Department shooter ‘courageous and brave’
Yesterday CNN anchor Fredricka Whitfield issued what sounded like a half-hearted statement in which she said she “misspoke” when she called the man who shot up a Dallas Police Department “courageous and brave” before quickly going to a commercial break.
This statement fell well short of anything that could even remotely begin to be described as an apology and the Dallas Police Association called her out on this non-apology, here is what the DPA had to say:
“Yesterday CNN anchor Fredricka Whitfield called James Boulware ‘courageous and brave’ just hours after he attacked our police headquarters with the intent to kill as many police officers as he could,” said Frederick Frazier, Vice President of the Dallas Police Association. “While her comments were appalling and offensive to the men and women in police departments across our country, her flippant non-apology served as further insult. We call on CNN to offer a more appropriate apology for the offensive comments made by Ms. Whitfield.”
“We have voiced our concern that the media’s negative narrative about police officers is jeopardizing our safety. The actions of CNN are proof that our concern has merit,” added Frazier.
Well, either Fredricka Whitfield or CNN listened to what the DPA had to say because today she issued a real apology. Here is her statement:
“Well, Saturday, during a segment on the Dallas police department attack, I used the words ‘courageous and brave’ when discussing the gunman. I misspoke, terribly. I misused those words, terribly and I sincerely apologize for making this statement, and I understand now how offensive it was, and I want to reiterate that in no way do I believe the gunman was courageous or brave. I sincerely apologize.”
Better late than never.
Malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
CNN anchor claims she ‘misspoke’ when she called the Dallas Police Department shooter ‘courageous and brave’
Yesterday CNN anchor Fredricka Whitfield took to the air and stated that while he might be crazy the man who planted bombs and shot up a Dallas Police Department was also “courageous and brave.” Needless to say, she felt quite a bit of backlash from the American people as well as from the police unions and today she claimed she misspoke. Here is what she had to say:
Open thread for Sunday, June 14th: ‘Reapers’
Here is the open thread for Sunday, June 14th. Please feel free to post links to interesting articles and to discuss whatever issues arise during the course of the day. Nothing is off-topic here.
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This is the week in which I was supposed to reveal my number one all time favorite band but most of you already know who it is so I have decided to do an honorable mention post this week, if you do not know who my all time favorite band is I apologize but you will have to wait one more week.
Before I get to the honorable mentions I am going to post two videos from bands who have already made the countdown: last week I revealed Muse as my number two favorite band and this week they released a brand mew CD which I have been listening to quite a bit. Here is my favorite song from the new CD which is entitled Drones. The song is called “Reapers.”
The Talking Heads came in tied at number four but somehow I forgot to include my favorite song from that band so here is “Crosseyed and Painless.”
Now on to the honorable mentions: Here is Depeche Mode performing “People are People.”
Here is the Violent Femmes performing “Add it Up.”
This next band had no chance at making the top ten but I have always loved this song; here is Smoking Popes performing “Need You Around.”
Early this morning a gunman opened fire on a Dallas Police Department and it is also being reported he planted bombs outside the facility. Thankfully nobody was hurt in the attack but the gunman was eventually shot and killed by a sniper who fired through the windshield of the van he was sitting in while it was parked.
It is being speculated that this man did not act alone and during an interview with a legal analyst CNN host Fredricka Whitfield used some interesting language to describe the shooter. Here is what she had to say:
“It was very courageous and brave, if not crazy as well, to open fire on the police headquarters, and now you have this scene, this standoff. So you believe these are the hallmarks of more than one person’s involvement.”
It is quite possible she simply misspoke or used the wrong words to describe the shooter and I would like to give her the benefit of the doubt, however that was an odd description to say the least. I find it hard to believe these words just came off the top of her head–I am inclined to believe this is how she really feels because it does not seem like a mistake which somebody would make. Either she believes what she said or she was woefully unprepared for the interview.
There is a huge anti-police feeling sweeping the nation at this point in time with all the recent incidences between the police and the people and it seems as if she was trying to play into it.
Malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
The House kills Obamatrade bill…for now
As you have all probably heard by now the House has killed what has been billed in some circles as the Obamatrade legislation, and at 302-126 the vote was not even close. The vote that doomed the fast-track legislation known as the TPA was actually a vote on the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program.
The TAA bill would have provided funds to help American workers who lose their jobs because of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. (TPP) The fact that the TAA legislation was needed is proof to me that despite what Barack Obama and other supporters of the TPP (are all these abbreviations getting confusing yet?) are claiming they know this will cost some Americans their jobs. If this is so why pass the TPP in the first place ? Wouldn’t the American people be better off with the jobs they already have rather than relying on the government to take care of them after the government screws them over?
Barack Obama admits fast-track legislation will grant him power to implement his climate change agenda
For some reason many of the Republicans in the Congress are willing to give more power to Barack Obama through a deal which is known as the TPA. If this legislation is passed it will allow the President to bring trade agreements to the Congress for a straight up or down vote and the Congress will not have the authority to amend the deals.
This is being debated mainly to fast-track Barack Obama’s super secret Trans-Pacific Partnership deal but from what I have read it will also apply to future trade deals as well.
Despite earlier denials Barack Obama has now admitted this will grant him the power to push his climate change agenda.
Here is more:
According to this article House Republican leadership wants to vote on the proposal to give Barack Obama fast-track authority on the Trans-Pacific Partnership this Friday because they do not want the rank and file selective Constitutionalist Republicans to be swayed by the voters over the weekend.
The vote to grant President Barack Obama fast-track authority to negotiate a massive Pacific Rim trade deal will be extremely tight by all accounts. Senior aides and lawmakers in GOP leadership are intent on scheduling the vote at the moment they believe they have the votes locked up — ideally by Friday, to spare supportive lawmakers the possibility of another weekend of attacks by trade foes back in their districts.
Back on May 7th the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the NSA data-mining program was illegal because it went beyond what the Congress authorized under the PATRIOT Act. (I would argue both the data-mining program and the PATRIOT Act are unconstitutional but that is an argument for another day.)
Needless to say, Barack Obama–who you will remember ran against this type of program in 2008 before expanding it as President–and the selective Constitutionalist Republicans were not happy about this decision. Now we are learning that Barack Obama has gone to the secret FISA court (an unconstitutional entity in my opinion) and asked it to ignore the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and reinstate the data-mining program.
Here is more:
A new New Hampshire Republican Presidential primary poll has been released and sadly is shows Jeb Bush as the front-runner. According to the poll Jeb Bush leads both Rand Paul and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker by a 21%-13% margin.
The poll shows Donald Trump slightly behind Rand Paul and Scott Walker with 12% support. The others are all more distant, with Ted Cruz bringing up the rear with the support of a meager 4%.
It is more than a little disheartening to see people flocking to Jeb Bush simply because of his name recognition, do these people really believe he has a chance in hell at defeating whomever emerges on the Democratic side? And he has not even officially entered the race yet, when he does so I expect him to gain momentum and ride the establishment’s money all the way to the nomination.
The fix is in…
Malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
According to this article it appears as if Donald Trump is going to announce his bid for the Presidency on June 16th. Here is more:
Billionaire businessman Donald Trump all but confirmed he’ll run for the Republican presidential nomination during a stop Saturday at the N.C. GOP convention.
Trump says he’ll make his formal announcement on June 16. “I think a lot of people are going to be very happy” with the decision, Trump told The News & Observer before a sold-out speech Saturday night. “They’re tired of watching America go down. … It’s about making America great again. I can do it, and nobody else can do it.”
He made a point of using the phrase “if I run” in his speech but voiced frustration with a disclaimer: “June 16, will you come, please, fast – I’m so tired of saying that.”
Never one to miss an opportunity at self-promotion the publicity hound took this chance to slam the other Republican candidates for being “clowns” and “making asses” of themselves while making the point that because he has made allot of money he is somehow qualified to be the President.
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