Media Watch: McCain Gives NBC Viewers the False Impression that Iran Already Has Nuclear Weapons; Brian Williams Shamelessly Lets McCain Deception Go Unchallenged."


[Update: CBS aired a story tonight suggesting yesterdays' video footage of Iran supposed missile prowess was an exercise in propaganda. And John McCain fell for it and got hysterical. (It's one more illustration that shows he has questionable temperament to be president of the United States.) Note that even Brain Williams today backpeddled a bit about the risk posed by Iran. Too late for his lopsided coverage yesterday.]

McCain overreacted yesterday to Iran's Missile Test. And in a McCain-Coddling Interview, he Repeatedly overstated the risk Iran poses, even falsely suggesting Iran already has nuclear weapons.

This is the second time in recent weeks, that McCain has appeared live at the Nightly News. It is increasingly clear that NBC is using its broadcast license and public airwaves to promote the candidacy of John McCain. Defending America is not a partisan issue. Yet Williams exploited the day's news with Iran to do a promo piece for John McCain. Here's the footage:



You can also get the video here.]

Listen to this video in which McCain strongly implies that Iran has actually currently has nuclear weapons. Several times he gave the impression that is a possibility that Iran will attack with nuclear weapons. Iran tested missiles, but has not nuclear weapons to launch. So, there is a zero chance Iran could attack the US. That's a zero chance they will attack anyone with nuclear missiles, for some years, anyway. After fear-baiting through much of this interview, McCain slips in "if" Iran is allowed to get nuclear weapons. But for those not hearing or attending to this flip from the earlier impression he conveys, the damage is done. Well-equipped Israel can take care of itself for now. But, just as Bush lied us into frantic, needless war, here goes McCain to ramp up the conflict between Iran and the US. But never mind. "Why does this have to be our problem," Brain Williams asks, as if it is a forgone conclusion war is unavoidable, why this has to be America's problem? Yet the Bush administration and a consenting John McCain have proven they can't be trusted to run this nation's foreign policy.

Barack Obama supports strengthening sanctions against Iran, but McCain would have you believe otherwise. Then, in an obvious counter to Barack Obama,McCain says we should refuse to sit down with the Iranians. We have sat down with North Korea (apparently successfully) and Pakistan, but can't with Iran?

McCain's saying something must be done now has one morsel of truth. McCain should stifle himself now. Stop baiting Iran. Stop singing ditties like "Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran (to the tune of Barbara Ann). See video here:



Stop joking about the deaths of Iranians as he did yesterday. Stop. Now. He is unpresidential and dangerous. If Bush's menacing countries around the world has taught us anything, American leaders should, at minimum, not be provocateurs, not utter bring-it-ons, not go lip-smacking into another deadly conflict.

Williams ends his faux interview (really McCain promo piece) by flattering McCain and providing him a microphone. He promoted McCain's campaign, including his ad, and challenged nothing. Williams did ask McCain what he is suggesting in a campaign ad against Barack Obama, trying to link him to the 1960s, but never challenged the legitimacy of the connection. (The ad tried to associate Barack Obama, who was a small child at the time, with sixties protests. We need to restore the Fairness Doctrine. This is ridiculous).

Williams also failed to note that, contrary to the Bush administration supposedly following the law with respect to exports to Iran, under BUSHCO, exports from the US to Iran have dramatically increased. Now, there's a political party wanting to have it both ways.

Additionally, on the same night of Nightly News was Condi Rice saying that Iran's Nuclear Technology is "unchecked." Again, they don't have nuclear weapons.
Even Andrea Mitchell, no slouch when flattering Republicans, admitted today's news of Iran testing missiles was not much of a threat. Watch that footage here. But Williams ran his promo nonetheless. Barack Obama was interviewed on Today; McCain live on prime time news.

In a separate event today, McCain falsely claimed that Obama opposed labeling the Iranian National Guard a "terrorist group." Obama did not. He did oppose Kyl- Lieberman, but not because of that particular provision. Indeed, Obama put forth his own version of the bill, which clearly labeled the IRG a "terrorist" group. To represent otherwise is nothing short of political chicanery. Obama opposed Kyl Lieberman because it might be used as another blank check for Bush to unilaterally go to war again. Ironically, McCain didn't vote for Kyle Lieberman either. But, again, irony is lost of media hacks like Brian williams.