Geraldo Rivera Likens Rolling Stone‘s Michael Hastings To Al Qaeda. Seriously.

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by Colby Hall | 9:08 pm, June 25th, 2010

» 53 comments

And no it was not hyperbole. While guesting on The O’Reilly Factor tonight, Geraldo Rivera compared writer Michael Hastings (whose article in Rolling Stone published this week effectively brought down General Stanley McChrystal) with al Qaeda terrorists who killed US ally Sheik Massoud two days before the attacks of 9/11, who set back anti-Taliban efforts in Afghanistan.

O’Reilly, who had previously defended Hastings’ article while also dismissing Rolling Stone, pushed back and told an aggrieved Geraldo to “take a deep breath.” But Geraldo had thought this through, making the very clear (if not somewhat outlandish) comparison of Hastings to al Qadea, saying:

Two days before 9/11, two al Qaeda terrorists posing as journalists got up to Sheik Massoud, our most valuable ally in Afghanistan. They blew themselves and Sheik Massoud up. A tremendous setback. I maintain historically that the removal of General McChrystal at the hands of this freelance reporter for Rolling Stone has almost comparable strategic significance. This was a major deal. And to do it under those rules, where you have to admit your third gin and tonic. You are frustrated. You are waiting for the volcanic ash to clear. Everybody is on their most relaxed behavior to get a statement, an utterance like that. An utterance but not the General himself but by one of his over eager macho staffers is something that you have an obligation and honorable obligation to check out before you rush to the press knowing that you have done is removing a fine soldier who has risked his life for his country time and time again.

Al Qaeda, barack obama, Bill O'Reilly, General McChrystal, General Stanley McChrystal, Geraldo, Geraldo Rivera, Rolling Stone, Sheik Massoud

murf

Geraldo has always had a huge heart and genuine passion for our military. To compare this to Al Qaeda is a stretch . However Hastings is a leechy -far left dude, who is under the delusion he is a noble important journalist, which is laughable. He’s a bottom feeder snitch reporter.
TfT

Yup, and now hotair is reporting this:

Pentagon official: “Rolling Stone” made McChrystal’s staff think they were speaking off the record

So much for trusting the leechy-far left…..I guess you get what you get.

Lesson learned: NEVER TRUST ANYONE IN THE MEDIA. Too bad it took McCyrstal being fired/resigning to realize this. I’m sure that RS will be hailed by the left, Obama will consider himself a genius because the left wing media says it is so, despite having to fire his own hand-picked man.

The enemedia.
Iris

Yeah, right. Hastings “made” McChrystal talk, he “made” his aides talk, he “made” them give him weeks of access. What magical powers Hastings must have.
Thomas G Williams

Some ones not taking their meds, GR should pull his knee lower leg and foot out of his mouth.

He is aware that celebrations nearly broke out among the troops when they heard the General was sacked.
lonestar77

What he said wasn’t a big deal. It certainly wasn’t as big of a deal as Colby (per usual) is trying to make out of it. Once again, I’ll ask: Colby, is that the best you got? Terrible.

General Wesley Clark was on immediately following Geraldo to talk about the same issues and he didn’t make anything out of it. It’s amazing the lengths far-left media types will go to whine about something on FNC. Colby, if you hate FNC so much, stop watching. IF your remote doesn’t work, get off your butt and change the channel. Whatever you do, stop trying to make something out of nothing.
lonestar77

Thomas G Williams says:
June 26, 2010 at 12:28 am (Quote)
“He is aware that celebrations nearly broke out among the troops when they heard the General was sacked.”

And, where is your source for this? Besides, you should love McChrystal, he’s as far-left as you are, Tommy. If celebrations did break out, it’s most likely due to the frustrations the troops feel by having to fight a war with one hand tied behind their back.
the real john t

lonestar77 says:

Tommy. If celebrations did break out, it’s most likely due to the frustrations the troops feel by having to fight a war with one hand tied behind their back.
—————————-

Who’s the one that started that war lonestar? Yeah, he started it as just a temporary stopover to go on into Iraq to get the man that threatened to kill his daddy. Who was that lonestar?
ImNotBlue

Thomas G Williams says:
June 26, 2010 at 12:28 am

He is aware that celebrations nearly broke out among the troops when they heard the General was sacked.

Are you aware that most of Afghan leaders he worked with were petitioning for him to stay on? McChrystal was well respected… although many didn’t like his “overly reserved” plans. They wanted to confront the enemy, and complained that he wouldn’t let them fully engage.

It’s a predicament for you, I suppose. On one hand, you’re used to attacking anything to do with Afghanistan or Iraq. Add in a comment from someone at FNC, and right-leaning person on this site… and surely you’re against whatever it is they’re talking about. But… McChrystal was on your side politically, and the only reason he wasn’t unanimously loved was because he was “too Liberal” for some of the troops. So I can see how you would be conflicted. You want to complain, but in doing so, you attack your own ideology. A conundrum.

the real john t says:
June 26, 2010 at 12:50 am

Who’s the one that started that war lonestar? Yeah, he started it as just a temporary stopover to go on into Iraq to get the man that threatened to kill his daddy. Who was that lonestar?

One… how is who started it relevant… at all… to this conversation? Is that all you know how to talk about?

And two… I guess you forgot about that 9/11 thing, and that even prior to his election, Obama said Afghanistan was the “good war,” and the one we should be fighting. I wonder… how does that fit in your “theory?”
the real john t

ImNotBlue says:
June 26, 2010 at 1:42 am

One… how is who started it relevant… at all… to this conversation?
——————————————

There you go again jumping into the middle of a conversation between me and lonestar. When you didn’t even know what it was about. You accused me of that one time, but since then you’ve done it multiple times. I’m starting to think you’re lonestar too.
ImNotBlue

the real john t says:
June 26, 2010 at 2:00 am

There you go again jumping into the middle of a conversation between me and lonestar.

Oh, see… here’s the problem… this isn’t a private conversation. It’s open to everyone. Lonestar may or may not be around… but I had a question to something you said.

But since (yet again) you’ve said something you can’t back up, you’ll just go on attacking me. A more transparent and pathetic attempt to save face, I’m not sure we’ve seen.

(PS- I’m nobody but INB… never have been anyone else, don’t want to be anyone else.)
the real john t

ImNotBlue says:
June 26, 2010 at 2:04 am
————————————-

Hey idiot, why don’t you try reading the comments?

lonestar77 says:
June 26, 2010 at 12:35 am lonestar77(Quote)

it’s most likely due to the frustrations the troops feel by having to fight a war with one hand tied behind their back.
the real john t

ImNotBlue says:
June 26, 2010 at 2:04 am ImNotBlue(Quote)

Oh, see… here’s the problem… this isn’t a private conversation. It’s open to everyone.
————————————

Then don’t ever preach to me again about jumping into someone conversation, you hypocrite.
ImNotBlue

the real john t says:
June 26, 2010 at 2:26 am

Hey idiot, why don’t you try reading the comments?

Is this dodge number two? Now it’s that I’ve repeated something someone else said? Yeesh… I didn’t know this site was running out of room!

I wrote my response before I read lonestar’s comment. And since it was already written, why not post it? I figure, if someone doesn’t want to read it, they’ll just scroll past it instead of getting all angry.

Oops… well done, John. You’ve proven me wrong on that last theory. Hehe.

So I assume you’re not going to respond (again) to my question, are you?
the real john t

ImNotBlue says:
June 26, 2010 at 2:30 am

So I assume you’re not going to respond (again) to my question, are you?
————————————

Just what question didn’t I respond to?
ImNotBlue

the real john t says:
June 26, 2010 at 2:39 am

Ugh… and we’re up to Stage 3… the “I’ll pretend not to know what question you’re talking about stage, even though I could just scroll up if I really didn’t remember” stage.

ImNotBlue says:
June 26, 2010 at 1:42 am

the real john t says:
June 26, 2010 at 12:50 am

Who’s the one that started that war lonestar? Yeah, he started it as just a temporary stopover to go on into Iraq to get the man that threatened to kill his daddy. Who was that lonestar?

One… how is who started it relevant… at all… to this conversation? Is that all you know how to talk about?

And two… I guess you forgot about that 9/11 thing, and that even prior to his election, Obama said Afghanistan was the “good war,” and the one we should be fighting. I wonder… how does that fit in your “theory?”
the real john t

ImNotBlue says:
June 26, 2010 at 2:46 am
——————————————

Hey idiot go back up and read this post here:

the real john t says:
June 26, 2010 at 2:26 am
——————————————–

You are getting more ignorant than the day is getting long. Dollar has sure taught you well.
ImNotBlue

the real john t says:
June 26, 2010 at 2:56 am

Is this the next stage? The “don’t make any sense” stage?

In the 2:26am post you say:

Hey idiot, why don’t you try reading the comments?

lonestar77 says:
June 26, 2010 at 12:35 am lonestar77(Quote)

it’s most likely due to the frustrations the troops feel by having to fight a war with one hand tied behind their back.

And that’s your “answer?” To which question? Let’s see if any of them work:

Question 1: Why is the topic of who started the war in Afghanistan relevant? Answer: “…fight a war with one hand tied behind their back.”

Well, for that to be true, one would have to ignore that McChrystal wasn’t in charge of Afghanistan until after Obama came into office, and plotted a new strategy. That would be kinda a lot of information to miss. But it is John T… so nothing is surprising.

Question 2: Obama supported the Afghanistan war, and ran on a platform of calling it the “good war.” Doesn’t that disprove your “only to get into Iraq” theory? And didn’t 9/11 play a big role in the Afghan invasion? Answer: “…fight a war with one hand tied behind their back.”

Hmmm. That makes even less sense.

So I guess we’ll say that the “answer” was for the first question… although really really ignorant of the facts. And the second one was too incontinent for John T to answer.

Does that about sum it up?
ImNotBlue

the real john t says:
June 26, 2010 at 2:56 am

Dollar has sure taught you well.

Could you be any more obsessed with him? Wow.
the real john t

ImNotBlue says:
June 26, 2010 at 2:46 am ImNotBlue(Quote)
0 0
the real john t says:
June 26, 2010 at 2:39 am

Ugh… and we’re up to Stage 3… the “I’ll pretend not to know what question you’re talking about stage,
———————————————

Well blue boy, if the question is what did I say have anything to do with the topic, maybe you should take your self righteous hypocritical ass back up and read the topic. It’s about the war in AFGHANISTAN, and you have not made one comment that had anything to do with the topic. All you do is come on here and bitch at others.
the real john t

ImNotBlue says:
June 26, 2010 at 3:09 am

Answer: “…fight a war with one hand tied behind their back.”

Hmmm. That makes even less sense.
——————————————

Hey idiot, if you had any reading skills at all you could go back and see I didn’t make that statement, your buddy lonestar did.
ImNotBlue

the real john t says:
June 26, 2010 at 3:12 am

And we’ve reached the final stage before the eventual running away. The “I’m so angry and flustered, all I can do is throw out ad hominem attacks.”

Well blue boy, if the question is what did I say have anything to do with the topic, maybe you should take your self righteous hypocritical ass back up and read the topic. It’s about the war in AFGHANISTAN…

Well, not it’s not. Furthermore, your comment was about who started the Afghan war… which was completely irrelevant. That’s why I asked the question… that’s why you can’t answer the question… and that’s why you’re getting so upset now. The only thing it did do was fit your requirement to talk about Bush no matter the situation… but once again, it failed.

Not to mention you’re still ignoring the other question.

…and you have not made one comment that had anything to do with the topic. All you do is come on here and bitch at others.

Bitched John T. My comments responded to your comments, and Thomas’ comment. If that makes them off topic, because you went off topic, so be it. However, that still doesn’t justify your constant dodging, and attempts to point the finger at targets you feel more comfortable attacking, even though the situation doesn’t call for it.

Oh well… another night, another pointless debate with John T.

the real john t says:
June 26, 2010 at 3:18 am

Hey idiot, if you had any reading skills at all you could go back and see I didn’t make that statement, your buddy lonestar did.

You perhaps should re-read my entire post before calling me names, and commenting on “reading skills.”

(*PSST* Hint… I never said you said that. Only that it was your “answer” for the questions I had asked.)
the real john t

ImNotBlue says:
June 26, 2010 at 3:25 am
————————————

HUH! What’s this topic about?
———————————–

ImNotBlue says:
June 26, 2010 at 3:09 am

Answer: “…fight a war with one hand tied behind their back.”
———————————–

The hell you didn’t. You don’t even know what you wrote. And you say you work in television? It must be for a Fox channel.
the real john t

ImNotBlue says:
June 26, 2010 at 3:25 am

(*PSST* Hint… I never said you said that. Only that it was your “answer” for the questions I had asked.)
————————————–

You can’t comprehend anything you read can you? And you’re saying you work in television? What a frigging joke.
ImNotBlue

the real john t says:
June 26, 2010 at 3:33 am

HUH! What’s this topic about?

The topic is about Geraldo’s comments regarding Michael Hastings… not the merits of the war itself. That’s why your comments regarding Bush were irrelevant.

The hell you didn’t. You don’t even know what you wrote.

Read it all, my friend… particularly this line, in the 3:09 post:

“And that’s your “answer?” To which question? Let’s see if any of them work:”

And what was that referring to? Why the quote right above it where you used lonestar’s statement as your apparent “answer” to my questions.

Sorry, buddy… it’s all there. Just scroll up.

And you say you work in television? It must be for a Fox channel.

Nope… not a FOX Channel at all. Not even tangentially. Sorry again.

But John… tonight was really sad. You were really digging for something, but just couldn’t come up with anything good. You avoided my question as best you could (one you tried to use lonestar as an answer, and failed… and the other you’ve simply ignored time and time again). Not a good night for you. I expect better from someone who does this all the time. Very disappointing.
the real john t

ImNotBlue says:
June 26, 2010 at 3:45 am
—————————–

You know you are a funny little man. But like I said, you need to get some reading skills. Maybe you could take some at the adult classes at the local High school if they have them. But you’re getting kind of boring now just repeating yourself over and over. So good night.
TfT

The bottom line is this:

A lefty journo took out a lefty (politically speaking) General. (I have enormous respect for McChrystal’s military accomplishments).

Bush’s man is now in charge of the mission, and as a result we have already seen two changes:

1. A modification of the ROE so the troops can fight again.
2. Elimination of a date certain for withdrawal from Afghan; redeployment of our troops will be based on conditions on the ground.

I say the change in mission focus (for the better) is Bush’s fault.
MichelleF

Colby, did I miss your article on Chris Matthews likening the GOP to suicide bomber,s or are you just putting the finishing touches on it.

Consider myself CHECKED!!
valkyrie101

Fox’s outrage over the Rolling Stone interview does not relate to the general’s statements, or whether it was appropriate for Rolling Stone to print them, it relates to the fact that the general did not talk trash on one of the FOX shows. Their main complaint is why did he give the interview to such a “left wing rag”?
MichelleF

Val, if you are implying that Geraldo is a right wing hack, that is truly entertaining! The man is a RAGING LIB!!
ImNotBlue

the real john t says:
June 26, 2010 at 3:54 am

I had a feeling we were hitting the “run away” point. I’m glad I went to bed before that.

So in summation… one question semi-answered (although, it shows a complete lack of knowledge of the facts), and a second question completely unanswered.

John T, ladies and gentlemen.

valkyrie101 says:
June 26, 2010 at 8:38 am

Their main complaint is why did he give the interview to such a “left wing rag”?

**INB asks Val to prove something, which Val couldn’t possibly know, even though he/she pretends to… part 72**

Hey Val… you have any proof -at all- for that statement?
News Hounds Ellen

Isn’t this the same Geraldo Rivera who got expelled from Iraq for broadcasting troop movements? I think he’s got a lot of nerve whining about Rolling Stone for printing something the General knew or should have known would get printed.

Come on, Geraldo!

http://www.newshounds.us/2010/06/26/geraldo_rivera_has_a_lot_of_nerve_comparing_rolling_stone_to_al_qaeda.php
OxyCon

Geraldo compared the damage that Hastings and Rolling Stone have done to America to the murder of Sheik Massoud, and he makes a valid point.
As for Hastings, I’m just waiting to find out that he’s another America hating member of Ezra Klein’s “JournoList” who has called our military leaders a bunch of “ratf*ckers” numerous times.
As a matter of fact, every far-leftist who was a member of JournoList should have the guts to admit that they were members so that their readers can understand that the author is a far-left hack with an axe to grind.
notsofast

For God’s sake. The General is not a naive child. He had to know why that reporter was there and that he would write an article about this. This is what a reporter does.

This reminds me of when a black reporter wrote that Jesse Jackson called NYC “hymietown. and many blacks came out and called the reporter a traitor.

Now, if ya want to debate if what the General said warranted removal, that’s another issue.
notsofast

ImNotBlue says:
June 26, 2010 at 10:21 am ImNotBlue(Quote)
Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1

the real john t says:
June 26, 2010 at 3:54 am

INB, why in the world would you engage a trog like the real johnt is any kind of discussion?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Larry-Gibby/1360313052 Larry Gibby

I didn’t read every post but it seems a lot of folks get lost in the middle of the thread. Rivera was simply offering an analogy and your subjective B.S. is immaterial. The point: To eliminate a real threat from the inside by posing as a good ol’ down home journalist just reporting the facts, ma’am. It’s the result, not the methadology. Problem is, the threat got worse. Hah!
felixw

I am not a huge fan of Geraldo Rivera. But he has spent a considerable amount of time in Afghanistan and other war fronts, and is far more knowledgeable on this matter than 99% of the other pundits on TV. So if you want to ridicule some reporter about his coverage of the McChrystal fiasco, you have definitely picked the wrong guy. Why don’t you make fun of Keith Olbermann instead? — KO probably can’t find Afghanistan on a map (judging by the depth of his coverage of the operation), and apparently thinks that Republicans are far better candidate for worst person in the world than anyone in the Taliban.
valkyrie101

Wasn’t it Geraldo who was yelled at for revealing strategic locations during his war broadcasts?
TfT

It was, and he was removed from the theater for a while following his drawing the map in the sand. It was a stupid move on his part and he payed a price for it.

If the story is true that the comments were off the record, then the message across the military community (and anyone else for that matter) is: NEVER TRUST A JOURNALIST. It’s a good lesson, especially since the public already thinks most of the media is on Obama’s team already (see polling data, but don’t look here for it).

The reputation of journo’s has taken a pretty big hit of late; the Perky one caught in a lie of omission the other night, the bowing Brian is never to be trusted, and Obama’s biggest toady, Chuck Todd, covered for himself with his “twitters” comment.

The enemedia.
notsofast

TfT says:
June 26, 2010 at 2:11 pm TfT(Quote)
Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

If the story is true that the comments were off the record, then the message across the military community (and anyone else for that matter) is: NEVER TRUST A JOURNALIST”

If this is true, the libs will say truth outweighs the treachery and mendacity of the reporter even though such mendacity erodes any sense of true journalism..

We will have to see how this plays out.

“Gen. McChrystal allies, Rolling Stone disagree over article’s ground rules”

By Karen DeYoung and Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, June 26, 2010
http://www.facebook.com/people/Val-Anderson/100000119994645 Val Anderson

I agree with Geraldo. Hastings is a piece of human filth, he (hastings) said he will F… any one meaing anyone who is not a liberal. Journalist gereraly are trash I.e Mathews, Olberman etc. They want their five seconds of fame regardless of the fact their faulty reporting could bring a good person down in addition to our country. Get that piece of trash Hastings out of America
Ted

You tea-baggers are always good for a laugh. Geraldo is a hero..at least until he isn’t of course. And now the messenger is the problem, not the General who violated the military code of conduct. But naturally, most of you tea-baggers wouldn’t know anything about that, or much else for that matter. So you blathering on in the incoherent and nonsensical way that you do. But you are entertaining…like a rodeo clown is entertaining.
the real john t

Val Anderson says:
June 26, 2010 at 2:35 pm Val Anderson(Quote)
0 1
I agree with Geraldo. Hastings is a piece of human filth, he (hastings) said he will F… any one meaing anyone who is not a liberal.
———————————

Maybe you have a hard time keeping up with things, but McChystal is a liberal.
Snidely

Gerry needs to get his meds right.
Dorp

Maybe I could better understand Geraldo’s talking points about “not aiding the enemy” if he drew us a sand table…
notsofast

Maybe I could understand your point if you got your head out of Barry’s ass!
Ninja

Ted said:
You tea-baggers are always good for a laugh. Geraldo is a hero..at least until he isn’t of course. And now the messenger is the problem, not the General who violated the military code of conduct. But naturally, most of you tea-baggers wouldn’t know anything about that, or much else for that matter. So you blathering on in the incoherent and nonsensical way that you do. But you are entertaining…like a rodeo clown is entertaining.

Alright…Tea-bagged / mushroom stamped ted is back blathering on. You do realize that GR is as far left as you are don’t you? Guess that will change your stance…
the real john t

notsofast says:
June 26, 2010 at 9:24 pm notsofast(Quote)
0 1
Maybe I could understand your point if you got your head out of Barry’s ass!
—————————————

Ever notice how notsosmart is obsessed with the President’s ass, or any other male ass for that matter? He must have a lot of expierence in that category.
valkyrie101

Geraldo will say anything to get some attention. And that is all this is about. Same as Rush, Glenn, Sarah or whoever.
MichelleF

Hey, Val, you fogot to include Olberdork, matthews, and maddow. Of do they not do that?
valkyrie101

Michelle,
I don’t know, do they compare people to Hitler, Stalin, Nazis, and Al Qaeda like the other people I mentioned?
mikenatl

Every soldier knows you don’t make negative comments about your superiors. And GR has a lot of nerve since he was drawing troop movements in the sand on a live camera.
ImNotBlue

valkyrie101 says:
June 27, 2010 at 12:14 pm

Yes. Frequently.
valkyrie101

Blue, Michelle,
Really? I can imagine that it happened a couple times with KO because he often goes over the top. Mathews? Sure, probably a least a couple times. But Maddow? Hook me up with some supporting evidence for that, Blue.