TV Generals

According to the New York Times, yesterday, the Pentagon manipulated the generals who went on TV to talk about the Iraq War, who in turn manipulated the public with false and misleading comments.

Internal Pentagon documents repeatedly refer to the military analysts as “message force multipliers” or “surrogates” who could be counted on to deliver administration “themes and messages” to millions of Americans “in the form of their own opinions.”

Those paying attention, however, realized early on that Victoria Clark, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs under Donald Rumsfeld, is a public relations professional who used to be a corporate brand manager. Do you remember her giving those press briefings early into the Iraq War? Her job, even before joining the government was to manipulate public opinion. Let us give Rumsfeld credit for hiring one competent person.