NBC's Brian Williams mistakenly thought his helicopter was shot down

[hoosierdoc]

NBC?s Brian Williams recants Iraq story after soldiers protest - U.S. - Stripes

Surprised this wasn't posted yet, which makes me think I'm missing it... but here you go.

“I would not have chosen to make this mistake,” Williams said. “I don’t know what screwed up in my mind that caused me to conflate one aircraft with another.”Williams told his Nightly News audience that the erroneous claim was part of a "bungled attempt" to thank soldiers who helped protect him in Iraq in 2003. “I made a mistake in recalling the events of 12 years ago,” Williams said. “I want to apologize.”

 

[Crbn79]

It's easily confused. I often think the planes I'm on are shot down......

 

[cobber]

Happens all the time. Thought I was car-jacked last night, but it turns out it was some dude in Illinois instead. My bad.

 

[pudly]

He went full Neil deGrasse Tyson. You never go full Neil deGrasse Tyson.

 

[Birds Away]

Reminds me of Shrillary doing the same thing a few years ago. Lefties can just make it up as they go along. No big deal. Certainly isn't the first lie nor the biggest for either of them.

 

[wabash]

easy mistake to make, since he was busy piloting that helicopter at the time.

 

[KittySlayer]

Probably confused the RPG with sniper fire that Hillary was lucky to survive (bad luck).

 

[HamYankee]

I wonder what he thought he had to gain at the time by making up that story and how he could do so without shame.
I think Hillary similarly "misspoke," or "miss-remembered," some sniper fire or something.
I'm actually surprised Brian Williams apologized, but glad he fesses up under duress.

 

[dsol]

Probably confused the RPG with sniper fire that Hillary was lucky to survive (bad luck).

I remember her talking about landing somewhere under sniper fire. I could make such perfect commercials for whoever ends up running against her... she has so many little things that could be played over and over then with the truth right after that nobody in their right mind would vote for the hag. Of course, "in their right mind" is part of the problem when it comes to voting for people like her...

 

[MCgrease08]

Imagine the outrage and media coverage this would get if it were a politician instead of Brian Williams.

What if it were GWB coming out and revealing the same thing during his presidency? You'd hear about it non-stop, wall-to-wall on every network for weeks. I hope we see a similar level of scrutiny here, but somehow I doubt it.

Brian Williams should be fired.

 

[hoosierdoc]

CNN admitted that they lied during the first Gulf War about the atrocities of Saddam Hussein. They said they did it to protect their embedded journalists and ensure that their cameras were still allowed to remain. Journalism is not what it once was.

 

[KittySlayer]

I'm sure he's been telling this story at cocktail parties for the last twelve years. Each time the story gets more harrowing, especially if the audience is a pretty woman. He just screwed up and told his fairy tale on the air and got called out for it.

An apology should be "I lied, I'm sorry". Instead he gave an excuse "I misremembered..." An excuse is not an apology.

 

[pudly]

CNN admitted that they lied during the first Gulf War about the atrocities of Saddam Hussein. They said they did it to protect their embedded journalists and ensure that their cameras were still allowed to remain. Journalism is not what it once was.

Sorry Doc. Don't buy it. Journalists were never saints. There just are more ways to get the info out now. Journalists don't have exclusive control of what info is shared now. Dan Rather's career was ended due to the story of his lies about George Bush being researched and published by bloggers rather than the MSM. The CNN non-coverage is reminiscent of how the NY Times didn't cover the crimes of Stalin.

 

[TiMMaY]

Brian Williams' tall tale about his helicopter ride makes him no better then the piece of crap Stolen Valor hacks.

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

I also shot bigfoot.

...or was it a bear...

Frig, it was a groundhog. Sorry.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Better thread title: NBC's Brian Williams admits to lying.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Better thread title: NBC's Brian Williams admits to lying.

I think my title insults him more

 

[jd4320t]

What a piece of ****. We all forget parts of a story and have been there but you don't mistake something like this. He lied and is continuing to lie.

He should retire or be fired.

 

[OakRiver]

I too often conflate traumatic combat experiences others have gone through with my own safe existence

If you want a laugh read some of these; https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrianWilliamsMemories?src=hash

Яob ‏@robx_d 14h14 hours ago
#BrianWilliamsMemories I remember a time landing in Bosnia and dodging sniper fire with Hillary Clinton. It was harrowing.​

Kurt Richards ‏@IAmKurtacus 14h14 hours ago
#BrianWilliamsMemories trying to keep that bus above 55 mph was the hardest thing I've ever done.​

AG ‏@AG_Conservative 13h13 hours ago
Correction: I wasn't part of the Tet Offensive. I just ate at a Vietnamese restaurant a few decades later. #BrianWilliamsMemories​

jeremy scahill ‏@jeremyscahill 13h13 hours ago
Correction: I didn't storm the beach at Normandy. I just had a friend named Norman. #BrianWilliamsMemories​

Marty Lang ‏@marty_lang 13h13 hours ago
Correction: I did not help raise the flag at Iwo Jima, I just dug a hole & installed a flagpole in my front yard. #BrianWilliamsMemories​

Avraham Bronstein ‏@AvBronstein 13h13 hours ago
I did not, in fact, witness the Last Supper. In retrospect, I took communion. #BrianWilliamsMemories​

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Reminds me of a certain Public Safety Director who inserted himself into the WTC on 9/11. I often misremember having other people's blood and tissue sprayed on me.