NBC “Nightly News” anchor Brian Williams admitted this week that he had falsely claimed he was on a helicopter that was shot down in Iraq in 2003. (Matt Sayles, Associated Press file)
Re: “Brian Williams recants story of coming under fire in Iraq,” Feb. 5 news story.
So Brian Williams “misremembered” his story about being on a helicopter that took enemy fire during the Iraq war in 2003. What does “misremember” mean, anyway? That word choice simply reveals a lame attempt to avoid personal responsibility for what he really did, which was lie. Itap a ridiculous non-apology and itap an insult to the intelligence of the soldiers who called him out on his story.
Unfortunately, Williams is yet another example of the low level to which journalistic integrity and standards have sunk in the last 15 years. I doubt that his job security is in any jeopardy over this, but if it were, he could take comfort in the fact that he’s already shown great promise and ability for what could be a second career — in politics. He’d fit in well with the current bunch in Washington, D.C., and could even learn how not to apologize at all or simply blame others for his personal mistakes.
Brian O’Boyle,Aurora
This letter was published in the Feb. 7 edition.Does anyone really believe that Brian Williams “misremembered” riding in a helicopter damaged by enemy fire when it wasn’t? How can you think you were shot at when you weren’t? It seems Williams has fallen into the same category as Dan Rather: self-aggrandizing, grandstanding, claiming courage when none was needed.
Riley Grant,Aurora
This letter was published in the Feb. 7 edition.
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