American Spectator

Beating About Bush

by Reid Collins

However the captivity of Hainan Island ends, we are assured that President Bush caused or at least exacerbated the matter in the early going. How? If you ask, you are not a listener to Dan Rather and the CBS Evening News.

Thursday, April 5, the item was billed as a "CBS News exclusive: how a few simple words may have made the situation worse in the very first hours after the collision."

After reports from David Martin at the Pentagon and John Roberts at the White House detailing the latest in negotiating and amending statements of regret, came the exclusive. "Exclusive word," said Rather, "that it could have been avoided."

A report from Correspondent Barry Petersen in Beijing would explain how:

"Dan, CBS News has learned that when this incident began, China's top political leaders really intended to end it quickly. In fact, some argued for returning the plane and crew immediately. But then things started spinning out of control. Under the scenario described to CBS News, the Chinese military stepped in with its own agenda, insisting on a 48-hour delay, time to search the plane and extract any high-tech secrets still left intact. By Tuesday night, the military would be willing to give up the people and the plane. But on Monday, President Bush spoke out, demanding the Americans be freed:

"President Bush: 'Our priorities are the prompt and safe return of the crew, and the return of the aircraft without further damaging or tampering.'"

Petersen: "Sources say strong words from the U.S. President stunned China's president, Jiang Zemin, forcing him to up the ante. His demand: a full apology."

The Petersen report goes on to add that if the crisis drags on and "for instance, it results in the United States selling the advanced Aegis radar system to Taiwan, the province China claims, then the situation will go beyond what diplomacy can fix."

Petersen here is setting up a sound bite from Kenneth Lieberthal, described as "the former National Security Council Expert on Asia," who says in the bite, "the Chinese may say 'If you sell the Aegis radar system to Taiwan, these pilots or crew members that we have are going to have grandchildren before we hand them back...'"

Petersen goodnights from Beijing with: "The sense here is that China's leaders feel trapped."

(The sense here is that it is President Bush who has been trapped, and not by the Chinese. Taiwan may also feel a little trapped by the CBS designation of it as a Chinese province. Designating the Aegis sale to Taiwan as part of the bargaining process is saved only by use of that phrase, "may say.")

Minutes later, in an interview with former Defense Secretary Bill Cohen, what has been unsourced reportage from Beijing becomes unvarnished fact in a Rather question:

Rather: "The Chinese claim that it was what they describe as 'tough talk' from President Bush in the very first hours after these planes collided that made the situation develop as it has."

Cohen doesn't bite: "I think President Bush had an obligation to send a message to the Chinese government..." And Cohen goes on to say he thought the President spoke with great reserve but also with firm resolve. Darn.

There is a legal term for the foregoing: res ipsa loquitur. The thing speaks for itself.

Reid Collins is a former CBS and CNN correspondent.

(Posted 4/10/01)

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2001

Answers

How does the "Chinese Brodcasting Service" (CBS) sound?

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2001

Yes, and I thought that ABC stood for "Adores Bill Clinton"

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2001