CHER calls C-SPAN!

CHER c-span transcript

Peter Slen, C-Span Moderator: Good Morning Miami Beach

caller: good morning! thank you for c-span, i watch it every day!
uh, i would like to say i had the occasion the other day to spend the entire day with troops that had come back from iraq & had been wounded &..um...i also visited troops during the vietnam era...but the thing that i was most shocked by...um...as i walked into the hospital the first person i ran into was a boy about 19 or 20 years old who'd lost both of his arms...& when i walked into the hosptial & visited all these boys all day long...uh...everyone had lost either one arm...one limb or two limbs or had lost one limb & there were...there were a lot of legs that seemed to be missing & a couple of the boys told me it was because that their vehicles ...that the rockets pierce the vehicles so much its like being kind of in a tin can...it doesnt have...there isnt...the walls of the humvees are very soft & theres no protection...but three guys in the same vehicle have lost a leg.
 ...& another thing that i saw was that...um...if theyd lost one leg that... that shrapnel that had hit the other leg had been so devatating that they were having to pull like the thigh...you know...the muscle & the thigh around the bottom of the calf to try to make the leg workable but in some cases these boys had lost one leg & the other leg was so damaged that they werent sure what they were gonna be able to do.

C-Span Moderator: where did you spend tthe day?

caller: walter-reed.

C-Span Moderator: & youre down in miami beach, back in miami beach?

caller: i'm down here today.

C-Span Moderator: what were you doing @ walter -reed?  are you a volunteer?

caller: no, i was just asked to come & spend the day. i was working that day in washington dc &...

C-Span Moderator: what kind of work do you do?

caller: um, i'm an entertainer.

C-Span Moderator: oh, what kind of entertaining? are you USO?

caller: no, i actually was called by the USO but i'm...i'm...i'm just...i'm an entertainer. & i really dont want to go much past that but...um...

C-Span Moderator: is this CHER?

caller: yeah.

C-Span Moderator: (worshipful silence) ok. & you spent the day @ walter-reed.

caller: yeah. & i spent the day with, i mean they were great guys...&...& the the men that took me around were in the...you know...the services,you know, they were fabulous men...uh...mike & john &...& they these boys had unbelievable courage & they still said for the most part hat they were glad that they they did it, they felt that it was their duty...& there were a few of the national guards that felt it was their duty that once they were over there but they wondered why they were taken out of america to spend that much time as as actual service men when they really felt that their job was to be, you know, protecting this country.
 ...but i i have to say that they had the most unbeleivable courage & it took everything that i have as a person to...to not...you know... break down while i was talkin to these guys...but i just think that if there was no reason for this war this was the most heinous thing i'd ever seen...& also i wonder why...why are none of cheney, wolfowitz, bremer,  the president, why arent they taking pictures with all these guys...coz...i dont understand why these guys are so hidden & why...& why there arent pictures of them because you know, talking about the dead & the wounded...thats two different things but these wounded are so devastadley wounded...you know...that i think that... the wounded...its just... its unbelievable...its just unbelieivable to me & i'm an independant but i....

C-Span Moderator: are you supporting anyone yet for 2004?
 you supported ross perot, correct? in 92?

caller: yeah, i mean when i heard him talk right in the beginning i thought that he would bring some sort of common-sense business approach & also less partisianship but then of course...you know...i was completley disappointed like everyone else when he just kind of cut & run & no one knew exactly why ...you know...being that maybe he couldnt have withstood all the investigation that goes on now...but...um...you know...i'm not a bush supporter, that for sure...& im definitley not ashcroft or cheney or any of them...but i would just like to see them have...you know, if youre going to send these people to war then dont hide them, you know &...&...& have some... have some news coverage where people are sitting & talking to these guys & seeing how they are & seeing their spirit & its just...i just...
i think its a crime

C-Span Moderator: when you were up here for your farewell concert earlier this month, is that when you went to walter reed?

callr: yeah.

C-Span Moderator: ok well thanks for your time this morning, thanks for watching

callre: oh i have to tell you i watch you every day & i really appreciate it because i go all over the world & i must say that the news we get in america has nothing to do with the news that you get outside of this country & i think thats why people dont..people dont understand why so many of the allies did not...you know, our usual allies did not join us because if you get outside the united states you hear a different kind of news you know & so...

C-Span Moderator: whats your favorite news source outside the US?

caller: well theres a source that i really like inside the US that gives you special documentaries called WORLDLINK but i think my favorite source outside the US is BBC because they are our allies but you still get...on the nightly news you get...you know, much more coverage & i think much more honest coverage...I dont know, i guess they're not...well...they're independant so they're not owned by any of the major corporations that are... you know, have vested interes in this war.

C-Span Moderator: thanks for your call this morning.

caller: ok, thank you!

•  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

  She's got more stones than the Shrub...

  by nechiaev on Mon Oct 27, 2003 at 08:27:29 AM PDT

•  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

  Wow.  What a call...

  by Bob Johnson on Mon Oct 27, 2003 at 09:00:34 AM PDT

  •  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

    What a call for Cher?  Or for the moderator?

    I can't believe that guy was able to sleuth that out -- or even that somebody else at the studio was!

    Who the hell knows Cher's schedule?

    Those guys are some serious news junkies!  Talk about knowing your shit!

    by Kagro X on Mon Oct 27, 2003 at 09:19:34 AM PDT

    •  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

      I'm talking about Cher's description of these guys with missing limbs.  It's devastating.  Talk about putting a human face on a sickening war...

      by Bob Johnson on Mon Oct 27, 2003 at 09:23:49 AM PDT

      •  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

        I read the transcript of this on Eschaton.  Very moving.  I would guess she was on the verge of tears while she was speaking, the transcript reads that way.  I imagine anyone with any feeling would have a similar reaction while recounting something like this.
        

        "L'enfer, c'est le GOP!" - JJB, from an idea by oratorio

        by JJB on Mon Oct 27, 2003 at 09:45:49 AM PDT

      •  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

        Bob,  

        Lawerence Kaplan of TNR, who supported the war, went to WReed and it freaked him out!!  He said it looked like a photo from the civil war.

        Here is a transcript of the issue on Buchanan and Press from late August

        An exchange between Four Star General. BARRY MCCAFFREY; BILL PRESS and JOE GALLOWAY, a veteran correspondent, who's probably best known for his book and movie, "We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young".

        MCCAFFREY: Joe, why aren't we getting news on the number of wounded? Like you, I spent more than two years in Walter Reed as a patient. Why aren't we hearing more visibility on numbers and types of wounds, is there a fear to get, you know, touched by the genie of the bottle, too many wounded...

        GALLOWAY: Well, you can find the numbers out, but you've got to go to Walter Reed or you've got to the hospital at Landstuhl and you'll find out that there have been 1,300 wounded American soldiers, GIs, pass through Walter Reed since the beginning of Afghanistan.

        To me that's the real failing of the media is that they lose sight of things like that and not enough people go over to Walter Reed and walk through the wards and talk to these kids.

        PRESS: Joe, I want to ask you a related question. To my knowledge, and I've talked to a couple of reporters about this. President Bush has not attended the funeral of even one American soldier killed in Iraq. Is that a significant story? And why hasn't there been any media attention to that at all?

        GALLOWAY: I don't know the answer to that. I've not seen any story that said he has been to one of those funerals. I think he should. I think it would be-even if it's just a symbolic one guy, go to the funeral.

        PRESS: I mean imagine if President Clinton were president now or Al Gore were president now and did not attend the funeral of one American killed in Iraq.

        GALLOWAY: I think there would be a firestorm.

        MCCAFFREY: Yes, tough issue.
        

        by Al Rodgers on Mon Oct 27, 2003 at 11:23:38 AM PDT

        •  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

          Thanks for the post, Al.

          Why isn't the NY Times all over this story?

          by Bob Johnson on Mon Oct 27, 2003 at 11:31:52 AM PDT

          •  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

            Oh Bob,

            Bill Keller and so many of the times reporters are on record for supporting this war, and not just Judith Miller.

            It's hard for them to admit they were wrong.

            And covering the wounded would "detract" from the "support" for the war

            I mean why haven't they been on top of Wilson's wife story, the same way the went after whitewater.

            Hell, yesterday's book section attacked Clark's book for being against the war and the plans.

            Hey, did it sound to you that they tried to move Cher of pt when she started naming names (the BBC's not corporate, Ashcroft, etc.)

            by Al Rodgers on Mon Oct 27, 2003 at 11:53:42 AM PDT

            •  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

              Al, I agree.

              I posted the other day that Thomas Friedman has been backpedaling and trying to justify his support for the war ever since combat ceased and deaths and maimings started going up.

              I used to respect his opinion on matters involving the Middle East. But his desperate "flailing about" looking for silver linings in Iraq and the Middle East has been embarrassing.

              And what ever happened to the "Fly Paper" theory?

              by Bob Johnson on Mon Oct 27, 2003 at 12:03:54 PM PDT

              •  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

                The flypaper turned out to be a tarbaby.
                

                "L'enfer, c'est le GOP!" - JJB, from an idea by oratorio

                by JJB on Mon Oct 27, 2003 at 02:16:35 PM PDT

•  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

  That was unbelievable.  This ought to be plastered everywhere.  Cher nails it:

  ...why are none of cheney, wolfowitz, bremer,  the president, why arent they taking pictures with all these guys...coz...i dont understand why these guys are so hidden & why...& why there arent pictures of them because you know, talking about the dead & the wounded...thats two different things but these wounded are so devastadley wounded

  [...]

  ...i go all over the world & i must say that the news we get in america has nothing to do with the news that you get outside of this country & i think thats why people dont..people dont understand why so many of the allies did not...you know, our usual allies did not join us because if you get outside the united states you hear a different kind of news you know

  [...]

  ...i think my favorite source outside the US is BBC because they are our allies but you still get...on the nightly news you get...you know, much more coverage & i think much more honest coverage...I dont know, i guess they're not...well...they're independant so they're not owned by any of the major corporations that are... you know, have vested interes in this war.

  Plastered everywhere!!!

  by pie on Mon Oct 27, 2003 at 09:07:58 AM PDT

  •  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

    It does not matter what she even said and how right she is.  The Right will only deride her as part of the liberal elite and Leftist Hollywood, paying no attention at all the to content of her words.  And it won't just be the Right, most people will simply ignore her on this issue.  Oh, she's just a singer, they'll say.  "Shut Up and Sing" theyll say, like Laura Ingraham's book.

    Perhaps that's why Cher sought to remain anonymous on her call - because she is taken that much more seriously as a regular person.  Cher saying all that will not make it any more relevant, perhaps even less so (no matter how relevant it actually is).

    by usslider on Mon Oct 27, 2003 at 12:20:30 PM PDT

    •  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

      Sorry, I disagree.  I listened to the program.  She was calm and totally sincere when she talked about those injured soldiers.  She'd had a couple of weeks to digest the experience; otherwise, I think she might have been more emotional.  You cannot criticize her for what she did, and those people who saw her must have really appreciated her visit.  

      Where are the men who sent these soldiers to Iraq?  Where is their concern?  What are they trying to do to vets' benefits?  Why are these guys being hidden?  No coverage of the dead.  And on and on.  Disgusting.

      Cher was not partisan, she was not shrill, and she showed that she supports the troops by not ignoring them.  Those soldiers will defend her without hesitation.

      Now, why don't the administration and some other American patriots who wanted this war do the same?  

      Despicable cowards.

      by pie on Mon Oct 27, 2003 at 05:04:14 PM PDT

      •  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

        I don't disagree with you.  I did not see the program, but if I did I'm sure I would agree that Cher came off as intelligent and knowing what she was talking about.

        However, when some Joe American sees a transcript of this, or especially some right-winger, they will immediately write it off because it's Cher.  They won't even care what she said.  And so it may not make the best political advertisement against Bush (plastering it everywhere) simply because it may be regarded as irrelavent simply because of who said it (even though I agree that it is very powerful and Cher has every damn right to be pissed off about this as any of us).

        by usslider on Tue Oct 28, 2003 at 10:53:01 AM PDT

•  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

  Please please make this known to EVERYONE-People need to WAKE UP. The news is very biased and a mouthpiece for Rupert Murdoch and the Republican Reelection in 04. O.T, on C-Span yesterday, a  pollster was asking a panel of 15 randomly selected individuals  questions regarding the upcoming elections and what they thought would be the driving issues-Among the questions posed was how many of the nine Democratic candidates did any of the panel recognize (photos of each candidate was up on the wall)The average response was 4 candidates-Folks, we need to do something about this or we are truly fucked.

  by Chuck in TX on Mon Oct 27, 2003 at 10:54:57 AM PDT

•  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

  Cher rocks!  I saw her in Richmond, and petitioned for Dean outside the Cher concert with my partner (who does a fabulous Cher impersonation!) here in Norvolk, VA.  More than likely the C-SPAN anchor was a Cher fan.

  I like how she sidestepped the question about which candidate she supports.  She needs to endorse Dean! :-D

  by Sean Robertson on Mon Oct 27, 2003 at 11:49:31 AM PDT

•  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

  "but i just think that if there was no reason for this war this was the most heinous thing i'd ever seen.."

  Cher says it all

  by Al Rodgers on Mon Oct 27, 2003 at 11:58:03 AM PDT

  •  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

    I don't know what to call the emotion I have when I read that transcript -

    grief, anger, horror, rage, pity, and something a billion times beyond disgust at George W. Bush.

    Cher may be quite eccentric but you can't deny she was deeply grieved about what she saw in that hospital.

    Bush says "Bring it on!" and soldiers wind up minus limbs.

    It's a frightening world.  

    by TheKimCat on Mon Oct 27, 2003 at 02:04:56 PM PDT

  •  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

    Wow.  Any chance anyone can dig up a sound file?  I checked C-Span's site and no audio archives that I could find.  

    by daria g on Mon Oct 27, 2003 at 07:31:23 PM PDT

    •  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

      daria g-

      are you looking for the cher segment?

      go to http://www.c-span.org/

      click on the link for the entire washington journal for 10/27 (it pops up as a video only). cher's phone call comes in at 18:32 into the three hour segment.

      a wingnut caller blasted her today because she was more concerned with the wounded than denouncing the terrorists -

      also check out grove's column in the ny daily news. so far it's the only place i've seen that mentions cher's call in the mainstream media.

      by jeff on Tue Oct 28, 2003 at 04:38:58 AM PDT

•  Re: CHER calls C-SPAN!

  Cher has actually appeared on C-Span before, in 1996, according to this article.

  THE QUILT WEEKEND

  Cher took the stage to thunderous applause. She smiled broadly and thanked the crowd. She said, "One of the cool things about being a minority is that you get to come together and have these kind of fun events. You really have to be a minority to feel this spirit, this kind of brotherhood, and know we're really kicking ass now! I'm here because of my daughter, and I think I had a particularly difficult time, as I've said in the Advocate, I was very un-Cher-like in the acceptance of my daughter's choice. It was real difficult for me, it had a lot to do with many things associated with Chastity but also things I was dealing with myself about what do you do when this person is not doing the normal thing, and they're supposed to be an extension of you and you have these ideas about them. And do we love our children because they're our children and are like us, or do we love our children because they're our children and like themselves. And that's an interesting moment to come to for any parent. So, I love my daughter, no matter what she does, because she's one of the coolest people I know."

  She told the audience that this experiment we call America was built on coming together, on loving each other, and on tolerance for people, so people of unlike visions and natures could come together and enjoy one another. That the biggest problem is living up to this ideal. She said, "When one of us doesn't get his human rights, we're all in jeopardy. Then, this experiment we call America doesn't work. This has to do with everything across the board. As long as we have to qualify ourselves as gay Americans, or black Americans or Chicano Americans or whatever, the word American is the part that's getting lost. If we were all equal under the law and under our beliefs, we would all just be Americans, and we wouldn't have to qualify it. I don't have much faith in the political system, I must say, I just think it sucks big time. If nothing else you have to vote against the person you like the least. Get out and vote. Either vote for the person who can do the most for you or against the one you think is going to hurt you the most I would encourage you to get out and vote. Politicians have to realize that you are children of parents like me, and we just aren't going to take this shit any longer!"

  "I'm really proud of all of you. We are all so creative, and everyone should be loved because they are a person, and that's it. The Bill of Rights says you get to have your rights. You have to be your creative self, you have to explore yourself, and how can you explore yourself in a closet in the dark. The important thing is to get out and see who you are. And people will just have to get used to it, people will just have to get used to you guys being who you are, whatever that is. So, I'm fine with it!"

  by n69n on Wed Oct 29, 2003 at 06:06:35 AM PDT