So who or what is right? IMHO, the event was:

• The event was scripted and staged.
• It was non-spontaneous from White House staffers and spontaneously told to the media
• Soldiers spoke their own minds, not any preset, prepared comments.
• It was obviously rehearsed.
• The soldiers were coached on how to present themselves and what to expect, not what to say.

• Most soldiers clearly support the war in Iraq.

  The whole thing seems like a non-issue to me. My criticism of the media stands, as no direct proof of a conspiracy to “provide prepared answers to the President’s questions” exists. All we have are three denials of such a conspiracy in response to the media’s coverage:

• “those soldiers yesterday were giving their opinion.” – Major General Rick Lynch
• The White House had said the soldier’s comments were not pre-screened, expressing only their opinions.

• At least one soldier has stated that they received no prepared answers.

  The last one holds the most water.

  The most doubly ironic quote goes to Miles O’Brien of CNN:

  ”...truth be told, if they were not coached, they would have said things that the administration would have liked to hear, I’m convinced. Because they are, you know, these troops are gung ho about their mission. And so it’s a shame that they have cast this cloud.”

  Maybe I picked a bad example, but my primary point was to cast light on the media’s ineptitude in separating any creeping bias or editorial from the actual content. After the Katrina fiasco, my patience with the national media boiled over after witnessing how much undeserving attention this story received.