Frances Townsend Joins CNN: Latest White House Official To Spin With The Media

Seeking to round out its collection of White House obfuscaters, CNN has announced that it will add Frances Townsend to its roster of contributers. Unlike her former White House colleague and now-fellow CNN commenter Tony Snow -- the utility player of White House spin -- Fran is bringing her expertise to bear on issues of homeland security.

And what better source of objective, insightful analysis than a former Homeland Security Adviser to the President? Witness this gem of intelligence insight, where Townsend explains that she doesn't know whether al-Qaida was in Iraq prior to the Iraq war, because she wasn't at the briefing (it seems like a lot of officials missed that meeting). Or how about this nugget of nuanced punditry, where Townsend claims Al-Qaida may try to disrupt the 2008 elections, even while admitting there is "no specific intelligence" that supports the idea. Of course, since "may" just means "possible," then Townsend's anaylsis is correct, just like the idea that Snow and Townsend may provide unbiased commentary to the American discourse.

Comments

[JonathanDS2U]

During the (political) late '60s both the Democrat and Republican parties were regarded as The Establishment. Now everybody's cool, Led Zeppelin did a Cadillac commercial, etc., etc. And as long as the New Establishment can pass itself off as the legitimate offspring of the old Establishment and the counter-culture movement of the late '60s, CNN can get away with anything without ever truly having to defend its implicit coolness.

[GoodbyeKitty]

I was in the hospital for 2 weeks recovering from a major surgery. The only news option was CNN, and I could see absolutely NO difference between CNoNews and Flox News. It was appalling. Ben Stein?!!!

[realpolitic]

Yea, Ben Stein is an idiot. It has been all down hill for him since Ferris Bueller's Day Off!

[munkii]

can somebody please explain to me why all republican media women look like former-prostitutes?

[blackjack]

Can anyone prove that Murdock is not the Owner of CNN. For FOX and CNN is the same.

[liberalghost]

Close, but the answer is Lou Dobbs is planning to run for president. He wants rethug planners. Of course, given the quality of the democratic campaigns, maybe he's right. But not about making a good president. His illegals, free trade, and protection of vital technologies positions are correct, but that doesn't mean I'd support him. It would be like becoming a Marxist because Stalin opposed Hitler.

[nastyvirus]

I wonder if Time Warner is a victim of a NewsCorp hostile takeover that no one knows about?

[Manx]

CNN's predilection for propaganda spouting Generals prepped by the Pentagon and Bush has-beens makes it a quasi-government network. The old U.S.S.R. had Pravda. We've got CNN.

[wittgene]

Hey, CNN. Wew-whoo! Tell the American people republicans are voting for Hillareee. Anderson Cooper....­.........i­n depth.....­..yeah right! Americans, be very careful of corporate media; they do have blood on their hands.

[zigzag1]

O'Reilly with a moustache

[txshldm0007]

CNN = Clinton News Network
CNN = Conservative News Network = Closet Fox News Network

[realpolitic]

If Townsend does not even know that al-Qaida was not in Iraq before the war began, how did she merit her job as Homeland Security Adviser? She must have been a large campaign contributor. She is an example of another Bush flunkie who knows absolutely nothing. The learning curve of this administration is a complete flat line. There is no learning curve.

[larmarch5]

Never heard of her. Won't be watching her. NPR and the News Report on PBS provides what I need. Then I surf a little here, a lot less after the Bamawussies took over, and check out NYT online. BTW, I'm an Obama supporter; I'm just sick of the rancid rantings about Hillary pickin' on our Baraki. Trust me he can take care of himself.

[SILVANUS]

CNN is IRRELEVANT.

[jepysdad]

What detour took Fran away from her goal of doing global risk management for a large investment house? Does the Bush team need more media insiders given their plans?

Poetic justice would have Wolf Blitzer asking Fran, "Why did you leave out the hospital with the largest number of patient deaths from your White House Lessons Learned report on Hurricane Katrina?" Then the Wolfster would hit hard with the follow up. "What are the odds, LifeCare's new owner sat just down Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House?" Yes, that would be The Carlyle Group. The infamous private equity underwriter closed the deal on LifeCare just weeks before Katrina side swiped New Orleans.

Of couse Mr. Blitzer won't want to incur any Fran cursing, so he'll offer up softball questions about how attacking Iran makes Americans safer here at home.

[realpolitic]

She took a detour from her job of doing global risk management because it requires work and one must occasionally be right. On television, as in the Bush White house, she can always be wrong and still be respected.

[OliverTwist]

The solution is simple, don't watch CNN.

I'm not going to watch a station that sponsors Glenn Beck and Lou Dobbs.

[realpolitic]

CNN has so many Bush former cronies it feels like a government­-in-exile. Well, when the police come for them at least they will all be in one place. The authorities will have to make a stop at Fox to pick up Rove, too.

[MajorKong]

Must be that "liberal media" I keep hearing about.

[realpolitic]

If the media gets any more liberal, we will all be wearing flag lapel pins and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance all day.

[michiganfan]

Sad, but true...

:-(

[pkafin]

"Townsend explains that she doesn't know whether al-Qaida was in Iraq prior to the Iraq war, because she wasn't at the briefing"

I wasn't at the briefing either, but I'd never be under the impression that they were. It would make little to no sense to anyone who understands even the basics of what was going on over there.

Saddam's govt. was a secular tyranny based upon loyalty to his Tikrit tribe's dominance.

Al-Queda is a religiously inspired organization whose goals included toppling govts like Saddam's and replace them with Islamic caliphates. In short, they hated each other.

Saddam never would have tolerated, much less worked with, an Al-Queda presence in Iraq.

It doesn't take attendance at a White house briefing to understand that.

[realpolitic]

Someone in the press should have explained that to her slowly.

[michiganfan]

Wouldn't matter. She wouldn't be able to pay attention past "secular tyranny."