Ed Hum – 7/2/06

This page was last updated on July 2, 2006.

Let Fox spread the good news; Edward J. Hum; Beaver County Times; July 2, 2006.

Oh no, Mr. Hum forgot to include his obligatory attempt to convince us he’s a Republican! He must have been rushed. <g>

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“In 2003, I was watching the news. It had been a bad day in Iraq. Four or five of our guys had been killed.

“Fox News in Baghdad reported that we were winning, and the insurgents knew we were winning and that was why they were lashing out as they did on that day.”

[RWC] Given the content of Mr. Hum’s minimum of 13 letters during the last two years, the chances that he watches FNC are about the same as the chances I get my news from the MoveOn.org website.

“I thought, ‘Great! Six months in Iraq and it will soon be over.’”

[RWC] If Mr. Hum did watch FNC and came away with this opinion, he was watching different newscasts than was I.

“Well, three years later I am sick and tired of not hearing any good news from the liberal, left-wing, pinko media like The Times and those big city papers. I am asking Hannity, O’Reilly, Hume and a Fox news crew to fly to Baghdad, rent some vehicles and drive around Iraq for two or three months. Report the good news about schools, hospitals, oil production and electric utility plants.”

[RWC] Here’s evidence to support my observation above about Mr. Hum watching FNC. You see, FNC did exactly what Mr. Hum requested, albeit with different reporters and for six weeks instead of “two to three months.” If Mr. Hum watched FNC, he would have known that. “Winning Iraq: The Untold Story” on Fox News Channel (Greg Palkot; December 3, 2005) was an eye opener. In the media I occasionally hear people who have visited Iraq claim the reporting we constantly hear bears little resemblance to what is really going on. “Winning Iraq” really drives that point home. It’s not a “rah, rah” piece; Palkot openly discusses the dangers in today’s Iraq. What sets the piece apart is that Palkot – who spent six weeks crisscrossing Iraq – also shows the good things going on.

Here’s a non-FNC example of what Mr. Hum believes doesn’t exist. The liberal Brookings Institution reports the Iraqi standard of living has doubled since 2003, the Iraq economy is expected to grow 16.8% in 2006, and the post-war Iraq dinar has held its value better than the U.S. dollar.