The View, a talk show featuring four women with a variety of backgrounds and ideologies, is produced by and often features appearances by Barbara Walters. In May 2001, the co-hosts were awarded the Safe Horizon Champion Award for their continued efforts to raise awareness on issues of importance to girls and women. In March 2002, The View received the Linda Dano Heart Award from Heartshare Human Services of New York for its programming philosophy that brought enlightenment, entertainment and comfort to families throughout the nation and New York in the wake of September 11, 2001. As a result, the show boasts 30 million viewers, received the 2003 Daytime Emmy® Award for ‘Outstanding Talk Show,’ and other Daytime Emmy® Awards.
In her history as host of The View, Rosie O’Donnell has brought important and difficult-to-discuss issues to the table, such as depression and autism. Long ago she established “Rosie’s For All Kids Foundation,” which has raised more than $56 million and awarded more than $22 million in grants to over 1,400 child-related non-profit organizations to benefit low income families across the country since its inception.
Addressing the need for truth and transparency in US government and media is thus in keeping with Rosie’s long history of grappling with important issues on The View.
Editor’s Note: A bit of background–What is The View, and who is Rosie O’Donnell? (And what’s the big deal, anyway?) In the last few weeks, Rosie O’Donnell, host of ABC’s popular morning talk show ” The View ,” has commented on anomalies and unresolved questions in the official story of the 9/11 attacks, as well as several other hot-button political topics including the British soldiers being held by Iran. Initially, she restricted comments to her blog . But when she took them to the airwaves on her morning talk-show, right-wing media personalities went ballistic. Their reactionary responses provoked this article.
UDPATE 4/4 12:38pm — We have just received notice of a brand new website, keeprosie.com . Have a look…
Rosie’s recent comments, along with Bill O’Reilly’s “outrage” were a topic of discussion on ABC’s “Good Morning America” yesterday, followed with the article below, posted ABC.com ( a poll is also running there –please vote!). As is all too common with mainstream media (but rather odd for ABC since it’s the network which airs The View), Rosie’s “offensive” comments regarding the 15 sailors recently captured by Iran were included: “I have one thing to say–Gulf of Tonkin. Google it.” ( or read about it here ). On the other hand, the outrageous comments of O’Reilly and Joe Scarborough’s guest, Danny Bonaduce (who said Rosie should be hanged), were essentially omitted from the story.
In Scarborough Country’s tirade against Rosie, ABC and Barbara Walters, Joe says, “It is just not worth it to have this type of hatred spewed on TV everyday in the morning…” and asks TV child-star Danny Bonaduce , “at what point does ABC and especially Barbara Walters have a responsibility to say, ‘I’m just not going to let you spew hatred on my show anymore?'” Naturally, Bonaduce responds by calling Rosie a “raging lunatic” and follows up with the statement, “Personally, I think at this point if anybody had a rope thick enough, I think Rosie should be strung up for treason” for “offering aid and comfort to the enemy…”. (Way to counter hatred, Danny).
When exactly did it become acceptable to call for someone’s murder on network television? (Perhaps readers will recall O’Reilly hopefully opining last July that 9/11 truth activist Kevin Barrett, founder of MUJCA-NET , would be found “in the Charles River floating down toward the harbor.” Or perhaps his fantasy of shooting Al Franken in the head ). Yet the outrage being expressed in mainstream media’s commentary is not about “news personalities” normalizing murder, but over O’Donnell’s perfectly legitimate questioning of events that continue to alter our very way of life. The misdirected venom is reminiscent of the Bush administration’s outrage over the fact that someone leaked an administration-damaging story to the press, rather than about the illegal actions of government officials. (Think illegal Bush-ordered NSA spying on millions of Americans, think knowingly outing covert CIA operative Valerie Plame, think atrocious conditions and widespread lack of healthcare for our military…)
Right in goose-step, Hearst-owned Popular Mechanics came to the aid of their president with another thorough examination and refutation of the evidence, as reported in an Inside Edition article
INSIDE EDITION cameras caught the tragic last moments as the 47-story building came down on 9/11, about nine hours after the planes struck the twin towers. The building is seen falling in on itself, and it seems to follow the classic pattern of a controlled demolition. But Meigs (Popular Mechanics editor in chief) says that it’s no conspiracy. “You don’t need to go into fanciful explanations of bombs and mysterious things. That building fell because of the attacks if 9/11 .” (emphasis added. Ed.: Well then, that settles that…)
You can watch several of O’Reilly’s attacks on Rosie via the links here . The transcript of his original blast is posted at NewsHounds , along with an excellent summary of FOX’s ‘Rosie’ coverage . (Newshounds, where “we watch FOX so you don’t have to.” Thanks, Newshounds!)
For something more palatable, consider Rick Overton’s blog at Huffington Post, calling Rosie ” A Heroic Woman ”
Yet another story about the O’Reilly Response is posted at “O’Reilly Mafia Threatens O’Donnell Over Sex Scandal” .
Rosie pledges allegiance to seeking ‘truth’ about 9/11 despite mocking attacks from right 4/02/2007
Despite an avalanche of criticism from the right, talk show host Rosie O’Donnell is pressing on with her calls for continued investigation of the events surrounding September 11.
At her eponymous blog, O’Donnell devotes “2 whole paragraphs” to the controversial topic. “9/11 affected me deeply, as I know it did many Americans,” O’Donnell blogs. “The falling of the twin towers served to remind me that many of the assumptions Americans have about their lives are rooted in false feelings of security. In light of this reminder, I have begun doing exactly what this country, at its best, allows for me to do: inquire. Investigate. America is great in so many ways, one of which is the freedom to speak, and indeed think, freely. I have, of late, begun exercising the rights bestowed upon me by the democratic system I value, and the exercising of these rights has taken the form of an inquiry into what happened five years ago, an inquiry that resists the dominant explanations and that dares to entertain ideas that push me to the edge of what is bearable. I have come to no conclusions and, given the scope of the subject, will not for some time.”
O’Donnell adds, “If the very act of asking is so destabilizing for people, than I have to wonder whether the fabric of our democracy is indeed so raveled it is beyond salvage. My own belief is that the act of asking is itself reparative, because it brings to life the values on which our constitution rests. I am, therefore, pledging my allegiance, hand over heart, trying, as always, for a rigorous truth.”
At the National Review , Stephen Spruiell slams O’Donnell by suggesting that she needs to seek psychiatric help.
“First came the blog post in which Rosie floated the insane conspiracy theory that World Trade Center 7 was blown up by the government,” Spruiell writes. “Then came her meltdown on The View when co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck confronted her about it.”
Spruiell advises his readers to check out “Popular Mechanics’ thorough debunking of all flavors of 9/11 conspiracy theories if you need a reminder of how truly insane this is,” before linking to the magazine’s response to O’Donnell published last week. “Instead of going to therapy every day, this clearly unwell person is hosting a television show on a major American network,” Spruiell adds.
However, many websites devoted to 9/11 “truth” have argued that the magazine’s “debunking” was less than thorough. According to Information Liberation, “The Orwellian doublethink one would have to exhibit to believe this trash is surreal.”
Editor in chief James Meigs of Popular Mechanics dismissed theories that Building 7 might have been destroyed by bombs in what might be perceived as a haphazard way, saying, “You don’t need to go into fanciful explanations of bombs and mysterious things. That building fell because of the attacks of 9/11.”
In response, Information Liberation mocked, “You see foolish theorists, the one factor you forgot was the ‘attacks of 9/11’! The ‘attacks of 9/11’ is what caused WTC 7 to collapse! It had nothing to do with those ‘mysterious things’ called bombs (You know the things which go BOOM and are used to demolish buildings? You probably don’t, they’re very mysterious). So there you have it, the ‘attacks if 9/11’ is what caused the collapse, thank you Inside Edition and Popular Mechanics for enlightening us all.”
Other right leaning blogs have been hammering at O’Donnell for weeks, while most popular Democratic blogs have steered clear of the topic almost altogether.
One conservative blog, The Razor, posted a mock “Rosie O’Donnell Rant Advisory System” which ranges from a “calm” green alert, meaning that she is “in a cheeseburger daze [with a] low risk of idiocy” to a red “deranged” alert signifying that she “advocates conspiracy theory [and] joins tinfoil hat crowd.”
According to an AOL poll widely linked on right leaning blogs, most viewers believe O’Donnell “crossed the line.” At press time, out of a total 261,652 votes, the call for ABC to fire Rosie stands at 62% to 38%.
Last week, an Albany newspaper reported that Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), a candidate for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, has plans to investigate “a few, specific discrepancies in the public record” regarding the events of 9/11.
“He also said that as chairman of a House subcommittee on domestic policy, he plans to launch an investigation of “a narrow portion” of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks,” Dan Higgins reported for the Times Union . “He offered few details, but said his subcommittee would be looking at ‘a few, specific discrepancies in the public record.’ The 9/11 Commission that published its final report in 2004 never resolved some conflicting facts, Kucinich said. He announced his own look at 9/11 in answer to a question from an audience member. The man complained that the 9/11 Commission was too tied to the Bush administration to offer an unbiased report, and Kucinich agreed.”
Source URL: http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Rosie_pledges_allegiance_to_seeking_911_0402.html
Another ‘View’ Feud: Rosie vs. O’Reilly Fox News Host Blasts O’Donnell for Comments about British Sailors in Iran
April 3, 2007 — – There’s a battle brewing between “The View” host Rosie O’Donnell and Fox News talk show host Bill O’Reilly, after O’Reilly said that O’Donnell went too far last week on her show when she talked about the British captives in Iran.
It’s the latest dust-up for O’Donnell, who earlier this year had a celebrity face-off with Donald Trump over the Miss USA scandal.
Now, “The View” host is wading into more serious territory with comments she made last week.
“There were 15 British sailors and marines who apparently went in to Iranian waters and they were seized by the Iranians,” O’Donnell said on “The View” on March 26. “I have one thing to say: Gulf of Tonkin. Google it.”
O’Donnell was referencing an alleged pair of attacks by North Vietnam naval forces against two U.S. ships in 1964. After the Gulf of Tonkin incident, Congress passed the Southeast Asia Resolution, which granted then-President Johnson the authority to assist countries whose governments were threatened by communism. That eventually led to U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
O’Reilly was outraged.
“So according to Rosie O’Donnell, the British set up their own people to be kidnapped to incite another war,” O’Reilly responded on “The O’Reilly Factor” on March 29. “Ms. O’Donnell is now actively supporting Iran against her own country and Britain.”
So did O’Donnell go too far?
“In this case, she’s got an extra push from O’Reilly and she’s gotta be very, very careful moving forward,” said Fraser Seitel, a crisis management consultant.
O’Donnell, who has never shied away from controversy, has talked about terrorists before.
“You can walk through life believing in the goodness of the world or walk through life afraid of anyone who thinks different than you and trying to convert them to your way of thinking,” O’Donnell said during the Nov. 9, 2006, taping of “The View.” “Get away from the fear. Don’t fear the terrorists. They’re mothers and fathers.”
O’Reilly aired that clip on his show.
“‘Don’t fear the terrorists.’ The question is what should ABC do?” he said.
Others are asking, what O’Donnell should do.
“What she should do is clarify her position,” Seitel said. “Clarify the fact that she is not defending the terrorists and especially clarify the fact that she is not attacking the American troops.”
Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures Source URL: http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3003155
Action Items
If you want to hear more from Rosie and others with the courage to ask questions, point out anomalies about what the “news” is telling us, and express the need for truth. Then take action here. Several suggestions follow:
1) Take a few minutes to express your opinions to The View, ABC, and Barbara Walters (co-owner, co-executive producer and co-host of “The View,”) and Bill Geddie, co-executive producer. Encourage them to continue providing this kind of quality programming to thinking soccer moms everywhere! Remind them that you are interested in more than crafts, cooking, and makeup application. We’re watching, we’re paying attention, and we want more (a lot more, please)!
Encourage “The View” to continue telling the truth, and to book the Jersey Girls, the 9/11 widows who fought for investigation and creation of the 9/11 Commission (see their FSC Report Review of the 9/11 Commission Report if you wonder why they still have questions) and other women in the 9/11 truth movement who share Rosie’s courage and commitment to truth.
To register your “feedback regarding the ABC TV network” go to abc.go.com/site/contactus.html ; call ABC at 818- 460-7477, press #2, then press #4 (for Daytime shows), then press #849 (for The View); or mail a letter to ABC, Inc., 500 S. Buena Vista Street, Burbank, CA 91521-4551.
Email Barbara Walters at the “Email your View” link.
Email Bill Geddie at http://abc.go.com/theview/viewmaster/viewmaster.html (use the “Click here” link)
2. Demand an apology from MSNBC for Bonaduce’s outrageous statements and Scarborough’s vitriolic “reporting.”
To reach the producers, anchors and correspondents of MSNBC TV, email <mailto:viewerservices@msnbc.com>viewerservices@msnbc.com and <mailto:joe@msnbc.com>joe@msnbc.com; call MSNBC at 201-583-5000; or mail them a letter, to MSNBC TV, One MSNBC Plaza, Secaucus, N.J. 07094
3. Inside Edition Wants Your 9/11 Opinion on Video “What do you think of Rosie’s remarks about 9/11? Click here to send us your comments on video. You may be featured on a future broadcast of INSIDE EDITION.”
4. 9/11 Action Alert!!! – Contact ABC And Tell Them You Want A Debate!!! Write ABC in support of a debate between Jim Miegs and Prof. Jones. Also, insist on Paul Thompson accompanying him as well as a representative from the family members. Something simple, and easy to read… such as: “I support a 9/11 debate between Prof. Steven E. Jones, and Jim Meigs. Also, I must insist that Paul Thompson, and a representative from the family members accompany him. Thank you.” (contact information above)
5. New!! Sign the “KeepRosie” petition at this brand new website, keeprosie.com .