Say Anything Blog

By Justin McCarthy

Barbara Walters with Bashar al-Assad and wife as shown on July 7, 2008 Surprise! Barbara Walters visits an anti-American dictator and returns with very nice remarks about him. Returning from the week long break on “The View” July 7, Barbara Walters described how she spent America’s birthday, and the celebration of a document denouncing tyranny, with an anti-American tyrant.

While most Americans celebrated Independence Day with fireworks and barbeques, Barbara Walters spent the occasion dining with Syrian leader Bashir al-Assad, whom Walters described as “intelligent” and “charming” who wants “very much to have good relations with us.” Perhaps realizing her own gushiness about Assad Walters pre-empted accusations and denied she is “brainwashed.”

The veteran journalist began by noting Syria remains on the State Departments terrorism list because “they are against the war in Iraq.” While she did note Syria’s support for Hamas and Hezbollah, she described them simply as “two groups that we consider unfriendly in Israel.” She did not note the many suicide bombings targeting innocent civilians those groups support.

Barbara Walters boasted of a “total freedom of religion” in the despotic state. The non-partisan international watchdog Freedom House, however finds that although it allows a certain degree of religious freedom, certainly more than many Islamic states, it’s far from “total freedom of religion.”

“Although the Constitution requires that the president be a Muslim, there is no state religion in Syria, and freedom of worship is generally respected. However, all nonworship meetings of religious groups require permits, and religious fundraising is closely scrutinized. The Alawite minority dominates the officer corps of the military and security forces. The government tightly monitors mosques and controls appointment of Muslim clergy.”

Walters added, Syria is “considered a dictatorship.” Just “considered?” Freedom House also rated Syria as “not free” with a “downward trend arrow due to the authorities’ suppression of opposition activities.” While conceding she is “not saying this is...a perfect place,” Walters advocated more dialogue with the totalitarian regime.

Although Walters claimed she went on this trip on her own, without the direction of ABC, it is not unprecedented for ABC News to demonstrate sympathy for Bashir al-Assad. “Good Morning America’s” Diane Sawyer pressed Assad on his favorite movies.

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A major MSM leftie “journalist” praising a terrorist dictator?  What else is new?
And yet they insist they are “patriotic”.  Too funny.