Morning Show Wrap, by ABC News Political Unit
N E W Y O R K, August 16, 2004 —<br> -- A product of Noted Now and The Note
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ABC led with Hurricane Charley and Michael Jackson news. NBC led entirely with the Olympics. CBS led with Charley and stills of the Olympics.
Hurricane Charley
All three networks' first packages focused on Hurricane Charley and featured laudatory language about and SOTs from President Bush's visit to Florida.
And all three featured interviews with Mike Brown, the head of FEMA. On CBS Brown was asked whether he was receiving "expedient support" from President Bush because of the election year. He said no and touted his agency's mission to help people following emergencies, something he said "we're going to do regardless of whether it's an election year or not."
Troop movement
President Bush's plan to redeploy upwards of 70,000 troops received V/O's on "GMA" and "Today" that included language about bringing "troops home."
On MSNBC Carl Rochelle packaged the plan, reporting that some troops "will go home" and "some will go to other areas." Rochelle also mentioned the new Bush-Cheney attack ad "Intel" and Sen. John Edwards' plan to paint President Bush as having put a "for-sale" sign on the door of the White House.
James McGreevey
NBC's "Today" included a V/O about New Jersey Democrats urging Gov. James McGreevey to resign so a special election could be held this November.
Gen. Tommy Franks
Gen. Tommy Franks sat down for an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer to talk about his book "American Soldier."
He made no news in the interview, during which he sang a Charlie Pride song and discussed his youthful indiscretions, management style, and how much he's loved serving.
He also discussed the outsized personality conflict between Secretaries Powell and Rumsfeld, calling them "cats in a sack," as he does in his book. How would he tame their clashes? "My view, and perhaps it is a view based on idealism, is that we are so much better served if we can cooperate and coordinate," he said. "It reminds me of the book 'Everything I Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.' Couldn't we just have a glass of milk and a cookie?"
