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An Old Game With a New Face
| Article
# : |
11629 |
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Section : |
CURRENT ISSUES
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| Issue
Date : |
9 / 1986 |
1,892 Words |
| Author
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Thomas G. Gulick
Thomas G. Gulick is a Washington, D.C.-based free-lance
journalist and policy analyst on foreign affairs. |
Here's the scenario: ABC-TV'S late-night news superstar, Ted Koppel, looks up at the video screen and asks, "What do you think, Vladimir?" The subject of their conversation is manipulation of the U.S. media. Vladimir, of course, is the Soviet Union's high-profile spokesman, Vladimir Posner, who is speaking to his supposed Amercian counterpart direct from Moscow. It all amounts to higher ratings for ABC.
Scene:
President Reagan has just finished his nationally televised State of the Union address. The Democrats follow, as is the custom, with their rebuttal. The ABC asks Posner what he thinks about Regan's call for higher U.S. defense spending and his warning of a greater Soviet military threat. For almost 10 minutes Posner answers questions from David Brinkley, in the process throwing some hard body punches at the substance of the Reagan address. Moscow is left with the "last word" and, through its mouthpiece, paints itself as the superpower peacemaker.
Scene:
It is February 1986, just days before the 27th Party Congress - the main event in international Communist Party politics that happens every five years - is scheduled to convene in Moscow. Vladimir Posner plays radio host to Dr. Radomir Bogdanov and Sergey Plekhanov, two experts from Moscow's USA and Canada Institute. "Vlad" and guests are broadcasting in English directly into North America. They explain how Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev is really very serious about annihilating all nuclear weapons by the year 2000. "How can even the progressive New York Times be so cynical
... (1997 of 11471 Characters)
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