RANDY SAGER PHOTOGRAPHY INC/ABC NEWS
Reporter Jake Tapper plugs the movie, Lone Survivor, which is based off of a true story. It is about a band of U.S. Navy SEALs’ fight to survive on a mission in Afghanistan. After movie clips, Tapper interviews Marcus Luttrell, the lone surviving Navy Seal from the mission, and Mark Wahlberg who stars in the movie.
Three minutes and half minutes into the interview Tapper takes his eyes off his role as a reporter, which is to report, ask questions, listen, do not respond and definitely, do not give his opinion.
Tapper uses the phrase, “hopelessness of the situation” to summarize the situation of the Navy SEALs. This upsets Luttrell. Tapper’s remark is based off the odds of winning, the amount of death, and his belief against Americans soldiers in Afghanistan. Luttrell does his best to keep his cool, but states his opinion of the situation.
Tapper further insults Luttrell with another insensitive comment, referring to the loss of lives as senseless. Luttrell, remaining level-headed, combated his remark with a reminder that they were soldiers sent in to do a job, and they did not lose. They won the battle. He was lucky to survive, but none of his teams‘ deaths is senseless.
Luttrell’s responses were solid and could easily be quoted to use as a basis to educate journalists on the edict of interviewing soldiers, especially ones that have endured tough combat situations. Tapper’s unwise choices also are great quotable lessons for journalists to not share their opinions and never put their interviewees in an awkward situation of being on the defense. Additionally, Tapper’s closing remarks are just as insensitive to not only soldiers but to civilians.
“Maybe it’s just the difference between what a civilian feels when he watches this versus what a soldier does” said Tapper.
It is not a reporter’s job to represent the American people. The job is to report the facts and his closing remark is conjecture not fact driven.
Watch the full interview below.
flip flops and bee stings 