That's probably true (that he'll do anything for ratings), but he's still got his political points to drive home. And he had opined plenty before this on how waterboarding ISN'T torture.
He might've got ratings from this one particular stunt, but I'm thinking that if he doesn't start to backtrack - quickly - in his description of waterboarding as "absolutely torture" he's going to LOSE a nice chunk of his loyal right-wing listeners (viewers? Seems a lot of radio DJs - Limbaugh, Beck, Stern, etc. - do video of their radio shows... (boring!)). They're not going to be very patient in waiting for him to recant and say that he "exaggerated" or whatever....
Let's keep in mind, the title to this thread is actually a misnomer. "Mancow" wasn't
actually "water boarded". Water boarding was merely simulated on him...If he were legitimately being water boarded he would have not been allowed the luxury of bailing out on it after a mere 6 seconds.
I'm SERE Level C trained and qualified and I
have experienced the closest thing to being water boarded. Before SERE I had various of degrees specialized military training that involved extremes of mental and physical stress, fatigue and endurance. That aside, I studied and trained in various disciplines and styles of martial arts since I was 10. I stood beside men who are among some of the most mentally and physically toughest, most disciplined men in the world in my view and they know it's torture.
For me, the case is closed as to whether it's torture or not. Water boarding undeniably is.
The point of this post is only the most intellectually dishonest, politically motivated shills contend water boarding isn't torture.
UNTIL they are faced with it. Then that's the exact moment where you actually see the truth catch up to a lie.
This is how "fair and balanced" Fox News is on the issue. Some years ago, maybe 2 or 3 Fox News Reporter Steve Harrigan volunteered himself to have water boarding simulated on him (the was the first such time). The method employed while not as harsh as some of the actual methods was definitely harsher than in the video of his most recent exhibition. After about 5 or 6 seconds he was in such discomfort they stopped, I believe they did another phase on him and he got them to stop. He was completely mortified and distraught. His response after he was able to speak was something to the effect, this is torture or I don't know how this isn't torture or if this isn't torture I don't know what is....It was something along those lines.
The studio hosts were in stunned silence that he actually said that (it was laughable). I was only able to find the video and report of that for like a day or so (and I still can't find it so far) but within days Harrigan was in the studio with a much different tone. He spoke less about whether it was torture but more about it being a way to get someone to talk and he was fine within a few minutes.
Fast forward Fox has produced another video of Harrigan being "water boarded" and the techniques used on him are clearly less and it's made to seem that it was not as bad as the first video looked. The key here is the first, most credible simulation of Harrigan being water boarded and his initial reporting has magically disappeared. And I've found nothing on it so far. When and if I do I'll post both contrasting reports here. But I guess the first video and report was a little
too "fair and balanced".
