Pentagon: Rolling Stone reporter rejected for violating ground rules, but not “blackballed”
Published: August 5, 2010
The Pentagon said Michael Hastings, the Rolling Stone reporter who wrote the fait accompli article ending Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s career, had his latest embed request revoked because it was determined he broke the “ground rules” during that interview and was no longer considered credible or trustworthy.
“If you don’t respect ground rules, how do you expect us to trust you?” said Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell, in a briefing Thursday. “How do you expect us to extend to you privileges such as embedding with a unit? This is not a game; there are lives on the line.”
But Hastings, in an interview with Stars and Stripes, insisted he violated no embed rules or other reporting agreements. He said he left “on very good terms” with the last two units he has covered in southern Afghanistan and has yet to hear an official complaint challenging the content of his now-famous McChrystal interview.
“No one has said anything is wrong with the story, but yet I am losing the privilege to embed because of it – which doesn’t seem to track with me.”
Instead, Hastings said public affairs officials are citing “political fallout” to him in their reasoning for the denial. “It appeared to be a high-level decision,” he said.
When asked if the Defense Department was blackballing Hastings from any military reporting, Army spokesman Col. David Lapan said earlier this week, “No, we don’t have anything akin to blackballing.”
On Thursday, Morrell said the Defense Department supports the determination made by the ISAF military public affairs commanders.
“It is based upon an essential trusting relationship between a unit commander and the embedded reporter,” Morrell said, “and if there is not that trust, then that reporter has the potential to adversely impact operations [and] the well-being of the forces within that unit.
“I don’t think anybody back here had any problem with their decision.”
Hasting said he considers embedding a privilege he takes seriously.
“You read the embed rules and the word trust does not appear there,” Hasting added. “That’s why there are rules. And I’ve always followed the rules, really going back to 2005 when I first started embedding.”
Related:
Gates: Press still not the enemy
DOD leaders: McChrystal firing necessary to preserve integrity
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