Twit Katie Couric to Hero Pilot Sullenberger: "Did you at any point PRAY?"

[Bicoastal]

Sullenberger to Couric: "I would imagine someone in back was taking care of that for me while I was flying the airplane." (Emphasis mine.)

The media people want the "miracle" angle on this story shoved down our throats, don't they? I for one am glad Sullenberger didn't take a nanosecond of time away from his work in the cockpit to "talk to God" or some other nonsense. And unlike our FReeper brethren, I'd take a skilled atheist pilot over an incompetent Christian pilot every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. That aside, it was a great piece on a great flight crew.

[PM Martin]

2. Logic, Reason, and years of knowledge are what

allowed Sullenberger to bring his aircraft to a safe and calm landing.
The media should just admit they would have preferred a horrible crash so they could play up the drama angle for a week. :eyes:
They could not get a crash so they are going to play the "miracle" BS and play on emotions for you instead. :puke:

[LanternWaste]

85. Miracle seems to be an apt description

Miracle seems to be an apt description if one simply allows all possible definitions of the word to be applied rather than allowing a dogmatic insistence that it may only refer to a religious act...

3. a wonder; marvel.
4. a wonderful or surpassing example of some quality

Both of which appear to me to be valid descriptors of the pilot's actions.

ed: spelling

[Ilsa]

103. The real miracle is that Katie Couric made this far, IMO. nt

[Stinky The Clown]

3. Ms Couric is a moron

[question everything]

6. And she had 40 min of the 60 minutes all to herself

with a new "do."

Is this how CBS justifies the millions that she is getting?

[ecstatic]

44. I only saw a clip or two, but Ms. Couric is a HERO

She exposed the true ignorance of Failin, and for that I will be forever grateful. :patriot:

[lame54]

63. purely accidental...

they were softball questions - that even Katie was surprised Palin couldn't handle

[Stinky The Clown]

107. Ms. Couric was smart enough to "out" Palin

That interview was dumb and dumber. Ms Couric simply got lucky.

[nichomachus]

84. Next question: What's your favorite color?

Then, "Do you prefer kittens or puppies?"

Incisive interview.

[Ian David]

4. I can think of so many things I might have said to KKKatie if I'd been Mr. Sullenberger...

"I sold my soul to Satan years ago in exchange for super piloting skills."

Or

"Yes, I prayed. Right before we took-off, I prayed, 'Please, Jesus, don't let us crash today.' I guess it didn't work."

Or

"I chanted a prayer to the Great Gods Ohshit and Ohfuck."

Or

"I prayed, 'Please god, don't let some vacuous moron interview me about trivial bullshit if we survive this.'"

[Dr.Phool]

33. I read a little snippet a few years ago, either in Flying Mag or Aviation Safety.

It seems that in over 95% of recovered cockpit voice recorders, the last two recorded words are "Oh Shit".

Man, meets destiny.

[alexandria]

5. What was his reply?NT

[ferrous wheel]

Read the original post where it says "Sullenberger to Couric"

...

[alexandria]

32. I missed that ..Good for him..NT

[MrPerson]

7. Trust me. The fundies watch looking for The Jesus.

I was watching with my fundie mother.

She was pissed he didn't mention Jesus.

[Stellabella]

47. Why do fundies get so angry?

That's what I just don't get. If there is a God, don't you think he can defend himself?

[donco6]

109. OH yeah. He's on their shit list now.

Which makes him a true hero, IMB.

[kenny blankenship]

8. "I'm just going to ask you one more time - not to belabor the point.."

Did you at any time call on the Lord your God to save the plane, yourself and the passengers? Are you absolutely certain that you might not have pled "Please God land this plane safely!" at any time? Are you absolutely certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you might not have formed such a wish, even silently, in your inner counsel? Now I must ask you again, because I don't want it to seem to our brothers and sisters in Christ that you are simply arrogating all the credit for this miraculous event for yourself without giving the glory to God, Can you be SURE, absolutely positive, without a scintilla of doubt in your mind, that YOU landed this plane - and not Almighty God?

[ecstatic]

45. ROFL! nt

[kenny blankenship]

94. Your claim is that you flew the plane unassisted by God and never once did you call on Him

to save you, but instead "thought" and "worked" on your own to bring the plane down to earth without crashing. Well, Capt. Sullenberger, that's an astonishing, incredible story: I can't believe you would selfishly endanger the lives of your passengers and crew that way.

[ddeclue]

9. SALAPPPP!!!!

:rofl:

GREAT reply on Sullenberger's part...

:rofl:

I hate Katie!

60 Minutes ain't what it used to be..(sic)

Doug D.

[skids]

16. Gotta love that guy...

...it's always encouraging to know that gluing this whole mess of a world together are a few people with their heads screwed on nice and tight. I hope there are enough of them, and we can somehow manage to make more to follow in their place.

[CoffeeCat]

10. "Ummmm, no Katie...

....when lives are on the line and you realizing you're piloting a plane that will be
crashing...you do your job. You don't stop and make time to talk with fairies."

Oh, how I wish he had said those words, but you could tell that he was thinking something
like this.

He seemed to have contempt for her nonsense.

What is with KC?

[MUAD_DIB]

38. But if he had said anything like that then he would be the

Hero turned villain, and the netwhores would be looking for ways to give the credit to someone else.

[Suich]

11. I was just going to post the exact same thing!

Couric looks like an idiot! Oh wait, maybe that's because she is!

:)

[katandmoon]

12. I absofuckinglutely loved his response!!!!

[Xipe Totec]

13. Dear Lord, wake up and do your job...

You just let some birds fowl my engines, I'd appreciate it if you could now help me get my lame craft down safely.

If it's not too much to ask...

Amen.

[Enrique]

20. did the geese pray to their god?

:shrug:

[Dr.Phool]

30. Why did god put the geese in the engine?

That Yahweh, always clowning around.

[HughBeaumont]

36. The pilot probably didn't kiss God's ass quite enough that day.

[notadmblnd]

37. It was a test..... you know, what doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger?

God's always testing people.. it feeds that huge insecure ego.:sarcasm:

[TahitiNut]

39. God put "Goose Smoothies" on the menu.

Seems obvious. :dunce:

[ddeclue]

49. With apologies to George Costanza: THESE GEESE ARE BREAKIN' THE DEAL!

[pokerfan]

58. heavenly shenanigans

So we wind up with fanciful drawings such as this one:



and none of those hands tossing birds into the engines like that monster on the Twilight Zone episode.

[Lochloosa]

59. ....

[pokerfan]

62. G-d looks remarkably like a gargoyle (n/t)

[bdamomma]

67. now that was scary the Twlight Zone movie.

[PCIntern]

66. I got this pic 6 times i e-mails

all from 'sincere' people...

As a religious person, somewhat observant, it makes ME sick.

[Ishoutandscream2]

81. Oh, jeez

That is just so, CHILDISH. Yep, it was God's work, alright.

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

71. God is notorious for His practical jokes.

That whole Red Sea thing? Classic!

[Xipe Totec]

113. They don't pray; they're props in the Divine Comedy n/t

[Vickers]

43. "You just let some birds fowl my engines"

Har!

[whyverne]

14. 60 minutes,

40 minutes on a feel good piece with Katie and 20 minutes with Coldplay, a lead in to the Grammys. And I keep showing up faithfully every week because it used to be so good.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

15. The media has turned to sh*t nt

[bdamomma]

68. it's been like that for a while.

they should our next front to tackle.

[ncteechur]

17. that letter at he very end choked me and my wife up --tears were flowing

[NeedleCast]

18. I'm not sure that asking if someone prayed

is the equivalent to having religion crammed down our throats.

You might be over-reacting.

[readmoreoften]

29. Ah, you're back after criticizing people for "overreacting" about the stock market.

You like the whole "overreacting" thing, don't you? It's really a great rhetorical strategy for condescension, for 'putting people in their place.' That in turn is an excellent strategy for littering DU with sweet-smelling centrist malarky.

I believe you were suggesting that people BUY around 10,500. How'd that work out for ya? Maybe the people who are 'overreacting' are correct. Maybe prayer-talk on the nightly news does suggest an irrational, ideological tendency on news programming.

[NeedleCast]

34. I never left

I don't remember suggesting people buy at 10,500, but it's possible. I bought a few things and continue to contribute to my 403b. At age 35, it's still the smart thing to do.

Thanks for your totally off topic concern though!

But, yeah, the theme remains the same. A talking-head on the tee-vee asking a pilot if he prayed during an emergency hardly constitutes having religion crammed down our throats, and I say that as an atheist.

[ginnyinWI]

89. it didn't bother me at all--and I'm not a believer. nt

[donco6]

110. Nah. Like the several dozen posters before you said,

She's fishing for the "miracle". It's a sop to the RW fundie whackos in the audience, and they didn't get it today. Too bad.

[Enrique]

19. I'm glad she asked it

it gave him a chance to give that witty response. :-)

[NJCher]

21. it was great, wasn't it?

He was essentially saying that praying had been delegated to the passengers, should they so desire.



Cher

[jberryhill]

54. Now that you mention it....

I'm thinking they can get rid of those safety cards with drawings and instructions, and replace them with the Lord's Prayer.

[underpants]

22. Dear God, please let me go back in time from these precious seconds I am wasting "talking" to you

so that I can continue focusing on what I need to be doing

[truebrit71]

23. Proof positive that she is only marginally less dumb then Sarah Palin...

...she is a poor substitute for a journalist..

[alcibiades_mystery]

24. Dear Gawd, make me a bird, so I can fly

far far away from here.

Dear Gawd, make me a bird, so I can fly, far far away from here.

:rofl:

[Iktomiwicasa]

25. Couric....

...has the intellect of a bag of hammers. Can't say enough good about Sully and crew though :thumbsup: :applause:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

27. And yet Couric totally punk'd Sarah Palin!

:rofl:

[glitch]

78. lol - bag of hammers meets bag of nails. :) nt

[Iktomiwicasa]

112. took the words..

..right outta my keyboard :toast:

[BlooInBloo]

26. Hopefully everybody NOW appreciates that Katie "Navy SEALS Rawk!" Couric...

Only looked good during the Palin crap because Couric had the extreme good fortune of talking to somebody even stupider than she is.

[anonymous171]

28. Chuck Yeager said something similiar to Men's Journal:

You’re stupid if you get frightened because it interferes with you working your way out of the situation. That’s the way I’ve lived. A while back I was on the Hour of Power Sunday morning TV show, and Reverend Schuller asked me: When you’re up in an airplane and something goes wrong, do you pray to God? And I said, “No, God can’t help me. I have to do it myself.” The reverend just rolled his eyes.

http://www.mensjournal.com/yeager

[tularetom]

31. Sullenberger is a class act

I would have told her I didn't have time to fucking pray you idiot, this whole process took less than five minutes and demanded total concentration.

He implied a similar thought without being so rude. I doubt she's smart enough to pick up on it.

[ecstatic]

46. He seems super classy and like an all around good, humble person nt

[Redbear]

35. I would have asked the same question

and I loved his answer.

[1]

40. yeah, a totally legimate question. wtf is your problem?

maybe not you, but far more people do pray than don't.

whoo whoo... someone mentions prayer and you are offended?

what exactly is your problem with a totally legitimate question?

[EastTennesseeDem]

42. Agreed

Legit Q, legit A. If you like the response he gave, I'm thrilled for you, but asking a simple question that probably a lot of people were wondering is not worth the effort of trashing the interviewer. And to clear the air, I wasn't really wondering.

[Zhade]

51. Yes, lots of people talk to themselves. This isn't surprising.

I for one am glad the pilot did something useful, instead of wasting time on prayer.

[1]

52. ah, so smart you are. may your smart serve you throughout your life...

and good luck with that.

i mean that...

[donco6]

111. Why is it legitimate?

It's a dopey question. It takes away all thought of the appropriateness of the pilot training programs he participated in, the years of experience, his training as a glider pilot, and just his own, human skill. Instead, because he "prayed", God gets to step in and claim the miracle. None of those things really mattered - because GOD was on the case!

Bleh.

I loved his answer, and wish we'd hear it more often. Especially from football players.

[rocktivity]

41. He was too busy talking to the air traffic controllers!

:rofl:
rocknation

[mwooldri]

86. Yep I just listened to that air traffic control radio exchange...

... man is that pilot some cool dude or what? Absolutely no panic whatsoever. "We're going in the Hudson." Matter of fact like that, was offered various run-ways but "Negative, can't do it." I'd say the air traffic control guys were more freaked than he was.

Mark.

[FLyellowdog]

48. Thanks for this post.

My very first words after watching the interview were "And nobody said Thank You Jesus!" What a refreshing response from Sully. :bounce:

[Zhade]

50. Katie, why would talking to himself be a good thing?

Stupid, stupid woman.

[krispos42]

53. "In what respect, Katie?"

:rofl:





or...


"I screamed 'DO SOMETHING!' at the plastic St. Christopher on the dash"

[jberryhill]

55. Here's a better one....

The last time anyone prayed during a plane crash in New York, they flew the airplanes into buildings.

[msanthrope]

96. That is a better one....n/t

[Stevenmarc]

56. You know Katie I prayed just before the interview

Dear God please let her not ask a really stupid questions and it's become clear God's not into micro managing these things.

[Norrin Radd]

57. He should've said

God prays to me when he wants a plane to land safely.

[Blue Gardener]

60. Captain Sully is a hero

And gave the perfect response to dipshit Katie.

[malaise]

61. So you see if Katie was flying that aircraft

Everyone would have died while she stopped to pray. The moral of the story is that you have a better chance of survival if the irrational miracle seeking loonies are not in charge of anything.

[ejpoeta]

64. god helps those who help themselves.

like the guy would have had time to say, you know what.... i better pray. looks like he was trying to prevent a catastrophe. i'm sure god would forgive him if he forewent the praying. geesh!!!

[bdamomma]

65. Katie is a jerk period.

the man was doing his job and so were the others.

[graywarrior]

69. I spit up when she asked that.

However, he was cool. So were the rest of the crew.

[kwassa]

70. We can turn anything into an anti-religion thread on DU, can't we?

It never ends.

Why is this minor detail picked out of the story anyway, except to bash?

[A-Long-Little-Doggie]

75. To you a minor detail

To me a :wtf: moment.

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

72. Soft journalism at its finest. nt

[book_worm]

73. My guess is that everybody at one time or another (even athiests) have muttered a word or two

to a higher being in times of crisis. If people want to call it prayer, fine, if not that's fine too.

[Ezlivin]

77. Have you ever "muttered a word or two" to Zeus?

The likelihood that an atheist would suddenly turn to an imaginary superbeing in time of need is as likely as you suddenly calling out to Zeus.

It doesn't happen.

[WI_DEM]

79. wrong it does happen. I've seen it happen.

[Fumesucker]

82. You've seen someone call out to Zeus in a time of crisis?

Wow..

[marshall]

74. Did anyone ask Couric that questions when her husband was battling cancer?

And was her answer something like "I was too busy taking care of him and our kids".

[TreasonousBastard]

76. Could there be any more of a chickenshit complaint...

about an interview that lasted over half an hour?

(Says more about the hatred of religion here on DU than about Couric)

[WI_DEM]

80. Not everybody on DU hates religion.

[bmbmd]

105. It was, in my opinion, a fair question.

It was obviously great television-look what everybody is talking about on this thread. By the way-Sully was raised in my home church.

[TreasonousBastard]

108. Couric AND religion-- guaranteed to get...

them all het up and ready for a fight.

Did you know Sully?

[nichomachus]

83. He does yoga for crying out loud -- yoga practitioners are all satanists -- they don 't pray

:sarcasm:

[kwassa]

93. Yoga is a form of meditation, which can be considered a form of prayer

[nichomachus]

98. It's only a prayer if you squeeze your eyes real tight and mention Jesus

anything else is satanism

[ginnyinWI]

87. It was a fair question, IMO.

She was only asking what a lot of people were wondering. That's what journalists are supposed to do. I always love it when they do it well.

My absolute favorite journalist for doing an interview is--surprise--Jim Lehrer. His questions are thoughtful, and exactly the ones I would ask. He's super-informed; I've seen him giving an impromptu interview with questions off the top of his head that are still great.

[AndrewP]

88. You got that right.

I prefer my pilots to have a personal relationship with reality.

[liberalhistorian]

90. Why is "talking to God" nonsense?

As a liberal Christian, I get really tired of this religion-bashing and hate for those of us who do believe and who see nothing wrong with prayer. Yes, I agree that atheists and agnostics deserve the same protection, tolerance and respect regarding their beliefs and I hate discrimination against the non-religious, too. But damn if they aren't just as discriminatory against those of us who DO believe as well. We are not pie-in-the-sky idiots, thank you.

[ginnyinWI]

91. yes.

People on the left can be just as bigoted and narrow-minded as people on the right. If someone in the media does anything that they wouldn't do--pow! There is a "team" mentality here--anything our team does is good, and everyone not conforming to type is bad.

I am a former believer but am not at all threatened by those who do still believe. To each their own. When people have a well-grounded confidence in their own positions, then don't feel the need to try to change everyone else!

[liberalhistorian]

95. "When people have a well-grounded confidence in their own

positions, they don't feel the need to try to change everyone else", bingo! That's just it, people feel insecure when others don't believe the way they do, even very smart people.

[Matariki]

101. Thanks for saying that

I'd love to see more *respect* for everyone's beliefs, including Atheists. There's no need to ridicule prayer - or people who find strength in prayer. It's rude.

[Strong Atheist]

106. "pie-in-the-sky"

... interesting choice of words...

[PVnRT]

92. ...and I see Katie Couric is back on the DU shit list

[RedCloud]

97. Wouldn't she be a heroine as opposed to hero?

And what we are going to start calling bulls "male cows" next?

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

99. I'm glad she asked the question, though

Because the answer was perfect.

[rvablue]

100. I thought it was an outstanding interview! n/t

[newtothegame]

102. Oh god, psycho much? Great interview. n/t

[rucky]

104. She should've asked "Did you at any point CURSE?"

[Dukkha]

114. prayer is a law of probability decided in your favor

nothing more.

[Sub Atomic]

115. I'm a skydiver and I had to cut away my main parachute once and land with my reserve chute.

If anyone dared to ask me if, during those 3 seconds I had to respond, if I prayed, I would have told them "No. I had a choice to make. I could either pray or I could save my life. I chose to save my life."


I hate people that try to pull their religious crap on anyone. Didn't God say something about that?

I got sick of the Jehovah's coming to my house that I eventually invited them in, made tea, then asked them what their stance was on anal sex and male homosexuality? The looks were priceless as they made some 'we're late' excuse and they ran away. They've never been back since.

[Marcus Fenix]

116. whats the big deal

does it really matter what if someone asks him if he prayed or not?????

[Horse with no Name]

117. She then asked the flight crew if THEY said their prayers

and got the same response.:rofl: