During the tumultuous withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, Kristen Welker, anchor of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” has come under fire for making the untrue assertion that Vice President Kamala Harris was present at the dignified transfer of the 13 American service personnel murdered in the Kabul airport suicide bombing. NBC has already retracted the inaccurate assertion, which was made during a heated argument with Senator Tom Cotton.
The Untrue Allegation
Sen. Cotton chastised President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris during the interview for failing to attend a Gold Star families’ gathering commemorating the third anniversary of the military heroes’ deaths. Biden and Harris had also been invited by the families, he said, but they were conspicuously absent.
Sen. Cotton was stopped by Welker, who attempted to defend Harris by asserting that Harris had accompanied President Biden to the 2021 transfer of the remains at Dover Air Force Base. But this assertion was untrue. Harris did not attend the transfer, but Biden did.
The Retraction of NBC
Through the “Meet the Press” account on X (previously Twitter), NBC formally retracted the broadcast:
“We misrepresented on our program this morning that Vice President Harris and President Biden were present at the solemn transfer of 13 American service members who were slain during the pullout from Afghanistan. Harris was not present, but Biden was.
Following widespread public outcry and fact-checking that demonstrated Welker’s claim was false, the retraction was issued.
Background: The Gold Star Families’ Gathering
Former President Donald Trump’s attendance at a ceremony honoring the deceased service members at Arlington National Cemetery is the source of the issue. Vice President Harris was among many who questioned Trump’s attendance, implying that it was done for political reasons.
However, Gold Star families stood up for Trump, saying in a statement:
We, the Gold Star families, extended an invitation to President Trump to participate in the sorrowful ceremonies marking the third anniversary of the deaths of our children. He was present to commemorate their sacrifice, but Vice President Harris shamefully turned this moment of remembrance into a political ruse.
Sen. Cotton echoed these remarks when he appeared on “Meet the Press,” pointing out that the families had asked Trump to be there in order to commemorate their children.
The Watch Incident and the Withdrawal from Afghanistan
Sen. Cotton also cited the notorious incident from the 2021 respectful handover in which President Biden seemed to check his watch several times, causing the families of the slain to become indignant. Since then, this incident has come to represent what some say is the administration’s poor management of the departure from Afghanistan.
Thirteen U.S. service men and more than 170 Afghan civilians lost their lives in the disastrous evacuation, which left military families and the administration’s image permanently damaged.
Political Repercussions
Welker’s untrue assertion has heightened criticism of the Biden administration and the media. The episode, according to critics, exposes bias and errors in the way the media covers delicate subjects.
Many people who believe the government has not sufficiently addressed the suffering of the Gold Star families or accepted responsibility for the circumstances surrounding the pullout from Afghanistan find resonance in Sen. Cotton’s support of the family and his criticism of Biden and Harris.
In conclusion
The discussion on “Meet the Press” highlights the enduring emotional and political repercussions of the departure from Afghanistan. The respectful handover of the 13 slain service members is a somber occasion that necessitates candor and deference for many Americans. Kristen Welker’s and NBC’s error serves as a reminder that when talking about such intensely personal and significant events, accuracy and tact are essential.
