END OF AN ERA: David Martin, the long, long, long-time CBS national security correspondent is – if not retiring – at least stepping back from his duties covering the Defense Department, State Department and Intelligence community. He has been the CBS Pentagon correspondent since 1983, and before that, covered the beat for Newsweek and Associated Press. He has reported not only for CBS Evening News but also 60 Minutes and a wide variety of platforms. Widely respected for his diligence and reporting chops – Martin has been on the beat so long – that none of the generals or admirals currently on the Joint Chiefs of Staff – were commissioned officers when Martin took up the beat that he is just now leaving.
OH, SO THAT’S WHY THEY GET SO MUCH GOOD INK: Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., when not running around explaining that all vaccine inoculations are bogus, has been revealing some other unusual conspiracy theories on the campaign trail. ABC News noted that among his recurring themes, is that major U.S. media are under the control of the CIA. Back in April, Kennedy said at a fundraiser that “The new head of NPR is a CIA agent.” The person he was referring to, Katherine Maher, has denied the allegation and previously told people who heard that rumor: “I’m not any sort of agent. You can dislike me, but please don’t defame me.” A CIA spokesperson also denied Kennedy’s claim in a statement to ABC saying “Any notion that CIA is controlling American media is absolutely false. CIA Is an organization focused on providing foreign intelligence information to policymakers and protecting the United States from a range of overseas threats.” Of course – if the CIA is running ABC – that denial might be suspect. RFK Jr. reportedly cites the blathering of a former CIA officer by the name of Kevin Shipp (The Dead Drop has told you about him before). Shipp is said to claim that “Pearl Harbor was a myth.” We are pretty sure Pearl Harbor was attacked and the head of NPR was not a CIA “agent,” but you know who was? RFK Jr.’s daughter-in-law, Amaryllis Fox, who was a CIA officer (not agent, Bobby) and is now reportedly running his campaign…and oddly she was interviewed this week – on NPR. Seriously, we couldn’t make this stuff up.
Access all of The Cipher Brief’s national security-focused expert insight by becoming a Cipher Brief Subscriber+ Member.
Sign Up Log In
