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CNN Live At Daybreak
Lynch Book: Biography Goes on Sale Today
Aired November 11, 2003 - 06:19 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A special serenade for, well not for you, but for former POW Shoshana Johnson. Sounds so nice. Johnson was on hand to accept an award at the "Glamour" magazine Women of the Year awards. It happened in New York last night. Jessica Lynch also a recipient. Lynch and Johnson appeared in public together for the first time since their return from Iraq. The duo accepted an award on behalf of all U.S. servicewomen.
Of course this is the first of many public appearances for Jessica Lynch, perhaps the most famous POW since John McCain. Her book, "I Am a Soldier, Too" is about to hit the bookstores. And you know what that means.
Let's head live to D.C. and Jennifer Coggiola.
ABC is her next stop, though, right?
JENNIFER COGGIOLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely, she's making the circuit. A lot of anticipation around the release of this book that really has raised some questions in recent weeks about how the events of that dramatic day unfolded, the day that 11 soldiers from the 507th Maintenance Company were killed and 6 were captured, including Jessica.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JENNIFER COGGIOLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): March 23, the day that changed the life of that 19-year-old Jessica Lynch, will be made pubic today in the release or her authorized biography. In the book, according to early excerpts in the November 17 issue of "TIME" magazine, the former Iraq POW talks about the painful details of the morning her company's humvee was ambushed in Nasiriya and her experience as a prisoner, at least what she can remember.
Details of that day and the nine days of captivity that followed have been conflicting and a source of frustration for Lynch, who in a recent interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer said the U.S. military's portrayal of her rescue was inaccurate. Quote -- "They used me as a way to symbolize all this stuff. It hurt, in a way, that people would make up stories that they had no truth about." Also in the book, Lynch recalls how she struggled with Iraqi doctors, screaming to keep them from amputating her leg. Apparently they believed she could be more easily transported to Baghdad.
The intense media coverage surrounding Lynch after her homecoming escalated this week with the release of the book, including a TV special that aired Sunday that focused on the Iraqi lawyer who tipped American soldiers off to Lynch's location, possibly saving her life.
MOHAMMED AL-REHAIF, LYNCH RESCUER: I think you will agree with me, she had very difficult time in Iraq. She suffered a lot. I believe she is a hero.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COGGIOLA: Now in recent days there has been a lot of criticism about the way that that rescue was portrayed. Jessica, in recent interviews, saying that the military over dramatized the story. Telling Diane Sawyer, yes, I don't think it happened like that. But in response, a senior military official did tell CNN that the military never exaggerated the rescue and that any inaccuracies in the report of Lynch's ordeal were the fault of the media -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right. Jennifer Coggiola reporting live from D.C. this morning.
Program note for you now, coming up on Monday, Private First Class Jessica Lynch makes a special appearance on "LARRY KING LIVE." She'll tell her own story and she'll take your phone calls. That's Monday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 11, 2003 - 06:19 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A special serenade for, well not for you, but for former POW Shoshana Johnson. Sounds so nice. Johnson was on hand to accept an award at the "Glamour" magazine Women of the Year awards. It happened in New York last night. Jessica Lynch also a recipient. Lynch and Johnson appeared in public together for the first time since their return from Iraq. The duo accepted an award on behalf of all U.S. servicewomen.
Of course this is the first of many public appearances for Jessica Lynch, perhaps the most famous POW since John McCain. Her book, "I Am a Soldier, Too" is about to hit the bookstores. And you know what that means.
Let's head live to D.C. and Jennifer Coggiola.
ABC is her next stop, though, right?
JENNIFER COGGIOLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely, she's making the circuit. A lot of anticipation around the release of this book that really has raised some questions in recent weeks about how the events of that dramatic day unfolded, the day that 11 soldiers from the 507th Maintenance Company were killed and 6 were captured, including Jessica.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JENNIFER COGGIOLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): March 23, the day that changed the life of that 19-year-old Jessica Lynch, will be made pubic today in the release or her authorized biography. In the book, according to early excerpts in the November 17 issue of "TIME" magazine, the former Iraq POW talks about the painful details of the morning her company's humvee was ambushed in Nasiriya and her experience as a prisoner, at least what she can remember.
Details of that day and the nine days of captivity that followed have been conflicting and a source of frustration for Lynch, who in a recent interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer said the U.S. military's portrayal of her rescue was inaccurate. Quote -- "They used me as a way to symbolize all this stuff. It hurt, in a way, that people would make up stories that they had no truth about." Also in the book, Lynch recalls how she struggled with Iraqi doctors, screaming to keep them from amputating her leg. Apparently they believed she could be more easily transported to Baghdad.
The intense media coverage surrounding Lynch after her homecoming escalated this week with the release of the book, including a TV special that aired Sunday that focused on the Iraqi lawyer who tipped American soldiers off to Lynch's location, possibly saving her life.
MOHAMMED AL-REHAIF, LYNCH RESCUER: I think you will agree with me, she had very difficult time in Iraq. She suffered a lot. I believe she is a hero.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COGGIOLA: Now in recent days there has been a lot of criticism about the way that that rescue was portrayed. Jessica, in recent interviews, saying that the military over dramatized the story. Telling Diane Sawyer, yes, I don't think it happened like that. But in response, a senior military official did tell CNN that the military never exaggerated the rescue and that any inaccuracies in the report of Lynch's ordeal were the fault of the media -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right. Jennifer Coggiola reporting live from D.C. this morning.
Program note for you now, coming up on Monday, Private First Class Jessica Lynch makes a special appearance on "LARRY KING LIVE." She'll tell her own story and she'll take your phone calls. That's Monday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
