'National Review's' Byron York Responds to CNN's Misquote

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As NewsBusters reported, CNN, in a recent interview with Sarah Palin, misquoted "The National Review’s" Byron York.  In response, York appeared on the October 22 edition of "The O’Reilly Factor." Host Bill O’Reilly began the interview in charging CNN told him (or his staff) that they will not issue a correction to their misleading question. In addressing Governor Palin's question over which "National Review" correspondent wrote such a scathing attack on her, Mr. York replied "the answer is nobody wrote that."

"The National Review" correspondent also added that "perhaps this CNN thing was a mistake, but it fits in a much larger pattern of that behavior," alluding to the media’s overwhelmingly pro-Obama bias. York exemplified such a corrupt pattern in quoting "The New York Times" editor Bill Keller claiming he puts the most anti-McCain article on the front page whenever the senator complains about bias. Bill O’Reilly concluded the segment opining "I think ideology has now over ridden any kind of journalistic ethics at all."

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The transcript follows.

BILL O’REILLY: I said after the first- the third debate that I felt like I was in The Twilight Zone and Rod Serling was standing in the corner. And now CNN, you know, they’ve been okay, NBC News ridiculous. I saw that and then we said to CNN "look, you know, maybe that guy maybe made a mistake, whatever. What are you going to do?" And they basically said "we’re not going to do anything." What do you think?

BYRON YORK: Well, you know, I was pretty surprised about it. I’d heard about it and my first thought was "who at ‘National Review’ wrote something like that?" And the editor said "I think he was talking about you." But, listen, I don’t think that there’s any apology due to me or anything, but it was, as you said, it was Governor Palin who was sandbagged by this whole thing. And when she said, you know, "who wrote that?" Well the answer is nobody wrote that. So I think that it probably would be a good idea for CNN to make some sort of a retraction or correction as far as the question to Governor Palin.

O’REILLY: But here’s the danger. Here’s the danger Byron and you know this as well as anybody. Most of the people watching that interview, and it goes all over the world, they didn’t read your article. They don’t know what you said. And then the guy frames it with "look, conservatives think you’re a moron too Governor. It’s not just we liberals. It’s conservatives think you’re morons too." Not only is that a lie, what he said, but then it puts her in an untenable position. What can she do? She doesn’t know what was said, doesn’t know what you wrote, doesn’t know anything about it. So it, it- you know, with two weeks to go before a presidential election, you have this kind of- I don’t know what to call it- from CNN going out to millions of people. And you’re saying to yourself "there’s something seriously wrong in the United States of America."

YORK: No she had to be, she had to be very very surprised about it. And this is part of a bigger issue. You know, there was a story, a study that came out today by the Pew Center for Excellence in Journalism that said that as far as Barack Obama is concerned, positive stories have outnumbered negative stories, not a huge surprise there. As far as John McCain is concerned, negative stories have outnumbered positive stories three to one. This has been a pretty, pretty amazing season for press coverage. And, you know, perhaps this CNN thing was a mistake, but it fits in a much larger pattern of that behavior.

O’REILLY: It could have been that this reporter just didn’t read the article properly or he was briefed improperly. We’re not going to say that this guy, Griffin, is an evil guy or whatever. But CNN owes it to its audience and owes it to Governor Palin to correct the record. And we gave them all day to do so. And they won’t. That is the crux of the matter that you have now NBC, CNN, "New York Times," and on and on and on. They basically don’t care Byron, fairness, gone, accuracy, gone, honesty, gone. So now what people have to think about is what kind of a democracy, what kind of a republic is this country going to be with a corrupt press? We know Wall Street is corrupt. We know that Congress can’t regulate Wall Street and look where that’s gotten us, okay, into economic chaos. Now we know that beyond a reasonable doubt the American press is corrupt. I’m- I fear for the country Byron. I really do. We were set up to watch the powerful and now nobody’s watching us. There are no restraints on the press and we’re corrupt. We are absolutely corrupt.

YORK: Let me give you an example of one sort of attitude here. You know, over the weekend, "The New York Times" published on the front page, a story about Cindy McCain that was really kind of mean spirited not very newsworthy.

O’REILLY: Nasty.

YORK: Just didn’t have much to it. Go back to early October. Bill Keller, the executive editor of "The New York Times" was in a panel discussion in New York and he was asked what his reaction was when the McCain campaign complained about coverage in "The New York Times." And this is what he said. He said "my first tendency when they do that is to find the toughest McCain story we’ve got and put it on the front page just to show them that they can’t get away with it."It’s- there’s certainly an adversarial relationship here that probably doesn’t help the coverage any.

O’REILLY: Well, I think ideology has now over ridden any kind of journalistic ethics at all. And I think that’s the bottom line here.


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has "now" overridden?

Bill, c'mon, where have you been for the last 7 years?

Something has to be done

Win or lose in November.. Something has to be done about the MSM and their dishonest reporting. I suggest everybody contact the advertisers that advertise in the papers on TV or radio and let them know your feelings and that we will take our business elsewhere, and the media outlets also to let them know how we feel..

The New York Times used to be one of the top 5 papers in the world.. Now it is just Fish Wrap... or maybe it belongs in the Outhouse... Probably would not do a very good jod there either..

Sorry for the Rant.. This could go on all day.. Jim K.

 

MSM

I agree, something has to be done about the MSM.  The MSM is so LIBERAL and if the news doesn't benefit Obama, then it's not heard of! I'm so tired of the liberal illuminati in the media running McCain's campaign into the ground.

From Drudge today

"...The company, which reported a 16 percent drop in advertising revenue at its news media group, also said it may write down the value of its New England operations by up to $150 million, underscoring the dismal state of newspaper advertising. Shares fell 2.5 percent at mid-day..."

HOORAY!!!  May the Boston Globe fold up and crawl away - we canceled our subscription years ago!!!!

Only by saying "NO MORE" will they ever get our message!!! 

Main point aside, do you

Main point aside, do you notice that when O'Reilly interviews a guest, it becomes more of an interview of himself? We find out more about what O'Reilly thinks than the freakin' guest.

McNotObama '08

Norm... that's probably why

Norm... that's probably why being called The O'Reilly Factor is no co-incidence.

True story: I had a letter read out by the great man himself two months ago. It was re-written in such a way that it gave the OPPOSITE impression of my point. 

Vote 4 change. Vote 4 anything. See Jack & Mr Shy's first campaign ad for the ONLY viable 3rd party candidate.

Oh man Jack...I would be

Oh man Jack...I would be furious...seething in fact!

"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh

Jack,Congratualtions. He

Jack,

Congratulations. After he was done reading it, he didn't accuse you of being a "Kool-Aid drinker", did he? I always wondered if they edited those letters. By the way, you are first person to call me "Norm" in years (just don't call me what my nickname evolved into - "Nammy").

McNotObama '08

Jack, others

Hey, I like -- and can even stomach -- O'Reilly a lot more than others around here. I don't think he's nausiatingly loud and full of himself nearly as much as creeps like Chrissy, Shuster, Keith, et al, PLUS, he's obviously more on my side of the issues and interrupts opposing guests way less than in the reverse with those liberal talking head/talking point buffoons.

But WOW, Jack, did he really re-write your letter? In what way? Can you elaborate and share with us? :)

 

NOW PLAYING:
Governor Palin Get Your Gun

 

Hi, you are absolutely right

Hi, you are absolutely right about him. He loves to hear himself talk and "bloviate". I can't listen to O'Reilly for his entire show. I usually find myself changing the channel right after his Talking Points...

3 to 1 negative McCain stories? Total BS!

"As far as John McCain is concerned, negative stories have outnumbered positive stories three to one [Pew Survey]."

You know, that's a total crock, too. 3 to 1? Can anybody name JUST ONE positive MSM McCain story in the last month or so? And I don't consider grudgingly reporting modest McCain increases in polls a 'positive story.'

Whew!

That first paragraph of this story has to be the most convoluted mess I've tried to muddle through in a long time.  Either I'm having a really bad comprehension day, or the writer could use an editor.

 

I had trouble with that

I had trouble with that first paragraph as well. I read it about three times and then just decided to just read the rest of the article and figure it out as I went along.

(And as a former Middle School English teacher I have to say, I have read my share of confusing paragraphs.)

O’REILLY: Well, I think

O’REILLY: Well, I think ideology has now over ridden any kind of journalistic ethics at all. And I think that’s the bottom line here.

I just wonder why it has taken him so long to realize this fully.

I used to scream at the television over the years at him when it comes to this subject...glad he has finally seen the light....better late than never.

CNN not apologizing, when of course this was done intentionally is nothing new....

"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh

His rant against Laura I

last week sent me from the room screaming to myself...he has NO reason to doubt Obama's character??????????????????????????

When Laura began listing them, he still wouldn't admit she was right.  I think that is my problem with Bill - he just can't ever admit he might have the wrong take on something.  I'll still listen to him, though...on tape so I can use the fast-forward when necessary ;-)

Hey CC... I saw that

Hey CC...

I saw that too...Laura did a fantastic job...my husband and I were both screaming at BOR that did...she made a complete fool of BOR IMHO.

"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh

There is nothing, besides a

There is nothing, besides a McCain/Palin win, that would give me more pleasure than to see ABC/CBS/NBC news divisions bite the dust.  Then stop federal funding of PBS and NPR and slowly but surely have the ratings for CNN start to erode.

Then from the wreckage of the broken system that MSM has become have a more honest and ethical media come forth.

I agree

wholeheartedly!!!

McCAIN/PALIN 2008

VOTE for JEFF BEATTY to rid the country of pompous John F. Kerry!

VOTE for BILL RUSSELL to rid the country of liar Jack Murtha!

VOTE FOR NORM COLEMAN to keep scum such as Al Franken out of Congress!

And then we can all sit back and watch the msm self-destruct!!!!

If I was Byron York

I'd DEMAND an immediate appearance on the same CNN show!  How dare they take his words and twist them!!!!!!!

48 Hours & Counting............

Has CNN issued a retraction or an apology yet?   We're waiting.......................................