Deceptive NY Times Headline: 'U.S.' Missed Warning Signs On Solyndra
Sometimes, media bias is all about the headline . . . The New York Times has a decent piece this morning detailing the background that led to the approval by the Obama admin of more than a half-billion in loan guarantees to the soon-to-go-kaput Solyndra solar firm. The article paints a picture of an Obama admin that was eager to get the money out the door and was heavily lobbied by Solyndra and its major player who was a big Obama fund-raiser.
But check out the headline: "In Rush to Assist Solyndra, U.S. Missed Warning Signs." What do you mean, "U.S.", Gray Lady? That "U.S" suggests that perhaps the previous Bush admin also let itself get bamboozled by Solyndra. Except that the truth is just the opposite, as these paras from the article demonstrate [emphasis added]:
Bush administration officials had started the review of the Solyndra application in May 2008. They were anxious to approve the deal, because members of Congress were complaining that the loan guarantee program, signed into law in 2005, still had not given out its first award. But in the final weeks of the administration, Energy Department officials put the brakes on any loan commitment to Solyndra, partly out of concern that its costs made the price of manufacturing power capacity significantly higher than its competitors.
The Obama administration, though, was determined to move ahead.
Thanks to the Times's misleading headline, a casual reader might have concluded that the Solyndra screw-up is a bi-partisan scandal. Except it isn't. Try your hand at re-writing that Times headline if it had been the Bush admin that had granted the guarantees.
- Mark Finkelstein's blog
- Login to post comments
Comments
How's this?
Submitted by motherbelt on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 7:51am.
"Bush Ignored Warning Signs on Solyndra."
Subhead: "Potential Problem Predicted in PDB"
Bingo!
Submitted by Mark Finkelstein on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 7:53am.
Bingo!
Spot on, motherbelt!
Submitted by Galvanic on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 9:21am.
Have you ever worked at the NY Times? :-)
Personally, I hope the rest of them go down too.
Submitted by RESTLESS 1 on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 7:58am.
Here in San Antonio, CPS Energy, the major source of electricity here, is planning on shutting down both coal powered plants to move to solar. I think it's a disaster waiting to happen.
Of course, if all the solar panel companies were to shut down...
It is waiting to happen
Submitted by jon_torlin on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 8:45am.
It is a disaster waiting to happen if this past winter was any indication.
Solar energy is only good for pocket calculators and night lights, anything more is just asking too much.
-Jon
Here is a future NYT headline...
Submitted by c5then on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 8:07am.
"Obama Admin Blindsided by Inept Solyndra"
Madison and Jefferson and Franklin built a Republic - Roberts killed it!
How about a
Submitted by motherbelt on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 8:14am.
How about a subhead:
"Unexpected Bankruptcy a Blow to Obama."
Editor will change to...
Submitted by c5then on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 8:23am.
Unprecedented Bankruptcy a Blow to Obama
Madison and Jefferson and Franklin built a Republic - Roberts killed it!
Headline
Submitted by DontFeedTheTrolls on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 9:03am.
Obama Boosts Buddy In Budding Bankruptcy By Bypassing Browsing Business Biography
NYT Tried to Bury Story of Obama's Crony Socialism
Submitted by Comrade Jim on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 9:04am.
Subhead:
Yet Again, Obama and his Socialist Cronies Swindle the US Taxpayers
Beginning of story:
Obama's Chicago style Shakedown Socialism has again been exposed extorting vast sums from American Citizens. .....
Oh....... I was day dreaming.
Or
Submitted by Boudin on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 9:09am.
Bush failed to warn Obama about Solyndra
Or...
Submitted by Chris Norman on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 9:23am.
"'Sunshine-ready" wasn't as 'Sunshine-ready' as we expected"?
Scarborough & Heilmann dismiss Solyndra as problem for POTUS
Submitted by Galvanic on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 9:25am.
On Morning Joe this morning, Scarborough claimed that he been receiving EMail, tweets, et al regarding the absence of Solyndra info on his programs. Scarborough asked Heilmann if this was an important story that will have significant political consequences for Obama, and Heilmann said "No." Shortly after that dismissal, the conversation turned to some quote in the GOP debate the night before.
MSNBC slogan: "We lose the news you can use."
What they mean is
Submitted by Boudin on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 9:29am.
It's no problem for them.
Broke every promise.
Submitted by desert3030 on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 9:31am.
Quote from the story..."Its lobbyists corresponded frequently and met at least three times with an aide to a top White House official, Valerie B. Jarrett", Wasn't part of Hope & Chnage a no lobbyists program? Say it ain't so Joe!
W, who had by NYT standards enough sense not to come in out of the rain...knew enough to see a scam, and that what it was, to say NO. The smartest man on earth couldn't see the projections on default? Why ? Because he is brillant...just ask him.
(NO).......HOPE......(LITTLE) ...CHANGE! MY hope is this is the last time people are bullied into making history for media's sake. Wait until the "chickens come home" on ObamaCare.
'U.S.' Missed Warning Signs On Solyndra
Submitted by ex buff e-dub on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 10:09am.
...that's US, as in "We".
We Missed Warning Signs On Solyndra.
there, FIFY NYT
This just in.....................
Submitted by Tomorama on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 10:17am.
Headline - "Bush administration acted "stupidly" in regards to Solyndra scandal"
Byline - "Obama administration holds many summits to rectify issue with green energy giant"...................
Same old...
Submitted by chuckshick on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 10:29am.
Obama sits in pews. Hears nothing.
"US" missed it?
Submitted by CobraMan on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 12:55pm.
So, the entire country missed the "warning signs?" That's funny, I don't remember anyone actually asking me if this loan was a good idea.
New York Times, be honest, for a change. The Obama administration missed, or ignored, the warning signs, not the rest of us. The rest of the country wasn't even consulted!
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
Alternate Headline
Submitted by CobraMan on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 1:03pm.
Here's my alternate headline: Bush Guarantees Failure.
Sub-headline: I'm George W. Bush, and I approve this ineptitude.
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
Alternate Headline
Submitted by EllisWyatt on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 1:15pm.
"Bush: Solyndra 'Doing A Heck Of A Job' "
"Elections have consequences" ... unless the Republicans win
"Dissent is Patriotic" ... when it's against conservative policies.