On the Reuters Web site this morning appears this cryptic headline:
"ADVISORY: Baghdad story on views on Obama is withdrawn"
After that, it merely states, "The BAGHDAD item headlined 'Iraqis say they like Obama, divided on his policies' is withdrawn. The story was transmitted in error."
What that error was isn't identified. The original article begins:
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is popular among Iraqis.In two dozen interviews across the country, many told Reuters a black man would understand their plight.
Obama arrived in Baghdad on Sunday on only his second trip to Iraq. He wants to bolster his foreign policy credentials and counter accusations from Republican presidential rival John McCain that he has not seen conditions in Iraq for himself.
"I support Obama. I think he is the best for Iraq and for the world ... if McCain wins I will be devastated," said Mustafa Salah, an office worker in the southern city of Basra.
Hisham Fadhil, a doctor in northern Kirkuk added: "He is much better than others because he is black and black people were tyrannized in America. I think he will feel our suffering."
It reads like the typical puff piece on Obama. Iraq's population approaches 30 million, but interviews with two dozen people, and quotations from even fewer, are sufficient to prove the point: Iraqis love Barry just like everyone else does.
Now the story has been withdrawn. But not until after it was propagated widely.
Maybe the problem was the article wasn't flattering enough. Quick, get me rewrite!
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Doesn't this sort of make you suspicious?
July 20, 2008 - 12:48 ET by Calypso JonesWhy would they withdraw a story unless there was something in it that was NOT supportive or complimentary of the Obamapocalypse. Or perhaps those credited with the remarks have a background involved in terrorism perhaps? Something smells here.
Suspicious minds
July 20, 2008 - 12:52 ET by Mike BatesSomething smells here.
Maybe they'll send out a journalist to conduct an investigation. Yeah, right.
No surprise
July 20, 2008 - 13:55 ET by KC MulvilleYou know the old lawyer rule that you never ask a question in public that you don't already know the answer to? Well, ask the same applies here. Why would any campaign, filled with risk-averse public relations and media staffers, intentionally put themselves in a place they hadn't already scripted out thoroughly? The Obama campaign, much more so than any previous ones, doesn't make stupid mistakes like that. They don't put themselves at the mercy of the truth. This trip has no risks and no surprises in it.
These pro-Obama stories were written before the trip. He's an overwhelming success, they love him, why can't America see what the rest of the world sees ... yada yada yada. This is just a glitch in the pre-fab reporting scheme.
I'll say again ... this is not a trip (as advertised) where Obama investigates what's going on in the rest of the world ... this trip is about telling the rest of the world what Obama thinks. He doesn't want to learn from them, he wants them to learn from him.
I don't care
July 20, 2008 - 12:59 ET by bigpapaWhat anyone anywhere in the rest of the world thinks about our elections...
They don't vote here and can bugger off..
NOBAMA 08 !!!
World opinion
July 20, 2008 - 13:01 ET by Mike BatesThat amorphous "world opinion" matters only to the extent that it influences American voters.
→ Ish Bin Ein Baghdaddy
July 20, 2008 - 13:02 ET by Cool ArrowAnd tey did wonder after the Obama saying "who can make comedy with him?"
LYDSEXICS UNTIE
The "he will feel our
July 20, 2008 - 13:03 ET by cocodrieThe "he will feel our suffering" quote sounds like it came from Bashar-al-Clinton.
That was in the Toronto Sun
July 20, 2008 - 13:05 ET by Dagny TaggartThat was in the Toronto Sun this morning, headline and all. I gagged and skipped it entirely.
Toronto Sun
July 20, 2008 - 15:12 ET by Mike BatesProbably, tomorrow the Sun will report the story's been withdrawn. On page 26.
Ding! Dong!
July 20, 2008 - 13:06 ET by BondPlainBondIt most certainly smacks of a deliberate and calculated planting of a "you can't unring a bell" story.
maybe because it is an
July 20, 2008 - 13:17 ET by gopstevemaybe because it is an Obama campaign press release and it got mixed in with the regular news articles...who would ever know the difference.
this is such BS from the media...too bad they never have to answer to anyone
You may be wrong
July 20, 2008 - 14:29 ET by 10ksnookerLooks to me the newspapers are answering up, and going out of business. AP will be the only monoply left and a few more phoney photos should finish off their credibility.
Now that everyone can be everywhere -- Why not just make transcritpts and put it on-line, that way everyone can see what was said without interpreters.
Obama press release
July 20, 2008 - 15:09 ET by Mike Batesmaybe because it is an Obama campaign press release and it got mixed in with the regular news articles...who would ever know the difference.
Easy mistake to make. They're probably prepared by the same folks.
a reporter can capture any view they seek.
July 20, 2008 - 14:26 ET by Gary HallMichael, wow! Sure makes you wonder.
On the other hand, a reporter can capture any view they seek. It will be interesting to learn, if we do, why the story was yanked, however, it's not difficult to understand that such a story can be found, and have the supportive documentation to back it. But that won't change the likelihood that, the story was simply a just a sought after creation of the journalist involved, and the team behind him/her. They go after any story they want to find. We all know that.
In fact, they could still go out and find tens of thousands of witnesses in Iraq who bless President Bush for giving them a chance again. (;~> gary
In fact, they could still
July 20, 2008 - 14:57 ET by RickTaLifeIn fact, they could still go out and find tens of thousands of witnesses in Iraq who bless President Bush for giving them a chance again.
Tens? How about Hundreds of thousands.
Fat chance though Gary. :-)
BTW, isn't this the same media that tried to put a negative spin on the decrease in violence by running a story about how the cemetary workers no longer had masses of people to bury, and how we should pity them because of that? Please.
Seek and find, Gary
July 20, 2008 - 15:17 ET by Mike BatesIn fact, they could still go out and find tens of thousands of witnesses in Iraq who bless President Bush. . .
Don't think they want to look for or talk to those troublemakers.
We could've guessed the
July 20, 2008 - 14:55 ET by RickTaLifeWe could've guessed the stories to come from the moment Obama landed. We're living in the era of the most irresponsible media machine in the history of this country, nothing suprising about it.
AOL is still carrying a story about how Maliki "likes" Obama's 16 month withdraw plan, despite the fact that he recently came out and said that was BS with his own lips, and that the Obama campaign and the media mistranslated/overblew his statements.
It's hard to stomach.
Yahoo is playing ball...
July 20, 2008 - 15:04 ET by Clear thinkerEven Yahoo is whooping it up for Obama. Here's a lead for their News banner posted today... Obama meets Karzai, vows steadfast aid to Afghanistan
It's as if they (media) are already treating him as the sitting president.
45 Communist Goals for America http://www.nationmakers.com/com_goals.htm
Yahoo!
July 20, 2008 - 15:15 ET by Mike BatesEven Yahoo is whooping it up for Obama.
One thing you have to admire: When the MSM minions get the party line, they stick to it. Such loyalty.
This is nothing new either...
July 20, 2008 - 16:56 ET by RickTaLifeI've had my homepage set to Yahoo for quite some time, since I've had a yahoo mail account for years, and they've always trumpeted any liberal tag-line they can get their hands on. Just like they push every anti-republican piece they can get their hands on. I always see headlines on the Yahoo news ticker that look like this:
"Analysis: Obama's Economic Plan Better than McCain's for Middle Class." Etc, etc, etc. They parrot these left wing economists on a daily basis, and left-wing everything else for that matter.
It was taken down
July 20, 2008 - 15:09 ET by Delsabecause it was a LIE!
a black man will feel our pain and understand our plight?
Paaa leeees!
Give us mere mortals an f'n break!
Lies, all lies
July 20, 2008 - 15:10 ET by Mike BatesIt was taken down because it was a LIE!
That's not slowed the MSM down before, has it?
¢¢ Delsa
July 20, 2008 - 15:11 ET by Free StinkerIt's a pity that the sense of shame that made Reuters remove this piece didn't also prevent them from publishing it in the first place.
Shame, shame
July 20, 2008 - 15:21 ET by Mike BatesIt's a pity that the sense of shame that made Reuters remove this piece didn't also prevent them from publishing it in the first place.
Maybe I'm just cynical (maybe?), but much of the MSM seems to have the same level of humility and guilt as Bill Clinton. Perhaps less.
It's not cynical...
July 20, 2008 - 16:50 ET by RickTaLife...not at all.
Reuters, never heard of it. What does it stand for?
July 20, 2008 - 16:56 ET by wdhorningReal Errors Underline Their Emulated Rag Sheet
Reuters
July 20, 2008 - 17:06 ET by Mike BatesReal Errors Underline Their Emulated Rag Sheet
I wondered what it stood for.
Reuters gives rag sheets a bad name.
Nothing will PISS off the "White" vote like "tyrannized"
July 20, 2008 - 16:58 ET by JayTee"tyrannized in America" is enough of a quote to remove this from the News wires.
I'm beginning to Get REALLY P.O.'ed.....and I was one of the FIRST predicting Americans were MAD about $4 Gas.
The Rev. Wright cannot measure up to my Personal Anger at this time, at the MSM, and the Half Black Straw man they're trying to shove down America's Media hole.
Iraquis Do NOT VOTE....Report an American opinion on VICTORY in Iraq...It's not About the American Election in Iraq, it IS all about American's winning Strategy in Iraq...and Obama was NOT a PART of that in any way what - so - ever.
Americans know that, and any other reporting on War Strategy is False advertising of a Known Anti-war, Anti-Flag, Anti "WIN" Jr. Senator from Crooked politics Illinois.
The Republican Revolution will not be Televised
"I support Obama. I think
July 20, 2008 - 16:59 ET by RickTaLife"I support Obama. I think he is the best for Iraq and for the world ... if McCain wins I will be devastated,"
Better start reading up on your Al-Qaeda rule book Mustafa...If flapjack moves into the White House, you'll be up to your neck in them.
I support Obama. I think
July 20, 2008 - 17:04 ET by Mike BatesI support Obama. I think
Something doesn't compute here. . . .
lol! :-P Classic. I
July 20, 2008 - 17:52 ET by RickTaLifelol! :-P Classic.
I think, therefore I don't support Obama.
Rueters and Make Believe News
July 20, 2008 - 17:47 ET by GoodieAHAA, Rueters taking a chapter out of the Rather-Mapes playbook. Great work!!!Of course next we will hear from Plame-Wilson as they ARE the experts from DC. What a joke, like appointing Al Franken as Secretary of State.
"like appointing Al Franken
July 20, 2008 - 17:54 ET by RickTaLife"like appointing Al Franken as Secretary of State."
Hey now, don't be giving FlapJack any ideas! :-x
:-P
Al Franken for SOS
July 20, 2008 - 17:55 ET by Mike BatesWhat a joke, like appointing Al Franken as Secretary of State.
Well, at least he could provide some continuity in the feminization of that position.
Franken could also provide
July 20, 2008 - 18:21 ET by jefflebowskia continuity of extremely disappointing performances of recent Secretaries of State.
Jeff Lebowski
www.angrywhitedude.c...
You know what is really
July 20, 2008 - 18:48 ET by amberYou know what is really sad? His commercials are really good and will easily dupe the uniformed masses. Meanwhile, the republican (and I say that lightly) incumbant, Norm Coleman has yet to really start his campaign. I sure hope Al is depleating his funds. I really hope we get both of them off of the ticket and a real conservative wins.
I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate. And I can picture us attacking that world, because they’d never expect it.
You bring up the topic I am
July 20, 2008 - 18:36 ET by celatorYou bring up the topic I am most worried about lately-- staffing the White House, his cabinet and other areas in the government.
Given his radical background, acquaintances and ideas, Obama will bring in the worse elements of society--left-over 60's radicals, kooky misfits who will poison the White House, radical lawyers who will implement the tyranny in how one lives one's private life. Remember one of his statements recently, "But I want you to know I am a progressive." We know exactly what that means.
The major media report only half the news. Why are they surprised they have only half the potential audience?
Indeed, it'll be worse than
July 20, 2008 - 19:37 ET by RickTaLifeIndeed, it'll be worse than FDR's administration...far, far worse.
I don't understand. The
July 20, 2008 - 20:09 ET by GregEI don't understand. The original article has not been withdrawn, but instead just another page saying the original is in error (though as you pointed out, the error isn't told).
But if it's in error, why is it still on the site??? It's not a newspaper that can't be changed, it's a website that can be changed in 3 seconds. Perhaps they feel ok that they printed a page to say the original is in error, but of course if you run across the original but never see the followup, you won't know any different and that's the info you'll have.
that's why when i see highly damning reports
July 20, 2008 - 21:04 ET by lunaticcringeradioi don't just favorite the link, i save the whole page. links can be killed, but if people get into the habit of saving the data then it can be thrown back in their faces. because we all know how the media will pick and choose how and what they will report, and on a few occassions they make mistake and accidentally fall back into the relm of truely filing news reports without paying attention to what they are actually reporting.
lunaticcringeradio
Michael - looks like they finished the story now
July 21, 2008 - 08:35 ET by Dee Bunkand it's not much better
Iraqi's Say they like Obama, divided on his policies