Watching Associated Press reports evolve, or as is all too often the case, devolve, can be a revealing exercise.
Example: What happened between 8 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Saturday that would have caused the Associated Press and writer Nancy Benac to water down the headline and opening paragraphs of their story about the Obama-Gates-Crowley situation from this ....
.... to this? (after the jump)
Why, 12 hours later, when there are no known developments in the story, is the situation no longer one that Obama "helped fire" or "stoke"?
While the AP headline writers and Benac eased up on Obama, Benac didn't lighten up on Obama critics, as the following paragraphs from each report demonstrate:
(July 24, 7:57 p.m.) There were signs both that Obama's statement had helped to ease tensions and that his critics were not about to let that be the end of it: A trio of Massachusetts police organizations issued a statement thanking the president for his "willingness to reconsider his remarks." And a Republican congressman from Michigan, Thaddeus McCotter, said he would introduce a House resolution calling on Obama to apologize to Crowley.
(July 25, 7:53 a.m.) There were signs both that Obama's statement had helped to ease tensions and that his critics were not about to let that be the end of it: A trio of Massachusetts police organizations issued a statement thanking the president for his "willingness to reconsider his remarks." The statement said Crowley was "profoundly grateful" Obama was trying to resolve the situation. But a Republican congressman from Michigan, Thaddeus McCotter, said he would introduce a House resolution calling on Obama to apologize to Crowley.
In fact, even though nothing happened with the story during the intervening period, the added sentence in this morning's version of the above makes Obama look like more of a peacemaking hero than the self-admittedly uninformed troublemaking busybody he has been through this whole quagmire.
Neither report mentions the pathetic stab at politicization attempted by White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, when he implied that a contributing factor to the days-old controversy might be, as reported Friday morning at the Politico, that “I think the Fraternal Order of Police endorsed McCain, if I’m not mistaken.” This would be guaranteed early paragraph material if a Republican President's PressSec had made such a remark.
Memo to AP: Subsequent revisions, when necessary (and this one wasn't), are supposed to improve story content, not water it down.
The current AP dynamic link is here, so readers can see if and/or how Benac's story further devolves.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
—Tom Blumer is president of a training and development company in Mason, Ohio, and is a contributing editor to NewsBusters
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
What a difference a phone call makes.
July 25, 2009 - 09:01 ET by c5thenOne little phone call changes headlines, stories and sometimes even eliminates entire srories from the news.
This has GOT to be the most transparent administration of all time.
Throw 'da bums out!
no one re-elected who voted for socialism or debt
www.loyaltoliberty.com
Phone call is right. The
July 25, 2009 - 11:17 ET by ThisnThatPhone call is right. The first story almost -- and I mean almost -- reflected a news organizations instincts, in spite of itself. After the phone call from the WH (and perhaps a little threat thrown in here and there), it's clear those instincts were transmuted into spin and support.
___________________________________
An optimist thinks that the glass is 1/2 full; a pessimist 1/2 empty; a realist thinks the glass is twice a big as it needs to be
I really don't care how
July 25, 2009 - 09:12 ET by motherbeltI really don't care how they play it...the fact is that this is now being choreographed, and everyone involved is expected to play their proper "role" and do the dance: Gates' daughter talked about his willingness to take part in the "next step."
Apparently there are "steps" that must be taken before this can be resolved and we can move on....a visit to the WH by both...explanations all around.."acknowledging" the other's point of view....and finally another famous handshake on the WH lawn?
Rahm Emanuel, call your office!
Let's not kid ourselves
July 25, 2009 - 09:31 ET by VinncyGObama says exactly what he means, he has been stirring the pot his entire adult life as a "Community Organizer". He wants to see the races fight and cause problems so the diversion will give himself time to throw something else at us out of left field and further strip away our liberties. Did any of you who voted for him know that we would have all these czars answerable to no one but the king organizer himself. I thought we are in recession, where has all this money come from to pay all these czars??.
I know that this is a rather mute point but him not saying the pledge correctly at his inauguration does that give him an out from the promising to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States?? Something that should be impeachable at the very least for not doing.
Presstitutes
July 25, 2009 - 09:38 ET by nadadhimmiThe elite again "misunderestimated" the responses of the American people. Americans instantly recognize true racism and saw it demonstrated by Gates, and reinforced by Obama in a reflex action brought on by years of training in Rev. Wrights hate Church. This automatic crap of: Black man right, White man wrong, is finally being recognized for what it is, TRUE RACISM. Not the manufactured for political purposes kind made up in newsrooms in Manhatten.
The New Narrative
July 25, 2009 - 09:39 ET by sic721now seems to be "this is not about race, but about two men whose egos wouldn't let either back down". How about ONE man's bigoted, race-baiting, 'do you know who I am friends with' attitude. It all changed with word of the 'incident' being on tape. Heh heh heh, I can hardly wait to see it released.
Actually, it WAS all about race. A white cop arrests a black man, ergo, the cop is racist, QED. Btw, how does a person with only a Bachelor's degree become a full-professor at Hawvawd? Oh, wait, that's a racist thing to ask about such a well-educated, well-traveled, open-minded person. LINK
"The human race divides itself politically into those who want to be controlled, and those who have no such desire."-Robert A. Heinlein
Obviously
July 25, 2009 - 09:59 ET by CaringwhiteguyObviously, his "life experiences" are a qualifier. Also his political philosophy doesn't hurt. And maybe, just maybe, it has something to do with the color of his skin.
Newsbusters at its best
July 25, 2009 - 09:48 ET by JohnMGiven the number of outlets and stories, catching this kind of mutation is not easy to accomplish, at least given the tools I have at my disposal. I'm glad that someone is able to do it, and has results to show for it.
Good work, Tom, this is the kind of NB story and expose that I get the most value from. Thanks!
thatnk god for this site
July 25, 2009 - 09:49 ET by sarainitalyi just can't believe all the crap the media pulls. i am so glad for this site, it helps my sanity.
misplaced post- sorry
July 25, 2009 - 09:57 ET by Caringwhiteguymisplaced post- sorry
AP Needs to Answer
July 25, 2009 - 10:15 ET by slickwillie2001I wonder what AP would say if another organization's reporter called them and asked why the headline had been changed, and if anyone from the Bamster administration was involved in the change. Probably a lot of humina humina humina...
Still, asking why this happened might prevent it from happening again, just as an article on this fine website may.
The Yahoo Buzz
July 25, 2009 - 10:37 ET by HoosierEmMy husband is a regular commenter on these types of stories at the Yahoo home page and their "buzz" up" feature. He says that the anti-Obama and anti-liberal comments have definitely increased there lately. Coincidentally, a few days ago the "buzz up" feature stopped working and still does not work. Yahoo says they are "working on it."
It makes me wonder if they have not disabled it on purpose.
You can't ctrl+z your way
July 25, 2009 - 11:02 ET by wiwfYou can't ctrl+z your way out of this one, Obama. Gotta take the hit.
The Rocky Mountain Collegian: Illustrating Idiocy
The Houston Chronicle front
July 25, 2009 - 11:15 ET by TruthMattersThe Houston Chronicle front page headline this morning..."OBAMA TRIES TO DEFUSE UPROAR OVER ARREST".
I'm sorry Houston Chronicle, but I think the uproar is over Obama's comments, not the arrest. A better headline would have been "Obama tries to defuse uproar over his stupidly injected uncalibrated comments"
The Comical
July 25, 2009 - 18:18 ET by UnsaneAre you really expecting the Houston Comical to write headlines competently?
The last time I bought a Comical when I moved there was not for its content but for it being great padding for dishes and glass last time I moved...
"CONSUMED DEMOCRACY RETURNS A SOCIALIST REGIME" - Slayer, "Fictional Reality", from Divine Intervention (1994)
Aw now
July 25, 2009 - 11:27 ET by Joe CamelI shared the story of Gates with many of those who voted for the Big O, all whites so they could actually see what the man thinks, and those around him think. As if they were not already repentent on their choice, well let's just say now...they won't make it again. Every time I hear racism, I just smile and send it their way. Maybe one day we can all live that same dream echoed by that man past, and not be judged on our skin color. Oh sorry, that only relates to those who are black.
Profiling Myths
July 25, 2009 - 11:30 ET by slickwillie2001Heather MacDonald destroys some common myths of 'racial profiling' and refutes Gates's position in an article from yesterday:
Promoting Racial Paranoia: http://article.nationalreview.com
"The ACLU and other anti-police activists have alleged for years that blacks are the victims of disproportionate and unjustified traffic stops, a charge that has become received wisdom among large swathes of the population. It happens to be contradicted by drivers themselves. The Bureau of Justice Statistics regularly polls tens of thousands of civilians about their contacts with the police. Virtually identical proportions of white, black, and Hispanic drivers – 9 percent — report being stopped by the police, though in 2005, the self-reported black stop rate — 8.1 percent — was nearly a percentage point lower than the self-reported white stop rate (8.9 percent). The stop rate for blacks is lower during the day, when officers can more readily see a driver’s race."
Unfortunately when our President decided to shoot his mouth off without knowing any of the facts, he set back race relations in our country. Now even more blacks when pulled over by the police will ascribe the stop to racism, because the President said so.
Very good article.
July 25, 2009 - 13:40 ET by stratmanVery good article. Thanks.
One point I disagree with in the article is that Crowley should not have made the arrest. Why? Where is it law that citizens can act uncontrollably in their behavior and not risk a disorderly arrest?
I do not have any problems with the DA dropping the charge. No injury or damage was done, no prior record of similar or other illegal issues with Gates, and he did cool off eventually afterwards.
Interestingly, a politically Leftward friend emailed me that he thought Gates should have been prosecuted for his arrest and that Obama, who he voted for, should "STFU". Wow!
People of differing political views can and do recognize bad behavior regardless of the race and politics of the transgressor.
i love that phrase
July 25, 2009 - 12:09 ET by ronill chosen. how bout this phrase i was WRONG. i apologize. not the great messiah. he's never wrong.
Obviously, Nancy was in her "Republican" writing mode...
July 25, 2009 - 12:16 ET by wnaegele...when doing the original story.
culpable
July 25, 2009 - 12:52 ET by WesenBarry can't form the words "I was wrong" as they aren't in his dictionary. Instead he thinks blue collar cops like beer. He should have told whitey and gates to "come over to my house for donuts and coffee". There, the three could have re-enacted the break-in and instructed the cop on best practices.
In the meantime it looks like a witness in the stolen passport caper was executed.
http://www.washingto...
Probably already been said,
July 25, 2009 - 13:46 ET by G. MayProbably already been said, but BHO can apologize for all sorts of things for which he has neither the authority nor the knowledge to apologize (America), but the one time he actually CAN legitimately apologize, he fails to man up.
Big shocker.
First he throws gasoline on
July 25, 2009 - 15:33 ET by mattmFirst he throws gasoline on a fire, then he sails in to put it out?
What a dope.
The first version is what
July 25, 2009 - 19:57 ET by Kat Outta the BagThe first version is what was in my local paper this morning...hehehe.
Is the officer Crowley going
July 25, 2009 - 21:07 ET by Dan The Man 2Is the officer Crowley going to meet with Duh One and Gates?
We are no closer
July 26, 2009 - 07:41 ET by tmullen20736This week we have not come any closer to what Martin Luther King Jr. invisioned 40 years ago-judging by someone's character not the color of their skin. In fact thanks to BO's words we are 3 steps back.
When the Jeremiah Wright story broke (thanks to Hannity) I asked a black woman at work to come to my church and then I would come visit her's. You know trying to build a bridge between the racial divide. Her response to me was this "we like worshipping where we worship, we don't want to diversify on Sunday morning". I don't think that's what Jesus envisioned. Well I was taken back but then I thought to myself I think that this is true in every aspect of a black persons life, at least a black person that wants to get special treatment in 'whitey's' so-called world. Since BO has been on the scene it has helped me to see where that race is coming from and what their agenda really is. At least the race baitors within that culture
This is about race but it's about the race of the cop not the professor.
January 20, 2012 - Nobama
2013
July 26, 2009 - 21:17 ET by UnsaneI think you mean 2013 on your tagline. :-)
"CONSUMED DEMOCRACY RETURNS A SOCIALIST REGIME" - Slayer, "Fictional Reality", from Divine Intervention (1994)
After further deliberation
July 26, 2009 - 12:26 ET by Infidelphiathe headline writer concluded that the only thing Obama is firing is employees.
e-mail
July 26, 2009 - 21:26 ET by BlakeRMy e-mail to U.S. Representative Thaddeus McCotter
U.S. Representative Thaddeus McCotter
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C.
Dear Thaddeus:
It has come to my attention that you are about to pull the publicity stunt
of introducing legislation that calls on President Obama to apologize
to Cambridge police for noting that the arrest of Professor Gates was a
waste of time and money.
It
might interest you know that Conservatives and Libertarians do not like
police resources and taxpayer dollars being used to arrest people under
these circumstances -- and that unnecessary arrests and the growth of
judicial government have become a national problem of which this was
but one instance. As such, comments from national figures on a
specific instance of this national problem are proper and helpful.
You, however, are most likely NOT a Conservative or a Libertarian.
You are, in all likelihood, a Republican hack with no principles.
Sincerely,
Blake Robinson
Why have we not heard
July 27, 2009 - 09:46 ET by Airforce_5_Ofrom Sharpton and Jackson on this one?
Has anyone seen a comment by these two on it yet?
"Obama lied, transparency died!" Michelle Malkin