On the ball. That's what the experts at The New York Times are, alright. They are the arbiters of all that's fit to print, remember? The ones that know all and see all, dontcha know? They are the ones with all sorts of advice on foreign policy, we must point out. So, it's a bit hard to fathom how The New York Times printed a hoax letter, supposedly from Bertrand Delanoe, the mayor of Paris, France, taking the State of New York to task for turning to the ditzy Caroline Kennedy to fill Hillary's Senate Seat.
That's right, The New York Times got scammed by a fake letter. Worse, they didn't even follow up to confirm the authenticity of the letter that arrived in their inbox via email. Someone at the Times just read the email then published the letter. And now they are apologizing for the negligence.
The Associated Press is reporting that the faux letter called Caroline's Senate bid "appalling" and "not very democratic."
"What title has Ms. Kennedy to pretend to Hillary Clinton's seat?" the letter in Monday's editions said. "We French can only see a dynastic move of the vanishing Kennedy clan in the very country of the Bill of Rights. It is both surprising and appalling."
Once word got back to Paris, the Mayor's staff asked for a retraction and apology.
For its part The New York Times says that they didn't bother to verify that the letter actually came from the Mayor of Paris. They said that they had violated their own practices.
It sort of boggles the mind, though, that anyone would imagine that a Frenchman would be all up in arms against a Kennedy!
Anyway, I guess we will soon be seeing splashy stories gleaned by the emails in The New York Times email inbox about male enhancement, and no doubt a deep investigation of Mbeke M'Butto who is a secretary of a very rich African general that only needs you to send $1,000 so that he can send you $10,000. Now THAT is a deal!
Yes, it's all the professionalism that's fit to make print with The New York Times.
Editor at Large
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C'est Magnifique!
Tue, 12/23/2008 - 03:57 ET by legacyrepublicanIs this the result of a byline strike? Just a thought.
I love it though. Finally, duped by their own prejudice -- A foreign mayor is of greater importance than a small town mayor in NY who might worry about what a Caroline Kennedy senatorship would do to his/her town.
Of course, that's the
Tue, 12/23/2008 - 06:12 ET by motherbeltOf course, that's the beauty of it!
That letter probably wouldn't have been printed if it were from any mayor in the US. But the Mayor of Paris, well that's another story! It's important that we have the approval of the French, you know!
C'est vrais, Ma Cher
Tue, 12/23/2008 - 07:03 ET by cocodrieThat's true my dear, but he won't get the approval of the french down here.
That letter probably had
Tue, 12/23/2008 - 12:36 ET by TailgunnerThat letter probably had more truth to it than the entire NYT Page One.
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The NYT reminds me of that automobile company in Ayn Rand's 'Atlas Shrugged'.
This company once had a respected trademark backed by a commitment to manufacturing quality vehicles.
When collectivists seized this company and instituted Marxist operating policies they counted on the trademark as a talisman that somehow would cause the public to continue to buy their ever more unreliable cars.
Instead the reverse happened. The trademark became a curse. People wouldn't take their cars 'as a gift'.
Ayn Rand could just as easily have been writing about the NYT.
LIBERALS LIE, ALL THE TIME, ABOUT EVERYTHING.
I say give them a break.
Tue, 12/23/2008 - 04:21 ET by JWFDidn't you ever read something and it just clicks as being true?
1. It was from a Eurosocialist, the one true correct way.
2. It jammed with what they were thinking. Someone at the NYT does not like that Kennedy.
3. The media pick new senators & presidents, not the governor. Sheesh.
Sincerely,
a Veteran of a 1000 psychic wars.
Gee, I don't remember anyone cutting Sarah Palin
Tue, 12/23/2008 - 05:35 ET by thebutlerdiditany slack when she received her "faux" french fone{y} call. Seems like she was just a total idiot not to know she wasn't speaking to a world leader, even though a staff member put the phone in her hand and told her it was an important call from a world leader. She didn't have any time to really think it through, before taking the call,but NYT had time to read their e-mail, and perhaps do their jobs and investigate it before printing.
Sarkozy was the President of France
Tue, 12/23/2008 - 08:27 ET by allanf... and this is just the Mayor of Paris.
For its part The New York
Tue, 12/23/2008 - 08:15 ET by SeashellFor its part The New York Times says that they didn't bother to verify that the letter actually came from the Mayor of Paris. They said that they had violated their own practices.
I think they at least had an idea the letter was phony but published it anyway because it fit their agenda. They probably figured it would be seen by many and accepted as truth and that a retraction would be buried and not seen by many at all. Just the way they do business these days.
The Press
Tue, 12/23/2008 - 08:42 ET by GothampcI don't understand how the NY Times (and the media in general) can continue to pretend that they are reporting news. I think from now on I'll get my news from Mad Magazine.
What's to review? Just follow your damn procedures!
Tue, 12/23/2008 - 08:47 ET by EricTheRedWhat are these Times folks smoking over there? The apology clearly admits:
It is our practice to verify the authenticity of every letter we publish. Like most of our letters these days, this one arrived by e-mail. We sent an edited version back to the writer of the e-mail and did not receive a response.
At that point, the letter should have been set aside. It was not. [...]
We will be reviewing our procedures in an attempt to ensure that an error like this is not repeated.
Reviewing their procedures? They just told us what their procedures are. All they need to do is follow the procedures. What's to review? Jeez!
What they should be reviewing is who chose to forgo the procedures and print the letter anyway. And then fire her ass!
http://VocalMinority.typepad.com
The Jewish Republican's Web Sanctuary
LOL-As posted by me in YESTERDAY'S OT:
Tue, 12/23/2008 - 11:50 ET by R D HelmIt seems the New York Times published a letter to the editor
that was rather critical of Caroline Kennedy's senate bid. The letter
came to the NYT in the form of an email, and was signed with the name
Bertrand Delanoe, the current Mayor of Paris.
Only problem was, it wasn't an email from the good Mayor at all, but
the NYT published it anyway without first taking the rather simple step
of verifying its authenticity.
LOL-That's not embarrassing, now, is it?
Real "on the ball" bunch, those NYTers. :-)
(ht: Drudge)
___________
Sheesh, I can't buy a break around here. :-D
-Dave
Merry Christmas everybody!