You mean besides ME?
Posted on 09/13/2004 2:46:44 PM PDT by John Jorsett
"FRANK JONES says he's angry about newly revealed memos that indicate President Bush got preferential treatment in the Air National Guard during the Vietnam War." So reads the lede of an AP story released on Saturday, September 11.
But Frank Jones isn't "angry" anymore. In fact, says Jones, who served in Vietnam in 1970 and 1971 before doing 16 years in the National Guard, the "the memos have no bearing" and that "the documents, to me, became irrelevant." When he spoke on the telephone with THE DAILY STANDARD on Monday, he said the AP dispatch reflects "a good synopsis" of the conversation he had with AP writer Michael Gormley. However, he says, when the interview took place on Thursday or Friday, Gormley simply asked him if he was "aware of the memos," without mentioning that their authenticity was questionable.
This might have been understandable if the piece had come out on Thursday, when the story was still swirling around the blogosphere. But by Friday questions about the memos had developed sufficiently to merit on-air rebuttal from Dan Rather, and an AP story about the controversy.
The other central Bush detractor in the Saturday AP story was Ahmad Majied, a Vietnam veteran who served 30 years in the Navy. He is quoted calling Bush a "playboy" and saying, "I think his main concern was not to go to Southeast Asia." Majied now says "whether he was a playboy or not, I don't know." He also says that he "was misquoted" and that he "had no idea this thing was going to take the form it has taken."
Elliott Minor, the AP writer who had the main byline on the story, "is a local guy" says Majied. "I thought I was speaking to him as an acquaintance" and, though he says he "should have known better, . . . I had no idea that I was being writ down as the guy who was bringing the case against George W. Bush. That was not the case."
The story contains a passing reference to questions about the memos' authenticity in the fifth paragraph. This, combined with the Saturday publication, was late enough to assume that the writers knew about the problems with the documents. But their interview subjects did not when they spoke with the AP writers. In the era of blogs and instant internet response, the AP should have known better than to serve leftovers on Saturday.
Majied is also quoted as saying he was a Navy Seal who served 5 years in Vietnam. Authentiseal never heard of him.
...which raises the question of whether the SEAL claim originated with Mr. Majied or with the AP reporter.
He changed his name after his religious conversion, but the AP reported did not even think to ask his previous name.
reported = reporter
You guys have got to see this!!
Ahmed Majied sounds Islamic to me.
It is an islamic practice to receive a new islamic name when one converts.
Could that be the case with this man? Anyone know his original name and check it with authentiseal?
Thanks. Is this a little backtracking on the part of Mr. Majied that we're seeing?
Big Time!
Of all the things the AP takes for granted, claims of being a Navy SEAL is just not one to take lightly.
Already done.
Two threads on the front page regarding this story right now.
And the AP reporter just assumes her's teling the truth because he seems like a nice guy. Amazing.
(Proofread before hitting Send, you idiot.)
That's because he had a "peace about him" according to the reporter. Jiminy, let's not be so anal about evidence and facts.
Anyone know if ANY SEALs did 5 tours in Vietnam?
Don't think it is impossible, but think he would be famous amongst SEALs...5 tours?! Anyone know how many did 5 tours, if any?
Direct phone number to AP President & CEO Tim Curley
1-212-621-7550
He usually picks up his own phone.
I've spoken to him about the AP's "1000 booed while Bush did nothing" and I called to ask why the AP hasn't requested Kerry's military records.
On the Military record issue, the guy tried to lie to me that the AP had seen ALL of Kerry's records and there was nothing to report. I asked how that could be since Kerry hasn't signed Form 180 and released all his records. Silence, thank you, click.
You mean besides ME?
.
Travis McGee makes a good point: why would a paper go with a story on someone who refused to give their name so their story could be checked?
I doubt they'd do that for either of us.
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