How the New Republic Got Suckered [by 'Baghdad diarist' who alleged bad behavior by fellow soldiers]

Pajamas Media ^ | August 20, 2007 | Richard Miniter

[bikerMD]

This guy would make a great Senator! [barf]

[Billthedrill]

Outstanding article, and thanks for posting it. Online journalism has come a long way, and this sort of investigative effort used to be what sold magazines such as The New Republic. There is a truly sweet irony in it now being the subject of such investigations. They brought it on themselves.

I did not know that Reeve was a TNR fact-checker. I did not know that a magazine of that prominence employed only three. I did not know that they considered it essentially an entry-level position. Knowing that it seems less shocking that TNR had such a huge blind spot.

And so the only guy fired was a gay conservative - that's what he gets for leaving the reservation - and that was not for culpability in this embarrassment but helping to reveal it. What seems clear at this point is that the original accusations that it was all about the narrative, not the facts, were true. There are evidently quite a few journalists who do not consider that a fault. That's very sad.

[Triple]

“Yes our Constitution says that the Government (which is comprised of “the People”) can’t do that but in a world where McCain Feingold is okay, why not?” Tz

False premise, McCain/Fiengold is NOT ok.

You should take head to Patrick Henry’s words:
“Guard with jealous attention the public liberty, suspect anyone who approaches that jewel, for nothing will protect it but downright force, and whenever you give up that force you are inevitably ruined” (from memory errors mine)

[TexasCajun]

I get a kick out this oldie as well

Capris are for women moment!

The man has never earned an honest dollar in his life.

[BallyBill]

Best read I’ve had all month. Read it before my first cup off coffee this morning was even done.

[Lorianne]

The congnitive dissonance on the left is breathtaking:

Proof that the "Debunking" of the Scott Thomas Beauchamp Story was a Conspiracy to Defraud ___ Huff Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-fiderer/proof-that-the-debunking_b_60647.html

There is one lone brave soul on the Huff site defending TRUTH as an absolute value, but they will have none of it.

[Red_Devil 232]

"... the stories fit their preconceptions so they brushed aside clear evidence of problems with the stories."

Liberals see what they believe, Conservatives believe what they see.

[Political Junkie Too]

What Foer did not tell McGee was that Beauchamp was married to Elspeth Reeve, one of the magazine’s three fact-checkers (a point that the press missed too).

That fact was known here on the first day that Beauchamp came forward. There was no reason for the press to "miss" it.

-PJ

[MainFrame65]

These contacts never go where I want them to!

[Aegedius]

I don’t believe that The New Republic was suckered. They’re simply trying to increase subscriptions, and the fact that they’re willing to print obvious lies to defame the U.S. Armed Forces will cause more of the demented left to subscribe. The publicity surrounding the episode is not hurting either.

[marvlus]

later read

[hadit2here]

The *quote, attributed to Mark Twain, springs to mind:

"Do not fear the enemy, for your enemy can only take your life. It is far better that you fear the media, for they will steal your HONOR. That awful power, the public opinion of a nation, is created in America by a horde of ignorant, self-complacent simpletons who failed at ditching and shoe making and fetched up in journalism on their way to the poor house."
-- Mark Twain

*Apparently the first two sentences cannot be found in Twain's writing. The last sentence has been proven, both to be Twain's and to be completely factual and truthful. The entire thought or sentiment is more so true today than ever before, with the exception that "ditching and shoe making" have been substituted by now asking if you want fries with that hamburger.

[shhrubbery!]

Good thing you posted the asterisked explanation, because I don't think the word "media" was used in Twain's day. Not in the same sense it's used today at least.

Maybe the word he used (if it's a genuine paraphrase) was "press" ? Or snot-nosed scribblers?

Anyway, good quote even if not all Twain's.

[Publius6961]

BUMP!

[lowbridge]

bump