Gotcha, Sullivan Tells Times' Dowd

NewsMax.com ^ | 5/14/03 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd had distorted a quote from President Bush, drawing a quick slap on the wrist from columnist Andrew Sullivan.

"In case you thought the Blair debacle was the only indicator of the Times' slide, you obviously haven't been reading Maureen Dowd," Sullivan wrote on his website. "Today featured a classic, well, distortion. Here's Dowd's dumb-as-a-post take on Bush's conduct of the war on terror:

"Busy chasing off Saddam," Dowd wrote, "the president and vice president had told us that Al Qaeda was spent. "Al Qaeda is on the run," President Bush said last week. "That group of terrorists who attacked our country is slowly but surely being decimated... They're not a problem anymore."

Wrong, as Sullivan points out. "Here's what Bush actually said: 'Al Qaeda is on the run. That group of terrorists who attacked our country is slowly, but surely being decimated. Right now, about half of all the top al Qaeda operatives are either jailed or dead. In either case, they're not a problem anymore."

In other words, the half of the top al Qaeda leadership that is dead or in jail are no longer a problem - not the whole outfit as Dowd wrongfully suggests.

It looks as if the Blair witch disorder is spreading around the Times.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Media Bias

[Bahbah]

The NYT needs to fire Dowd immediately. Shall I hold my breath?

[Bigg Red]

Andrew hillary-slaps the wicked witch of the Times.

[gunnedah]

God after Jason Blair how can they fire anyone?

[Eva]

Thanks, it's great to see Dowd brought down a peg or two.

[randog]

Dowd is safe. You always have a month or two after someone gets fired to blame all your screw-ups on him.

;^)

[ClearCase_guy]

If the Times had any real integrity, they would fire Dowd. And Krugman. Both regularly publish outright lies. The Times needs to send the message that that game won't be played at the Gray Lady anymore.

'Course it won't happen.

[nutmeg]

.

[Timesink]

Schadenfreude

This is the New York Times Schadenfreude Ping List. Freepmail me to be added or dropped.

[fightinJAG]

I believe a freeper may have broken this story first on FR. I'm looking for link.

[kattracks]

DOWD'S DISTORTION: In case you thought the Blair debacle was the only indicator of the Times' slide, you obviously haven't been reading Maureen Dowd. Today featured a classic, well, distortion. Here's Dowd's dumb-as-a-post take on Bush's conduct of the war on terror:

Busy chasing off Saddam, the president and vice president had told us that Al Qaeda was spent. "Al Qaeda is on the run," President Bush said last week. "That group of terrorists who attacked our country is slowly but surely being decimated... They're not a problem anymore."

Here's what Bush actually said:

Al Qaeda is on the run. That group of terrorists who attacked our country is slowly, but surely being decimated. Right now, about half of all the top al Qaeda operatives are either jailed or dead. In either case, they're not a problem anymore.

It's perfectly clear that the president is referring, sardonically, only to those members of al Qaeda who are "either jailed or dead," not to the group as a whole. Everything we know about this president tells us that he has always warned of the permanent danger of groups like al Qaeda, has always talked of a long war, and would never say the words that Dowd puts in his mouth. So this is a wilful fabrication. Will they run a correction? Don't count on it.

[billhilly]

Neil Cavuto ate Krugman's lunch on his commentary on Fox this morning. It was brutal.

[Grampa Dave]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/911453/posts

This is the link to the thread you are looking for.

[fightinJAG]

from http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/911453/posts

More Fraud at the New York Times.
The New York Times and the White House website ^ | 5-14-03


Posted on 05/14/2003 11:09 AM PDT by TomB


As if the Times doesn't have enough trouble right about now, their resident grouchy spinster, Maureen Dowd, has pulled a "jayson". For all of you who don't know what that is, it is the newspeak for willfully making up facts to fit a news story. Apparently the elderly Ms. Dowd is not happy with all the attention the higher-ups at the Times have been lavishing on their former employee, and current disgrace, Jayson Blair.


So, in a last-ditch attempt to get her name back in the limelight, Mo has done some of her own quote-doctoring. Here is a few lines from her latest screed:



Busy chasing off Saddam, the president and vice president had told us that Al Qaeda was spent. "Al Qaeda is on the run," President Bush said last week. "That group of terrorists who attacked our country is slowly but surely being decimated. . . . They're not a problem anymore."

Well, that sounds like a pretty stupid thing for the President to say. So, looking it up on the White House website, we find the actual quote


"Al Qaeda is on the run. That group of terrorists who attacked our country is slowly, but surely being decimated. Right now, about half of all the top al Qaeda operatives are either jailed or dead. In either case, they're not a problem anymore. (Applause.) And we'll stay on the hunt. To make sure America is a secure country, the al Qaeda terrorists have got to understand it doesn't matter how long it's going to take, they will be brought to justice. (Applause.)"

Well, quite a difference, no?


I wonder if anything will come of this? I'm not holding my breath.

[bourbon]

CZJ to Dowd: "Maureen, I'm laughing at YOU!!!"

[fightinJAG]

Thanks, gramps.

[Grampa Dave]

You are just having too much fun with this whole NY Slimes thing. :)

How should we label any oped written by Dowd and printed in the NY Slimes?

[RJL]

It must be more affirmative action.

Please don't be too hard on poor Maureen just because she can’t read and understand English.

[LiteKeeper]

Liberals only say what supports their point of view. Doesn't matter what the truth is.

[syriacus]

%??rfectly clear that the president is referring, sardonically, only to those members of al Qaeda who are "either jailed or dead," not to the group as a whole

And if Bush meant to refer to all al Qaeda members he would have said something similar to:

"In either any case, they're not a problem anymore."