GLOBE REPORTER CLAIMS TAPE RECORDED KERRY 'MORE' LEADERS NOT 'FOREIGN' LEADERS

Drudge Report ^ | March 15 2004 | Matt Drudge

[Dog]

GLOBE REPORTER CLAIMS TAPE RECORDED KERRY 'MORE' LEADERS NOT 'FOREIGN' LEADERS; TRANSCRIPTION 'SCREW-UP'

A BOSTON GLOBE reporter at the center of a growing controversy over comments made by John Kerry last week in Florida now claims he "screwed-up" -- and John Kerry never bragged how "foreign leaders" privately backed his presidential bid!

"I mistranscribed a key word," explains Patrick Healy, a political reporter for the BOSTON GLOBE who covered the event in a pool capacity.

"Listening to the audio recorder now, in the quiet of my house, I hear 'more leaders' and I am certain that 'more leaders' is what Senator Kerry said."

MORE

Healy claims in an e-mail correction: "Transcribing on the bus in Florida, and again on the plane ride to Tampa, I heard 'foreign leaders' rather than 'more leaders'. I am very sorry for this screw-up, and please feel free to hold me accountable to your editors and higher-ups."

It was Healy's pool reporting of Kerry's "I've met foreign leaders" quote that ignited the original firestorm, and resulted in a dare from Secretary of State Colin Powell to name names!

BOSTON GLOBE reporter's email correction:

Subject: FW: Senator Kerry's remark at fundraiser about foreign leaders wanting him to beat Bush

Poolers,

Given the growing attention to Senator Kerry's remark at the Fla. fundraiser about foreign leaders wanting him to beat Bush, and Kerry's subsequent statements that he'd merely "heard from" leaders, I went back to my recording of the event to re-confirm his remarks and put them in context. I wanted to provide that for all of you as well as CORRECT the record on a key word that I mistranscribed.

When Kerry concluded his stump to the Florida fundraisers and donors, Milton Ferrell, Kerry's Florida finance chair, piped up:

MILTON FERRELL: "This is more than just the 50 states. You travel around outside the states, the people are still [inaudible] Europeans and elsewhere, they're counting on the American people. They hate Bush, but they know we're going to get rid of him. They're counting on us. [inaudible] It's a lot more than just [inaudible]-"

KERRY: "I've been hearing it, I'll tell ya. The news, the coverage in other countries, the news in other places. I've met more leaders who can't go out and say it all publicly, but boy they look at you and say, you gotta win this, you gotta beat this guy, we need a new policy, things like that. So there is enormous energy out there. Tell them, whereever they can find an American abroad, they can contribute," a reference to donations, prompting laughter from the crowd.

Transcribing on the bus in Florida, and again on the plane ride to Tampa, I heard "foreign leaders" rather than "more leaders." Listening to the audio recorder now, in the quiet of my house, I hear "more leaders" and I am certian that "more leaders" is what Senator Kerry said. I am very sorry for this screw-up, and please feel free to hold me accountable to your editors and higher-ups.

-- Patrick

___________________

Patrick Healy political reporter, The Boston Globe

***

Developing...

----------------------------------------------------------- Filed By Matt Drudge Reports are moved when circumstances warrant http://www.drudgereport.com for updates (c)DRUDGE REPORT 2004 Not for reproduction without permission of the author

[Dog]

If we play the tape backwards it really says....

Paul is Dead..

[johniegrad]

Multiposted.

[MarkT]

Obviously, this is a lie...when Kerry was asked about the quote, which has been out and about for days, he chose not to respond but rather to question the questioner about his political affiliation...this indicates that Kerry accepts the original quote but chose not to answer it...now the Boston Globe, a wholly-owned sub of the New York Times, says "Oops, our bad" - right! this is so much b.s. by the Globe in a transparent effort to pull Kerry nuts off the fire.

[Parley Baer]

Funny Kerry himself never tried to "correct" the so called translation. Sounds like the Globe is covering up for Kerry. Parley

[Paladin2]

Moron Leaders

[js1138]

Oops. my secretary erased the tape.

[Falcon4.0]

I'll bet that dub is worse than a French dub of a Jerry Lewis movie.

[Izzy Dunne]

But ... but... but... it just can't be!
Kerry himself says he "stands by his statement":

Kerry said "it's no secret" that people in some countries are "deeply divided about our foreign policy. We have lost respect and influence in the world," he said.

Click here.

My guess is the reporter went out on a limb to cover Kerry's butt, and JFK sawed him off...

[muawiyah]

They say you can administer quite a miserable beating to a reporter if you restrict the truncheon blows to the soles of his feet. There will be no bruises.

No doubt NYT has people who know what to do.

[alnick]

Oh come on. If he had said "more leaders" when confronted about his comment about foreign leaders, Kerry would have said, "I didn't claim that foreign leaders told me they hoped I win." Instead, he changed his story from having met with them to having spoken with foreign leaders on the telephone.

Furthermore, if he said, "more leaders," I have to ask, leaders of what? Foreign countries? Girl scout troops?

[Mark]

Sort of like a "Wardrobe Malfunction".

[ElkGroveDan]

Funny tag line. Hope I don't catch it.

[redhawk]

This is just too funny. Kerry is sounding more like Klinton all the time.

[Atchafalaya]

Also, why would he reference "American's abroad". Is the Mayberry dogcatcher (leader) encouraging Kerry do get contributions from Americans abroad?

[Recovering_Democrat]

I wonder why John Kerry has never denied the accusation.

How convenient a Boston Globe guy decides he isn't being accurate and suddenly wants to correct the record.

[lstanle]

"Furthermore, if he said, "more leaders," I have to ask, leaders of what? Foreign countries? Girl scout troops?"

He also said, "Some were our allies until nine months ago" , which indicates foreign to me. Don't know who frenchie's foreign admirers are but I could hazard a guess. LOL It's no wonder he won't name them!!!

[JerseyHighlander]

Someone with the bullhorn needs to loudly call his bluff, demand a high bitrate mp3 of the entire tape, internet posted at either the reporter's or the Globe's expense for a few days.

[Dog]

This is only going to make matters worse.....reporters defending Kerry.....isn't going to go over to well.

This just prolongs the story.

[finnman69]

Whether he said more or foreign is moot, he was talking abotu foreign leades. the fact the press is trying to cover for Botox man is scary.