About that book flap: Michael Kranish, "Our Plan for America" and the Boston Globe

Bostone Globe ^ | August 16, 2004 | Christine Chinlund

[rface]

For those who missed the article on Page A4 of the Aug. 7 Globe -- and judging from last week's e-mails, many did -- here's an attempt to set the record straight on the matter of an upcoming book sponsored by the Kerry campaign, "Our Plan for America: Stronger at Home, Respected in the World," published by PublicAffairs.

Globe reporter Michael Kranish was not commissioned to write the introduction to that book, contrary to reports by some conservative commentators and Internet gossip Matt Drudge. Kranish had agreed to write the introduction to a different book -- an independent one, not sponsored by the campaign, titled "Kerry and Edwards: Their Plans and Promises" -- but the publisher scrapped that project at the last minute when it got the chance to do a book with the campaign.

[ snip ]

That fact, unfortunately, was not made immediately clear on Amazon.com. For a while, according to the publisher, an incorrect listing on Amazon.com implied -- erroneously -- that Kranish had contributed to the campaign book.

[rface]

As for other commentators' erroneous reports suggesting Kranish was involved in the campaign book, Taft added, "This is a case where good journalism ran up against bad journalism."

The ombudsman represents the readers. Her opinions and conclusions are her own. Phone 617-929-3020 or, to leave a message, 929-3022. Our e-mail address is ombud@globe.com.

[Lost Highway]

Distinction without a difference.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

No credibility. I don't believe a word these people say.

[HawkeyeLonewolf]

Let the spin begin...

[theDentist]

Different books, same ethical breach.

[rface]

For those who missed the article on Page A4 of the Aug. 7 Globe

[ snip ]

Globe Editor Martin Baron noted that earlier this summer Kranish worked with PublicAffairs -- the publisher of the Boston Globe biography of Kerry, "John F. Kerry: The Complete Biography by the Boston Globe Reporters Who Know Him Best" -- to write a short introduction to a second project: an independent, unauthorized review of publicly available documents dealing with the platform and policy statements of Kerry and Edwards. That project was in no way connected with the Kerry-Edwards campaign, Baron said......

.....When PublicAffairs subsequently struck an agreement with the Kerry campaign to do an official campaign book, Kranish's relationship with the project immediately ended," Baron said.

Peter Osnos, publisher of PublicAffairs, said both Drudge and Amazon, the online bookseller peddling the upcoming Kerry-Edwards book, had made a mistake in suggesting Kranish had written its introduction.

"As far as I can tell, if there's any malign intent here, it was someone making Drudge think Michael was somehow doing something for [Kerry's] campaign," Osnos said.

The Globe book, "John F. Kerry: The Complete Biography," is an unauthorized biography. The work draws on extensive interviews with the candidate, all conducted before 2004. After he emerged as the presumptive Democratic nominee, Kerry declined to cooperate with further interviews.

Amazon, the online bookseller, apparently contributed to the confusion with a listing for the Kerry-approved campaign book indicating Kranish as the author. PublicAffairs' officials said yesterday that Amazon had agreed to revise the listing immediately.

Kerry campaign spokesman Michael Meehan said Kranish had no connection to the campaign.

[Paul_B]

Including Kranish's name imprinted on the book jacket? Either the site was hacked - in which case why isn't this article saying so? - or someone here is covering up the truth. As it stands the BG has ZERO credibility.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

He was a reporter before he sold out to the Kerry campaign, eh ?

[Chieftain]

Did George Orwell have this covered in '1984' or what? Revisionist history at its best!

[Nick Danger]

Kerry campaign spokesman Michael Meehan said Kranish had no connection to the campaign.

No, he's just a "fan" who had written one book about Kerry along with the other "Boston Globe reporters who knew him best," and he had agreed to write the introduction to a second book about Kerry so long as it was under the radar.

We are supposed to accept this as evidence of Kranish's "unbiased objectivity," when in fact it is evidence that Kranish is a partisan hack who grinds Kerry's ax for pin money while employed as a reporter for the Boston Globe.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

File it under "Kerrythink."

[vbmoneyspender]

Why should I believe the Boston Globe, or any other Kerry media outlet for that matter?

[cyncooper]

Kranish had agreed to write the introduction to a different book -- an independent one, not sponsored by the campaign, titled "Kerry and Edwards: Their Plans and Promises" -- but the publisher scrapped that project at the last minute when it got the chance to do a book with the campaign.

I've always thought the book Kranish was ostensibly "really" hired to write the forward to sounds suspiciously Kerry campaign-esque.

Does he want to reveal who commissioned yon book, "Kerry and Edwards: Their Plans and Promises", and what their relationship IS to the Kerry campaign. Sounds like another definition of "is" to me.

Besides, I think Kranish's forward was included in the Kerry campaign propaganda piece. See the Barnes and Noble website:

Our Plan for America: Stronger at Home, Respected in the World

Accreditation
Michael Kranish has worked for the Boston Globe for more than 20 years, including the last 16 in the newspaper's Washington Bureau. He is co-author of John F. Kerry: The Complete Biography (PublicAffairs, 2004).

[cpdiii]

Did George Orwell have this covered in '1984' or what? Revisionist history at its best!

OLD SPEAK, NEW SPEAK, OLD THINK, NEW THINK, DOUBLE THINK. George Orwell was a bloody genius, and prophet.

[Oztrich Boy]

Kranish had agreed to write the introduction to a different book -- an independent one, not sponsored by the campaign, titled "Kerry and Edwards: Their Plans and Promises"

Yeah because that's the political book the publishing world has been anticipating for years. It was only the selection of Kerry/Edwards as the Pres/VP candidates that scuppered that plan.

[newsgatherer]

Matt Drudge is a much more honest, reliable and acceptable source than the globe, the nyt and the rest of the left wing ....

[tobyhill]

"Kranish had agreed to write the introduction to a different book -- an independent one, not sponsored by the campaign, titled "Kerry and Edwards: Their Plans and Promises" -- but the publisher scrapped that project at the last minute when it got the chance to do a book with the campaign".
Ultimately the same information will be inserted into the "campaign" book. Kranish and Boston Globe are just splitting hairs.

Spin, spin, spin

[Jim_Curtis]

Our Plan for America: Stronger at Home, Respected in the World


Table of Contents
Introduction by Michael Kranish
John Kerry on the Issues
100 Days to Change America
The Issues:
AGRICULTURE
AIDS
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES
CHILDREN
CIVIL RIGHTS
COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY
CRIME
ECONOMY AND JOBS
EDUCATION
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
FOREIGN POLICY
HEALTH CARE
HOMELAND SECURITY
HOUSING
IMMIGRATION
IRAQ
LGBT (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender)
NATIONAL SERVICE
NATIVE AMERICANS
NURSES
PROTECTING AMERICA'S WORKERS
SENIORS
SMALL BUSINESSES
TECHNOLOGY
TRADE
VETERANS
WOMEN'S ISSUES
Appendices
Campaign biography of John Kerry
Campaign biography of John Edwards
John Kerry's Announcement Speech

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?userid=pT7xKXs9Rw&ean=9781586483142&displayonly=TOC#TOC

[cyncooper]

Well, I see your post dovetails with my #13.

Did the Kerry campaign pull the forward and are now claiming Kranish's forward was never included?

Yet another lie on the steaming pile.

[Publius6961]

I actually think this is a great thing.
When dishonest propagandists put things in writing, pointing out the distortions and outright lies are much easier to refute, debunk and ridicule.