Posted on 08/26/2004 1:25:56 PM PDT by davidmblog
Still Seeking a Correction
In a front-page article on August 20, the Los Angeles Times made this incorrect statement:
None of the men in the Swift boat group behind the anti-Kerry ad, including [Larry] Thurlow, served on Kerry's patrol boat during the war.I wrote an e-mail to Jamie Gold, the "Readers' Representative" at the Los Angeles Times, pointing out that Steven Gardner, a member of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, served on one of Kerry's patrol boats during the war.
It has been six days, and I have received no response, and have seen no correction. We have seen corrections on the spelling of a French spinter's surname, the spelling of a gymnastics coach's surname, the age of playwright Arthur Miller when he died, and the starting time of a memorial to Gypsy Boots. But no correction of this clear error, which occurred in a front-page story about a topic of intense national interest.
So, today I wrote an e-mail to Managing Editor Dean Baquet. Here it is:
Dear Mr. Baquet,I sent the attached e-mail to your Reader's Representative six days ago, regarding an error in a front-page story in your paper on the Swift Boat Vets.
I am forwarding the e-mail to you because I have received no response and have seen no correction. I know that the Reader's Rep is very busy, and will get back to me eventually. However, the error I have pointed out should be corrected immediately, while the controversy is in the public eye, so that your readers can form an opinion on the issue based on accurate facts.
That the paper made an error is beyond any rational dispute. It occurred in a front-page story on a topic of intense national interest. A correction should have run days ago. I urge your paper to correct the error immediately.
Thank you for your time.
Patrick Frey
As always, I'll keep you up to date on any response.
Thanks for keeping after the biased LA Slimes......BUMP
Don't hold your breath.
Best to just leave it alone. You don't want to give them the impression that anyone actually reads their cr@p.
"Over the next three years Gardner served as gunner on four different Swift boats, each with a different commanding officer. His least favorite was his last: Lieutenant (j.g.) John F. Kerry of PCF-44. When describing Kerry he unloads choice adjectives, opportunist being his favorite. His most colorful phrase is claiming that all Kerry wanted to do was save his lily-white ass. Up until now he has kept his resentment mostly to himself. Ive told a few of my friends that he was an asshole, Gardner says. But Im not looking to make news."
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,599034,00.html <-- Link
Wow, that's a textbook perfect example of how to write to a newspaper -- crisply written, and it makes its point strongly but without a trace of snottiness. It's the sort of thing an editor with any shred of integrity couldn't easily ignore.
That eliminates the Times' staff.
heheheh...great ad!!
This is the same paper that launched the last minute assault on Schwarzeneggerin an attempt to save Gray Davis. Editorial opinion regularly infiltates the front page of the Times.
This is the same paper that launched the last minute assault on Schwarzenegger in an attempt to save Gray Davis. Editorial opinion regularly infiltates the front page of the Times.
Swift Boat Ad #3: Kerry's Own Shipmate Calls Kerry on Lie
Hahaha...
Not only did he serve on john faery kerry's boat, but he said on Rush Limbaugh today that he served LONGER with kerry than anybody else during those infamous 4+ months.
CORRECTION: This post originally said that the Times had corrected "the age of playwright Arthur Miller when he died" -- confusing many commenters who know that Miller is still alive. Where did I get the idea that Arthur Miller died? I have no idea. It didn't say that in the Times correction. I just plain got it wrong. He's still alive. The post has been corrected.
Amazing. I got something wrong, and I am correcting it. Hey, L.A. Times editors: see how easy that is?
UPDATE: A commenter reports that a correction will run tomorrow, according to an e-mail that the commenter received today from one of the reporters.
UPDATE x2: Thanks to Instapundit for the link. I hope new readers will take a moment to bookmark/blogroll the site, and please return often -- in particular tomorrow, to see whether the correction has been issued.
UPDATE x3: I did receive an e-mail today from the Reader's Representative, who said that she is "still awaiting word back from the national desk regarding a correction." However, my commenter's e-mail sounds pretty authoritative. I'm guessing the correction is going to run.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.