Posted on 05/17/2005 3:22:34 PM PDT by Brian Mosely
XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX TUE MAY 17, 2005 18:02:22 ET XXXXX
REVENGE OF THE PRESS: WHITE HOUSE REPORTERS RIP SPOKESMAN OVER NEWSWEEK MESS
Mainline reporters moved into battle-mode today during a White House press briefing -- as one of their own outlets continued to hemorrhage over a now retracted story!
Afghanistan's government said Tuesday that NEWSWEEK should be held responsible for damages caused by deadly anti-American demonstrations after the magazine alleged U.S. desecration of the Quran.
The White House said the United States' image abroad had suffered irreparable damage by the story.
But it was the press's turn to fight back as Bush spokesman Scott McClellan opened his briefing to questions.
[Joined in progess]
Q With respect, who made you the editor of Newsweek? Do you think it's appropriate for you, at that podium, speaking with the authority of the President of the United States, to tell an American magazine what they should print?
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm not telling them. I'm saying that we would encourage them to help --
Q You're pressuring them.
MR. McCLELLAN: No, I'm saying that we would encourage them --
Q It's not pressure?
MR. McCLELLAN: Look, this report caused serious damage to the image of the United States abroad. And Newsweek has said that they got it wrong. I think Newsweek recognizes the responsibility they have. We appreciate the step that they took by retracting the story. Now we would encourage them to move forward and do all that they can to help repair the damage that has been done by this report. And that's all I'm saying. But, no, you're absolutely right, it's not my position to get into telling people what they can and cannot report....
Q Are you asking them to write a story about how great the American military is; is that what you're saying here?
MR. McCLELLAN: Elisabeth, let me finish my sentence. Our military --
Q You've already said what you're -- I know what -- how it ends.
MR. McCLELLAN: No, I'm coming to your question, and you're not letting me have a chance to respond. But our military goes out of their way to handle the Koran with care and respect. There are policies and practices that are in place. This report was wrong. Newsweek, itself, stated that it was wrong. And so now I think it's incumbent and -- incumbent upon Newsweek to do their part to help repair the damage. And they can do that through ways that they see best, but one way that would be good would be to point out what the policies and practices are in that part of the world, because it's in that region where this report has been exploited and used to cause lasting damage to the image of the United States of America. It has had serious consequences. And so that's all I'm saying, is that we would encourage them to take steps to help repair the damage. And I think that they recognize the importance of doing that. That's all I'm saying.
Q As far as the Newsweek article is concerned, first, how and where the story came from? And do you think somebody can investigate if it really happened at the base, and who told Newsweek? Because somebody wrote a story.
MR. McCLELLAN: I think Newsweek has talked about it. They took it --
Developing...
Reply that would have gotten me canned but provided a nice place in the Senate or House of Reps:
Well, ladies and gentlemen of the press, considering the number of stories in the last twelve months that have turned out to be utter bullsh!t, I would think you might appreciate the help of someone who actually knew what the
h!ll was going on.
I'll pick up my last check tomorrow, thank you.
Anybody who isn't incensed by this question is probably a man. (It's a Mars-Venus thing.) A woman said it, and as a woman I read it with the venom she intended. This question is the equivalent of "your momma." It is deliberate provocation with deadly insult. And when the WH spokesman doesn't respond by ramming something down her throat, he loses face. Worse, he loses presidential face.
If I were president---and a man---I'd be dunking his head like a Koran tonight, for taking that kind of crap from a reporter.
She just p!ssed on the American military and got clean away with it.
Does the US have an extradition treaty with Afghanistan? If so. the USG should accommodate the Afghan's call for Islamic justice." What'd the Islamic punishment for inciting riots that lead to death?
You'd have to begin with doing a background check, able to withstand the anal probing used by the old guard to defend what they see as their territory.
Yes! That's what I've been saying as well.
And as an extra bonus gift for the Islamofascists --- after they've entertained the Newsweek reporters in their "guest quarters" for a few hours or a few minutes or however long it takes, they can call the Pentagon with the name of the traitorous mole who initiated this whole fiasco, and we'll ship him off to their party as well!
Well, that would be rough. Surely there must be some conservatives out there in colleges and universities who are journalism majors. Or am in living in a dream world?
Sounds like we need some wealthy Republicans to buy some newspaper companies. ;)
LOL, yet another last gasp from the dying socialist "old media" newsrooms.
Those animals are barely relevant anymore.
Most are owned by corporations & their boards tend to keep their hands off of editorial policy. IOW, they leave the journalism business to journalists. On the rare occasion when you find a right thinking owner that dabbles, you end up with something like happened with Sinclair late last year, all kinds of lefties muster all of their forces to scare advertisers.
They found a new market in the Middle East.
Well, there must be RIGHT minded advertisers. ;)
If anyone's still up, the replay of this press conference JUST started on C-Span2.
Thanks.
I finally heard the clip of this questioning
It was Terry Moron from ABC that asked this question
Mo I won't be around today..... have to work.
Could you keep pinging me to stuff.
Yes, Terry Moran started the 'assault.' Fox & Friends just had a sound bite, but McClellan did mention the name Elisabeth, so I think this was the revenge of the press (plural).
Figures.
I sure can :0)
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