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...
He's not effective.
At all.
The press will defend it's right to print whatever lies it sees fit. First amendment and all, you know.
There was a time when the press was supposed to unmask the lies of government. Now it's the job of the internet to unmask the lies of the press.
"The press is the sharpest and the strongest weapon of our party." -- Joseph Stalin
My guess is Elizabth Bumiller, of the NYT.
Next airplane they fend for themselves.
Bumiller is aptly named.
How nice -- "...our military goes out of their way to handle the Koran with care and respect. There are policies and practices that are in place."
And what policies do we have in place here at home for our sacred religious icons? Athesists petition to take "God" out of the Pledge. Judges remove the Ten Commandments from our courthouses. "Artists" on the public dole put crucifixes in urine.
And now we bend over backward begging forgiveness from a religion that spreads hate and violence. My God, is our world turned upside down or what?
"Hey miss pressypants...how do you like ACCOUNTABILITY now?
Bingo!!!!
Wonder if that dirty arab, Fareed Zakaria, had anything to do with this story. He is the managing editor(?) of that tabloid and a known muslim apologist. Wonder if he pushed this story for ideological jihadi reasons.
Scott Mc Celllan has more class and patience with them [alleged reporters, I call them professional pathological liars] than I have.
I would have told them to go to hell and go fornicate with themselves.
Thanks for finding this. I was just going to look it up.
At least they are removing their masks.........
I've been upset with Carl Rove lately, but boy, what a rebound! How did he pull this one (Newsweek setup) off?
...Because they were birds of a feather, Clinton said "Jump!" and the press asked "How high?"...
Ain't that the truth. In much of the Muslum world, the press is owned by the government, so all they get is what the government wants them to hear, and that doesn't include attacks on the government.
In America where we have a free press, all we get are attacks on the government, UNLESS, the government is run by liberals, because most of the press are liberals.
We get down to the nitty-gritty, now! They so badly want to discredit the American military.
Ive listened to recorings of radio reporting during the Normandy invasion. The spoke directly to the enemy and told them that they were going to surrender or die.
Rove started setting it up in 1997
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