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...
Elisabeth 'somebody-or-other'.
It's amazing, isn't it? The "reporter" thinks he's the one starting with all the information...
Count "reporter" among the words forever divested of its original meaning, thanks to the manipulations of the left, along with "gay", "choice", "tolerance", "diversity", and "democrat", among many others that are dearly departed from the English language.
Yep, the press has taken off their masks over the past year. We now see them for the anti-American marxist propagandists they've been since the end of WWII. That's when the NYTimes branded the Nazis and Fascists as being "right-wing" so as not to cast aspersions on their dear friends in the USSR.
Chalk this one up as proof that the Main Stream Media has an extreme liberal bias.
They can't handle that they got busted for lying....so now they have gone off the deep end.
Media....and lawyers......
McClellan has a tough job I couldn't do with a straight face.
After enough inane questions my responses to these White House distorters, er, I mean reporters would involve an "F" and an "O" and it wouldn't be a cheer.
I don't understand his defensive responses?
I can't wait for the mentally unbalanced Howard the Cluck to weigh in on all of this!
It says something that she considers the notion so ridiculous as make it effective sarcasm.
Is there a list of the names of the WH press corps and who they are representing?
I thought Newsweek's defense was that the Pentagon had the story for 11 days and did not confirm/deny it. It sounds like Newsweek was blaming the administration for not proofing their copy.
Now reporters are blaming the administration for acting like editors?
-PJ
The White House press HATE Bush, and now they are fighting for "one of their own", like a mother protecting her child, so I would expect nothing less than a vicious attack on McClellan, which is Bush's stand in for their venom and tripe!!!
When LSM reporters preface something "with respect" we know that what follows will display the opposite of respect. It's a whiny, dishonest convention they go through - when they're about to treat someone with contempt and loathing - that they have to pretend THEY are decent, honorable, respectful people.
In fact, jackals like Elisabeth Bumiller have contempt and loathing for everyone who is not a parrot of their left-liberal fantasies. I know this well, I spent most of my life around these people before leaving Boston/NYC for the great Rocky Mtn. west!! (where we also have some NYT-loving jackals, but not in the same proportions)
The New York Times' White House correspondent Elizabeth Bumiller signs an autograph after her talk Wednesday in Rosenfeld Hall titled "Shock, Awe, and Battle Fatigue." Bumiller described the trials of reporting on the Bush White House. (PHILIP RUCKER/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
In a lecture titled "Shock, Awe and Battle Fatigue: Covering the Bush White House," Bumiller described reporting on what she called "one of the most secretive administrations in history." Roughly 60 people -- only about five of whom were Yale students -- attended the lecture in Rosenfeld Hall.
"The White House has set a troubling standard for secrecy," she said. "I worry that future administrations will look at this White House as a model that has worked fairly well."
I am looking for a copy of the Koran, but I must purchase it in secret. Once I get the piece of s - - - I plan to hang it on the bush that my dog relieves himself on each morning during our walk. As I understand it that vile rag is about the size of a Reader's Digest. Has anyone ever tried to flush a Reader's Digest down the toilet? You would think that a Newsweek reporter or editor would have enough common sense to dismiss this lie right off the bat. By the way, the same slippery scum that was incarcerated at Gitmo began putting out that story after being released. You have to be a liberal to be stupid enough to believe the flushing story.
Are you asking them to write a story about how great the American military is; is that what you're saying here?
No, I think you've done enough.
"With respect, YOU have to be accountable! We in the press are accountable to NO ONE! Got that?!"
"Okay, Ms. Rodham, I'm puckered up and ready; back those big buns in!"
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