Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

'NEWSWEEK DISSEMBLED, MUSLIMS DISMEMBERED!' (Ann Coulter)
Yahoo News ^ | 5/18/2005 | Ann Coulter

Posted on 05/18/2005 4:19:07 PM PDT by Dan Evans

When ace reporter Michael Isikoff had the scoop of the decade, a thoroughly sourced story about the president of the United States having an affair with an intern and then pressuring her to lie about it under oath, Newsweek decided not to run the story. Matt Drudge scooped Newsweek, followed by The Washington Post.

When Isikoff had a detailed account of Kathleen Willey's nasty sexual encounter with the president in the Oval Office, backed up with eyewitness and documentary evidence, Newsweek decided not to run it. Again, Matt Drudge got the story.

When Isikoff was the first with detailed reporting on Paula Jones' accusations against a sitting president, Isikoff's then-employer The Washington Post -- which owns Newsweek -- decided not to run it. The American Spectator got the story, followed by the Los Angeles Times.

So apparently it's possible for Michael Isikoff to have a story that actually is true, but for his editors not to run it.

Why no pause for reflection when Isikoff had a story about American interrogators at Guantanamo flushing the Quran down the toilet? Why not sit on this story for, say, even half as long as NBC News sat on Lisa Meyers' highly credible account of

Bill Clinton raping Juanita Broaddrick?

Newsweek seems to have very different responses to the same reporter's scoops. Who's deciding which of Isikoff's stories to run and which to hold? I note that the ones that Matt Drudge runs have turned out to be more accurate -- and interesting! -- than the ones Newsweek runs. Maybe Newsweek should start running everything past Matt Drudge.

Somehow Newsweek missed the story a few weeks ago about Saudi Arabia arresting 40 Christians for "trying to spread their poisonous religious beliefs." But give the American media a story about American interrogators defacing the Quran, and journalists are so appalled there's no time for fact-checking -- before they dash off to see the latest exhibition of "Piss Christ."

Assistant Managing Editor Evan Thomas justified Newsweek's decision to run the incendiary anti-U.S. story about the Quran, saying that "similar reports from released detainees" had already run in the foreign press -- "and in the Arab news agency al-Jazeera."

Is there an adult on the editorial board of Newsweek? Al-Jazeera also broadcast a TV miniseries last year based on the "Protocols of the Elders Of Zion." (I didn't see it, but I hear James Brolin was great!) Al-Jazeera has run programs on the intriguing question, "Is Zionism worse than Nazism?" (Take a wild guess where the consensus was on this one.) It runs viewer comments about Jews being descended from pigs and apes. How about that for a Newsweek cover story, Evan? You're covered -- al-Jazeera has already run similar reports!

Ironically, among the reasons Newsweek gave for killing Isikoff's Lewinsky bombshell was that Evan Thomas was worried someone might get hurt. It seems that Lewinsky could be heard on tape saying that if the story came out, "I'll (expletive) kill myself."

But Newsweek couldn't wait a moment to run a story that predictably ginned up Islamic savages into murderous riots in

Afghanistan, leaving hundreds injured and 16 dead. Who could have seen that coming? These are people who stone rape victims to death because the family "honor" has been violated and who fly planes into American skyscrapers because -- wait, why did they do that again?

Come to think of it, I'm not sure it's entirely fair to hold Newsweek responsible for inciting violence among people who view ancient Buddhist statues as outrageous provocation -- though I was really looking forward to finally agreeing with Islamic loonies about something. (Bumper sticker idea for liberals: News magazines don't kill people, Muslims do.) But then I wouldn't have sat on the story of the decade because of the empty threats of a drama queen gas-bagging with her friend on the telephone between spoonfuls of Haagen-Dazs.

No matter how I look at it, I can't grasp the editorial judgment that kills Isikoff's stories about a sitting president molesting the help and obstructing justice, while running Isikoff's not particularly newsworthy (or well-sourced) story about Americans desecrating a Quran at Guantanamo.

Even if it were true, why not sit on it? There are a lot of reasons the media withhold even true facts from readers. These include:

A drama queen nitwit exclaimed she'd kill herself. (Evan Thomas' reason for holding the Lewinsky story.)

The need for "more independent reporting." (Newsweek President Richard Smith explaining why Newsweek sat on the Lewinsky story even though the magazine had Lewinsky on tape describing the affair.)

"We were in Havana." (ABC president David Westin explaining why "Nightline" held the Lewinsky story.)

Unavailable for comment. (Michael Oreskes, New York Times Washington bureau chief, in response to why, the day The Washington Post ran the Lewinsky story, the Times ran a staged photo of Clinton meeting with the Israeli president on its front page.)

Protecting the privacy of an alleged rape victim even when the accusation turns out to be false.

Protecting an accused rapist even when the accusation turns out to be true if the perp is a Democratic president most journalists voted for.

Protecting a reporter's source. How about the media adding to the list of reasons not to run a news item: "Protecting the national interest"? If journalists don't like the ring of that, how about this one: "Protecting ourselves before the American people rise up and lynch us for our relentless anti-American stories."



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: anncoulter; coulter; isikoff; korandesecration; newstweak; newsweek
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-118 next last

1 posted on 05/18/2005 4:19:07 PM PDT by Dan Evans
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Dan Evans

Good list of Isikoff stories that got spiked when this WRONG one did not.


2 posted on 05/18/2005 4:21:36 PM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dan Evans

God Bless her, that's what I call a woman guys.

She's the stuff of Betsy Ross and Stowe.

Great article Ann. You say it the way it is and with power.


3 posted on 05/18/2005 4:25:47 PM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dan Evans
Bumper sticker idea for liberals:
News magazines don't kill people, Muslims do.

That is perfect!

4 posted on 05/18/2005 4:25:50 PM PDT by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Anti-Bubba182

They dont want to talk about the 40 christians....if those were 40 muslims theyd be all over it declaring it a holocaust or something... Muslims are slowly strangling this nation.


5 posted on 05/18/2005 4:26:52 PM PDT by Xenophon450
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Dan Evans

You're a quick one. ;-D


6 posted on 05/18/2005 4:27:24 PM PDT by perfect stranger (I need new glasses.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dan Evans

Deep bow to Ann Coulter!! (as usual :)


7 posted on 05/18/2005 4:27:43 PM PDT by Humidston (Pubbies - GROW SOME!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: A CA Guy

Ann Coulter, her reporting makes me want to sing the Star Spangled Banner, and makes me rightly proud to be an American. I wonder if she is kin to the Joan D Arc.


8 posted on 05/18/2005 4:29:04 PM PDT by rovenstinez
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: wagglebee; All
Im so glad to see the return of common sense.

If anyone is interested, I have several essays now on the subject at hand.

An American Expat in Southeast Asia

9 posted on 05/18/2005 4:30:04 PM PDT by expatguy (http://laotze.blogspot.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Dan Evans

Haagen-Dazs? I always figured Monica as the Ben and Jerry's type.


10 posted on 05/18/2005 4:30:33 PM PDT by JohnBovenmyer (I)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dan Evans

Excellent post.


11 posted on 05/18/2005 4:33:46 PM PDT by aculeus (Ceci n'est pas une tag line.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: A CA Guy
A particular pleasure about Coulter's writing, and Mark Steyn shows the same fine quality, is this: Both do their homework. Both reach deeply into the background of each subject and present particulars that the average (lazy) reporters do not.

The example here is the history of which Isakoff stories that were held or spiked, and why. No one else in the press has bothered to open up their Lexis-Nexis to find and report this obviously relevant detail.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column: "We Have Seen the Light"

12 posted on 05/18/2005 4:34:23 PM PDT by Congressman Billybob (For copies of my speech, "Dealing with Outlaw Judges," please Freepmail me.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: expatguy

After a hard day of editing drivel I found your blog refreshingly well written. Thank you for that.


13 posted on 05/18/2005 4:35:16 PM PDT by MizRiz9
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: rovenstinez

I think she is not so much a reporter as an editorialist with a flair for roasting liberals.

She is saying things exactly as they are and she's good at expressing it.

A long distance non-stalking hug from A CA Guy Ann to you all the way on the other coast.

Another great article.


14 posted on 05/18/2005 4:36:32 PM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: MizRiz9

Bless You and Thanks


15 posted on 05/18/2005 4:36:56 PM PDT by expatguy (http://laotze.blogspot.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Congressman Billybob

I agree with you completely, she uses research to back up what she says.
That's one of the reasons why the liberals can't debate her and must resort to pies.


16 posted on 05/18/2005 4:37:57 PM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: MizRiz9

Please let more people know. I normally post in bloggers section as well since I can't be in the main.


17 posted on 05/18/2005 4:38:26 PM PDT by expatguy (http://laotze.blogspot.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Dan Evans

So how did Spikey get his name?


18 posted on 05/18/2005 4:42:48 PM PDT by woofie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: StarFan; Dutchy; alisasny; BobFromNJ; BUNNY2003; Cacique; Clemenza; Coleus; cyborg; DKNY; ...
ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.

19 posted on 05/18/2005 4:43:06 PM PDT by nutmeg ("We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good." - Hillary Clinton 6/28/04)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dan Evans

Of course the MSM will pick up on Ann's expose of SPIKE's previous record dealing with HIGH VALUE news stories........but I won't hold my breath!!


20 posted on 05/18/2005 4:44:35 PM PDT by PISANO (We will not tire......We will not falter.......We will NOT FAIL!!! .........GW Bush [Oct 2001])
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-118 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson