Posted on 06/27/2006 11:05:53 PM PDT by smoothsailing
06/28/2006
Murtha claims he was misquoted
U.S. Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Johnstown) says he was quoted out of context on two recent occasions.
The first occasion, he said, was coverage in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel on his appearance in Florida over the weekend.
Murtha said, "I was recently misquoted following a speech I gave at a Veterans forum at the Florida International University Biscayne Campus on June 24, 2006. During the speech, I made a point that our international credibility was suffering, particularly due to our continued military presence in Iraq and that we were perceived as an occupying force. For illustrative purposes, I provided the example of a recent Pew Poll which indicates a greater percentage of people in 10 of 14 foreign countries consider the U.S. in Iraq a danger to world peace than consider Iran or North Korea a danger to world peace.
Murtha added, "It is imperative that these issues be discussed in an open and informative manner. I will continue to insist that this administration face the true realities of its policies with respect to Iraq and insist that they change direction."
In response to the misquotes, the Web site www.theinfozone.net e-mailed a Miami Herald reporter who also covered the event. The following is excerpted from a story posted on the Web site:
"The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Murtha as saying, 'American presence in Iraq is more dangerous to world peace than nuclear threats from North Korea or Iran' to a crowd of more than 200 in North Miami Saturday afternoon.
"In the article, reporter Elizabeth Baier quoted several other of Congressman John Murtha's statements in her article, as well as a quote from others at the event, but did not quote the comments alleged to have been said by Murtha in the first paragraph of her article. Melissa Sanchez of the Miami Herald, replying to an e-mail, says that while Murtha made the comment, 'That was in reference to international polls. It was not so much his own conjecture, but a conclusion drawn from polls in various countries.'
"So this alleged and most controversial statement written by Baier appears to have taken his comments out of context."
Statement on redeploying to the perimeter
In a recent appearance on "Meet the Press," host Tim Russert asked Murtha to explain where our troops could be stationed if they redeployed from Iraq.
Murtha replied: "Kuwait's one that will take us. Qatar, we already have bases in Qatar. (Also in) Bahrain. All those countries are willing to take the United States...
We don't have to be right there. We can go to Okinawa. We can redeploy there almost instantly."
Murtha has repeatedly explained that his plan calls for the redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq at the earliest practicable date and a quick reaction U.S. force and over-the-horizon presence of U.S. Marines to be deployed to the region if needed.
He further explained, "I have said several times that we could deploy a quick reactionary force from Kuwait, Bahrain or Qatar or could deploy a larger contingency of Marines from Okinawa or the United States, if needed.
"We currently have a Marine division headquartered in Okinawa, thus logistics and existing facilities are already in place. Additionally, during the course of this war, Marines at the battalion level or lower have already been deployed from Okinawa to Iraq," Murtha said.
"But let me be clear, these forces should only be deployed to Iraq if our own national security is at risk or if the security of our allies in the region is threatened. These forces should NOT be used to intervene in the case of growing sectarian violence in Iraq. The Iraqis must settle their own civil war," said Murtha.
©The Herald Standard 2006
No question and all the 'Demrat et als' as well. ..
.Libs always advance the position that 'short circuits' rather than supports. . .their own stated/claimed - goals. . .
. . . i.e.. . .how much sooner might we be successfully out of Iraq; if we did not have a political Party so determined to advance the cause of the enemy we are fighting.
How many more Iraqui citizens might have stepped forward (as per Demrat whine as well). . .earlier; now and in the future. . .if they felt that 'America' was UNITED; not divided, in their comittment to a successful Democracy in Iraq.
How much 'Will' has been compromised by their knowing that half our 'leadership' supports the goals of the monster enemy that threatens their existance.
The Libs create the problem (Jimmy Carter/eight years of a treason-inclined President in the name of Bill Clinton; and his foreign BS policy); and then claim to have and to be. . .the solution of the wreckage. . .and the carnage.
A solution, we know all too well and by their intention. . .does nothing but exacerbate the problem - while prolonging the wreckage and the carnage, they decry. . .
. . .an amazing arrogance to watch; but it is their MO; albeit a MO these Democrats (and the Left et al); frame by their own fraudulent and virulent Idiology.
Jarhead that I am, I went back to contribute some more to Irey. Then found you can set up a monthly plan. So I joined that for my Marine son and fomer Marine father.
OhhRah!
I want to see Murtha's ass kicked so far down, that when a whale ***** on the ocean floor it will look like shootin' stars to him!
bttt
Geography for Moonbats! :-)
Bump for Diana Irey
Apparently the press is now going to start covering for Murtha, refusing to print what this fat senile anti-patriot utters next.
The Irey campaign had better follow this guy around with a tape recorder, the press will not be reporting any more Murtha comments that are damaging to his slim chance of reelection in November.
'Sun-Sentinel' Corrects Controversial Murtha Article
By E&P Staff
Published: June 28, 2006 3:45 PMET
NEW YORK Conservative Web sites had a field day last weekend, citing a purported comment by Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa), the formerly hawkish but not antiwar congressman, that the U.S. was now the greatest threat to world peace. -- more than even Iran and North Korea. Murtha allegedly expressed this view in an article in the Sunday South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
After protests from Murtha and some readers, the Sun-Sentinel corrected the record today.
Murtha's office had gone so far as release a commetn from Melissa Sanchez of the Miami Herald, who also attended the speech, saying of Murtha's statement: “That was in reference to international polls. It was not so much his own conjecture, but a conclusion drawn from polls in various countries.”
But by then, Bill O'Reilly, Tucker Carlson and other pundits had strongly attacked Murtha, with Newt Gingrich caling for his "censure" in Congress.
Here is the Sun-Sentinel's correction:
"An article in Sunday's editions misinterpreted a comment from U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., at a town hall meeting in North Miami on Saturday. In his speech, Murtha said U.S. credibility was suffering because of continued U.S. military presence in Iraq , and the perception that the U.S. is an occupying force. Murtha was citing a recent poll, by the Pew Global Attitudes Project, that indicates a greater percentage of people in 10 of 14 foreign countries consider the U.S. in Iraq a greater danger to world peace than any threats posed by Iran or North Korea. "
E&P Staff
I'm hearing this phrase - "my words were taken out of context" - way too often lately.
I never heard of him a year ago and I live in Pennsylvania.
You are correct. Here is one example and there are more. Please let me know if you want more examples.
LOL.
Your map is good !
Congressman Benedict Arnold
Thanks a bunch. I thought so.
We should all be concerned when the media either misquotes a person, or wrongly attributes a quote to a person.
It does not matter which side of the political fence you abide on, every time this happens, the political process, and the media are demeaned.
With voter numbers declining, and likely if 40% of eligible voters turn out in the November 2006 elections, it will be seen as positive.
Murtha's right to his opinions, and views is paramount in a democratic society, just as 'yours are'.
TIZ
However, in this case, they were not Murtha's words. A reporter who reported wrongly what Murtha said, and took his words out of context that was the problem.
In this case, it lead to bloggers and reporters across cyberspace leaping to conclusions.
Accuracy is what leads us to believe a journalist or any blogger or media report.
TIZ
BTW, I noticed that you just signed up today, so
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