Sawyer's Mea Culpa
As a follow up to Steve's post:
On the July 19 edition of ABC's Good Morning America, co-host Diane Sawyer apologized for her false assertion -- documented by Media Matters for America -- regarding Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-NV) plan to hold an all-night Senate debate prior to the July 18 cloture vote on a Democratic proposal to withdraw troops from Iraq.
On the July 17 edition of the program, Sawyer said that Reid "vows to filibuster, talking all night to close out all topics besides a vote on Iraqi troop withdrawals." In fact, by extending the Senate session throughout the night, Reid did not "vow to filibuster," as Sawyer reported; rather, he highlighted the Republicans' blocking of an up-or-down vote on the proposal. Indeed, it was the Republicans who opposed the Democrats' effort to end debate on the legislation and move to a simple majority vote. In her on-air statement, Sawyer clarified that Reid had actually "held the all-night debate to protest the threat of a filibuster from the Republicans. ... You wrote me. You were right. I was wrong. I apologize."
Credit where credit is due...when was the last time you saw a major media outlet admit they got it wrong?
MEA CULPA! ;)
This is that happens when the MSM gets their talking points from the RNC, herr dubyah, Drudge, reich-wing, etc.
You mean Diane Sawyer is sorry she got caught being a liar on her broadcast? I bet she is sorry she got caught. Too bad she doesn't come clean on the rest of her lies. She is not a journalist. She is an entertainer specializing in sadistically misleading America. She is a traitor to America and hopefully will be one of the first to charged with crimes against humanity as a result of her actions.
Apology notwithstanding, her ignorance is beyond the pale.
I received this e-mail from ABC after I bitched. Anybody else get one?
Dear ,
Thanks for sending us the feedback. We read every piece of information
we get from our users, and will forward your contribution to the right
people here at ABC News. Please stay in touch.
Sincerely,
The ABCNEWS.com team
At least though wrote. Hahaha
Apologizing for getting caught lying to the American people...pretty good, but I'm still waiting for the MSM to fact check enough to where they don't have to apologize for getting a simple fact they should have learned in high school. I mean if we accept her apology then we are saying we believe that what she did was not intentional, but either it was intentional or our MSM are the most uneducated bunch on the face of the earth, we would be better off getting our facts from the guy at McDonald's who cleans the fryers.
or our MSM are the most uneducated bunch on the face of the earth
ding-ding-ding we have a Winner.
Wow, admitting to such an obvious falsehood - and really considering that mz. Sawyer has been doing that job for decades I have a really hard time believing it was a mistake - kinda leaves me a little cold.
Maybe Diane could volunteer to Nanny for Vitter as punishment - and hey, this time Vitter won't be breaking the law as Diane will be doing this as her bit of community service.
No. Our MSM is a bunch of sellouts. They don't know what journalism MEANS.
As one of those who wrote in demanding an on-air correction, I agree that we should be giving credit where credit is due. Sawyer's prejudices or qualifications don't enter into it. It's obvious that it's up to us and groups like Media Matters to watch these people and hold their feet to the fire when they get it wrong. As long as we keep that up, who cares what opinions these people hold privately? The important thing is that they know they can't just make stuff up, or they're going to get a whack from the cluestick.
The way I see it, this is a considerable win. The coverage has definitely shifted (CNN reports that "Republicans blocked a vote to end the war", a headline both spin-free and damning to the GOP dead-enders), and GMA has taken what could have been a one-sentence throwaway and not only been forced to correct it on the record, but has highlighted their own bias/inaccuracy in the process.
I intend to send a second comment to GMA thanking them for their correction, and I hope that others do the same. Carrot and stick, people, that's all there is to it.
Good for her. Maybe others will follow suit.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200502120002
This is one of those "Quality" right wing journalist and his fine learnin..
Apology or not, how could someone get to be her age-- let alone get into her position-- and not understand how a filibuster works, or how cloture works? What the hell?
Is everyone in the country completely stupid all of a sudden? Most of our own representatives in Congress don't seem to understand their duties or the role of the Legislative Branch. I'm no lawyer, just a regular working stiff-- but I *did* have to take a god damned Civics class once upon a time. It wasn't that complex.
CatAtomic @ 13:
Boy I see trashing The Democratic Congress is alive and well. Nobody is perfect right..
"I'm sorry" fixes everything.
Thanks, Diane (insert 100 smiley faces and hearts here).
[Deleted. Banned Poster-Sitemonitor]
Credit where credit is due…when was the last time you saw a major media outlet admit they got it wrong?
I think it was CNN recently over the bogus crap they spewed about Michael Moore's movie "Sick". But, that was because he called them on it.
This convenient remembering/not remembering is the status modus operandi of the MS Propaganda machine.
AAAAArrrrgh! I meant "Sicko".
Troy @ 14:
I see starry-eyed party loyalty is alive and well, too. For the record, I never said the Dems, though they do seem most conspicuously absent in performing their duties, now that you mention it. The GOP is somewhere between the Nazi Party and the mafia, so I don't really expect much from them anymore.
Despite the correction, it shows a complete and total lack of comprehension of the subject matter being so authoritatively presented to the public as if it's "the truth".
CDS @ 16:
OK, I call your bluff. Have all the Republicans vote to end the war so it will expose Reid's utter hypocracy. or NOT.
[Quote edited-Sitemonitor]
The question is: How many times did it air, and how many people are still walking around with that misconception? I would be a little more willing to forgive these mistakes if the people committing them were a little more sorry.
ABCnews website led with today's Iraq "progress" report, being glowingly reported in the MSM, with the headline: "Ambassador: U.S. 'Buying Time at a Cost of the Lives of Our Soldiers': I will give credit where credit is do here. They are the only outlet not slobbering all over themselves with another "progress" report.
I'm glad she stepped up to the truth...but...really...she just got caught being a worthless lying c0cks*cker and had to back off to save her expensive, overpaid face!!!
I'm glad the blogosphere is lighting matches under her designer shoes!!! Ouch!!
Diane Sawyer is a twerp. If she wasn't saying twerpie things on national tv, she wouldn't have to apologize.
Good for Sawyer! I'm not a fan of her in general, but this is behavior that ought to be encouraged.
(sorry, this is the only way to say it)
That goddamned bitch. Her LAST "mea culpa" was for jumping on the bandwagon to carry out the media's hit job on Dean with his "scream". LONG AFTER the danage had been done and Dean had now spiraled down out of contention, bullshitter Diane does a pice with Charlie Gibson where they demonstrate to audience how the mic Dean used was directional, and filtered out all the noise of the 3000 people crammed inot that Val Aire ballroom in Des Moines on Jan 21, 2004.
She then revealed quotes form all the network heads who all "regretted" replaying that clip over and over, some say 400 times over 3 days. And she pleaded mea culpa.
F*CK her.
She lost all credibility with me (which was little to begin with) may years ago when Michael Jackson was FIRST in legal matter re allegations of abuse -- and he'd gone underground for a year -- and tah-dahh! - Diane brought us one of her brrrreathy special interviews with Michael Jackson, where she said she would pull no punches. It was billed as a NEWS show.
And midway through, she asks Michael what he's up to, "I understand you have a new album out?" - and Jackson says yes. Then, her hackness turns to the audience saying "we've got a treat for you. the worldwide premiere of Michael's latest video. This is an ABC exclusive". Then she aired it, and then chatted about.
I'd love to run her out of town for her accidents and "mea culpas". Mediawhore.
rhfactor @ 27:
Well said and right on point...her fake a$$ mea culpa is not accepted!!!!!
Diane Sawyer never worked as a journalist. She is a former American's Junior Miss, a former member of the Young Republicans and a former press aide to Richard Nixon. If that doesn't sound like someone who was destined to work for Faux News, not ABC, nothing does. That said, at least she made a correction. That rarely happens in electronic media, so kudos to the viewers who held her high-heeled feet to the fire.
Fuck her. Beyond Keith Olbermann, Steven Colbert, and Jon Stewart who are the true journalists on the idiot box?
AbbeyHoffmansGhost @ 30:
David Shuster and (his name slips my mind) the CNN correspondent who said McCain was living in fantasyland when he said he could stroll around Baghdad unmolested. Is it Michael Ware? I've heard a couple of good things from Catherine Cryer lately also but I don't have cable so I don't even know what network she is on.
We should make a list of the good guys for newbies. I learned about Kieth on the net about a year ago. I'm sure there are others I don't know about even now.
Oh yeah, the only reason I miss CBS news is Lara Logan, who may have too much guts for her own good.
Can't stand GMA. Won't watch it since Chris Cuomo interviewed Ann Skank Coulter. He fawned all over that bitch. He gave Michael Moore hell, though. Screw that show.
when was the last time you saw a major media outlet admit they got it wrong?
-------
i think ..i think i know the answer to that question...yes..i do...
the correct answer is NEVER.
jack jett
www.jackejett.com
It's actually refreshing for the media "elite" to actually admit that they made a mistake and a very obvious one at that.
"Credit where credit is due…when was the last time you saw a major media outlet admit they got it wrong?"
CNN recently admitted that Dr. Sanjay Gupta an employee (journalist) of theirs had gotten the facts wrong on Michael Moore's new documentary SICKO. But CNN failed to admit Michael Moores assertion that CNN failed to do it job of getting the facts checked about 9/11 and the IRAQ WAR. Ultimately failing to inform accurately to the AMERICAN people. A stinging assertion. CNN to some degree and to some level of confidence has lost their credibility; an opinion shared by many of it's viewers.
My local CBS station said the Democrats were filibustering. I pointed out their mistake and their lack of jouralistic skill and basic intelligence. Haven't heard an apology or retraction yet. I hope the Dems in DC realize how this has been framed and passed down to the sheeple. When are the Democrats going to get their own media????
[...] Queen A member of the mainstream news media has actually admitted to getting something wrong [h/t Crooks and Liars]: On the July 19 edition of ABC’s Good Morning America, co-host Diane Sawyer apologized for [...]
UnEasyOne @ 31:
That's a great idea. I am sure such a list exists many places but it always helps to have on handy at the site you're visiting, and since C&L is "all video/ all the time" (well, close enough!), this would be a good place to have a grid of journalists who meet objective standards:
The CNN reporter could be Ware, or is it Dare? I don't recall at moment. And yes, Lara Logan seems too good to be true, but she is one tough reporter, i hope she never goes the way of anchor... but she has hosted a few 60 minutes segments. ... Christiane Amanpour used to be, pre 9/11, beyond reproach as far as I am concerned. But the clampdown on "unpariotic news" strained her integrity during the runup to and on-location reporting of Iraq Invasion. Still, she's a real journalist. I think Bob Simon is a real journalist, though he only does segments for 60 minutes now. David Schuster has been really wise to stay down the straight and narrow of real journalism -- while all his peers his age range seem to be more of the news industry commodity type -- they become whatever their bosses want.
A few of Olberman's standard crew are a bit annoying to me. Jonathan Turley I believe does good analysis -- and seems credible -- but for me the mistake is that Olberman goads these guys a bit to make a comment about the proceedings they are reporting on, and I think it takes away from all news credibility when experts start to smile a lot, or even chuckle knowingly.
Schuster rarely does this, though he maintains a neutrally smiley disposition.. still, I wish the comraderie aspect would be toned way down when Keith thanks his reporters or analysts. I just get the vibe that they could be seen by the RIGHT as lapdogs for Olberman -- simply due to the chumminess.
I don't recall names of Keith's other regulars -- is it dana milbank? -- and does he inlciude michael isokoff from time to time? if so, bad news to me.
I have no idea how to rate the credibility of Keith's substitute anchor. For me she presents, just by her being and tone and constant smilie face, the image of a lightweight, a news READER. She may be more than that, but she would be so much better if she had a more neutral demeanor. I don;t know if Keith WANTS his show to be taken as entettainment or news-light, because he for sure has that element... so it's some kind of light+serious hybrid. But still, she to me makes it look like Entertainment Tonight,
I can't think of anyone at CBS or ABC that I consider a journalist. There used to be Koppel, but that was when he was version 1.0 as he sequed for Iran Hostage Crisis to the host of Nightline... But he's on version 3.0 now and that means flip a coin. If he WANTS to, he can be tough and responsible. But i don't think he wants to be anymore. he seems to feel he's done.
As for other overseas correspondents, I am sure there are more. I am not thinking of anyone else at moment.
oh, let me ask, because I don't watch TV, just web clips :) Is ABC's Martha Raddich reliable? She'll seem tough with some W H press corp q's of tony snow, but that means nothing sicne Major Whore David Gregory will get toiugh in the press briefings from time to time, but he always shakes that of by broadcast time, and carries BushCo's water.
Progressive Troll @ 36:
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! That was a good one! you think Madame Decider or Gentle Harry have a clue about media? they don't even realize how THEY come across, let alone how reporters arouind nation are distorting things.
as for our own media -- there is so much money on the left, this could happen if they wanted it to happen. Gore chose a differnt path I think because (i really believe this) he's more or less written off the adult generations 40 years and over -- as unlikely to embrace new media.. and insetad focused on 15-25 year old segment, i think to do several things: ensure plenty of content due to enthusaism of the young, but also becasue he's teaching them media deconstructuin skills, and teching them to be reporters of theuir world around them, and don't rely on some guy or gal on TV as some authority,
It was rumored years ago that one of the foundwers of Air America radio had wanted to actually do a progressive TV network, but knew Gore was working that angle, so he deciede to pursue radio insetad... only to have gore fool a lot of folks with something way other than a progressive news network.
It would have been fascinating to be a bug on the wall of that conference room. Was Sawyer a clueless talking head who read what she was told? Who told her? What was the fight like to get the apology aired? Or did she willingly lie from the start and only see the damage to her image later? Either way, you have to figure there was amusing office drama.
I hope it sinks in that they are being watched and fact checked and that the regular routine of bullshit-as-usual isn't going to be permitted to fly.
Has Sawyer ever apologized for her interview of little Elian Gonzales without the consent of his father?
Diane Sawyer is a Vaudeville Act. Diane and the Mainstream Media have perfected several of the catagories below. If we would only come to realize Diane and MSM are simply vaudville acts. Sadly some of the old timers like Diane were in place when news departments had some integrity. We are still hanging on to the vision of what Diane once represented. Wake Up! No longer. I would say that Diane is primarily a "regurgitator" act. Regurgitating the Republican Talking Points Press Releases that are forwarded to her from the Whitehouse and Rush Limbaugh. Diane is working on the talking version of the "dumb act".
mind readers
instrumentalists
escape artists - Houdini and his many imitators
flash acts - any "showy" act boasting its own lavish set, a large chorus, special effects, etc.
high divers
quick-change artists
strong men
living statuary
contortionists
balancing acts
freak acts - anyone acting crazy or silly - eccentric dancers, etc.
regurgitators - these individuals drank liquids and then brought them back up to fill fish tanks, etc. Hadji Ali would swallow water & kerosene, then spew kerosene onto open flames, followed by the water to put the flames out. Not pretty, but audiences were fascinated.
Acrobats, ice and roller skaters, cyclists and other non-talkers were known as "dumb acts."
Proves anybody can be a reporter without schooling or any brains.
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