An article in the Washington Post today causally misinforms its readers, while adding to the Michael Moore mythology about President Bush's immediate response after learning about the first attack on 9/11. This goes to demonstrate not outright mendacity on the Post's part, but rather an unthinking acceptance of untruths when they come from political forces supported by the writers and editors there. Fact checking does not occur for "friendlies."

Here are the specifics. In an article about the exchange of charges between the Kerry campaign and the Swiftvets, we get the following:

David Wade, a Kerry spokesman, responded in kind: "Maybe if George Bush had seen combat up close his hired—gun mouthpiece wouldn't be so flip." Not to be outdone, Kerry spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said, "Mr. McClellan needs to understand that John Kerry is not the type of leader who will sit and read 'My Pet Goat' to a group of second—graders while America is under attack." On Sept. 11, 2001, Bush remained in a Florida classroom for several minutes after learning that planes had flown into the World Trade Center.

For the record, Bush was not reading the book; he was listening to the book being read.

So much for the supposed superiority of the edited mainstream press over the blogs.

Posted by Ed   8 21 04