Media Keeps Getting It Wrong On Whether Dems Condemned MoveOn Ad -- Howard Kurtz The Latest
September 24, 2007 -- 11:00 AM EST // //
This is kind of amusing. The big news orgs seem incapable of reporting accurately on the question of whether Dems condemned the MoveOn ad criticizing Mighty Scholar Warrior Petraeus. They keep reporting that Democrats who did in fact condemn the ad just didn't really do this at all.
The inability to get these simple facts right, of course, reinforces, and to some degree is probably a product of, the GOP's Narrative of the Month, which has it that cowering Dems are terrified of alienating the all-powerful anti-military left.
A few days ago, for instance, The New York Times falsely reported that Barbara Boxer's resolution condemning all political attacks on military figures "did not mention" the MoveOn ad. In reality, Boxer's resolution did mention and condemn the ad -- very prominently, in fact. The Times has yet to correct this clear factual error, though I'm told they are looking at doing so.
Now we've got another one. In The Washington Post today, Howard Kurtz writes:
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.), the Democratic presidential front-runner, was questioned repeatedly about the ad yesterday while taping interviews with all five Sunday talk shows.This does a fair amount of violence to reality, however. From CNN's interview with Hillary yesterday:Clinton said she did not approve of personal attacks from any quarter but avoided criticizing MoveOn by name.
BLITZER: But quickly, do you want to disassociate yourself from that MoveOn.org ad?So, Clinton didn't utter the name MoveOn -- but she didn't need to, because her questioner had uttered it! Hillary clearly said she didn't "condone" the ad, pointed out (accurately) that Boxer's measure condemned it, and added (again accurately) that her vote for that measure was in fact condemnation of it.CLINTON: I have voted against it. I mean, I've voted for Senator Boxer's resolution, which condemned that attack, and also condemned the attacks on Senator Cleland and Senator Kerry. I don't condone it. I voted to condemn it.
But instead of noting this, Kurtz focuses on the fact that Hillary didn't actually say the name "MoveOn." Even though her questioner did say it, this is magically transformed (poof!) into the misleading suggestion that Hillary avoided criticizing the group.
Why the media instinct to report on this in this fashion? I realize that the GOP incantation that Dems take their marching orders from MoveOn has overwhelming hypnotic force, but this really is getting ridiculous.