Posted on 03/19/2011 2:35:29 PM PDT by curth
Accuracy doesn’t seem to be the media’s strong suite these days. It makes you wonder if these “journalists” are incompetent, lazy, or worse; pushing an agenda. We can only speculate the reasons, but the fact is undeniable.
Take for instance, the reporting by both the Wall Street Journal and the LA Times from Governor Palin’s speech and Q&A session at the India Today Conclave today. Both of them state that the governor said the following while giving an answer to a question:
“Free people that make up a free country don’t wage war on another country.”
That is a direct misquote. What Governor Palin actually said:
“Free people that make up a free country don’t wage war on another free country.”
Watch the clip of Governor Palin, from the event to see for yourself (at the 22:50 mark).
These reporters omitted a small, yet very important word from her sentence. The word “free.” By doing so, they change the entire context of the point she was making. The governor’s true remark was 100% accurate and history proves that to be the case. Are these press agents purposely trying to make Governor Palin look uninformed by misreporting her statement? Or are they just pathetic performers at their jobs?
Either way, let’s just be happy that these “journalists” didn’t decide to become brain surgeons.
Update by Doug: Governor Palin’s astute remark is a variation on the brilliant economist Frederic Bastiat’s famous truism:
“When goods cannot cross borders, armies will.”
In other words, free and open societies have no reason to engage in war with each other, but when that freedom is denied by tyrannical governments, war usually ensues. As Stacy noted, history has borne this out, and Bastiat’s point was as true in the first half of the 19th century as Governor Palin’s variation of it is today. The reporters to whom Stacy refers are either not bright enough to understand this, or are purposefully distorting what Governor Palin said. Par for the course for the mainstream media in the Age of Obama.
There are some FReepers who took her “it’s time for a woman president” out of context when compared to the question that was asked....I will say that “some” of them here sure do act like leftist on this site!
By that point it will have entered the "canon" along with everything else the Daily Show and Saturday Night Live say about her.
AhHa! That might explain why the quotes here in this earlier article read so dang ODDLY!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2691490/posts
Surely you don’t expect intellectual and/or journalistic honesty from those two rags do you?
If Sarah said “the sky is blue”, those rags would report she said “the sky is not red”.
Excellent column and a great post; and I don't want to detract from it.
However, that astute quote is anything but a truism. It is actually quite profound, even poetic.
Of course they would. Why would they do anything different.
The correct answer is all of the above. Pushing an agenda is responsible for most of the disinformation from the MSM but incompetence and laziness are also very prevalent.
Personally, I don’t care if the Republicans go down next time around because they cannot embrace the mainstream sentiment of our nation. Everytime I hear about one of these elitist institutions attempting to cut Sarah Palin loose, it makes me all the more determined to support ANYONE who opposes their ‘chosen’ candidates.
I’ll second your observation of some on this forum. It isn’t bad enough we have to fight the libs, MSM and RINOs, but, also, some on this board. Its sickening the way they have this so-called purist, litmus test, that no one - probably not even Jesus himself, could pass.
By that point it will have entered the "canon" along with everything else the Daily Show and Saturday Night Live say about her.even if they are forced to make a correction, no one will see it.
There is a way to attack that: threaten to sue if that misquote is propagated. And do it. The thing to do is look for the wire service propagation of the misquote, and go for the jugular there. The AP has been found to be in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act, way back in 1945. Sue their socks off.Call their bluff on their actual malice.
They still say she burned books for heaven’s sake. Grrrr, they make me soooooo mad. Thanks for posting and the link.
I was talking to my priest who just got back from India. He said they still like Obama but are looking forward to seeing Sarah. Indians know the wind is changing and think Sarah will not only run for President but get elected. India has their foot in the door...good moves from both sides.
LOL...Nah, he works at the Post, Dana Milbank.
The earlier we get it out there the better...is it on our blogs yet... I’ll start passing it out so we can nip it in the bud if we can.
You know, for some *strange* reason, I could see that :^)
Of the blogs I checked, just C4P has the story .
One of the biggest lies out there is that the Wall Street Journal is a Conservative paper.
And nothing has changed even with new ownership of RM.
They also continue to be part of that terrible partnership with NBC...NBC/WSJ poll, just a bunch of lies.
Heck, you can'teven expect it from the PDS deranged zit-brains on FR.
After watching how our " conservative bretheren" here on FR misquote, twist, and take out of context many of her moments of verbal brilliance and acts of incredible courage and tenacity, and the way that they inexplicably parrot the most extreme, rancid Lefties where Palin is concerned, I have come to the conclusion that those who truly don't like Palin are mental, ethical and psychological defectives.
It's like someone who hates babies or puppies. They're just wired all wrong, badly wrong, and must be allowed no serious voice in matters of import. Sure, let 'em spew and rant and sizzle, but don't give their wheezing a moment's serious thought.
Thay are a tiny, tortured minority who deserve our pity and sympathy, but not our serious consideration. In the "big picture" grand scheme of things, their opinions (and votes) count for as much as my last chili fart. Slightly painful, mildly interesting, possibly worth a naughty giggle, and then "POOF", just gone.
We should ignore them when they invade positive Palin posts, because to respond to them gives them the false sense that anyone really cares what they have to say, and in truth, we shouldn't. Neither should we encourage that kind of dementia. It's like paying to watch a geek bite off a chicken's head. Just don't do it.
;-\
...see my tag line....
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