Red-faced New York Post chooses wrong running-mate

Sydney Morning Herald ^ | July 7, 2004 - 12:08AM

[dead]

The tabloid New York Post was wiping egg from its face yesterday after identifying the wrong man in a front-page "exclusive" on Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry's choice of running mate.

"Kerry's Choice" ran the banner headline in the Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper, over a file photo of Kerry shaking hands with Congressman Richard Gephardt of Missouri.

The accompanying story analysed the "stunning" choice of Gephardt, stressing how the 63-year-old had managed to beat out the strong challenge of the youthful Senator John Edwards of North Carolina.

But Kerry announced yesterday morning that he had actually chosen Edwards for his vice presidential candidate.

The newspaper's online edition further confused the issue by continuing to run the erroneous print version of the story next to a "breaking news" link declaring that Edwards would be the running mate.

The mistake meant that the Post, which has never shied away from highlighting the errors of its rivals, was forced to swallow some of its own medicine.

The CNN network gleefully showed off the Post front page, pointing out that Murdoch's News Corp, also owned CNN rival Fox News.

On its inside pages, the Post compounded its mistake with an analysis of what it believed to be Kerry's choice, saying Gephardt would be an asset to Kerry in key battleground states in the Midwest.

It also underlined Edwards' lack of experience as one of the main reasons why he had been passed over.

AFP

[AnnaZ]

I didn't get it today.

:(

(Although it sounds like it was different...)

[Mike Bates]

Apparently, yes.

[NYCVirago]

Did you read the article? It comes from the very conservative Wall Street Journal and it has facts that call into question the very thing you say cannot be questioned. To take just one small additional example, do you think the global warming movie The Day After Tomorrow promotes conservative, pro-American principles? Guess who's company is making millions off that movie!

But the New York Post loses money every year. Some have estimated that it loses up to $40 million each year, which is not chump change. If Murdoch were only about making money, he would have pulled the plug on the Post a long time ago.

[Lee'sGhost]

This is great news. Some Kerry flackie set up the NY Post to look stupid -- now the Post will be out for blood. Keep your eye on the Post for ever breaking new dirt on the Toilet Ticket. (Hey, I just made that up.)

[Alberta's Child]

I would usually prefer the Post over most papers myself. But posting a front-page headline for a baseball game the day after the U.S. sustained its worst casualty count since the war began is utterly disgraceful.

After that, I decided that Rupert Murdoch can shove a Sunday edition of his newspaper up his @ss.

[drjimmy]

But the New York Post loses money every year. Some have estimated that it loses up to $40 million each year, which is not chump change. If Murdoch were only about making money, he would have pulled the plug on the Post a long time ago.
In such a big corporation, lots of individual properties can lose money, but they still serve the greater bottom line. Fox loses millions on the NFL, for example, but it is still an important brand for News Corporation. Without trying to make it sound like a "vast right wing conspiracy," take note that many of the reporters and columnists that appear in the NY Post also appear on Fox News. The newspaper gives another marketing outlet for the Fox brand just as News Corporation's book publishing divisions like Reganbooks do. Retail stores call these "loss leaders."

[ex-snook]

Chalabi strikes again.

[Fraulein]

Love your screen name!

[EveningStar]

ping

[Pharmboy]

Some demonrat crud set them up...period. This was planned...some demonrat operarive gave them scoops for the past year or so that were accurate, then effed them with this false crap. No more, no less.

[EveningStar]

AP: N.Y. Post Puts Gephardt on Kerry Ticket

[Alberta's Child]

If 10-15 people were killed in terrorist attacks in Jerusalem or London, the story would have been splashed all over the front page of the NY Post the next day. That's precisely what made the whole thing such a disgrace.

And the Yankees weren't even on the front page of the newspaper. They were on the back page, where they belong -- because it's the "front" page of the NY Post sports section. The front page of the newspaper was dedicated to the New York Mets, if you can believe that.

The media doesn't lament the loss of American life in Iraq.

You're right. And count the editors at the NY Post among "the media."

[Fraulein]

Thanks.

Love yours too.

Ah, how very Valmont of you! /blush