AP's Excuse for Not Mentioning V.P. Cheney at Snow Funeral: "A Lot of People Were There"

Thursday, July 17, 2008 | Kristinn

[kristinn]

While reading the Associated Press' story and updated versions about the funeral of former White House spokesman Tony Snow today, I noticed a curious ommission in their reports: the presence of Vice President Cheney at the funeral.

The AP's Ben Feller wrote the article about Snow's funeral that has been transmitted around the country. He reported that President Bush spoke at the funeral and noted the presence of former Bush administration officials Karl Rove and Andy Card, but not Vice President Cheney.

A phone call to the AP's Washington, D.C. bureau led to my being connected to reporter Terrence Hunt. Hunt excused the failure to mention the presence of the Vice President by saying "A lot of people were there."

Hunt questioned the relevance of including the Vice President in the article. When it was explained that he is the second most powerful man in America and that it is rare for the President and Vice President to be seen together outside the White House he responded that they are both at the State of the Union speech each year.

He said that they would probably note the presence of the Vice President in later updates.

Link to latest AP version as of this posting.

[Ciexyz]

Yeah, like my local community newspaper covered a recent John McCain visit by posting a picture of protestors, not the candidate.

[I see my hands]

Keep eating those Wheaties, Kristinn, thanks.

[ConservativeMajority]

I was at Tony Snow’s funeral. Terry Hunt was there, too. He walked out with MSNBC’s Kelly O’Donnell. I don’t know how he missed Cheney, as the Vice President walked into the basillica with Pres. Bush.

[Ciexyz]

The mainstream media has sent all Republicans to the back of the class, making them invisible. Nothing matters, acc. to them, but Obama and his run for the Presidency.

[donna]

Rush mentioned that the AP plans to include more opinion in their reporting so that must include leaving out vital information as well.

[BlueAngel]

Thank you Kristinn, for holding them to fire.

[kristinn]

Interesting. Thanks for the eyewitness report.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Yeah and all three network anchors are accompanying Obammy’s trip to Europe. Maybe he’ll walk on water.

[kristinn]

I’m getting to the age where I eat oatmeal for breakfast :-(

[kristinn]

Good point.

[NormsRevenge]

The good ol’ Associated Prattle .. In the free market, they are losing ground and with good cause.

Omitting cheney .. what a cheap shot, make that snub.

[imintrouble]

Thank you

[Iron Munro]

Hunt questioned the relevance of including the Vice President in the article.

Intentional slight.

Smug reply.

No longer any pretense about being unbiased.

[geezerwheezer]

The AP is going the way similar to the telegraph, un- needed, un-heeded, and totally useless. They have sucked big time for quite a while, and the internet has sounded the death knell for those dipsticks, so adios los scumbags at AP.

[Miss Didi]

Thanks for that report, kristinn. And here I thought that the VP wasn't there because of the “same place” rule.

[xJones]

Thank you, kristinn for all your reports, you are invaluable to FR.

[IncPen]

This is to be expected.

Did you see that the Major News Anchors are serving as Campaign Volunteers on Obama’s overseas trip?

[zeestephen]

Thanks, kristinn.

That's first rate Conservative activism.

Keep up the great work!

[kristinn]

I’m glad they were confident enough to be able to attend the funeral together. I’m sure they traveled in separate motorcades, though.