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Did White House pressure NYT into changing Dover story?
Hot Air ^ | 10-30-09 | Ed Morrissey

Posted on 10/30/2009 8:59:02 PM PDT by STARWISE

Originally, the New York Times reported on President Barack Obama’s visit to Dover AFB and the arrival of fallen serviceman by explaining that the White House wanted Obama to be seen as concerned and aware of the sacrifices made in America’s war policies:

A small contingent of reporters and photographers accompanied Mr. Obama to Dover, where he arrived at 12:34 a.m. aboard Marine One. He returned to the South Lawn of the White House at 4:45 a.m.

<…>

The images and the sentiment of the president’s five-hour trip to Delaware were intended by the White House to convey to the nation that Mr. Obama was not making his Afghanistan decision lightly or in haste.

.

Following that link now, the second paragraph quoted is nowhere to be seen.

The Jeff Zeleny report contains no editorial announcement of changes after its publication, and no indication of any retraction.

Greyhawk at Mudville Gazette and Nice Deb both noticed the change, however, and Greyhawk also noticed that the NYT didn’t quite redact that paragraph from everywhere on its servers. The story now reads like this:

The trip was a symbolic one for Mr. Obama, given the gravity of his coming announcement of a new strategy for Afghanistan.

The image of the commander in chief standing on a darkened tarmac, offering a salute to one of the soldiers, highlighted the poignancy of a decision he is facing.

But even after the redaction, this came up in a search on the NYT site:

So who changed the story, and why?

The original Zeleny report with that paragraph gave credence to the accusation that Obama made the Dover trip for a photo op, picked up by bloggers to criticize the White House.

Its mysterious disappearance post-publication indicates that someone was unhappy with that kind of criticism and removed the paragraph to curtail it — and didn’t do a very good job of it, either.

The editors of the NYT could have removed it on their own without prompting from anyone, but that doesn’t make a lot of sense. The editors approved the piece for publication in the first place, and besides, the NYT isn’t exactly adept at quickly responding to blogospheric criticism, at least not on its news pages (their blogs are a different matter).

It would appear that someone other than bloggers brought this to the attention of the Times and pressed for the removal of the offending paragraph.

That might also explain why the Times changed the article without acknowledging it, a big red flag in itself.

The NYT should answer for why this change was made, and why they attempted to fly it under the radar. If the paragraph was inaccurate, a retraction should have accompanied it.

If it wasn’t inaccurate, then who pressed them to remove it?


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: attentionwhore; barrysoetoro; bhonotworthy; braveheroes; doverafb; marxist; military; newyorktimes; obama; photoop; pos; poser; radicalliar; rih; troops
Meanwhile, the lives of these heroes and their families hang in the balance, while wondering if their cic will be golfing and frolicking again this weekend as they battle, suffer and shed their blood to survive and defeat the Muslim beasts in treacherous conditions, awaiting their majesty's decision.

God bless and protect our heroes. Their faces break my heart.

1 posted on 10/30/2009 8:59:03 PM PDT by STARWISE
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To: kristinn; penelopesire; seekthetruth; television is just wrong; jcsjcm; BP2; Pablo Mac; ...
~~Ping!


2 posted on 10/30/2009 9:02:52 PM PDT by STARWISE (The Art & Science Institute of Chicago Politics NE Div: now open at the White House)
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To: STARWISE

The expressions on the men’s faces tell the whole story ...


3 posted on 10/30/2009 9:03:50 PM PDT by Ken522
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To: STARWISE

They don’t look too impressed with the man-child President. God bless them and keep them safe.


4 posted on 10/30/2009 9:05:23 PM PDT by Fu-fu2
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To: Fu-fu2; All

Related:

Obama Brought Media Horde to Dover; Widow Revoked Permission When Told of Obama Presence
Friday, October 24, 2009 | Kristinn

Posted on Friday, October 30, 2009 12:36:44 PM by kristinn

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2374703/posts


5 posted on 10/30/2009 9:09:12 PM PDT by STARWISE (The Art & Science Institute of Chicago Politics NE Div: now open at the White House)
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To: STARWISE
Some things just can't be done over.


6 posted on 10/30/2009 9:12:36 PM PDT by swheats (America! America! God mend thine every flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law!)
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To: STARWISE
God bless and protect our heroes. Their faces break my heart.

Wonder if he'd dither if either or both of his daughters were serving in Afghanistan (I know, highly unlikely supposition). It appears prayer will be the only support these fine young men and women will be receiving in the immediate future. Healthcare be damned - THIS should be the #1 priority - period!

May the democrats reap what they sow at upcoming elections on Tuesday! Somehow, some way, these "politicians" need to be shown what is important and what is not.

7 posted on 10/30/2009 9:40:37 PM PDT by MamaDearest
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To: STARWISE
Photobucket

God help these brave men. Hopefully they won't provide the TOFUS with another photo op at Dover.

8 posted on 10/30/2009 9:49:12 PM PDT by erman (Give a man a fire, warm him for one night. Set a man on fire, warm him for the rest of his life.)
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To: Ken522

9 posted on 10/30/2009 9:53:14 PM PDT by mojitojoe (“Medicine is the keystone of the arch of socialism.” - Vladimir Lenin)
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To: STARWISE
You think the NYT was cowed by the Obama White House?

C'mon. Who's going to believe that.

10 posted on 10/30/2009 9:58:11 PM PDT by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all. -- Texas Eagle)
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To: Fu-fu2
They don’t look too impressed with the man-child President.

Maybe he should have gone back to the well with the whole hope & change routine?

11 posted on 10/30/2009 10:09:47 PM PDT by cartervt2k
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To: STARWISE
God bless and protect our heroes. Their faces break my heart.

They didn't look like that...before...

Even when things were just insane, particularly in '05 and '06, they didn't look like that.

12 posted on 10/30/2009 10:22:27 PM PDT by Allegra (It doesn't matter what this tagline says...the liberals are going to call it "racist.")
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To: Allegra

“the White House wanted Obama to be seen as concerned and aware of the sacrifices made in America’s war policies’

PHONY, PHONY, PHONY. Our Military is smarter than Big Media. They see through the phony CIC and the NYT doesn’t. God bless our Military and keep them safe as they keep us safe.


13 posted on 10/30/2009 10:31:29 PM PDT by originalbuckeye
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To: Allegra

PS=they always knew GWB CARED. Zero is just looking for photo-ops.


14 posted on 10/30/2009 10:32:09 PM PDT by originalbuckeye
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To: erman; 444Flyer; Las Vegas Ron

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qBbowFNwsU

See how thrilled they are to see the POS.


15 posted on 10/30/2009 10:37:02 PM PDT by mojitojoe (“Medicine is the keystone of the arch of socialism.” - Vladimir Lenin)
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To: Allegra
NEVER .. not in the presence of their CIC who honored, respected, loved and supported them fully. And I KNOW how well you know that.

God bless and protect you and all our incredible troops... Hugs.

16 posted on 10/30/2009 10:52:08 PM PDT by STARWISE (The Art & Science Institute of Chicago Politics NE Div: now open at the White House)
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To: MamaDearest

The politicians can’t reap what they sow when their sowing costs young American lives. Politics have no place in war decisions, but only politics matter to this administration. We are “ruled” (certainly not served) by people with not one conscience among them.


17 posted on 10/30/2009 10:57:16 PM PDT by JohnQ1 (Pray for peace, prepare for war.)
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To: mojitojoe

lol. You can’t fake that kind of disinterest.


18 posted on 10/30/2009 11:10:59 PM PDT by 444Flyer ("Permission to engage the enemy Sir! " " Permission denied." (Under CIC Obamao.))
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To: STARWISE
Obama pronounces Navy Corpsman... “Navy Corpse-men” during speech to Navy/Marines in Florida on Monday. Goes to Dover on Wednesday:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2371972/posts?page=19#19

19 posted on 10/30/2009 11:25:53 PM PDT by 444Flyer ("Permission to engage the enemy Sir! " " Permission denied." (Under CIC Obamao.))
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To: STARWISE

“17 of 18 Families of the Fallen Denied Obama His Photo-Op at Dover”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2373908/posts


20 posted on 10/30/2009 11:34:21 PM PDT by 444Flyer ("Permission to engage the enemy Sir! " " Permission denied." (Under CIC Obamao.))
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To: STARWISE

How much “pressure” would the White House need to apply to get the NT to change their story?

WH: “You, know the second paragraph comes across as...excessive.”

NYT: “You’re right! We’ll get rid of it! How else may we serve you???”


21 posted on 10/31/2009 12:45:16 AM PDT by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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To: STARWISE

BTTT


22 posted on 10/31/2009 3:01:07 AM PDT by E.G.C.
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To: STARWISE

The MINISTRY OF TRUTH answers to NO ONE!

If they say it’s the truth...it’s the truth!


23 posted on 10/31/2009 5:49:39 AM PDT by DH (The government writes no bill that does not line the pockets of special interests.)
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To: STARWISE

That is a stark contrast between the troops feeling supported in those pictures compared to the troops when 0 was visiting.


24 posted on 10/31/2009 6:21:10 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (Jimmy Carter - now the second worst POTUS ever. BHO [the LIAR] has #1 spot in his sights.)
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To: STARWISE
Nothing in recent history has pissed me off more than axelrods choice to send zero to take advantage and make politic hay of our fallen troops.

Its one of the worst things he has done in office and he has a lot of them to own up to.

Just goes to show that everything is political fodder for this gang even our dead soldiers. Should make the blood boil of many as it does mine.

25 posted on 10/31/2009 6:32:13 AM PDT by rodguy911 (HOME OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE--GO SARAHCUDA !!)
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To: STARWISE


26 posted on 10/31/2009 6:33:35 AM PDT by Chode (American Hedonist *DTOM* -ww- I AM JIM THOMPSON!)
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To: STARWISE

You can’t fool the troops they know who is who.


27 posted on 10/31/2009 6:33:36 AM PDT by rodguy911 (HOME OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE--GO SARAHCUDA !!)
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To: rodguy911

Axelrod is not to blame - Obama is. Obama could very easily have said - “NO! Absolutely not. I will not do it.”

It’s shameful. How cold must one’s heart be to do something so despicable? I agree with you this is the worst. It demonstrates their callous disregard for people.


28 posted on 10/31/2009 6:39:06 AM PDT by carmody
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To: STARWISE

Sitting here weeping... Never forget the way the media treated W, who, regardless of whether or not one agreed with some of his domestic policies, was steadfast in war.


29 posted on 10/31/2009 6:54:29 AM PDT by metesky (My retirement fund is holding steady @ $.05 a can.)
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To: STARWISE
Immediately following this Obama visit to Dover, some in the press reported that Bush never bothered to go there to view the arrival of our fallen heroes. How in the hell do they know that??? If Bush did go, which I'm sure he did, he wouldn't have turned it into a photo op! He would have made it a private moment and none outside the military and the President's inner circle would have know that it happened.

It's despicable how this CinC wannabe disrespects the military by making a photo op with our heroes as a backdrop!

30 posted on 10/31/2009 7:07:31 AM PDT by MadPenguin (An armed man is a citizen; an unarmed man is a subject!)
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To: mojitojoe

That is very telling.


31 posted on 10/31/2009 7:08:10 AM PDT by thethirddegree
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To: STARWISE

Wow. Powerful.


32 posted on 10/31/2009 7:10:56 AM PDT by Deb (Beat him, strip him and bring him to my tent!)
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To: bellas_sister

Check out the photos on this thread. Quite a change from the GW days.


33 posted on 10/31/2009 7:12:48 AM PDT by Deb (Beat him, strip him and bring him to my tent!)
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To: STARWISE

Remember during his campaign trip to Germany, how his visit to the wounded at Rammstein was cancelled because he couldn’t bring reporters in with him? His campaign team blamed the cancellation on the Pentagon. He could have visited the troops without any members of the media, but he chose not to.


34 posted on 10/31/2009 8:00:31 AM PDT by mass55th (Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway...John Wayne)
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To: mass55th

That’s right ... arrogant, selfish attention hog.


35 posted on 10/31/2009 8:47:45 AM PDT by STARWISE (The Art & Science Institute of Chicago Politics NE Div: now open at the White House)
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To: carmody

Just my opinion. My guess is that zero calls very few of the shots and anytime a political decision is made its usually axelrod’s. I could be wrong but he is master of political chicanery and astroturfing.


36 posted on 10/31/2009 11:12:45 AM PDT by rodguy911 (HOME OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE--GO SARAHCUDA !!)
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To: STARWISE

Read their minds:

“F-in’ sissy pussy faggot President—wish he’s shut the hell up!”


37 posted on 10/31/2009 1:53:10 PM PDT by Palladin (The Obama Administration: "A Czar Too Far")
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To: rodguy911

Still, O is in control of his own actions. Is he completely mindless? By the time his presidency ends he’ll have gone from blaming Bush to blaming Axelrod.


38 posted on 10/31/2009 2:08:59 PM PDT by carmody
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To: carmody
I see zero as basically a candidate all the time, 24/7. I really don't thin he has big league brains or political savvy to make most of the political moves that have kept his popularity up. I think that's all axelrod.

Of course he can chose to ignore axelrod but my guess is every time he does he steps in it.

Either way these guys always self destruct. You can only lie so long and so much before the trail is so long no one can keep up with it.It's the Pinocchio syndrome. Its just a matter of how much damage they do before they are through.

39 posted on 10/31/2009 2:18:18 PM PDT by rodguy911 (HOME OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE--GO SARAHCUDA !!)
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To: Ken522

All of them seem to be awaiting the orders they hope will come from the Pentagon. The rank-and-file soldiers know they are duty-bound to defend the Constitution. Do the generals know that? Will the top brass keep standing by and allow the Kenyan Usurper to trample the legacy of the Founding Fathers?

I am NOT advocating violence here. On the contrary. I believe strong action by the military to restore our Constitution could be the only way to AVOID violence. Once the military makes it clear where it stands, the traitors in the Congress and the White House will have no power to force its will upon freedom-loving Americans.


40 posted on 10/31/2009 7:20:20 PM PDT by USALiberty
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To: USALiberty

That last sentence should have said: “Once the military makes it clear where it stands, the traitors in the Congress and the White House will have no power to force THEIR will upon freedom-loving Americans.”


41 posted on 10/31/2009 7:25:55 PM PDT by USALiberty
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To: STARWISE

If this is true, it is an unbelievable control of our free press. It is frightening. I find it hard to believe the news, Fox is more credible, only if they just don’t toe the company line.


42 posted on 11/01/2009 8:01:31 AM PST by Titus-Maximus (Light from Light)
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To: STARWISE

Great photos ! Such a powerful contrast with those heart-wrenching photos in #1...and incredibly sad. The only consolation I can think of is that the military knows Americans love, support, and pray for them.


43 posted on 11/01/2009 8:40:31 AM PST by thouworm
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