Wash Post ombudsman: Was This Turkey a Story?

Washington Post ^ | 12/07/03 | Michael Getler

[Pokey78]

The Thanksgiving turkey is long gone, but some Post readers think the paper is still sticking a fork in the White House and President Bush.

At issue is a story in Thursday's paper by White House reporter Mike Allen, who accompanied the president on his holiday visit to the troops at Baghdad airport and who provided first-rate coverage of the event. The most widely published image of that visit was an Associated Press photo of a beaming president wearing an Army workout jacket, surrounded by soldiers and carrying a picture-perfect, golden-brown turkey on a platter.

But in the Thursday article Allen reveals that the presidential-looking turkey was for decoration, meant to adorn the buffet line, and not for eating. The turkey to be eaten came from cafeteria-style steam tables.

< . .snip . . >

On balance, I applaud Allen's attention to detail. But I don't think the story made the case that this was "a small sign of the many ways the White House maximized the impact" of the trip. Maybe it was planned, maybe not. It would have been better just to record the known details of the saga and let the reader figure out whether it meant anything.

[Old Sarge]

It would have been better just to record the known details of the saga and let the reader figure out whether it meant anything.

But, that would imply that the proles can think for themselves!

Now, you know that's not true; they get their thoughts from approved sources, like WAPO and their Socialist brothers in New York.

Honestly! Proles thinking for themselves? Next thing you know, they'll be voting!

[Williams]

Howard Fineman said on TV (I think MSNBC) that the turkey was like Bush's policies - "appealling on the outside but poisonous on the inside." Guess that demonstrates that he's a worthless and biased piece of garbage.

The fact that the turkey was a centerpiece created to accompany the actual chow line food is moderately interesting. However, there were video and still photographers there. The whole World also saw the President serving the troops from the chow line. I, for one, never thought he put that turkey down and started tearing legs and wings off for the soldiers. If he had, we would have seen it. He obviously was holding it up to be photographed with them and it was a beautiful photograph.

[Chemnitz]

Amen. I am glad they ran the turkey story because it shows how mean and stupid they are. Some of us realize that. I think the majority of Americans know the difference.

A piece of turkey meat does not come across in a photograph. I thought the image was wonderful, reminding us to be thankful to God that we have adult leadership in the White House.

[martin_fierro]

No, but that lack of a hair net story sure had legs. <|:)~

[Mac The Knife]

I am glad they ran the turkey story because it shows how mean and stupid they are

Me too...I hope they run the picture over and over again. It shows George Bush in a very good role as Commander in Chief. Let's compare him to Dean or Hillary...

[leadpenny]

Mike Allen appears to be a pretty good reporter but in this case he probably learned a couple of valuable lessons:

First, do your homework before trying to squeeze one more story out of a big event.

Second, don't let others define what your story is saying. Stay on top of it.

I listened to Mike Allen on C-SPAN once he had returned to Texas with the President. He seemed fair. I suspect that editors persuaded him into writing about the turkey.

I also suspect that the WP received tons of mail from active and retired military in the DC area and elsewhere, setting them straight on displays at Thanksgiving Dinners in Military Mess Halls.

[deport]

The fact that the turkey was a centerpiece created to accompany the actual chow line food is moderately interesting. However, there were video and still photographers there.

---

I think one of the videos shows him walking around and he spotted the turkey platter and picked it up for showing, took some pictures and put it back down. I've not gone back and looked but it would be interesting to see the entire sequence of that video....

[KC_Conspirator]

Howard Fineman said on TV (I think MSNBC) that the turkey was like Bush's policies - "appealling on the outside but poisonous on the inside." Guess that demonstrates that he's a worthless and biased piece of garbage.

Fineman is a piece of garbage if he said that. Furthermore, I don't know what kind of turkey his family eats, but I have yet to find one that is poisonous on the inside.

[FreedomPoster]

It was entirely obvious that is what happened from the CSPAN video.

This whole episode just shows how desperate the Dems are for an issue with which to attach Bush.

[Bernard Marx]

Guess that demonstrates that he's a worthless and biased piece of garbage.

He has been for years. I recall reading his poisonous propaganda during the run-up to Clinton's first election win. Nothing's changed.

[TomB]

When I first heard the story, I was sure it was a joke. But the more I heard about it, I realized that somebody in the Democrat party actually thought this would outrage the American people. Think about the idiocy of that. I mean, REALLY consider it for a moment. Somebody actually sat down and thought that a picture of Bush holding a Thanksgiving centerpiece is somehow dishonest and worthy of outrage.

This, above all else, is a perfect example of how the visceral hatred of Bush is clouding the brains of the Dems.

[ValerieUSA]

I think one of the videos shows him walking around and he spotted the turkey platter and picked it up for showing, took some pictures and put it back down. I've not gone back and looked but it would be interesting to see the entire sequence of that video....

Why would that be interesting?

I think it is VERY interesting that our President took the lengthy, clandestine trip halfway around the world to give Thanks with and to the troops in Iraq! They love him for that display of humble leadership and courage and support! There's the WHOLE story!
Walking around and picking up a turkey platter is NOT the story.

[deport]

Why would that be interesting?

---

Well to me it would be in order to disprove their contention about the planned photo op. It was a spur of the moment thing if viewed from its entirety, imo.

[ladyinred]

This garbage story should show the public just how mean spirited and biased the media really is. Who hasn't picked up a prop or two in a photograph? That is a normal behavior, and one we can all relate to. Besides, what on earth difference did it make? These troops are fighting a war, their lives are on the line, and THIS is the big deal?

[Cicero]

Having a decorative food item in the center of a banquet table is as old as humanity, I'm sure. The Democrats once again show that they simply have no respect for facts or for history. Or for the conviviality of holidays and feasting.

It's SOP in the services to carve most of the turkey and lay it out on trays, and to put the stuffing in bowls and the gravy in pitchers. But also it's SOP to have a whole turkey in the midst of it all so you can see it and enjoy the season.

In the middle ages, kings had stuffed boars and pheasants on the table, so people could look at them.

In Roman days, they had a fat carp or stuffed peacocks on the table.

No doubt in the days of the cavemen, they used a stuffed mastadon on a big stone as the centerpiece.

So, what's the issue? Contrary to what some of these numskulls pretend, it wasn't a plastic turkey. It was a decorative Turkey. Because it was Thanksgiving.

[ZOOKER]

Winding down to the end, I see.

The Media's almost through regurgitating this non-event. First it's the story itself, then a story about how the pundits felt about the story, how the White House reacted to the story, how the loyal opposition feels about the story, the "international community" comments about the story...

Now they all talk about how fair or unfair the story was, and how we didn't handle it like that other story because it's "different".

And all along they're repeating the story every time, and looking for another excuse to print the story. Do they think we're so stupid we don't see what they're doing? Perhaps we are.

[jagrmeister]

Not bad that the ombudsman is holding Allen accountible for this ridiculous, trivial attempt to cast aspersions on Bush's trip to Iraq.

[nightowl]

I e-mailed Mike Allen at the Post & blasted him. I agree with the writed who wrote complaining that "this is the most insipid, petty chiken-**** article I have ever seen."

The article was breathtaking in its' stretch to try to diminish the President's trip to the troops. I mean, questioning the White house's credibility problem. DO WHAT? Over a d*** table decoration tht W picked up?

I agree with columnists Charles Krathammer(?), these liberals are delusional!