Reporter Apologizes for Iraq Coverage

[G_j]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0330-06.htm

Reporter Apologizes for Iraq Coverage
by E&P Staff

NEW YORK In the wake of Richard Clarke's dramatic personal apology to the families of 9/11 victims last week -- on behalf of himself and his government -- for failing to prevent the terrorist attacks, one might expect at least a few mea culpas related to the release of false information on the Iraq threat before and after the war.

This has not happened so far, with President Bush on Wednesday going so far as to joke about the missing weapons of mass destruction at a correspondents dinner in Washington.

While the major media, from The New York Times on down, has largely remained silent about their own failings in this area, a young columnist for a small paper in Fredericksburg, Va., has stepped forward.

"The media are finished with their big blowouts on the anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, and there is one thing they forgot to say: We're sorry," Rick Mercier wrote, in a column published Sunday in The Free Lance-Star.

"Sorry we let unsubstantiated claims drive our coverage. Sorry we were dismissive of experts who disputed White House charges against Iraq. Sorry we let a band of self-serving Iraqi defectors make fools of us. Sorry we fell for Colin Powell's performance at the United Nations. Sorry we couldn't bring ourselves to hold the administration's feet to the fire before the war, when it really mattered.
..more..

[wtmusic]

1. What do you say

when someone is "sorry" for supporting a historic mistake, who somehow didn't have the time or the guts to stand up against it when it counted?

[Insider]

2. "get busy making up for it"

and we'll tell you when you can rest.

[G_j]

3. well you could say

'it's about time' but at least you apologized, nobody else has.

[cornfedyank]

4. the public has to accept it's own share of the blame also.

i would have lost money on a bet, because i was sure that in the 2002 elections the reins would be pulled in...but they weren't.

[G_j]

5. the Republicans ran on' the war'

the Democrats ran on nothing...