Okrent Offers Half-Hearted Apology For NY Times' Anti-Dean "Reporting"

[stickdog]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/18/weekinreview/18bott.html

The paper has made mistakes. Wilgoren's description of Dean listening to Al Gore announce his endorsement (Dec. 10) was inappropriate in a news article: ''Dr. Dean smirked his trademark smirk"; that's columnist language. The visual used to illustrate an article on Dean's temper (Jan. 3) was more problematic; it was the cover of a recent issue of National Review, with the face of an inflamed Dean above the headline, ''Please Nominate This Man." The caption noted that National Review is a ''conservative journal," but there's no escaping the fact that this wasn't an example of Dean's temper, but of what an avowedly partisan publication thinks of Dean's temper.

Some headlines understandably aroused the troops. David Halbfinger's fine Jan. 4 piece detailing the potential mechanics of a Dean collapse (if you're an electoral horse-race fan, it was irresistible; if you're a Dean fan, it was probably alarming) appeared under the words ''Yes, Howard Dean Can Be Toppled and How." Halbfinger, uttering a line that is a version of every reporter's mantra, says, ''I've long since stopped worrying about headlines, as I have no control of them." Week in Review editor Katy Roberts, who does, admits that ''the headline, in trying too hard to be cute (with the double meaning of 'and how') may have misrepresented the story."

In the news pages on Jan. 9, the head over a piece chiefly about Dean voters in Iowa read, ''Tide of Second Thoughts Rises Among Democrats." Judging by what appeared in the article, the ''tide" consisted of the four Iowans quoted in the story and some unknown portion of the ''dozens" of others with whom the writers spoke.

I found the front-page play given one story peculiar and inappropriate. Managing editor Jill Abramson stoutly defends the placement of ''Vermont Auditors Faulted Dean Aide on Contract in '92" (Jan. 6), by Rick Lyman, because ''this was a revealing example of how Dean handled the award of a lucrative state contract to a company connected to a close political ally." I think it was a revealing example of how newspapers tend to inflate their own scoops.

[stickdog]

1. kick

More evidence for the overflowing anti-Dean media bias hopper.

[Tesha]

3. Kick... (NT)

[babzilla]

2. Okrent says angry Deaniacs are lucky ducky's

because of innacurate press coverage. Yea for us. I feel so fortunate since you put it that way!

I have a suggestion for angry Deaniacs (including those who objected to reporter Todd Purdum's use of the term "Deaniacs" on Jan. 11, even though many of Dean's own supporters use the term themselves - see www.deaniacs.org. Think of a politician you dislike - maybe one of the Democrats Dean is battling - and substitute his name for Dean's in any piece about your man. If it still sounds unfair, there's the possibility it is. But without passing such a test, you're left not with ''an insult to our democracy," as one of my correspondents calls the paper's campaign coverage, but with journalism.

I think Jay Carson is right - the grass-roots activists Dr. Dean has inspired should absolutely make phone calls, write letters, hound public editors. But they have to recognize that the full-body physical their candidate has to endure is a sign of good fortune, the direct consequence of being in front. By my count (I did it quickly, so don't arrest me if I'm off by two or three), from Dec. 1 through this past Friday, The Times published 59 major stories or editorials about Dean. Wesley Clark has been up for view 30 times. No other candidate has enjoyed (or suffered) more than 20 appearances in the paper. Carol Moseley Braun got only three shots - and two of those were about her decision to leave the race.

Memo to Dean supporters: If you think it's rough when The Times has you under observation, be prepared to strap on your seat belts if he wins the nomination.

Memo to NYT typers: If you think it's rough getting feedback from the readers of your silly articles in the primary season, be prepared to strap on your seat belts when he wins the nomination.

See, this time around, we will not allow Dean to be Gored. We have wised up to your game and our defenses are now in place.

Free up some memory in your inboxes NYT typers and get ready for your own long overdue full-body physical, cause the emails are gonna be flying suckas.

And that is what I will recognize as good fortune.

[Padraig18]

4. We remember 2000, and will not permit Gov. Dean to be 'Gore-d'!

Damn right we'll scream bloody murder, because we all know what happens when we don't!

[Padraig18]

5. kick

:dem: