White House Held Meeting To Pressure Reporters On ‘Division’ Among War Critics

[babylonsister]

I am so sick of the manipulation by this bunch of crooks! :grr: :grr:

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/04/13/iraq-media-meeting/


Exclusive: White House Held Meeting To Pressure Reporters On ‘Division’ Among War Critics

Last week, Bush administration officials invited senior congressional reporters to the White House and pressured them to increase their coverage of how Iraq war critics are “divided” over legislative strategy, multiple sources have confirmed with ThinkProgress.

The sources say White House officials pointed to examples of national political reporters who have highlighted such “division” and pressed the congressional reporters to follow suit. Specifically, the White House pointed to a recent AP piece on Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), which reported that Obama believes that “f President Bush vetoes an Iraq war spending bill as promised, Congress quickly will provide the money without the withdrawal timeline the White House objects to.” In a speech this week, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) also drew attention to the AP’s characterization:

When the president vetoes, as he should, the bill that refuses to support General Petraeus’ new plan, I hope Democrats in Congress will heed the advice of one of their leading candidates for president, Senator Obama, and immediately pass a new bill to provide support to our troops in Iraq without substituting their partisan interests for those of our troops and our country.

The effort to highlight this article is notable because it turned out to be baseless. The AP report never directly quoted Obama saying that Congress would give up its fight for a withdrawal timeline, and Obama has said the AP’s characterization is false. Indeed, Obama has been quoted saying the direct opposite — that Congress will continue to force votes on a timeline — both before and after the AP report.

In fact, congressional opponents of the war are remarkably united on efforts to set a timeline for redeployment, bolstered by consistent public opinion polls showing broad public support for withdrawal. Meanwhile, conservatives are splintering. This week, a “diverse collection of House Republicans has formed an ad hoc group” to encourage the White House “to compromise on negotiations with Syria and Iran and on setting a date for withdrawal from Iraq.”

The White House is in a losing fight and wants the media to help them carry water. We’ll be watching to see if any congressional reporters fall in line and write up the White House spin.

[Demeter]

1. You'd Think They Had Something Important To Do

like covering asses in the email scandal.....

[formercia]

2. Then we will know who the media scum suckers are.

The World is watching.

[ClayZ]

3. K and R

[Richardo]

4. I love how this is now "'General Petraeus' plan"

I've been noticing that construction more and more of late. Who will be left holding the bag when it all goes south? Hm.


The buck stops where, again?

[The Count]

5. And, interestingly enough, that's exactly what they reported!

Who would have thunk it?

[Rageneau]

6. I wonder how many meetings like this there have been.

I bet that this attempt by the WH to manipulate press coverage is nothing new. I bet they've been doing things like this since Rove's first day in office. Only difference now is that even the press is ceasing to enable the giggling murderer.

[donheld]

7. They do it because it works

If these reporters would refuse to cooperate with the Bushies they might stop doing it. The press people need to stand firm as a group and tell report the news not the propaganda. There seems to be more and more standing up to the Bushies, but still not near enough.