Oops: ABC's Benghazi 'scoop' was based on fabricated email

[ProSense]

Oops: ABC's Benghazi 'scoop' was based on fabricated email

by Jed Lewison

Last week, ABC's Jon Karl broke a "blockbuster" scoop on BenghaziWhiteWaterGate™ showing that a senior White House aide had intervened on behalf of the State Department in the process of drafting Susan Rice's talking points:

In an email dated 9/14/12 at 9:34 p.m. — three days after the attack and two days before Ambassador Rice appeared on the Sunday shows – Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes wrote an email saying the State Department’s concerns needed to be addressed.

“We must make sure that the talking points reflect all agency equities, including those of the State Department, and we don’t want to undermine the FBI investigation. We thus will work through the talking points tomorrow morning at the Deputies Committee meeting.”

And thus proof of the Obama administration's Benghazi talking point coverup was unveiled. But as CNN's Jake Tapper now reports, Karl's report quoted the Rhodes email inaccurately. Here's what Rhodes actually said:

All –

Sorry to be late to this discussion. We need to resolve this in a way that respects all of the relevant equities, particularly the investigation.

There is a ton of wrong information getting out into the public domain from Congress and people who are not particularly informed. Insofar as we have firmed up assessments that don’t compromise intel or the investigation, we need to have the capability to correct the record, as there are significant policy and messaging ramifications that would flow from a hardened mis-impression.

We can take this up tomorrow morning at deputies.

That's very different than the version Karl reported. Specifically, it doesn't say anything remotely like what Karl claimed it said. For example, the State Department isn't even mentioned. As Tapper points out:

So whoever leaked the inaccurate information earlier this month did so in a way that made it appear that the White House – specifically Rhodes – was more interested in the State Department’s concerns, and more focused on the talking points, that the email actually stated.

Karl got burned, plain and simple. He was the stenographer for a someone pushing a political attack against the Obama administration and Hillary Clinton.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/05/14/1209042/-Oops-ABC-s-Benghazi-scoop-was-based-on-fabricated-email

[one_voice]

1. kick...

imagine that...

I was just reading the same thing here:

Benghazi Bombshell: Leaked Emails Were Edited to Make Obama Look Bad

Turns out the press got played again by Republicans. Jake Tapper has the smoking gun of the original email from the Obama administration which differs significantly from the “leaked emails” ABC ran with

In an exclusive for CNN, Tapper reveals that CNN has the original email sent by a top Obama aide, regarding the administration’s reaction to the Benghazi attacks. Tapper reported, “The actual email differs from how sources characterized it to two different media organizations.”

“The actual email from then-Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes appears to show that whomever (sic) leaked it did so in a way that made it appear that the White House primarily concerned with the State Department’s desire to remove references and warnings about specific terrorist groups so as to not bring criticism to the department,” Tapper concludes

*snip*

http://www.politicususa.com/jake-tapper-destroys-republican-benghazi-conspiracy-turns-emails-paraphrased.html

[pinto]

2. I like how Lewison lays it out here. +1

[atreides1]

3. What do you expect?

Let's face the harsh truth, there are no journalists anymore...the little knuckle dragging talking heads are nothing more then glorified bloggers and twitter users.

Most wouldn't know a news story if it walked up and kicked them in the naughty bits...and then you have the legacy clowns like Luke Russert...not real ability, but it felt nice to give him a job he has very little concept of!

The real journalists are more often then not just shut out by the news directors who are nothing more then corporate whores who do the bidding of their masters...even on the local level most morning news is mostly fluff stories and little news.

Jon Karl got used because he's lazy and didn't bother to check his sources...if the man had any integrity he'd resign and go live in a cave in the Rockies...but integrity isn't a word he and others like him are familiar with!

[madokie]

4. Theres a few faces with egg on 'm here too

I'll not call anyone out as thats wrong but anyone with half a brain can figure out who that is.

[alcibiades_mystery]

7. I hope when our friends on the Left join the teabaggers in demanding Obama's impeachment

They at least have the integrity to use their non-sarcastic handles.

Strange bedfellows is one thing...

[madokie]

9. LOL

[Enrique]

5. Tapper is just contributing to the hype about that email

the Benghazi story was over months ago. Obama won the election, Rice dropped out, the State Department did an investigation, some people got fired, and Hillary testified before Congress.

That email came out, everyone said it was a bombshell but they were full of crap. It was ust hype.

[Iliyah]

6. There needs to be an investigation

regarding the GOPers in the house of representatives, period.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

28. oh, I agree! Let it begin!

[Kingofalldems]

8. K and R for all the Cave visitors

[DonViejo]

10. That e-mail from Ben Rhodes reads as if he spent time...

on DU:

There is a ton of wrong information getting out into the public domain from Congress and people who are not particularly informed.

[JaneyVee]

11. Amazing how the truth always sounds different.

[librechik]

12. so I guess The Right will just shrug and drop it, now, right?

[RT Atlanta]

13. Have the good guys been "Dan Rather'ed?"

Is this similar to how Dan was set up for a fall (although the substance of Dan's reporting was on point)?

[Progressive dog]

14. So Jon Karl will out his lying Republican source

now or will he just hype their next lie?

[Iliyah]

16. Actually he is meeting

with Alies as we speak {snark}

[Politicub]

15. How many times will the media fall for this nonsense?

You can't trust information coming from mainstream news outlets anymore.

The race to be first to report something has become a race to the bottom.

And now we have the media reporting on... the media. How meta of them.

More often than not stories change pretty dramatically after a few days.

And the cottage industry of Obama bashing is a reliable audience for them so they run with anything that reflects poorly on the administration. But the problem is it isn't vetted first.

[ProSense]

18. It's not just the media.

I mean, everytime the story gets debunked, some other BS pops up and people return to insisting that this will result in impeachment.

Add the other stories, people don't want to wait for the facts. They insist the initial report is correct. They dismiss the WH statements as lies.

[Skittles]

19. they're not "falling for it"

they are COMPLICIT

[Politicub]

20. +1 - That's more likely

Sadly.

[Skittles]

21. where were these bastards when repukes were starting bullshit wars and crashing the economy?

WHERE THE FUCK WERE THEY?????

[Politicub]

31. Sharpening their stenography skills

And lubing themselves up so whatever the GOP wants to insert doesn't encounter any friction.

[Politicalboi]

17. The GOP should be investigated

I wish we had the time to do it all. People need help in this country, and we don't have time for investigation after investigation. If the Dems had a spine, they would leave the hearings, and turn off the mics and turn the lights out, and the media go home.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

29. This should bury the GOP for good

[Scurrilous]

22. LOL

[Cha]

23. Tweet regarding Jonathan Karl's predicament..

Liberal Librarian @Lib_Librarian

Shorter @jonkarl: "Journalism is HARD!"

[ProSense]

25. Breaking

Bullshit!

[Cha]

26. ABC Admits That They Never Read Benghazi Emails That They Smeared Obama With

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251305841#post11

[Cha]

24. Jonathan Karl's "Juice" ran out..

Karl prefaced his question to Obama on Tuesday by noting that his efforts to marginalize Republicans on the issues of gun control and on the sequester had largely failed. “Do you still have the juice to get the rest of your agenda through this Congress?” Karl asked

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/matthews-goes-after-abcs-jonathan-karl-for-asking-jock-question-about-obamas-waning-political-juice/

[jonthebru]

27. Jon Karl... Stenographer/ Journalist?

Is "BenghaziWhiteWaterGate™" really copyrighted?

[Lady Freedom Returns]

30. This also what happens when the Sales Department is in the newsroom.

1 will get 20 that some big shot in sales also saw this and instead of letting the news team check, they wanted it out and get the rating numbers for being first

Many a story gets pushed on air now a days before the double checks are done. Many a Journalist can't do their job because the Sales Dept. wants more ratings.