John O'Neill "observations" of Kerry

[question everything]

He had an op-ed in the WSJ which I did not bother to read (and to post) but I like this letter responding:

Quote Distorted Writer's Relationship With Kerry

The panel packaged with John O'Neill's May 4 editorial-page piece "Unfit for Office" misrepresented the writer's relationship with John Kerry. When we read the words, in quotation marks, "I was on Mr. Kerry's boat in Vietnam. He doesn't deserve to be commander in chief," we understand that Mr. O'Neill is telling us that he served with Mr. Kerry and is basing his assessment of the presumptive Democratic nominee's fitness for office on his observation of Mr. Kerry's conduct during wartime.

But when we read the column we learn that the two men were on the same boat at different times and that Mr. O'Neill's assessment is based entirely on Mr. Kerry's anti-war activism after he came home. Mr. O'Neill's special insight into Mr. Kerry's character turns out to be nonexistent. That they commanded the same boat turns out to be a coincidence that has no bearing on Mr. O'Neill's arguments. As a teacher of journalism ethics, I question why your panel quotes are not subject to the same scruples that inhibit the distortion of in-text quotes.

Russell Frank, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
College of Communications
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, Pa.

http://online.wsj.com/opinion/letters?mod=2_0048

[blm]

1. Bump.

.

[DiverDave]

2. Goebbels said it best

"just keep repeating the lies, pretty soon it becomes truth."
I am sick to death of these fascists and there lies...the day will come when they will be brought to justice.

[Killarney]

3. kick