A.P.: Obama “Nervously” Meets with National Security Experts

[babylonsister]

http://washingtonindependent.com/14278/ap-obama-nervously-meets-with-national-security-experts

A.P.: Obama “Nervously” Meets with National Security Experts
By Ari Melber 10/22/08 3:25 PM


Sen. Barack Obama convened a “working group” of foreign policy experts in Virgina today.

Among those attending were longtime Obama confidantes such as Susan Rice, Clintonites such as Richard Holbrooke and Madeleine Albright, and seasoned Democratic policy figures such as former Sens. Sam Nunn and Gary Hart. Several military leaders also showed up.

After the meeting, Obama explained to reporters that he had asked his staff to arrange the gathering “about two weeks ago.” The goal, he said, was to ensure that his team was not “so focused on the economy” that he stopped “keeping pace” with such challenges as Afghanistan, Al Qaeda and Iraq.

But that explanation did not stop Associated Press journalist Jennifer Loven from casting the entire meeting as a hurried, “nervous” response to Sen. Joe Biden’s controversial statement that a President Obama would be quickly tested on the world stage.

Cue the narrative — and note the absence of any facts or quotes supporting Loven’s storyline, even though it contradicts Obama’s own statement about how long the meeting had been in the works:

Democrat Barack Obama convened a panel of foreign policy and military luminaries Wednesday … an attempt to inoculate himself against the renewed charge that he is too untested for the White House.

{Republicans have criticized Biden's statement} that Obama would face a “generated crisis” within six months of becoming president because adversaries across the world would want to test his mettle…. the Obama campaign showed enough nervousness about the power of the topic to alter the race that it scheduled the meeting at a grand, historic Richmond hotel, and made sure Biden himself participated by phone from Colorado (emphasis added).

That sounds pretty off.

If the meeting was planned weeks ago, then it was clearly not designed to answer Biden. Even if AP thinks Obama is lying, reporters must know that it would be difficult to assemble all these luminaries on short notice. “It’d be pretty hard to gather this group in two days,” Obama added in response to a question after the meeting. “They have pretty busy schedules.” Then again, if a fancy hotel is evidence of “nervousness,” maybe anything goes.


more...

http://washingtonindependent.com/14278/ap-obama-nervously-meets-with-national-security-experts

[MichiganVote]

1. ...And bravely faces crowds of 100,000+, in foreign countries no less...AP is pathetic.

[babylonsister]

5. Yep, that would be the point. I won't paint every 'reporter' for the AP

with the same brush, but this does seem gratuitous, ney, calculated.

[MichiganVote]

6. I don't know every reporter for the AP. In fact, I don't know one. But the collective news..

from this agency is pathetic...and predictable.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

2. Was he or his voice shaking and a massive amount of sweat dripping? nt

[Schulzz]

3. I have not seen Obama really nervous since the nonsense debate on ABC in in the primaries. nt

[grantcart]

4. Since none of us have ever seen him nervous how do we tell lol

[Two Sheds]

7. The AP article didn't call Obama "nervous"

it said the meeting, which the article acknowledges was called before Biden's remark, could be considered a "nervous" response. The AP article said both campaigns were nervous about potential PR landmines in the last two weeks of the campaign. The article is excerpted and used by the Washington Independent. The issue here is not the AP but who is Ari Melber of the Washington Independent.

[babylonsister]

10. How can it be a nervous response to what Biden said yesterday when

the meeting was planned for weeks? That was the point of Ari Melber's OP. The word 'nervous' was unnecessary and gratuitous, meant to convey something that wasn't true.

[Two Sheds]

17. then Melber is overanxious

You can't read the AP article and come away thinking it has a "Get Obama" slant.

[babylonsister]

22. And you are an AP apologist. Read up on them and you'd be

mighty surprised. Here, I'll help you. Google Ron Fournier, AP's DC Chief, and his love affair with McCain and the rethugs. You'll get the picture.

http://crooksandliars.com/2008/08/23/aps-ron-fournier-strikes-again-writes-hit-piece-on-obamas-vp-pick

[Two Sheds]

23. Riiiiiiigggghhhhttt. Calling a mild form of BS on this article makes...

me a full fledged AP apologist. Cut down on the caffeine.

[babylonsister]

24. And you're living in fantasyland if you think the AP doesn't show bias. nt

[Two Sheds]

28. Sis, I think all the MSM has a corporatist bias

I just think this isn't the evidence you think it is.

[glinda]

8. AP CUT IT'S STAFF RECENTLY

WHO DID THEY LEAVE? CONSERVATIVES????

[GrizzlyMan]

31. I know a lot about the workings of AP

From my job in the same field with another news outlet. Everyone I know at our local AP office slant HARD to the right. Some of them I know well enough to consider friends, but they are righties to be sure.

I would guess it's similar in other locales.

[hvn_nbr_2]

9. One change I'm hoping for that no one has talked about

I'm hoping that the Obama press briefing/press conference room gets a major arrangement. Replace about half the seats of CorpoPravda with seats for the bloggers that have been the real producers of news for years, and give Faux noise one seat in the back row beside the cardboard cutout of Jeff Gannon.

[babylonsister]

16. That is a terrific idea! How do we suggest that to Obama? Anyone? nt

[NHDEMFORLIFE]

11. AP: Just one more lazy media outlet

They have a monopoly so they don't have to work hard, they don't have to care about showing whatever bias their front office suits might want to show.

[dennis4868]

12. ummmmm...

Obama and nervous do not go together...good try AP...not buying it...now get back to ACORN and Ayers and Wright and whatever else you can makeup to help your man McCain...

[Terran]

13. WTF? Is the AP telepathic now?

They know exactly WHY Obama has a meeting? Sheesh. What stupid crappy reporting.

[electionwatcher]

14. The biggest bucket of horsesh*t I've read for ages.

Part of Obama's speech to the media after the meeting was shown here on UK news channels. Both myself and my aunt saw it and commented on how well he spoke and how he looked very Presidential. His tone was steady and sure and left you with a feeling that with him in the White House we would feel more confident and secure. No reckless jumping into a dangerous and unnecessary war based on false information.


On the other hand, McCain/Palin makes US very nervous!

[Cha]

18. Thanks for that, elecionwatcher, in England!

And Welcome to DU:party:

[crazy_vanilla]

30. welcome

Always nice to hear from someone from across the pond! :hi: I hope you like it here.

[Cha]

15. Rec'd~Obama is never nervous so jennifer loven..AP

writer, better go back to journalism school and learn how to describe people more accurately.

[kestrel91316]

19. There's one thing THAT ONE isn't, and that's "nervous".

Shill for Repukes much, AP??

[Rosa Luxemburg]

20. Obama is never nervous

they are way off mark spin spin spin

[crazy_vanilla]

21. what's up with AP?

They are really losing it lately. Too many Republicans there, too little supervision and fact-checking... On my way home from work I heard about their most recent bogus poll which shows McCain and Obama "running neck to neck". On Oct. 22nd???? Has anyone heard such nonsense?

[grasswire]

25. [email protected]

There ya go.

[sallyseven]

26. The AP is totally in bed with McCain

and some wish to be in bed with Palin. The spread more misinformation and total lies than any reasonable news service should. They have been doing this for years. They stink.

[vaberella]

27. Obama spends more time smirking...so this is unbelievable. n/t

[FrenchieCat]

29. I wrote to AP about this....

Dear AP,

I realize that I expect a lot from a wire service including the straight reporting of news, which is why the story's tone at the link above is simply ridiculously transparent as to the reporters' intent. I watched the presser featuring Barack Obama on television, and I didn't detect this "nervous" aspect as is being reported by Jennifer Loven. Considering that the panel standing behind Barack Obama had been planned for a meeting weeks ago, I'm trying to figure out where the reporter found evidence to give herself the latitude to use a negative slant in describing it as such.

Look, I realize that AP reporters have been encouraged to take editorial license with their reports for whatever the illogical reason, but really, there is more than just a little editorial partisan tone written into this particular story. I am sending a copy of this letter under separate cover to Journalism watchdog organizations to keep them updated as to what your wire service reporters are doing with the editorial license AP management as granted them.

Thank you for your time.

Respectfully,