"CNN Sets the Record Straight"

[Clio the Leo]

CNN Sets the Record Straight
Posted by Liz Oxhorn on January 26, 2010 at 08:46 AM EST

Last month, two Senators – who, by the way, opposed the Recovery Act from the beginning – released a report claiming that Recovery Act funds have largely been wasted or mismanaged and the program is not working. Curiously, their report came just as we learned the economy had begun to grow again for the first time in more than a year – something many economists say is largely due to the Recovery Act – and right after the Congressional Budget Office, Congress’s nonpartisan research arm embraced by Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, said that the Recovery Act was already responsible for well over 1 million jobs. At the time, we debunked many of the claims in the report.

But CNN recently decided to find out for themselves – and the verdict couldn’t be more clear:

“But we took a closer look at the Senators’ top ten examples of so-called waste, we found nine of the ten did not tell the whole story and in some cases were inaccurate.”

You may recall the Senators’ claim at the time that: “The tranquil hamlet of Bainbridge Island, Washington, received $190,000 to upgrade a patrol boat for which it has little need—while it considers downsizing its police force.”

Not true, Lt. Bob Day of the Bainbridge Island Police Department told CNN:

“There's some technology we'll be getting with this grant that is going to be able to help us better protect the port and to share information with port security partners.”
In fact, Lt. Day questions whether the two Senators understand security priorities:

“Unless Senators Coburn and McCain think that homeland defense and port security is something that really isn't important and it isn't a priority, I would take exception with their estimate on that.”

And notes the purchase supports jobs:
“The vendors we’re working with, it's keeping their people employed.”

CNN’s verdict?
“hey called the upgrade to this boat unnecessary in a small town they call a tranquil hamlet. But more than 6 million passengers travel each year on the ferry between Bainbridge island and Seattle. City officials say the ferry system is a high risk security target and the stimulus money a valid investment. The Department of Homeland Security agrees.”

<snip>

If this were the first time the Senators had released a report on the Recovery Act that had more holes than a block of Swiss cheese, it might be easier to consider this a simple case of confusion. But we aren’t talking about a great track record with accuracy here. The last time the Senators went through this exercise, more than half of the items in that report turned out to be false or misleading claims as well – while other projects attacked included medical research to help hearing impaired children, and a state of the art project to create jobs in advanced technology.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/01/26/cnn-sets-record-straight

[Jennicut]

1. When I saw that CNN was going to look at the stimulus more closely I was skeptical

But they are actually reporting real, true facts. Maybe it will change the mind of some viewers that think it is a "waste".

[Clio the Leo]

2. I think there's some CNN/WH collusion going on....

..... which is only a BAD thing if the WH is made up of folks from the other team. :)

And considering all of the misinformation about the stimulus, I dont mind so much.

Maybe if CNN does well, they get an hour with Michelle on Larry King or something. :)

[Jennicut]

3. It is about time someone in the media sought to tell the truth.

How can I go about and hate CNN now, after all the good converge in Haiti and now this?

[depakid]

4. Gee, Republicans are lying. Who'd have thunk it?

[Spoonman]

5. Bainbridge Island Police Department .....

Puget Sound has 7 Coast Guard Bases, and two Coast Guard Air Stations on it. The LARGEST of these stations is less than 8 miles from the Bainbridge Island docks, and 3/4 of a mile from the Seattle ferry docks.
They patrol the ferry lanes EVERY day.
Their boats are equipped with weapons and technology far superior to the Bainbridge Island Police Departments “dingy”.
The police boat is actually not needed in the area as it is undersized and redundant for the area given the Coast Guard presence.

Notice the article does not mention one word about the extensive Coast Guard presence, but instead gives the impression that this little boat is the last line of defense for the vulnerable ferry system.


CNN fails again!