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ABC News ignores the facts in order to prop up the Pelosi story

May 15, 2009 12:50 pm ET by Eric Boehlert

This, as Bob Somerby at The Daily Howler has explained over the years, is what happens when the Beltway press weds itself to a storyline. Once that narrative is agreed upon, there's no adjusting it. It is what it is, and everyone marches ahead in unison using the same 'facts.' 

And recently, the agreed upon storyline is that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has become deeply entangled in a controversy about what she did and didn't know about torture techniques.

Here's how ABC reported it today:

Pelosi yesterday accused the CIA of giving her “inaccurate and incomplete information on the use of waterboarding and other harsh interrogation tactics by the Bush administration, saying that CIA officials are guilty of “misleading the Congress of the United States.” Her recollection is contradicted by an intelligence report sent to Congress last week, which said Pelosi was briefed on enhanced interrogation techniques “that had been employed” in September 2002.

Yikes, Pelosi was caught red-handed telling a fib; unmasked by a CIA intelligence report which totally undercut her claim that she was never told about torture techniques. Busted!

But what did ABC dutifully leave out of its explanation about how Pelosi's recollection was "contradicted" by a CIA intel report? Just the fact that the head of the CIA warned Congress that that intel report may not be accurate or reliable.

Today's process gotcha thriller pits Pelosi vs. the CIA report. But in the press' preferred telling, news consumers don't need to know that the CIA report might not be accurate.

UPDATE: Like we said, the press moves in a pack. And this pack has no interest--none--in detailing doubts about the CIA report.

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    • Author by latanza (May 15, 2009 12:58 pm ET)
      1  
      This is serious. Nancy Pelosi is not fit for the job of the Speaker of the House, 3rd in-line to the Presidency and I am sure that this is not the first hint of inadequacy to fill the position. I care if the C I A has lied to the Congress of America but to suggest such a thing in an open and public forum causes dissention amongst the Nation. Ms. Pelosi is at her lowest and because of inexcusable errors, she should step down. It shouldn't be a matter of asking for her resignation either. Only publicity could be her disposition now because she is proven to be invaluable to the United States of America. Ms. Pelosi fuels the incorrect position of some tabloid reporters and policticians to seek this gossip style, accusational symposium. I don't see the reserve neccessary to complete her office with dignity. Even if what she says is true, she lacks the required tactfulness to address it for the sake of the Nation and the greater good. In the face of country and family, loyalty requires privacy sometimes.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by solon (May 15, 2009 2:48 pm ET)
           
        You think stating publicly that the CIA sometimes lies will cause dissention in the NATION???? The CIA LIES. That cat was out of the bag LLOOOOONNNNGGG ago.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by ToddK_Chicago (May 15, 2009 3:38 pm ET)
           
        Seriously, being fit for the Speaker of the House is to blindly follow the CIA? I am sure you were all over Boehner when he was saying the exact same thing about the CIA.

        And being loyal requires privacy???? Please. Is that not why we are (sadly) having a debate about torture? Is it not because Republicans and Democrats alike took the cowardly route and offered privacy to those instituting the torture program?

        Come on, at some point you have to stop being sheep and stand up for what is morally right. Or perhaps I am speaking to one who believes we should be torturing. In that case, your statement above makes perfect sense.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by mfinn7314 (May 15, 2009 10:11 pm ET)
           
        Did you know that Barry Goldwater said publicly that the CIA lied to Congress about the Vietnam War?
        Report Abuse
      • Author by creeksneakers2 (May 17, 2009 1:54 am ET)
           
        The duty of Congress is to oversee the executive branch. Pelosi has a duty to point out lies from the CIA and make them public. Don't you find it odd that Pelosi is being faulted for not revealing information and you then are faulting her for revealing information. Which do you want?

        Report Abuse
    • Author by MickD (May 15, 2009 1:05 pm ET)
         
      I picture the ABC/Disney boardroom with the Mickey Mouse CEO they had on the South Park episode about the Jonas Bros.

      "I want her screwed, I want her head. Ha-ha <Mickey Mouse laugh>"
      Report Abuse
    • Author by bruce1ace (May 15, 2009 1:24 pm ET)
         
      Politifact has concluded (for now) that Pelosi's statement was false.

      http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/may/12/nancy-pelosi/cia-documents-claim-speaker-pelosi-was-told-about-/

      Report Abuse
      • Author by LuvLuLu (May 15, 2009 1:31 pm ET)
           
        And what did Politifact leave off? Amazingly, the same stuff that ABC News left off! I am not sure why you think that Politifact echoing ABC News is of any relevance here.

        But what did ABC dutifully leave out of its explanation about how Pelosi's recollection was "contradicted" by a CIA intel report? Just the fact that the head of the CIA warned Congress that that intel report may not be accurate or reliable.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by mk3872 (May 15, 2009 1:43 pm ET)
           
        You bought that, did you? Politifact has become victim of politicization. They are using the memos released by the CIA as "proof".

        However, CIA Director Peneta made it clear in his notes that this is not "fact" and is "best recollection" that needs to be verified.

        The politicization is from TNR who put pressure on Politifact to print his and to remove their cap & trade tax estimate story that dinged the right wingers and upset TNR.

        You should do further research and do not just think you've stumbled across something clearly factual.

        This one clearly is not.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by unclejoe (May 15, 2009 10:27 pm ET)
         
      How did the story about the illegal Bush torture program become instead a story about Nancy Pelosi? I have to hand it to the right wing - they've done a masterful job of playing the idiots in the media on this one...
      Report Abuse
    • Author by fairliberal (May 16, 2009 12:15 am ET)
         
      Dispite what Pelosi is saying today Leon Panetta said this..... Panetta repeated in his letter to CIA staff that the agency's response to congressional inquiries show that "our contemporaneous records from September 2002 indicate that CIA officers briefed truthfully on the interrogation of Abu Zubaydah, describing 'the enhanced techniques that had been employed.' Ultimately, it is up to Congress to evaluate all the evidence and reach its own conclusions about what happened."

      Pelosi is toast, it's only a matter of time. ..http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/15/harman-letter-cia-lodged-policy-legal-question-interrogation-methods/
      Report Abuse
      • Author by eweston8542983 (May 16, 2009 11:36 am ET)
        1  
        You really think any replacement of Pelosi is going to make the larger issue disappear? Or that her replacement is going to make you feel any better?
        Somebody somewhere is having oral sex, shouldn't you be hunting them down?
        Report Abuse
      • Author by friedbergboy1422 (May 16, 2009 7:02 pm ET)
           
        If Pelosi is guilty of anything, what is it? If she is guilty for not stopping the EITs, wouldn't those who ordered the EITs face more punishment?
        Report Abuse
      • Author by creeksneakers2 (May 17, 2009 2:01 am ET)
           
        Pelosi is not toast. She isn't even accused of doing anything illegal. Its not only astounding that the right wing has the nerve to go after Pelosi after all the crimes Republicans committed. Its even more astounding that the last lost wingnut brigades left think they have any power at all they could use to drive Pelosi out of office. The public voted the real criminals out of office in 2006 and 2008. Face it.
        Report Abuse

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