Sawyer apologizes for false assertion that Reid "vows to filibuster"

On the July 19 edition of ABC's Good Morning America, co-host Diane Sawyer apologized for her false assertion -- documented by Media Matters for America -- regarding Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-NV) plan to hold an all-night Senate debate prior to the July 18 cloture vote on a Democratic proposal to withdraw troops from Iraq.

On the July 17 edition of the program, Sawyer said that Reid "vows to filibuster, talking all night to close out all topics besides a vote on Iraqi troop withdrawals." In fact, by extending the Senate session throughout the night, Reid did not "vow to filibuster," as Sawyer reported; rather, he highlighted the Republicans' blocking of an up-or-down vote on the proposal. Indeed, it was the Republicans who opposed the Democrats' effort to end debate on the legislation and move to a simple majority vote. In her on-air statement, Sawyer clarified that Reid had actually "held the all-night debate to protest the threat of a filibuster from the Republicans. ... You wrote me. You were right. I was wrong. I apologize."

From the July 19 edition of ABC's Good Morning America:

SAWYER: OK, I have a quick correction about something I said earlier this week. I said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was vowing to filibuster on the whole question of the vote on withdrawing troops from Iraq and it would close out other issues. In fact, Senator Reid held the all-night debate to protest the threat of a filibuster from the Republicans on the same proposal. You wrote me. You were right. I was wrong. I apologize. We'll be back.

—K.H.