Limbaugh falsely attacked AP, Reuters for offering "more updates on Cindy Sheehan than we are getting on the hurricane"
Nationally syndicated radio host Rush Limbaugh, citing news "bulletins" from 12:19 p.m. to 6:52 p.m. ET on September 21, falsely claimed that the Associated Press and Reuters news services provided more "updates" about anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan during that time period than they did about Hurricane Rita. In doing so, Limbaugh said, the "anti-war activist" wire services "collaborate[d]" with Sheehan. This claim is both misleading and false.
It is misleading because Limbaugh was citing the captions of photographs delivered on the AP and Reuters news photography wire, and a single event can result in many different photographs. The number of photographs of a particular subject is only loosely related to the number of articles that the wire services produce on that subject. In fact, during those six hours, AP and Reuters news articles about Hurricane Rita far outnumbered those about Cindy Sheehan 35 to 3. Even comparing the number of Sheehan-related and Rita-related photos belies Limbaugh's claim: there were 35 AP and Reuters photographs about Hurricane Rita and the ongoing preparations for the storm, as opposed to the 17 photos about Sheehan; 16 of which Rush misleadingly cited as "bulletins."
From the September 22 broadcast of The Rush Limbaugh Show, with each of the "bulletins" Limbaugh quoted linked to the actual photography wire service entry*; each photograph's original posting time is shown in this captured search results page:
LIMBAUGH: But listen, here are the AP bulletins, and this is just -- from yesterday and into, you know, last night from both the AP and Reuters. "12:19," and remember, in every case, she's identified as anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan. I'm going to eliminate the anti-war activist just to save time here but just -- every time you hear her name, understand that these AP and Reuters bulletins, without exception, referred to her as "anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan."
12:19, Cindy pauses outside White House. 12:26, Cindy Sheehan address members of the media. 12:30, Cindy Sheehan sits on the lawn in front of the U.S. Capitol. 12:31, Cindy Sheehan joined by Iraq war veteran Jeff Key. 12:31, Cindy Sheehan signs a letter intended for President Bush. 12:25, Cindy Sheehan pauses outside the White House. 12:40, White House aides carry a letter delivered by Cindy Sheehan. 12:39, Cindy Sheehan delivers a letter to the White House. 12:39, a uniformed Secret Service Agent looks on as Cindy Sheehan arrives at the front gate of the White House. 12:24 or 2:24, Anne Campbell of Washington works on construction of Camp Casey, DC. 2:27, Cindy Sheehan leads a group of protesters to the White House.
Those were AP bulletins. Yesterday on Reuters, the bulletins were: 1:30, Cindy Sheehan speaks on Capitol Hill. 1:37, Cindy Sheehan holds a letter to be delivered to the president. 1:44, Cindy Sheehan, escorted by anti-war activists, carries a letter to be delivered to the president. 3:43, Cindy Sheehan speaks on Capitol Hill. 6:52, Cindy Sheehan carries a letter to be delivered to the White House."
They recycled news from 1:30 and 2:30 in the afternoon as bulletins at night. There are one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 bulletins between AP and Reuters all from 12:19 to 6:52 yesterday afternoon. That's right -- more updates on Cindy Sheehan than we are getting on the hurricane.
So that -- that is why I say the anti-war activist Associated Press and the anti-war activist Reuters collaborate with anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, and they presented a total lie. There were 30 people with her. After all this time, after all this media attention, after all this giant bus tour -- 30 people. And we don't know how many of those were paid and how many -- if they were paid -- we don't know how much they were paid.
Limbaugh's claim of "more updates" from the AP and Reuters "on Cindy Sheehan than we are getting on the hurricane" is incorrect, regardless of whether one examines the photography wire he misleadingly cited or the actual AP and Reuters news coverage. In the time period he considered, 35 photographs on Hurricane Rita and emergency preparations for the storm appeared on the AP and Reuters photography wire service, compared with 17 photographs concerning Sheehan. In terms of the actual news wires, a search of AP news stories found only two stories about Sheehan during Limbaugh's time period on September 21, but found 14 stories from the same time frame regarding Hurricane Rita. Likewise, a search of Reuters newswire stories in Limbaugh's time period uncovered only one Cindy Sheehan story (repeated four times), versus 21 articles about Hurricane Rita.
all i've seen and heard for the last three days is the hurricane. rush must be tuning into the planet wingnut news. the good thing is that a lot of his listeners have to realize this is bogus. but then, they are his listeners.
Regardless of the number of photos or stories, there's a big difference in the subjects.
Those with "Rita" in their name concern a catastrophe that Duhhbya had no part in starting.
Not so for those with "Sheehan" in their name.
It's quite a stretch to say that the Cindy Sheehan has been getting more coverage than Hurrican Katrina, or now Hurrican Rita. You can't tune into a news station without hearing everything you ever wanted to know about the hurricanes, and other news on the side. Of just some of the media's tactics of keeping people in fear: first 9/11, then West Nile Virus (ha), Now the Hurricanes.
The Associated Press is one the few news organizations not dispensing the RNC's "Daily Call" talking points, so of course Rush, et al, have the AP on their hit/hate list.
Recall that it was the AP that alerted the nation on election night 2004 that the Florida vote was too close to call, and that caused not only the cable outlets and the networks to reverse their call, but Al Gore too!
Also, the 9-11 Victim's Families consider the AP one of just three American news organizations to properly report the President's stonewalling of that investigation.
So no wonder the RNC media machine hates the AP. Too much anti-war sentiment from the majority of the nation; too little overblown Rita coverage. And as for this weekend's 'topper of a whopper' to push protests and Cindy off the front page, newslead item...
DICK CHENEY'S ELECTIVE KNEE SURGERY!!!
(just what the heck is an "aneurysm of the knee" anyway? and why not just do the 'Fred G. Sanford "This is the big one!" chest pain routine' that Cheney used during the 2004 recount?)
correction, I meant 2000 election of course, not 2004; and furthermore, notice how few examples of media misinformation MMFA catches the AP disseminating.
How dare one or two news formats out of hundreds focus on more than one single story at a time. The must be part of the Bush-hating, liberal press if they aren't using the HUrricanes to wipe out any bad news about Iraq, Rove, Bush, etc.
Hurricanes deserve 24/7 coverage and everybody else can wait in line. I know that seeing Anderson Cooper standing outisde in the dark for hours, or seeing helicopters flying over wreckage does way more to help Americans and American democracy than dissent and questioning policy. So until all hurricanes have left, all damage cleaned up, all people oved back, and no signs of upcoming hurricanes....then we can get back to focusing on the smaller, less important issues to the United States of Americe...like all the missing white girls due to the hurricane!
/sarasm
Q: When is 35 new articles LESS THAN 3 new articles? A: When you're the lead mouthpiece for a HUGE neocon corporation.
Clear Channel is worth 29 billion $!
[link to www.forbesinc.com]
No wonder Rush has a 'golden' microphone. Symbolism aside. All this worship of his mike can't stop a single mom. She's got something on her side that he doesn't: truth & integrity.
"So that -- that is why I say the anti-war activist Associated Press and the anti-war activist Reuters collaborate with anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, and they presented a total lie. There were 30 people with her. After all this time, after all this media attention, after all this giant bus tour -- 30 people."
That's a COMPLETE lie. There were AT LEAST 100,000 people participating in that protest.
And this just in-------CBS news reporting the mother who's son was killed in Iraq, has been arrested in DC. Film at 11