Media conservatives baselessly claimed that many Democrats urged NY Times not to run bank tracking story
SUMMARY: Several conservative media figures baselessly asserted that "a lot" of Democrats, including Rep. John P. Murtha (D-PA), had asked The New York Times not to publish an article disclosing a secret counterterrorism program that involves tracking bank records. But Times executive editor Bill Keller named only three people outside the administration (two of whom were Democrats) who Keller said contacted the Times regarding the story; moreover, he did not say whether the two Democrats advocated against publishing the article.
Conservative media figures, including Fox News hosts and contributors Steve Doocy, David Asman, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA), baselessly asserted that "a lot" of Democrats, including Rep. John P. Murtha (D-PA), had asked The New York Times not to publish an article disclosing a secret counterterrorism program that involves tracking the bank records of "thousands of Americans and others in the United States." In fact, on the June 26 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, Times executive editor Bill Keller named only three people outside the administration (two of whom were Democrats) who Keller said contacted the Times regarding the story; moreover, he did not say whether the two Democrats he named -- Murtha and former 9-11 Commission vice chairman Lee Hamilton -- advocated against publishing the article. A letter from Treasury Secretary John Snow to Keller -- responding to Keller's claims that the government's attempts to discourage the article's publication were "half-hearted" -- also noted that Hamilton and 9-11 Commission chairman Thomas H. Kean (a Republican) had contacted the Times and, in Snow's words, "urg[ed] the [Times] not to publish the story."
Discussing the Times' disclosure of the finance tracking program with Gingrich on the June 26 edition of The Big Story with John Gibson, guest-host David Asman claimed that "a lot" of Democrats called the Times, urging the newspaper not to publish the story. Gingrich agreed:
ASMAN: And as far as this particular leak is concerned, so far it seems that there is bipartisan condemnation of the leak and the decision by the Times. I mean, there were a lot of Democrats that called the editors of the Times asking them not to print this story, right?
GINGRICH: Yes. I mean, I don't understand the pathology that seems to inhabit now The New York Times' editorial decisions, and I don't know whether it's the senior management or what's going on there.
Similarly, on the June 27 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, co-host Steve Doocy asserted that "John Murtha called the Times" to discourage the newspaper from disclosing the program. Doocy added, "A whole bunch of Republicans and Democrats called and said, 'Don't do it.' "
BRIAN KILMEADE (co-host): So here's what Keller says, he acts like he is surprised that there's this type of outrage within the administration. He says the administration made a secondary argument --
E.D. HILL (co-host): In America!
KILMEADE: -- that publication of this article would lead terrorists to change tactics, but he said the argument was made in a half-hearted way. And then Secretary Snow, not [White House press secretary] Tony Snow but John Snow, who hasn't left yet -- thought he did --he says, "Wait a second, what are you talking about? I asked for a meeting, we expressed consent, we had leaders of the Republican and Democratic side which may have included John Murtha, make calls asking you not to write it, and you wrote it anyway."
DOOCY: That's right. They tried for two months; the administration did, to make sure that the Times didn't publish it. John Murtha called the Times and said, "Don't do it." Lee Hamilton called, said, "Don't do it." Tom Kean called, said, "Don't do it." A whole bunch of Republicans and Democrats called and said, "Don't do it."
But on the June 26 edition of The Situation Room, host Wolf Blitzer, in a telephone interview with Keller, asked if Secretary Snow's assertion that Democrats requested that the Times not disclose the program was true. Keller replied that "three people outside of the administration were asked by the administration to call" the Times and urge the newspaper not to run the story. Later in the interview, he revealed the three: "Tom Kean, Lee Hamilton, and Congressman Jack Murtha." In addition, while refusing to reveal the details of those conversations, Keller added: "I will say that not all of them urged us not to publish." When Blitzer asked: "Who were the three people outside of the administration that asked you not to report this information?" Keller did name Kean, Hamilton, and Murtha, but he made clear that he was confirming only that the three spoke to him, not whether they had discouraged or supported the paper's decision to publish the story.
From the June 26 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:
BLITZER: The treasury secretary, John Snow, says not only Bush administration officials but others appealed to you not to disclose this information, including Democrats, representatives from the 9-11 Commission, including the chairman and the co-chairman, as well as members of Congress on the intelligence committees. Is that true?
KELLER: To the best of my knowledge, three people outside of the administration were asked by the administration to call us. I spoke to one of them. One of them spoke to our Washington bureau chief. One of them spoke to Jill Abramson, our managing editor. All of them spoke, they thought, in confidence, and I don't think I will breach the confidence of what they said, although I will say that not all of them urged us not to publish.
BLITZER: Because in the letter from the treasury secretary, he specifically refers to former Democratic Congressman Lee Hamilton, who, together with the chairman of the 9-11 Commission, Governor Tom Kean of New Jersey, appealed to you not to print this information. I assume you can confirm Lee Hamilton, since the treasury secretary has disclosed his name.
KELLER: I am happy to tell you who we spoke to. I think I'll leave it to them to tell you what they actually said, but I will say that --
BLITZER: Who were the three people outside of the administration that asked you not to report this information?
KELLER: Tom Kean, Lee Hamilton, and Congressman Jack Murtha.
BLITZER: Congressman Jack Murtha, who has been an outspoken critic of the war in Iraq.
[link to www.theinfozone.net]
Updated! June 27, 2006 Swiftboat II? Newspapers Issuing Correction to Reporting US Congressman John Murtha D-PA was in Florida over the weekend at a Townhall meeting at Florida International University.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported, Murtha saying, "American presence in Iraq is more dangerous to world peace than nuclear threats from North Korea or Iran to a crowd of more than 200 in North Miami Saturday afternoon." Teri Hayt, Managing Editor of The Arizona Star emails, "Sharon Rosenhause (Managing Editor of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel) from Ft. Lauderdale has just sent me a note saying that Rep. Murtha’s office has contacted them saying he was quoted out of context. Sharon will be issuing a correction that will will run." The Arizona Star version of the story, which was linked on Sunday night by Matt Drudge has yet to issue a correction.
In the article, reporter Elizabeth Baier quoted several other of Congressman John Murtha's statements in her article, as well as a quote from others at the event, but did not quote the comments alleged to have been said by Murtha in the first paragraph of her article. Melissa Sanchez of the Miami Herald replying to an email, says that while Murtha made the comment, "That was in reference to international polls. It was not so much his own conjecture, but a conclusion drawn from polls in various countries."
So this alleged and most controversial statement, written by Baier appears to have taken his comments out of context.
The article has become a hot topic on the blogsphere. Conservative bloggers picked up the story and are repeating Baier's first paragraph of her article as a statement of fact. This started Sunday night, when Matt Drudge picked up the story on his web site.
The Wall Street Journal, in an OP-ED piece covered this story on Monday, June 26, 2006. The Wall Street Journal story cites the South Florida Sun-Sentinel as quoting US Rep. John Murtha.
Fox News has picked up the story, as well, The India Times and many other mainstream media outlets are picking up the Florida Sun-Sentinel article.
Technorati which is a blogging link site, has as of 1800Hrs, on June 26, 2006 grown to 460 blog references to Baier's article.
Jerry Springer Journalism? Earl Maucker, the editor of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel newspaper, when asked why the statement was not quoted like other comments by Murtha in Baier's article, said the reporter "may have been giving the essense of what the congressman's speech covered".
Maucker knew the article was creating a buzz on the Internet but he had not talked with his reporter about the story, but stated he would be talking to Phillip Ward, the deputy editor of the South florida Sun-Sentinel.
The Miami Herald, which also covered the Town Hall Meeting, quotes Murtha, but does not mention his controversial comment.
Murtha's press secretary, Cindy Abrams, stated that Murtha does not speak from a prepared text, but usually uses speaking points for his speeches. Abrams was unaware if Murtha had actually made the comment.
Infozone readers have contacted this site. They are concerned that the blogsphere, in leaping on Baier's controversial comments in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel is a form of 'Jerry Springer Journalism'.
In journalism today, reporters usually tape events they are attending to make sure the comments they quote are accurate.
Has Ms Baier's article, in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel started a 'Swiftboat campaign' against US Congressman Murtha?
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James Murray The Infozone Following the truth and reporting on the journey
S.W.I.F.T. boating.
Keller on the witness stand during his trial.
As far as Murtha is concerned, there is plenty of Abscam tape of him accepting bribes and plenty of tape accusing him marines of purposely killing women and children.
Murtha deserves swiftboating, but he doesn't needed. There is plenty of documented evidence to sink his career.
By Cheney/Snow/King standards, the Patriot act is treasonous. Why? Go read section 314, especially this part: "(2) COOPERATION AND INFORMATION SHARING PROCEDURES- The regulations adopted under paragraph (1) may include or create procedures for cooperation and information sharing focusing on-- ...(C) means of facilitating the identification of accounts and transactions involving terrorist groups and facilitating the exchange of information concerning such accounts and transactions between financial institutions and law enforcement organizations."
Next time one of your Repug friends(?!), relatives, or co-workers rants about the NY Times as 'traitors', ask them this: Do you think the terrorists have read the Patriot Act? Yes? YES? WELL, THEN THEY F'ING KNOW WE ARE WATCHING ALL THEIR FINANCIAL ACTIVITY (unless, of course, they are Saudis)! SO, please, pretty please, try to charge and prosecute the NY Times and GET YOUR A$$ HANDED TO YOU! Sorry about all the caps, I'm pissed.
I read your stuff and by rights, you make sense coming from your side. But on this matter you can take the leatherhelment fill it with POO and wear it to class. If facts concerning a non"secret" program have you looking for NYT's head, it is only because BUSH and CHENEY spoke out about something they know is a LIE, they know it is not a secret..but what else would we expect. Hell, it is also printed in the UN manual and names S>W>I>F>T> as one of the participants. I think that they are trying to ruin the NYT's crediblity because they probably know that these "traitors" really have the goods on them and they must be preemptive in their attacks so that when the POO hits the fan, all of you Bush Bottle Feeders will say "See, they are just MAD or CRAZY".
Helmet, look forward to reading your stuff again, but please be fair, not unbalanced