UPDATED: AP's Pickler falsely asserted Bill Clinton "said Obama's candidacy was a 'fairy tale' "
SUMMARY: Associated Press writer Nedra Pickler falsely asserted that former President Bill Clinton "said [Sen. Barack] Obama's candidacy was a 'fairy tale.' " In fact, Clinton's comment -- "Give me a break. This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I've ever seen." -- referred to Obama's statements about his position on the Iraq war, not the Obama campaign itself, as Pickler herself has previously reported.
In a June 24 Associated Press article about former President Bill Clinton pledging to help elect Sen. Barack Obama, writer Nedra Pickler falsely asserted that Clinton "said Obama's candidacy was a 'fairy tale.' " In fact, Clinton's January 7 comment -- "Give me a break. This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I've ever seen." -- referred to Obama's statements about his position on the Iraq war, not the Obama campaign itself, as Media Matters for America has documented. Indeed, Pickler herself noted in a January 14 AP article that "Bill Clinton said Illinois Sen. Obama was telling a 'fairy tale' about his opposition to the Iraq war."
In a January 13 piece for The New York Times' Week In Review section, reporter Mark Leibovich noted that in using the words "fairy tale," Clinton "was referring specifically to the perception that Mr. Obama was totally pure in his opposition to the Iraq war." Additionally, on the January 11 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, Salon.com editor-in-chief Joan Walsh told host Chris Matthews, "I don't think it was a wise remark, but specifically the context of what he was saying was that ... the notion that Obama had always been steadfastly opposed to the war was the 'fairy tale.' Not that his candidacy was a fairy tale."
Media Matters has noted other instances in which news outlets -- including Newsweek and The Washington Post -- similarly misreported that Clinton's "fairy tale" remarks referred generally to Obama's candidacy.
From Pickler's June 24 Associated Press article:
Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke Sunday and talked about Obama connecting with the former president sometime in the future, Burton said.
Bill Clinton was an outspoken critic of Obama during the primary race. He said Obama's candidacy was a "fairy tale" and raised questions about whether the first-term Illinois senator had the experience to lead the country. During one debate Obama snapped at Hillary Clinton, "I can't tell who I'm running against sometimes."
UPDATE: The AP issued an amended version of Pickler's article on June 24, which replaced the false assertion about President Clinton's remarks with the following statement: "He said Obama's opposition to the Iraq war was a 'fairy tale.' "
That's right, criticism of Obama is deeply offensive. How dare anyone challenge him!
And can you imagine that Hillary, actually running against Obama as an opponent? Who does she think she is? That just proves they'll do anything to win, doesn't it?
That's right, criticism of Obama is deeply offensive. How dare anyone challenge him
No be critical of Obama but do not say his position on Iraq is a fairytale when your wife helped give Bushie the blank check to kill 4000 Americans.
And Obama voted every time to fund the troops there. That was what Clinton was saying, that Obama was being phony about it.
Plus, Hillary never voted for the Iraq war-- she voted for authorization to do the correct thing, which was to find evidence first. It was NOT a declaration of war, and unlike the pundits now try to claim, not "everybody" knew it was at the time.
Bill Clinton was a great president. Sorry to let the facts get in the way.
I think the most disturbing thing about this last campaign was all the incredibly vicious and inane Clinton-hatred. It made no sense, and it makes you wonder just what is going on with so many Obama fans. I'm curious what the psychology is here.
Disrespect is an understatement, to characterize the way the Clintons were portrayed in this past Democratic Primary process... and the false charge of racism was perhaps the worst of it all... and the whole thing still re-verberates, and is worthy of reflection.
There was a "cascading" effect: anything said by either Sen. Clinton or her husband about Sen. Obama, was reported in the media in a breathless gasping tone... "nasty" and "attacking" were the phony characterizations of how the Clinton campaign was working... and it was hard to tell just how much of what would follow, was contrived and provoked, or simply a sincere and understandable over-reaction (and hyper-sensitivity): but the "cascading" would involve an overblown interpretation of whatever thing was said by the Clintons ("fairy tale" is a good example: "as far as I know" comes to mind also)... and this just amplified and repeated the false charges of "nasty" and "attacking", until the frothing back and forth of Clinton-hatred looked more like the spurring of an insane mob, than a political campaign...
An insane mob all worked up, over things like "fairy tale" and "as far as I know": who could have imagined even a short time ago, that any significant element of the American Electorate, could be so hyper-sensitive and easily provoked (or easily manipulated by the "media" of their choice), into thinking the term "fairy tale" was "nasty" and "attacking"...
Boss Tweed would have laughed himself silly, at the thought that the term "fairy tale" was nasty or attacking.
And you know, that same crowd is either continuing sincerely in an insane and frothing misinterpretation of how the political campaign of Sen. Clinton was run... or maybe it's just all contrived nonsense, to make them feel not so bad, about how they over-reacted to it all...
They're stilling frothing and seething over a television commercial, that showed nothing more offensive than a child sleeping in a bed, and a telephone ringing at 3 am: and did nothing more than remind us of the serious role the President plays, in our National Security and as Commander in Chief... and questioned the qualifications of a candidate to perform that role and those functions, as we would expect every single candidate to be questioned that way, bar none.
"Pictures of a sleeping child... and of a telephone ringing? And questioning whether I can serve the functions of Law Enforcement and National Security, as President?" Boss Tweed would have asked incredulously "And there's a generation of Americans so hyper-sensitive that they think that's 'nasty' and 'attacking'?" Boss Tweed would have asked...
He'd have laughed, and wondered aloud "What has happened to Americans, and to American Politics, in all the years that I have been dead?"
I'd have told him "A thing called television, Mr. Tweed... television has addled the minds of millions of Americans, and placed their eyes and their minds on the end of a string, to be pulled this way and that way and whichever way serves the broadcaster's interests: until the people have been jerked about into an insane frothing mob, reeling from 'fairy tale' attacks, and sleeping child telephone 3 am 'nastiness'"
Disingenuous. This television audience that is supposedly being manipulated is, quite simply, a modern American political public that is far more aware of those who attempt to do the manipulating. Those who take the medium and can intimate much more with a couple interviewed words and a 30 second spot than Boss Tweed ever dreamed possible.
For you to say that anyone who disagrees with the way the Clintons ran their campaign as "manipulated" is condescending to a savvy political audience that you would rather not give credit.
I never said what you just wrote that I said... not even close.
I am misconstruing your post?
An insane mob all worked up, over things like "fairy tale" and "as far as I know": who could have imagined even a short time ago, that any significant element of the American Electorate, could be so hyper-sensitive and easily provoked (or easily manipulated by the "media" of their choice)
Where?
You really are nuts, aren't you?
There isn't one true word in anything you just stated. You're just making it up. If this is STILL typical thinking of Obama supporters, then to hell with the Democratic Party. They deserve to lose.
the supposedly innocent "child sleeping" ad, for example, intimates that that child will DIE under a President Obama.
And you know it,
Your insane if that's what you think.
We disagree, and I am either "maniuplated" or "insane".
Again, I think you might have a problem with condescending to people who are experiencing the same campaign as you and coming away with different opinions.
No, we don't disagree. I said you're insane for claiming that:
"the supposedly innocent "child sleeping" ad, for example, intimates that that child will DIE under a President Obama"
...and you are, you're insane for thinking that.
It calls directly into question Obama's supposed lack of experience and how that lack of exoperience will affect the nation (and specifically that sleeping child) in an international crisis. She sleeps safely under Clinton, but under Obama...?
Why is that "insane"?
Yes. Pull them out.
But get ready for rebuttal, because you're full of it. She did nothing wrong.
For you to say that anyone who disagrees with the way the Clintons ran their campaign as "manipulated" is condescending to a savvy political audience that you would rather not give credit.
What savvy audience?
The media hatred for Clinton was unbelievable. There is no possible argument there. And it continues. Every action of hers was framed in the worst way possible--she couldn't even order breakfast without it being used against her.
It was all completely beyond the pale-- the Clintons did nothing wrong, except she ran against a guy who so many of his supporters have some kind of odd psychological complex about. And aided by a rabid, dishonest press, who laugh at do-gooders and ridicule people who have the courage to call their bluff, as did Bill Clinton.
I feel that the Clinton campaign used demonstrably poor judgement many times. And it doesn't mean that I have been manipulated by the media, as seems to be the argument du jour.
You and Dem condescend with that argument to those who agree with me. And we are legion.
Yes, there are many of you. That's why Hillary won more popular votes.
The Clintons did nothing wrong, nothing at all. This malicious slander against Hillary is so ridiculous, and so historically ignorant (how dare she campaign) that I can't believe it's even happening.
I don't blame Obama-- but his supporters, so many of them, are truly nuts, as well as dishonest. Their hatred against the Clintons is totally irrational.
To call her election campaign "outrageous" is just plain stupid, too. If anything, she was a lightweight against Obama.
BTW, didn't she get more votes?.....sorry to bring up that uncomfortable little fact.
To call her election campaign "outrageous" is just plain stupid, too. If anything, she was a lightweight against Obama.
BTW, didn't she get more votes?.....sorry to bring up that uncomfortable little fact. "
I am an Obama supporter and I am neither a nut nor irrational. I have nothing against the Clintons and I think Bill Clinton was one of the best Presidents in recent hsitory. When I went into the booth to vote in the Primaries, I decided who to vote for on their merits.
BTW, I am registered as unenrolled (Independent)
Your bringing up "she got more votes" is, in my view, living by your own made-up rules and irrelavent.
SUEELD, will you at least attempt to explain what part of Clinton's statement was "disrespectful"?
You lack critical thinking. You are a parrot who repeats what Maureen Dowd, George Will and other group-thinking pundits say. You have a brain, presumably. Use it.
TRUTHSEEKER
Saying that someones Iraq policy is a "fairytale" is disrespectful. Especially when you supported the blank check and voted for it , in the case of Hillary and her husband.
As for your personal insults, go to hell , you parot the morons at FOX News. jerk.
That is not disrespectful. "fairy tale" is a metaphore used to describe comments which are not consistent with reality. By the way, Clinton referred to the way Obama represented his own position on Iraq, not to his position on the war per se. If you had so much as read the MMFA summary, you would know this.
Our next lesson is: how not to change the subject. Repeat after me, SUEELD: Nedra Pickler is a liar.
Ah, sanctimoniousness.
That's typical of so many Obama supporters, when they can't rebutt a charge.
Bill C. was referring to Obama acting as if he were against the war (when he didn't have to make the vote, how convenient...) and then voting FOR THE FUNDING every year!
'Fairy tale" is a nice way of putting it. It was actually hypocrisy on Obama's part.
Truthseeker is a board disruptor and Obama hater...
Ah, a disrupter, eh?
Now we can see why Obama's going to lose--- his own supporters, so many of them, are intolerant to their fellow Democrats, who are hence going to care less to go to the polls this November and vote for him.
"Our next lesson is: how not to change the subject. Repeat after me, SUEELD: Nedra Pickler is a liar."
You got that right.
These writers/pundits can't be that dumb. They have to have an agenda. (See: Michelle Obama not being proud of her country).
I had the unfortunate circumstance to end up on foxnews' blog on the Dobson story about how he says Obama is "misinterpreting the Bible." I read some of the comments, and let me tell you, there are some idiots out there. People actually believe Obama refuses, to this day, to say the pledge of allegiance, like, ever.
I think I've gotten to the point where I just don't care anymore. This whole circus is getting really depressing. :(
The Right just sat back and laughed and Kos, Huffington, the media and others did their work for them by tearing into the Clintons.
When you see some of these lefties treating the Clintons just like they treat Bush, it makes you wonder if they even know why Bush is bad.
Like Olbermann these days, they lack credibility. I think it's all about mommy and daddy, really, and not any concern over life here in the U.S.
And a Democrat/Liberal was one of the first, if not the first to accuse Bill Clinton, wrongly.
"For him to go after Obama, using fairy tale, calling him a kid, as he did last week, it's an insult," said Donna Brazile, a leading Democratic strategist who managed Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign. "And I tell you, as an African-American, I find his words and his tone to be very depressing."
Ha!...oh Fog you crack me up.
So is it ok for a Republican professional campaign manager/strategist to LIE or is fibbing only overlooked & justified if it's a Dem?
"And I tell you, as an African-American, I find his words and his tone to be very depressing."
That, folks, is what you call PLAYING THE RACE CARD.
Obama supporters like Brazile (she always was one) did this kind of thing all the time.