Reporting the results of a newly released survey of war-induced Iraqi civilian deaths, on the October 11 edition of ABC's World News, host Charles Gibson, while noting that President Bush “maintained” in a press conference earlier that day that the study “is just not credible,” falsely reported that Bush “also said that too many innocents are dying” in Iraq. During his October 11 press conference, Bush said that he “know[s] that a lot of innocent people have died” in Iraq, not "too many innocents are dying," as Gibson asserted. In fact, Bush actually praised Iraqis for “tolerat[ing]” the “level of violence” that has occurred in Iraq.

Referring to the study by Johns Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health, which found that "[a]s many as 654,965 more Iraqis may have died since hostilities began in Iraq in March 2003 than would have been expected under pre-war conditions," CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux asked Bush, at the press conference, if he “care[d] to amend” his earlier assertion that “30,000” Iraqi civilians have died since March 2003, and whether he considered the survey to be “a credible report.” Bush replied: “No, I don't consider it a credible report,” adding, “I do know that a lot of innocent people have died, and that troubles me, and it grieves me.” Bush then said that he is “amazed that this is a society which so wants to be free that they're willing ... that there's a level of violence that they tolerate.”

From the October 11 edition of ABC's World News with Charles Gibson:

GIBSON: There is a controversial new study about civilian deaths in Iraq that was released today. Researchers from Johns Hopkins claim more than 600,000 Iraqis have died in violence since the U.S. invasion. That number is a good deal higher than other estimates -- and President Bush maintained today that the new study is just not credible. But he also said that too many innocents are dying. And in our “Closer Look” tonight, ABC's Terry McCarthy reports the widespread killing is affecting every aspect of life in Iraq.

From the October 11 edition of CNN Newsroom:

MALVEAUX: Thank you, Mr. President. Back on Iraq: A group of American and Iraqi health officials today released a report saying that 655,000 Iraqis have died since the Iraq war. That figure is 20 times the figure that you cited in December, at 30,000. Do you care to amend or update your figure, and do you consider this a credible report?

BUSH: No, I don't consider it a credible report. Neither does General [George W.] Casey [commander of Multi-National Force, Iraq], and neither do Iraqi officials. I do -- I do know that a lot of innocent people have died, and that troubles me, and it grieves me. And I applaud the Iraqis for their courage in the face of violence.

I -- I'm, you know, amazed that this is a society which so wants to be free that they're willing to -- you know -- that there's a level of violence that they tolerate. And it's now time for the Iraqi government to work hard to bring security in neighborhoods, so people can feel -- can feel -- you know, at peace.