Fox News pulls reporter's item with fake Kerry quotes

[Pitt Gorilla]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fox News apologized Friday for posting phony quotes from Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry on its Web site.

Carl Cameron, a Fox reporter who covers the Kerry campaign, wrote an item that looked like a news story with made-up Kerry quotes, said Paul Schur, a Fox spokesman. The item was not intended to be posted on the site.

"Carl made a stupid mistake which he regrets," Schur said Friday night. "And he has been reprimanded for his lapse in judgment. It was a poor attempt at humor."

The phony item posted early Friday read in part:

"Rallying supporters in Tampa Friday Kerry played up his performance in Thursday night's debate in which many observers agreed the Massachusetts senator outperformed the president.

'"Didn't my nails and cuticles look great? What a good debate!' Kerry said Friday.

"With the foreign-policy debate in the history books, Kerry hopes to keep the pressure on and the sense of traction going.

"Aides say he will step up attacks on the president in the next few days, and pivot somewhat to the domestic agenda, with a focus on women and abortion rights.

'"It's about the Supreme Court. Women should like me! I do manicures,' Kerry said."

The item also quoted Kerry as saying of himself and President Bush: "I'm metrosexual — he's a cowboy."

After withdrawing the item, Fox posted a statement on its Web site apologizing for the error. It said: "The item was based on a reporter's partial script that had been written in jest and should not have been posted or broadcast. We regret the error, which occurred because of fatigue and bad judgment, not malice." (Related site: Apology from Fox News)

Cameron has been a political reporter for Fox News since 1996, Schur said.

Asked about the incident, Kerry spokesman David Wade said: "America would be stronger if only George Bush could admit his mistakes as easily."

[MadProphetMargin]

Dan Rather, come home. All is forgiven.

[the Talking Can]

so that's what they mean by fair and balanced......

[MadProphetMargin]

so that's what they mean by fair and balanced......

ROFL

Yeah, and it sounds even BETTER after they hounded Rather when HE ****ed up.

Elections don't get much better than this. The bodies are starting to pile up.

[DanT]

I saw this article earlier this week.

http://paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=78746

Burger King and manicures raise morale for US troops


Wednesday September 29, 2004 (0007 PST)

BAGRAM: Nobody said the hunt for Osama bin Laden would be easy. It's Sunday evening at Bagram air base, the US military hub in Afghanistan, and Specialist Henry Carter has booked himself a little treat.

"It's a manicure," he explains, as a beautician dips his outstretched fingers into a bowl of warm water at the base day spa.

"Helps me relax," he adds, a little bashfully.

In the next chair, a soldier is having his eyebrows trimmed; behind the curtain another is mid-pedicure.

At reception, Sergeant Gregory Duda flicks through a copy of the National Enquirer - M-16 rifle by his side - waiting for his weekly massage. All 12 booths are occupied.

There is no contradiction between body care and military machismo, says the intelligence officer from Georgia. "It keeps you ready," he says. "Sore muscles can really inhibit if you have to fight."

The US president, George Bush, has vowed to keep his army in Afghanistan for the long haul. He has just deployed another 1,000 soldiers to support the country's October 9 election. And as long as Operation Enduring Freedom lasts, his generals want to keep their troops happy, healthy and, if necessary, moisturised.

Bagram is a fortress-like base, surrounded by walls, sandbags and razor wire. Outside the gates children beg passing troops for pens. But inside is a cornucopia of modern conveniences: a music, food and electronics store; internet and video halls; esoteric gift outlets; a beauty spa; and, since July, Afghanistan's first Burger King.

"We know we're going to be here for a while," says Major Stacy Bathrick, a public affairs officer. "If the soldiers have a good quality of life [on base], it means their morale is high when out on mission."

The base store - commonly known as the Postal Exchange - sells everything from pistol holders to DVDs, microwave meals and Osama bin Laden T-shirts. Soldiers are well fed, said Kenneth Limtiaco of AAFES, the company that runs the shops. "But if you want a mocha frappuccino, you can't get it in the mess hall."

Neither can you get a bust of Lenin or a souvenir medal to mark the "Order of the Red Flag Socialist competition" - some of the items on sale at the Soviet-themed gift shop.

It's cheap - 20% less than in the US, says Mr Limtiaco. The beauty salon, which offers a full-body massage for $15 (£8.30), recently extended to a 15-hour day to meet demand.

There are plans for expansion. Pizza Hut and Subway outlets are on the way, and another Burger King is destined for the southern base in Kandahar. AAFES reinvests the profits into other facilities, including a gymnasium complete with a mountain-climbing wall, internet cafes, phone centres and distance learning classes. For the less active there are PlayStation consoles, free popcorn and satellite TV.

There is also a strong social element. In Kandahar the 24-hour Green Beans coffee shop has become the base's social focus. Thursday is salsa night, when soldiers gather to tango into the night. "It's really fun," says Specialist Cassie Gonzalez, a Texan architecture student who suspended her studies for military service.

Camp life is far less luxurious at the remote "firebases", where front-line troops are working on reconstruction and hunting the Taliban remnants. There is little power or running water and the threat of death lurks: three American soldiers were killed last week.

But there is room for occasional extravagances. At Camp Anaconda in arid Uruzgan province, troops celebrated a resupply run last week with a lobster-and-steak dinner.

Fun at the major bases is subject to two restrictions: no alcohol, and no sex between soldiers. The top brass take an indulgent approach to the second rule, says one woman soldier: "If anyone thinks there's no sex, they're just kidding themselves," she says.

There is no such ambiguity at the Bagram beauty salon, staffed by hairdressers and beauticians from the central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan.

A notice tells customers to wear underpants, and warns: "Soliciting any sexual or indecent services/acts is subject to punishment under the Military Code of Uniform Justice."

Tania Mitko, the 24-year-old manager, says: "We're just here to work normally - that's all. Sometimes the soldiers ask us out for a coffee and a talk. But we always say no."

[Taco John]

George Patton is doing coffin gymnastics right about now...

[the Talking Can]

will the board now be flooded for weeks with outrage about this blatant media bias?

[the Talking Can]

"Carl made a stupid mistake which he regrets," Schur said Friday night. "And he has been reprimanded for his lapse in judgment. It was a poor attempt at humor."


why do I imagine that "reprimand" means "high-fived".....

[beavis]

Asked about the incident, Kerry spokesman David Wade said: "America would be stronger if only George Bush could admit his mistakes as easily."
"It's Bush's fault." ROFL

[xposter]

What's the score on media bias?

Bush - Fox

Kerry - ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, HLN, (who have I left out?)

But media bias is OK if it's on the side of Kerry!!!!????

[the Talking Can]

Fox wont stop.

Here's another:

more fair and uh, whatever... (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,134268,00.html)

bottom of the article

. . . the Communists for Kerry (who, in fact, are rooting for Bush) and the Billionaires for Bush (who, of course, are Kerry supporters).

"We're trying to get Comrade Kerry elected and get that capitalist enabler George Bush out of office," said 17-year-old Komoselutes Rob of Communists for Kerry.

"Even though he, too, is a capitalist, he supports my socialist values more than President Bush," said Rob.

Asked several times if his group was a parody, Rob insisted with a straight face that the Communists for Kerry were not, in fact, supporting Bush.

On the other side were the Billionaires for Bush, who in fact are supporting Kerry.

"There should have been some advertising, some commercials to generate money for the U.S.A.," said Hugh G. Monument, VII.

The Bush "supporter" then extolled the president's virtues.

"What I love about Bush is his money and his ability to make more money," he said.

Monument also said that he had increased his ketchup intake as a nod to Kerry and his wife, Teresa.

So why show support for both seemingly night-and-day candidates?

"Darling," he explained, "it's called hedging."

Editor’s Note:

In an version of this article that was published earlier, the Communists for Kerry were portrayed as a group that was supporting John Kerry for president. FOXNews.com’s reporter asked the group’s representative several times whether the group was legitimate and supporting the Democratic candidate, and the spokesman insisted that it was.


That's right...immediately following the debate Fox reported on a group called Communists for Kerry as if they were real. Just another "accident" due to "fatigue", I'm sure...

I'm still waiting for the weeks of outrage by republicans who will now never watch Fox again because of thier bias...

[xposter]

Fox wont stop.

Here's another:

more fair and uh, whatever... (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,134268,00.html)

bottom of the article

. . . the Communists for Kerry (who, in fact, are rooting for Bush) and the Billionaires for Bush (who, of course, are Kerry supporters).

"We're trying to get Comrade Kerry elected and get that capitalist enabler George Bush out of office," said 17-year-old Komoselutes Rob of Communists for Kerry.

"Even though he, too, is a capitalist, he supports my socialist values more than President Bush," said Rob.

Asked several times if his group was a parody, Rob insisted with a straight face that the Communists for Kerry were not, in fact, supporting Bush.

On the other side were the Billionaires for Bush, who in fact are supporting Kerry.

"There should have been some advertising, some commercials to generate money for the U.S.A.," said Hugh G. Monument, VII.

The Bush "supporter" then extolled the president's virtues.

"What I love about Bush is his money and his ability to make more money," he said.

Monument also said that he had increased his ketchup intake as a nod to Kerry and his wife, Teresa.

So why show support for both seemingly night-and-day candidates?

"Darling," he explained, "it's called hedging."

Editor’s Note:

In an version of this article that was published earlier, the Communists for Kerry were portrayed as a group that was supporting John Kerry for president. FOXNews.com’s reporter asked the group’s representative several times whether the group was legitimate and supporting the Democratic candidate, and the spokesman insisted that it was.


That's right...immediately following the debate Fox reported on a group called Communists for Kerry as if they were real. Just another "accident" due to "fatigue", I'm sure...

I'm still waiting for the weeks of outrage by republicans who will now never watch Fox again because of thier bias...


Why is it that you don't complain about the liberal media bias? My guess is that you can't see it due to your own bias.

[BCD]

The Left just hates the fact that FOXNews beats the shit out of everyone else in the ratings...

[BCD]

These are obviously in jest, Kerry people just can't take a joke...Its OK the call the President stupid, though...

[mmaddog]

will the board now be flooded for weeks with outrage about this blatant media bias?

I don't know TC.....I haven't seen much from the Left apologizing for the mistakes made in the reporting, so I doubt you will see much from the Right.

The reporting and false accusations in this year's election have been pretty sad from both sides. To think that one side is more angelic than the other would be to show a bias.

mmaddog
*******

[whoman69]

The Left just hates the fact that FOXNews beats the shit out of everyone else in the ratings...
They pander to their audience with their bias. Say what you want about liberal media bias, but the other networks at least try to have a balanced program. They report positive events in the Bush campaign and allow Bush spokesman equal time. They have spokesman for the conservative side that are not just there for window dressing.

[mmaddog]

They pander to their audience with their bias. Say what you want about liberal media bias, but the other networks at least try to have a balanced program. They report positive events in the Bush campaign and allow Bush spokesman equal time. They have spokesman for the conservative side that are not just there for window dressing.

IMO, NBC has been the least balanced....I've seen more Democratic party members the last week on the Today show than I have seen in the last year.

mmaddog
*******

[whoman69]

IMO, NBC has been the least balanced....I've seen more Democratic party members the last week on the Today show than I have seen in the last year.

mmaddog
*******
I was thinking more of the news networks than the entertainment networks. I don't even watch those anymore, especially since they don't even think the conventions are worth airing over summer repeats.

[BCD]

They pander to their audience with their bias. Say what you want about liberal media bias, but the other networks at least try to have a balanced program. They report positive events in the Bush campaign and allow Bush spokesman equal time. They have spokesman for the conservative side that are not just there for window dressing.I'm not to stubborn to admit that FOXNews is slanted slightly to the right. All I can say is, Its about damned time! Everyone else is far left.

[the Talking Can]

I don't know TC.....I haven't seen much from the Left apologizing for the mistakes made in the reporting, so I doubt you will see much from the Right.

The reporting and false accusations in this year's election have been pretty sad from both sides. To think that one side is more angelic than the other would be to show a bias.

mmaddog
*******
No, bias is spending weeks filling the board with outrage about Dan Rather then remaining silent when- on the night of the debate, watched by 60+ million people- the "reporter" covering the Kerry campaign is caught mocking them, extensively, in print, published on the web for millions to see. While, simultaneously, Fox news is interviewing "Communists for Kerry" as if they were a real group- doing less research on the group than Dan Rather's big toe. How's that for assiting the Republican spin machine on a night when the President was made to look like a confused, bitter, old man.

The simple point being that if you were moved to voluminously express your outrage at CBS' misdeeds, then you would be moved to do so about this....unless, of course, your outrage was phony, selective, partisan, hypocritical, cheap, and unprincipled.

[Mr. Kotter]

.....unless, of course, your outrage was phony, selective, partisan, hypocritical, cheap, and unprincipled.

Don't be so hard on yourself, TC; we still love you like a brother.... :thumb:

;)

[mmaddog]

No, bias is spending weeks filling the board with outrage about Dan Rather then remaining silent when- on the night of the debate, watched by 60+ million people- the "reporter" covering the Kerry campaign is caught mocking them, extensively, in print, published on the web for millions to see. While, simultaneously, Fox news is interviewing "Communists for Kerry" as if they were a real group- doing less research on the group than Dan Rather's big toe. How's that for assiting the Republican spin machine on a night when the President was made to look like a confused, bitter, old man.

The simple point being that if you were moved to voluminously express your outrage at CBS' misdeeds, then you would be moved to do so about this....unless, of course, your outrage was phony, selective, partisan, hypocritical, cheap, and unprincipled.

Sorry TC, but having watched most all the networks over the last several months, IMO, there is blame all around. I haven't read enough of your posts to know if you were "outraged" at the Dan Rather debacle, or if you are as concerned at the ties to both parties by groups whose sole purpose is to defeat the other candidates ( Swift Boat, George Soros)...or watched as Carville almost burst a blood vessel on the Today show screaming about the tactics that the Bush organization chose in the debate format, which were no different than the same tactics he employed when he was Clintons front man for the debates.....or the follow up interviews that Zell Miller had after his meltdown at the RNC....or the crass Whoopi Goldberg comments at the fund-raiser....

My outrage is all around...both parties have chosen to take the campaign to new lows....to say otherwise would show political bias.

mmaddog
*******

[Mr. Kotter]

Sorry TC, but having watched most all the networks over the last several months, IMO, there is blame all around. I haven't read enough of your posts to know if you were "outraged" at the Dan Rather debacle, or if you are as concerned at the ties to both parties by groups whose sole purpose is to defeat the other candidates ( Swift Boat, George Soros)...or watched as Carville almost burst a blood vessel on the Today show screaming about the tactics that the Bush organization chose in the debate format, which were no different than the same tactics he employed when he was Clintons front man for the debates.....or the follow up interviews that Zell Miller had after his meltdown at the RNC....or the crass Whoopi Goldberg comments at the fund-raiser....

My outrage is all around...both parties have chosen to take the campaign to new lows....to say otherwise would show political bias.

mmaddog
*******

TC's outrage is squarely focused on one side of the isle... :rolleyes:

[memyselfI]

Where are the calls from the media watchdogs on this board who wanted investigations and Congressional involvement over fabricating news???? :hmmm: