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In reply to the discussion: Jill Abramson: CONDI RICE Personally Asked Me to KILL CIA STORIES [View all]Octafish
(55,745 posts)80. The Emperor's New Hump
The New York Times killed a story that could have changed the electionbecause it could have changed the election
By Dave Lindorff
Project FAIR, Jan.1, 2005
EXCERPT...
The so-called Bulgegate story had been getting tremendous attention on the Internet. Stories about it had also run in many mainstream papers, including the New York Times (10/9/04, 10/18/04) and Washington Post (10/9/04), but most of these had been light-hearted. Indeed, the issue had even made it into the comedy circuit, including the monologues of Jay Leno, David Letterman, Jon Stewart and a set of strips by cartoonist Garry Trudeau.
That the story hadnt gotten more serious treatment in the mainstream press was largely thanks to a well-organized media effort by the Bush White House and the Bush/Cheney campaign to label those who attempted to investigate the bulge as "conspiracy buffs" (Washington Post, 10/9/04). In an era of pinched budgets and an equally pinched notion of the role of the Fourth Estate, the fact that the Kerry camp was offering no comment on the matterperhaps for fear of earning a "conspiracy buff" label for the candidate himselfmay also have made reporters skittish. Jeffrey Klein, a founding editor of Mother Jones magazine, told Mother Jones (online edition, 10/30/04) he had called a number of contacts at leading news organizations across the country, and was told that unless the Kerry campaign raised the issue, they couldnt pursue it.
"Totally off base"
The Times effort to get to the bottom of the matter through a serious investigation seemed to be a striking exception. That investigation, however, despite extensive reporting over several weeks by three Times reporters, never ran. Now, like the mythic weapons of mass destruction that were the raison detre for the Iraq War, the Times is thus far claiming that the Bush Bulgegate story never existed in the first place.
Referring to a FAIR press release (11/5/04) about the spiked story, Village Voice press critic Jarrett Murphy wrote (11/16/04), "A Times reporter alleged to have worked on such a piece says FAIR was totally off base: The paper never pursued the story."
Murphy told Extra! that his source at the nations self-proclaimed paper of recordwhom he would not identifytold him the information about the bulge seen under Bushs jacket during the debates, provided by a senior astronomer and photo imaging specialist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, had been tossed onto the "nutpile," and was never researched further.
In fact, several sources, including a journalist at the Times, have told Extra! that the paper put a good deal of effort into this important story about presidential competence and integrity; they claim that a story was written, edited and scheduled to run on several different days, before senior editors finally axed it at the last minute on Wednesday evening, October 27. A Times journalist, who said that Times staffers were "pretty upset" about the killing of the story, claims the senior editors felt Thursday was "too close" to the election to run such a piece. Emails from the Times to the NASA scientist corroborate these sources accounts.
SNIP...
http://fair.org/extra-online-articles/the-emperors-new-hump/
Photos depicting the bulge and speculating on just what it might be (a medical device, a radio receiver?) began circulating widely around the Internet, and several special blog sites were established to discuss them. The suspicion that Bush had been getting cues or answers in his ear was bolstered by his strange behavior in that first debate, which included several uncomfortably long pauses before and during his answers. On one occasion, he burst out angrily with "Now let me finish!" at a time when nobody was interrupting him and his warning light was not flashing. Images of visibly bulging backs from earlier Bush appearances began circulating, along with reports of prior incidents that suggested Bush might have been receiving hidden cues (London Guardian, 10/8/04).
CONTINUED...
The New York Times put a fork in that election, as the story of the Bush as being too stupid to debate fair-and-square might have been tough for even Rove and Diebold to overcome. As long as there's two of left, Democracy still has a chance, mopinko!
By Dave Lindorff
Project FAIR, Jan.1, 2005
EXCERPT...
The so-called Bulgegate story had been getting tremendous attention on the Internet. Stories about it had also run in many mainstream papers, including the New York Times (10/9/04, 10/18/04) and Washington Post (10/9/04), but most of these had been light-hearted. Indeed, the issue had even made it into the comedy circuit, including the monologues of Jay Leno, David Letterman, Jon Stewart and a set of strips by cartoonist Garry Trudeau.
That the story hadnt gotten more serious treatment in the mainstream press was largely thanks to a well-organized media effort by the Bush White House and the Bush/Cheney campaign to label those who attempted to investigate the bulge as "conspiracy buffs" (Washington Post, 10/9/04). In an era of pinched budgets and an equally pinched notion of the role of the Fourth Estate, the fact that the Kerry camp was offering no comment on the matterperhaps for fear of earning a "conspiracy buff" label for the candidate himselfmay also have made reporters skittish. Jeffrey Klein, a founding editor of Mother Jones magazine, told Mother Jones (online edition, 10/30/04) he had called a number of contacts at leading news organizations across the country, and was told that unless the Kerry campaign raised the issue, they couldnt pursue it.
"Totally off base"
The Times effort to get to the bottom of the matter through a serious investigation seemed to be a striking exception. That investigation, however, despite extensive reporting over several weeks by three Times reporters, never ran. Now, like the mythic weapons of mass destruction that were the raison detre for the Iraq War, the Times is thus far claiming that the Bush Bulgegate story never existed in the first place.
Referring to a FAIR press release (11/5/04) about the spiked story, Village Voice press critic Jarrett Murphy wrote (11/16/04), "A Times reporter alleged to have worked on such a piece says FAIR was totally off base: The paper never pursued the story."
Murphy told Extra! that his source at the nations self-proclaimed paper of recordwhom he would not identifytold him the information about the bulge seen under Bushs jacket during the debates, provided by a senior astronomer and photo imaging specialist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, had been tossed onto the "nutpile," and was never researched further.
In fact, several sources, including a journalist at the Times, have told Extra! that the paper put a good deal of effort into this important story about presidential competence and integrity; they claim that a story was written, edited and scheduled to run on several different days, before senior editors finally axed it at the last minute on Wednesday evening, October 27. A Times journalist, who said that Times staffers were "pretty upset" about the killing of the story, claims the senior editors felt Thursday was "too close" to the election to run such a piece. Emails from the Times to the NASA scientist corroborate these sources accounts.
SNIP...
http://fair.org/extra-online-articles/the-emperors-new-hump/
Photos depicting the bulge and speculating on just what it might be (a medical device, a radio receiver?) began circulating widely around the Internet, and several special blog sites were established to discuss them. The suspicion that Bush had been getting cues or answers in his ear was bolstered by his strange behavior in that first debate, which included several uncomfortably long pauses before and during his answers. On one occasion, he burst out angrily with "Now let me finish!" at a time when nobody was interrupting him and his warning light was not flashing. Images of visibly bulging backs from earlier Bush appearances began circulating, along with reports of prior incidents that suggested Bush might have been receiving hidden cues (London Guardian, 10/8/04).
CONTINUED...
The New York Times put a fork in that election, as the story of the Bush as being too stupid to debate fair-and-square might have been tough for even Rove and Diebold to overcome. As long as there's two of left, Democracy still has a chance, mopinko!
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CIA remains under control of BushInc. No president can crack the inner power circle
blm
Oct 2014
#10
Just stop it. Stop giving a free pass to the Presidents that should know better.
MontyPow
Oct 2014
#54
Glad you asked. Unless you've got Top Secret clearance and a numbered Swiss bank account...
Octafish
Oct 2014
#57
Me, yes, even if much of the Secret Government is beyond apparent control of the president.
Octafish
Oct 2014
#61
I read your post. I concluded that with such powers there is no point in voting.
MontyPow
Oct 2014
#67
The Intercept :James Risen’s new book on war-on-terror abuses comes out tomorrow
Ichingcarpenter
Oct 2014
#7
And, to this very fucking day, anyone who disagrees with the Official Government Handout about
djean111
Oct 2014
#16
Careful, there - I don't think being a Progressive is desired in the New Democratic Party any more.
djean111
Oct 2014
#32
Or at least marginalize them but keep them around for voting purposes. < They may have screwed
jtuck004
Oct 2014
#87
oh the white privilege of complaining after the fact...shouldn't this meeting have been part of the
Supersedeas
Oct 2014
#24
Now you know why I was shocked to hear that the White House had a direct link to
Baitball Blogger
Oct 2014
#25
So why would she capitulate? Either her patriotism got the best of her or she felt threatened.
rhett o rick
Oct 2014
#34
And now Kindasleazy is picking football teams to play for national championship.
liberal N proud
Oct 2014
#51
Kick for an extraordinary thread! Bookmarked for all the excellent information here.
scarletwoman
Oct 2014
#71
lol - if Risen had published an expose of our current administration's fuckups, you can just
whereisjustice
Oct 2014
#72
Translation: I regret that I was and am a tool. As the Church Lady might say,
KingCharlemagne
Oct 2014
#86