AP goes to eleven! (Now with 'don't tug on Superman's cape' update)
After petulantly shrugging off media fascination with Sarah Palin’s new book two days ago — “who cares?” — Media Matters now features the book front and center on its homepage, and gloats:
AP fact-checks Palin’s Going Rogue
Now: I’ve noted here before that it takes three (count ‘em!) employees of the George Soros Steno Pool to tackle the exhausting, labor-intensive task of listening to Rush Limbaugh for three whole hours every day. Then writing down what he says. Then posting his “offensive” jokes on the Media Matters website. In bold type!
But the Associate Press outdoes Media Matters today. Who says traditional journalism has no future?
One man decoded the Rosetta Stone. Two guys with manual typewriters waded through “Watergate”. But today, it apparently takes eleven “reporters” to read a book (“It was hardcover!”), unearth “errors” that aren’t very important and in some cases aren’t even “errors”, then write a 700-word article about their epoch-making discoveries.
One “Calvin Woodward” (hmmm….) cops the byline, but assuming you read all the way down to the end of the story (which, come to think of it, is highly unlikely), you learn that:
AP writers Matt Apuzzo, Sharon Theimer, Tom Raum, Rita Beamish, Beth Fouhy, H. Josef Hebert, Justin D. Pritchard, Garance Burke, Dan Joling and Lewis Shaine contributed to this report.
A report about, for instance, the sorts of hotels Palin stayed in during her campaign — a topic that’s kept me awake many a night. Mark Steyn (I’m pretty sure all by himself) does the math:
That looks like AP paid 1.8333333 fact-checkers to agree with Mrs Palin: She says she didn’t “often” go for “high-end” hotels; they say she “usually opted for less-pricey hotels”. That’s gonna make one must-see edition of “Point/Counterpoint”.
Or is AP arguing “four nights” counts as “often”? Is that the point? AP assigned 11 reporters to demonstrate that four is a large number?
No word on whether or not Palin ate the mint on her pillow. Was it dark chocolate? Is that question “racist”? I await Media Matters’ verdict. Assuming they have enough staffers on hand to deliver it.
As for AP: Might a Pulitzer be in the offing? And can they divide one eleven ways?
UPDATE (3:35PM ET)
But it gets even better. Media Matters’s typo-generator in chief, Eric “the Excitable” Boehlert, rouses himself to accuse senior journalist, Fleet Street and BBC veteran, bestselling author and internationally renowned columnist Mark Steyn of being an amateur:
Hey, Eric: not only does Mark Steyn know how “journalism” works, he even knows how to spell it!
Trackbacks and Pingbacks
- Stewart catches Fox with it's snout in the henhouse - Page 35 - Political Forum
- Stewart catches Fox with it's snout in the henhouse - Page 35 - Political Forum
- Palin Fact Check - Page 3 - Political Forum
- Palin Fact Check - Page 3 - Political Forum
- AP fact checks Climategate emails — what could go wrong? | NewsReal Blog
There are a lot of reporters looking to hold on to their jobs and doing an excellant job of screwing up any chance they have to remain credible once the smoke clears.
There are a lot of reporters looking to hold on to their jobs and doing an excellant job of screwing up any chance they have to remain credible once the smoke clears.
And the left thinks itself smarter than the right? How do people this stupid get themselves into these sorts of positions? Are there no adults in the room? No wonder the MSM is going to Hell in a handbasket. With any luck the New York Times will either be dead or under Mexican ownership in a year, can AP be far behind? I can’t wait.
And the left thinks itself smarter than the right? How do people this stupid get themselves into these sorts of positions? Are there no adults in the room? No wonder the MSM is going to Hell in a handbasket. With any luck the New York Times will either be dead or under Mexican ownership in a year, can AP be far behind? I can’t wait.
I guess when you count on your fingers, four seems like a pretty big number.
I guess when you count on your fingers, four seems like a pretty big number.
Anybody else notice they misspelled journalism?!
Anybody else notice they misspelled journalism?!
In Media Matters’ reply to Steyn, that is. Somebody get a screenshot!
In Media Matters’ reply to Steyn, that is. Somebody get a screenshot!
Done! Thanks Ellie!
They also originally complained of “sex errors” instead of “six errors” but alas, somebody caught that one before I could snap it!
Done! Thanks Ellie!
They also originally complained of “sex errors” instead of “six errors” but alas, somebody caught that one before I could snap it!
It continues to amaze me to see how the left continue to attack and denigrate Palin while at the same time telling us they have no fear of her as a politician. Either they have no fear of her, in which case they would ignore her. Or, they have great fear of her, in which case they would attack her at every opportunity.
Gee, I wonder which one it is.
Rick
It continues to amaze me to see how the left continue to attack and denigrate Palin while at the same time telling us they have no fear of her as a politician. Either they have no fear of her, in which case they would ignore her. Or, they have great fear of her, in which case they would attack her at every opportunity.
Gee, I wonder which one it is.
Rick
Kathy wrote: “Hey, Eric: not only does Mark Steyn know how “journalism†works, he even knows how to spell it! ”
Wow, you really ‘nailed’ Eric on that one. Does Mr. Horowitz actually pay you for such commentary?
Kathy wrote: “Hey, Eric: not only does Mark Steyn know how “journalism†works, he even knows how to spell it! ”
Wow, you really ‘nailed’ Eric on that one. Does Mr. Horowitz actually pay you for such commentary?
They are scared of Sarah Palin beyond belief.
The way the Obamites act like shes a walking, talking, breathing piece of Kryptonite. To there phony super Messiah. The Mighty Community organizer Barak Hussein.
What tips you off is the absolute distaste by the “Champagne media” of Palin.
They couldn’t control there elitist impulses to slander an uppity back woods Women. Even the so called Conservatives.
Palin ain’t perfect, but she’s light years a head of the terrorist denying boobs in Washington.
In both brains plus she actually lives in reality unlike so many in the beltway.
If this was Canada I would say Ottawa. For we too have nothing but those with no ears to hear or eye’s to see left in Politics or even Academia today. What is really happening to this culture?
It died when we allowed Personalities to dictate instead of Principle. Death by social engineering.
JMO
They are scared of Sarah Palin beyond belief.
The way the Obamites act like shes a walking, talking, breathing piece of Kryptonite. To there phony super Messiah. The Mighty Community organizer Barak Hussein.
What tips you off is the absolute distaste by the “Champagne media” of Palin.
They couldn’t control there elitist impulses to slander an uppity back woods Women. Even the so called Conservatives.
Palin ain’t perfect, but she’s light years a head of the terrorist denying boobs in Washington.
In both brains plus she actually lives in reality unlike so many in the beltway.
If this was Canada I would say Ottawa. For we too have nothing but those with no ears to hear or eye’s to see left in Politics or even Academia today. What is really happening to this culture?
It died when we allowed Personalities to dictate instead of Principle. Death by social engineering.
JMO
In true Muslim fashion, they want to put women in their place. Michelle Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Michelle Milkin……. The ladies have my support.
In true Muslim fashion, they want to put women in their place. Michelle Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Michelle Milkin……. The ladies have my support.
Harmon, maybe you missed it. I’ll type really slowly for you:
Eric dared to lecture Mr. Steyn (who has worked for some of the largest and most prestigious newspapers here and abroad for decades) on the subject of “journalism”.
A word Eric _misspelled_ in his OWN headline.
Do? You? Get? It? Now?
PS: you voted for Obama, didn’t you…?
Harmon, maybe you missed it. I’ll type really slowly for you:
Eric dared to lecture Mr. Steyn (who has worked for some of the largest and most prestigious newspapers here and abroad for decades) on the subject of “journalism”.
A word Eric _misspelled_ in his OWN headline.
Do? You? Get? It? Now?
PS: you voted for Obama, didn’t you…?
Fear not the One, for he has stumbled and found himself amongst much wiser men, his once-proud mien now shaken and with doubt. His synchophants are troubled and lash out with aspersion at all enemies, real and perceived, who would harm their master. It is they you must fear, as they are the true enemies of Liberty and would weigh thee down with hardened- hearts and vicious falsehoods. Keep strong in this time of tribulation for now we are tested. And if we are to seize the day, it will be as one, a nation that spoke truth to power.
Fear not the One, for he has stumbled and found himself amongst much wiser men, his once-proud mien now shaken and with doubt. His synchophants are troubled and lash out with aspersion at all enemies, real and perceived, who would harm their master. It is they you must fear, as they are the true enemies of Liberty and would weigh thee down with hardened- hearts and vicious falsehoods. Keep strong in this time of tribulation for now we are tested. And if we are to seize the day, it will be as one, a nation that spoke truth to power.
Wow!! A typo in the word ‘journalism’!! Holy Spelchek, Batman!! That one is going to keep me up at night, as we ponder the fate of the word (er, world)…
Wow!! A typo in the word ‘journalism’!! Holy Spelchek, Batman!! That one is going to keep me up at night, as we ponder the fate of the word (er, world)…
Their parents rewarded them for doing nothing; leftist creed
I believe the Chinese own the NYT, already.
Their parents rewarded them for doing nothing; leftist creed
I believe the Chinese own the NYT, already.
Don’t the Mexicans have enough problems already????
Don’t the Mexicans have enough problems already????
Most likely he did, for he points out triviality. (Damn, did I spell that word right!)
Most likely he did, for he points out triviality. (Damn, did I spell that word right!)
What are the odds:
His voting for Obama is a toss-up, given that there were only two names on the ballot and that he obviously cannot read.
What are the odds:
His voting for Obama is a toss-up, given that there were only two names on the ballot and that he obviously cannot read.
Harmon: Wow, you really ‘nailed’ Kathy with that one. Did you get those 11 ‘jounalists’ to help with that snappy retort?
Harmon: Wow, you really ‘nailed’ Kathy with that one. Did you get those 11 ‘jounalists’ to help with that snappy retort?