Downing Street Memo Mostly Ignored in U.S. (FOX News Reports!!!)

[sabra]

Mods, it being reported on FAUX news warranted an LBN post?
<<SNIP>>
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,158228,00.html

Downing Street Memo Mostly Ignored in U.S.
Tuesday, May 31, 2005

WASHINGTON — A British government memo that critics say proves the Bush administration manipulated evidence about weapons of mass destruction in order to carry out a plan to overthrow Saddam Hussein (search) has received little attention in the mainstream media, frustrating opponents of the Iraq war.

The "Downing Street Memo" — first published by The Sunday Times of London on May 1 — summarizes a high-level meeting between Prime Minister Tony Blair (search) and his senior national security team on July 23, 2002, months before the March 2003 coalition invasion of Iraq.

The memo suggests that British intelligence analysts were concerned that the Bush administration was marching to war on wobbly evidence that Saddam posed a serious threat to the world.

Click here to read the memo.

In the memo, written by top Blair aide Matthew Rycroft (search), Foreign Secretary Jack Straw indicated in the meeting that it "seemed clear" Bush had already decided to take military action.

"But the case was thin," reads the memo on Straw's impressions. "Saddam was not threatening his neighbors, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran."

The memo also paraphrased former head of the British Secret Intelligence Services, Richard Dearlove, fresh from meetings in the United States. The memo said Dearlove believed "military action was now seen as inevitable."


<</SNIP>>

[xultar]

:crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy:

[Wilms]

1. Stunning

-snip-

Dante Zappala does not agree. For Zappala, the Downing Street Memo strikes a critical and personal chord. His brother, Sgt. Sherwood Baker, 30, a soldier in the Pennsylvania National Guard, was killed in Baghdad 13 months ago on what Zappala said was a mission to find weapons there.

"My family knows the consequences of the decision they made to go to war," said Zappala, 29, of Philadelphia. He is a member of Military Families Speak Out, a group that opposes the war and, according to Zappala, now has more than 2,000 members.

"I can't speak for what the TV news decides to focus their attention on," Zappala said. "They seem to have a willful deference to all relevant information. I think they've really just dropped the ball on this."

-snip/drip/drip/drip-

[Javaman]

2. Dropped the ball, is being polite. I would say, "cold shoulder ignored"

is more like it.

[otohara]

3. Twilight Zone Media

OMG, they downplay their job as so called journalists. The sheep go baah, baah....on to the next non-story.

[Disturbed]

5. Corporate journalists don't make the decisions about

which stories get print, radio or tv coverage, editors and program directors do so.

[otohara]

6. They Mock

themselves?

This is just stunning - I don't care who makes the decission - I'm stunned they would even have the nerve to put this up on their website. No, no I take that back, FOX is just like this - in your face - a reminder that they are on one hand "ignoring" this story, but to be "fair & balanced" we'll put up a story about how MSM is ignoring.

God help the United States of America

[rooboy]

4. FOX News mostly ignored in the US, too. n/t

[Kurovski]

31. Hehehehe...

What was it, a 58 percent drop in viewership over the past 8 months?

The market for lies drops when thousands die because of them.

Any truth from FUX would be a desperate attempt to regain market share.

What wretched, accursed pigs they be.

[Up2Late]

7. I think it's should be in LBN but only to see how distorted...

...their report is.

Last week, when I was looking to see who was reporting on the 2002 FBI Memo, I found Fox "news" had distorted the article completely.

[Fire Walk With Me]

8. Kick to top of page

[otohara]

9. Kick for Hypocrisy

alert!

[intheflow]

10. Is this an attempt by Fox

to reach out to more liberal viewers, in the face of plummeting viewership?

Also, is this just on the web, or did it get air time? I don't have cable, so I wouldn't know.

[sabra]

11. um, who here watches Fox news? :-)

[steve2470]

12. altruistic kick nt

[intheflow]

13. You're kidding, right?

Some days it seems like 90% of the threads on DU are about some dumbass saying something ignorant on Fox. Somebody here must be watching.

[rodeodance]

23. occassionally I do--as it is good to keep up with what is being said.

[Lochloosa]

33. Bbbbwwwwwaaaaahhhhhhhhaaaaaaa

Oh, please...kick, because this line is just to funny sabra...

[ktowntennesseedem]

36. I occasionally catch a bit of CNN & MSNBC

to get the latest on Michael Jackson, runaway brides, the newest Idol/Survivor/Desparate Housewife scandal, and the Paris-Paris engagement. Don't have the stomach to watch Faux any longer than it takes my index finger to find the channel up/down button on the remote.

I only tune in to MSM crap to see just how badly they are distorting the truth and replacing news and information with editorial and interpretation. I'll stick to the internets for real news. But a hearty "thank you" to all brave souls willing to keep up with Faux!

[d.l.Green]

57. These guys watch Fox "so you don't have to"....

http://www.newshounds.us/

[otohara]

14. No,This Is So They Can Say "Fair & Balanced"

while ignoring the Downing St. Memo all together.

FOX is in your face hypocrisy!!!

[rodeodance]

21. "This is a test of the left-wing blogosphere," He may be right on this-as

it it has made no headway on the network and cable stations (cept a short story on cnn).

......"As a smoking gun it leaves a lot to be desired," said Kevin Aylward, a northern Virginia-based technology consultant who runs the conservative-leaning blog, Wizbangblog.com. "It's interesting, but it's probably fourth- or fifth-hand information."

Aylward added: "I suspect the more interesting story at this point, seeing it three weeks later, is who is behind the letter-writing campaign to push it in the media."

Several popular left-leaning blogs have taken up the cause to keep the story alive, encouraging readers to contact media outlets. A Web site, DowningStreetMemo.com, tells readers to contact the White House directly with complaints.

"This is a test of the left-wing blogosphere," said Jim Pinkerton, syndicated columnist and regular contributor to FOX News Watch, who pointed out that The Sunday Times article came out just before the British election and apparently had little effect on voters' decisions........

[ClintonTyree]

44. Yes, according to a Neo-Con Technology Consultant....

this is not a smoking gun, just fourth or fifth hand information. :wtf:
This is from the principals of the meetings with bushco. Fourth or fifth hand? :grr: Of course, you couldn't expect the truth from a Neo-Con.
In FUX's opinion, the American people just don't care that their President is a lying sack of shit that has sent over 1,650 Americans to their deaths for a lie! :banghead: I refuse to believe that! Perhaps if the damn story was REPORTED by the damned CORPORATE MEDIA they have enough information to get PISSED OFF AS HELL over it! :grr:
FUX News, the totally braindead's source for news. :nuke:

[freebrew]

48. It had more than a little effect...

Blair's party lost about 100 seats in Parliament. Not a small thing.

[LSK]

56. Blair won because there was no alternative

There was no real alternative to him. If there was one good candidate, then he would have been defeated. This was told to me by some folks I met a few weeks ago from Britian.

[The_Casual_Observer]

15. There is a growing element of republicans who understand that

they were lied to, this is the same group that objected to Kosovo because of "nation building".

[rodeodance]

28. nobody likes to be lied to (even Repug Senators). Granted, many do

not seem to care.

[Supersedeas]

59. now that FOX News has said it....will they understand the frustration with

CORPORATE MEDIA!!!!

[slay]

16. Wow. I never thought I'd see the day when only Fox will cover

the real news. Makes ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN all look liked they dropped the ball, which they did. I think they are just trying to confuse us now. :eyes:

[berni_mccoy]

17. Don't believe these pricks for a second

Read my response to the Faux News Editors here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1821106&mesg_id=1821106

[ClintonTyree]

46. Now, now....

we all know that laws are made to be followed by everyone but the people who enact them. Republicans are immune from the law. What are you, some kind of Commie? :shrug:

[chomskysright]

54. "False Statements Accountability Act of 1996" violated by Bush

great pick up ther berni_mccoy.

devil's in the details.

How would you suggest we move this around ?

[aggiesal]

68. The Presidents Impeachable Offences.

Letter was written by Constitutional Attorney John C. Bonifaz, to Rep. John Conyers, Jr.

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/downloads/letter.pdf

Enjoy.

Also, sign Rep. John Conyers petition. They would like to have 100,000 signatures by the time Congress re-convenes next week. As of yesterday noon PST, they had about 50,000.
http://www.johnconyers.campaignoffice.com/index.asp?Type=SUPERFORMS&SEC=%7b0F1B03E0-080B-4100-B143-36A5985EF1E3%7d&Design=PrintView

[yebrent]

18. I checked out the article, and while I was there, I found this...

U.S. Has Long History of Waging Wrong Wars in there opinion section. It is quite an amazing article, especially since it is at Fox. What the hell is going on over there?

[Rainscents]

19. Sounds like to me, Fox has no credibility and they're now, trying get

credibility to their (so call) fair and balance reporting. Their rating has taken nose dive and I guess, by putting some credibility back into their news, they're hoping for higher rating they once enjoyed. This is my only guess I can come up with.

Do you suppose, other MSM will report this now that Fox has? This should be interesting.

[yebrent]

20. When $$$ is the bottom line, I wouldn't put it past them.

If FOX jumps *'s ship, then you know his is a very lame duck.

I started another thread on the U.S. Has Long History of Waging Wrong Wars. opinion piece.

[rodeodance]

27. i hardly call this fox jumping ship.

[yebrent]

30. "IF"

Calm down please. Just pointing out two big anti Bush stories at Faux in one day.

[rodeodance]

22. I am surprized that fox decided to do a story on it.

[Rainscents]

24. Me too!!! Maybe their really is a GOD!

[rodeodance]

29. AND a GODDESS

[rodeodance]

25. there needs to be a deep throat type to keep the story alive.

[rodeodance]

26. 'minutes' of meetings are suspose to reflect what happened and no

one (downing street people) has contested the truth of these minutes.

....."As a smoking gun it leaves a lot to be desired," said Kevin Aylward, a northern Virginia-based technology consultant who runs the conservative-leaning blog, Wizbangblog.com. "It's interesting, but it's probably fourth- or fifth-hand information."

[CottonBear]

35. The memo is a primary source. The new meme is to say it is not.

therefore, the MSM can discuss the memo while slamming its veracity. It's the same tactic as with rather and Newsweek. The story is true. Attack the messanger or the form of the message.

[BR_Parkway]

32. Perhaps that's why he came out yesterday - trying to spur someone else

on to do the same thing. It was almost like saying "look, I got away with it for all these years and no one knew to take any retribution, you can too".

I kept wondering why now, and that's the only thing that makes sense besides a distraction, but I just don't see him having much love for the current mal-administration.

[trapper914]

34. Or maybe the reason it came out yesterday...

...is because Fox knew it would be ignored due to the Deep Throat revelation.

Now they can trumpet how "Fair and Balanced" they are, knowing that no one would would notice the Downing Street information.

[reprobate]

47. Well, that's the thing about being fascists. You get obiedience, not love

[TexasLawyer]

45. I saw that too,

plus the "wrong wars" piece was written and sponsored by the Cato Institute.

[Tsiyu]

37. FU(X) News has a long way to go

but personally, I hope they continue to lose viewers and credibility as the sheeple wake up. They need to get out of the "news" business altogether. They are as responsible for the deaths of innocents and for the deaths of our soldiers as their pussy King *. They've kissed his ass and fed the world his bullshit for years.

This report doesn't impress me, but it does surprise me. I hope it's a sign of their desperation and that soon there is no more FU(X) News.

Thanks for the heads up!

[ScreamingMeemie]

38. "Critics say"...."the memo suggests"...Fox up to their old

tricks of making something seem somehow less than it is. :hi:

[FredStembottom]

41. I love this trick......

FOX:
"It's a little late," he said of the memo story, adding that people are resigned to the fact that the United States is in Iraq for the long term, regardless of what events led to the war. "We're kind of stuck."

In the process of reporting a story they have suppressed, the focus is shifted to the process itself and then summed up as having had little effect.

Brilliant! Work tirelessly with the rest of US media to bury a story and then report how little impact the story has had!

:argh:

[ScreamingMeemie]

61. I know, I know!

How I wish we could shut them up. :(

[johnaries]

39. Fox News?!?!?!?!? It's the End Times, after all! nt

[stubtoe]

40. Will pigs fly next?

That Downing Street minutes would show up on Fox? Of all places?

We live in a world gone mad!

[Cugel the Clever]

42. Fox frames the issue

Notice that the headline states only that no one believes those kooky Downing Street Memos. The Memos are not news at all by themselves, only the fact that they are being "Ignored" in the US is worth reporting.

Later, they balance the validity of the Memo's ascertains with the speculations of some blogger about a left-wing conspiracy to keep the Memos alive. They also gleefully point out how successfully Richard Clarke has been ignored for saying the same damn thing!

In your face, indeed.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

75. yes. excellent post.

"the story" isn't the memo. this is just Faux's suffocation of the story. so that they might mention it for the history books, while placing the pillow over its face.

[go west young man]

43. Nothings too surprising in Bizarro world.

And after all the cheerleading they did in the run up to the war on behalf of their Repub buddies. Sick. Personally I won't be happy until their whole crew is decked out in full military dress standing in the middle of Fallujah in the middle of the night. That would be justice. Bill O'Reilly and Zarqawi can have a tete de tete as they have so much in common when it comes to spreading death!

[ECH1969]

49. They are doing it because they know the US public

Doesn't care anymore about the debate, so they can say they reported something that seems anti war even though they knew it would have no real effect. The US public doesn't care about debates about WMDs or if Saddam had links to al-Qaeda anymore all they care about is when the troops can come home.

[ColonelTom]

50. Dems taking a page out of the Karl Rove playbook?

The initial push to get the actual DSM story wasn't working, but now we're seeing articles about the media coverage, or lack thereof. This is how the Swift Boat story found its legs in the mainstream media - opinion (oops, sorry, "news") programs discussing the overall mainstream media coverage and the reactions the story evokes, not the actual merits of the story itself. It'll be interesting to see if it works!

[Rainscents]

64. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[seemslikeadream]

51. What about these official minutes, georgie?

[gridbug]

52. Shields Up!

I kinda wonder if this could be a tactic to catch the attention/draw the trust of the viewer only to then totally "debunk" the article, thus providing a massive audience of dumbed-down Americans who "saw that report shown to be all false on FOX news". You know, the old bait and switch? I'm sure it's not beneath FOX to pull something like that...

[Labdad95]

53. Bombard Network News

We need to bombard network news with letters and/or phone calls demanding this memo be researched and reported. If everyone here sent one email, perhaps someone would get the hint that this memo is compelling and damning.

They're all so afraid of BushCo, and their wrath. Until the American public demands information, things will never change.

[chomskysright]

55. I know this Gannet guy thru someone: here goes:

Gannett News Service - Raju Chebium, Washington Correspondent [e-mail]
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Address: 1100 New York Ave NW, Washington, DC 20005-3934 (see Greenville News below)

[chomskysright]

58. my letter : USE PIECES AS YOU LIKE: I also hit WA Post:

I see that there are several Washington Gannett correspondents. Perhaps one of you could speak to the Downing Street Minutes?

As you may know, Fox News (shocking, I know: their ratings have been plummeting however) covered this today or yesterday:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,158228,00.html

Per that story:

'In the memo, written by top Blair aide Matthew Rycroft (search), Foreign Secretary Jack Straw indicated in the meeting that it "seemed clear" Bush had already decided to take military action.

"But the case was thin," reads the memo on Straw's impressions. "Saddam was not threatening his neighbors, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran."

The memo also paraphrased former head of the British Secret Intelligence Services, Richard Dearlove, fresh from meetings in the United States. The memo said Dearlove believed "military action was now seen as inevitable."

An attorney (presumably; there are many on www.democraticunderground.com) made this point here: (you will have to sign up at DU in order to view some things; that person is not myself) ) http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1821106&mesg_id=1821106

' (this is my response to Faux News Editor)

What you failed to leave out of your story about the Downing Street Minutes was that the REASON the minutes are a 'smoking gun' is that it show's Bush's prior knowledge and state of mind when he BROKE the LAW in fulfilling his obligation to Congress.

As required, by law for H.R.Res. 114, Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002, the administration was required to report to Congress that diplomatic options had been exhausted before or within 48 hours after military action had started.

Within 48 hours after the attack on Iraq, President Bush informed Congress in writing that Iraq posed a serious and imminent threat to national security; obviously, given the recent information revealed in the Downing Street Memo, President Bush knew that was not true at the time he submitted that letter. This is a clear violation of the False Statements Accountability Act of 1996, and would result in a premeditated illegal act by our President."


I'm hoping that someone will cover this story. There are many many facets that could be explored.

Thank you for your hard work and coverage.

Sincerely,

[passy]

60. Now, who owns the Sunday Times and Fox?

You guessed it News International, owned by Rupert Murdoch.
I believ that they think the story is theirs and if anyone should do anything with it it should be them.
That's all.
Murdoch is good at knowing when to switch sides too. He did it to help Blair become prime minister and he might do it again soon.
Like someone said in a post his only interest is money, I think he realizes that if he keeps on going supporting an administration on its way down he might go down with them.
If you were going to bet on the administration holding on for long knowing what we know here on DU and looking at approval rates for * how much would you be willing to pay.
I think we should stay optimistic. I'm not saying that FOX will be the one to save us all, but they might be a lot less of a hindrance than they use to be.

[patmacsf]

62. They're minutes of the meeting, not a memo

I won't take credit for this distinction but I see it completely overlooked here in this discussion so I'll outline the distinction that Fox wants to spin. If Fox can get away with calling it a memo it makes it appear as if it was just one party of the meeting putting down his own personal thoughts. Then they can easily claim that this lone dissenter was deluded and obviously didn't understand what was going on.

What the document actually is are the official minutes of the meeting that every attending member would be asked to sign off on as they're understanding of what occurred at the meeting. When it becomes clear what the document really says then Fox's plan to spin and belittle the document loses steam.

Please educate yourselves on this document and call them minutes, not a memo.

[sabra]

63. downingstreetmemo.com

they did have a link reference to the site. Which does
have all the details...

[patmacsf]

67. We need to all call it what it is ALL THE TIME

As we all know the Republicans like to use their newspeak powers to dictate the names in order to manipulate public opinion ("nuclear option", "privatization", "support our troops", "watch what they say")

If we get lazy and start using memo also then Fox news wins.

[demo dutch]

73. Is has the info in their link "the intelligence and facts were fixed

around the policy. The NSC had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime's record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action"

[demo dutch]

76. A Bit clueless? The BRITS call it "the Downing Street Memo"and it CONTAINS

the minutes of the meeting Tony Blair had on July 23, 2002. Fox is just repeating what the Brits are calling it!

[Dr Fate]

65. Dean, Kerry, Hillary, Reid & Obama etc have joined them in ignoring this.

I wish they would break ranks with Bush & the media on ignoring this and join the DEM base and John Conyers in discussing this in the open.

[V Lee]

66. But will enough Americans care?

That seems like the problem. It seems like there are too many Americans who don't want to bother to take the time and brain power to understand what the story means, and they don't care enough to do anything about it.


>> What’s on Bill’s mind? Political commentary with attitude and more at http://www.BillsBrain.com

[paineinthearse]

69. Respond to the editor

[e-mail] <[e-mail]>

Whatever the circumstances, whatever the reason, it is on their website.

I believe in fair play and will be sending them a note of thanks.

[paineinthearse]

70. Kelley Beaucar Vlahos

I was not familiar with the reporter, so I did a search in Faux news.

Past Faux stories by Kelley Beaucar Vlahos:

Downing Street Memo Mostly Ignored in U.S. - Wednesday, June 01, 2005 - WASHINGTON — A British government memo that critics say proves the Bush administration manipulated evidence about weapons of mass...

NEA Reputation Gets Turnaround - Tuesday, May 31, 2005 - WASHINGTON — What a difference a decade makes....

Sex Assaults Against Women GIs Increase in War Time - Tuesday, May 31, 2005 - WASHINGTON — Sexual assault reports involving members of the Armed Services rose to 1,700 in 2004, up from the previous two years,...

Much Riding on Abbas' Visit to Washington - Thursday, May 26, 2005 - WASHINGTON — Among Palestinians, hopes were high ahead of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' (search) meeting with...

Relief Efforts Curtailed by Violence in Iraq - Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - WASHINGTON — Security has become so bad in Iraq that many reconstruction, assistance and growth efforts are falling by the wayside....

Disabled Advocate Quits Administration in Protest - Monday, May 23, 2005 - WASHINGTON — On Thursday, less than three months after resigning from her post as commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services...

Army Suspends Recruitment for Day - Sunday, May 22, 2005 - WASHINGTON — The Army is getting a refresher course in ethics amid charges that recruiters have been deceptive, withheld information,...

FEMA Battles Negative Image - Wednesday, May 18, 2005 - WASHINGTON — The four successive hurricanes that hit Florida last fall not only left an aftermath of death, property destruction and...

CAFTA Reinvigorates Job-Loss Issue - Tuesday, May 17, 2005 - WASHINGTON — The latest international trade agreement to hit Capitol Hill faces an uncertain future, as proponents say market openings...

Tough Challenge Trying to Win Over Arab World - Monday, May 16, 2005 - WASHINGTON — With recent misinformation in one news magazine leading to riots, fatalities and an apology to the Arab world, the Bush...

She's a prolific writer, with stories averaging 1 every day or two.

Then I found this in KOS.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/4/19/191743/589

Denver Three watch
by kos
Tue Apr 19th, 2005 at 16:17:43 PDT

Froomkin writes:

Kelley Beaucar Vlahos writes for Fox News: "The unceremonious ouster of three people from a recent White House Social Security event in Colorado has critics wondering how far President Bush will go to ensure friendly, sympathetic audiences at his town hall-style forums and rallies." Vlahos got White House spokesman Trent Duffy to speak at some length on the issue. "There is an active campaign underway to try and disrupt and disturb his events in hopes of undermining his objective of fixing Social Security," Duffy told her. "If there is evidence there are people planning to disrupt the president at an event, then they have the right to exclude those people from those events." Vlahos writes: "Duffy said the White House sends advance teams to deal with logistics for any official event. These teams typically handle the screening for speakers and audience members who will be sitting with or addressing the president during the event. They also keep an eye on the crowds for possible troublemakers. "He said he did not have further information on the Denver incident, but 'from what I was told it was fairly obvious to them that they had plans to disrupt the event. ... It was a judgment call.' " So is Duffy admitting that the person who ejected the "Denver Three" was operating under White House orders? That would be news."

It would, indeed.

I'm going to keep my eye on her writing.

[Fire Walk With Me]

71. Kick

[demo dutch]

72. Rupert Murdoch’s Fox conglomerate is among the top 10 Bluest Companies

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp donated 61% to Democrats
see Buy Blue site
http://www.buyblue.org/archives/2005/03/the_top_10_blue.html
Who would have thought!

[SlavesandBulldozers]

74. right they also call themselves fair and balanced

also in that article it says two key affiliates, among them "Fox PAC", give exclusively to *.

honestly, hearing Rupert Murdoch's News Corp being called a blue company is one of the most patently fucking absurd things I have ever heard.

they give less than a million dollars to democrats and now they are blue? they spend more on one Swiftliar graphic for Shepherd "Blowjob Block Party" Smith's show.

on edit i probably didn't spell shepherd smith's name right but seeing as i think his parents should have aborted him i really don't care how to spell his given name.