Congressman Claims Newspaper Took Iraq Comments Out of Context

[Judi Lynn]

Congressman claims newspaper took Iraq comments out of context


By GENE JOHNSON
The Associated Press
10/29/03 1:46 PM


SEATTLE (AP) -- Rep. George Nethercutt has taken out advertisements in three of the state's biggest newspapers, saying the Seattle Post-Intelligencer "deliberately distorted" and even "massacred" a comment he made about American efforts in Iraq.

The dispute stems from remarks the Republican congressman and U.S. Senate candidate made at a forum at the University of Washington on Oct. 13. He said the reconstruction of Iraq is "a bigger and better and more important story than losing a couple of soldiers every day which, which heaven forbid is awful," according to a transcript from his speech.

The Post-Intelligencer quoted him the next day as saying: "The story of what we've done in the post-war period is remarkable. ... It is a better and more important story than losing a couple of soldiers every day."

The story went on to say that Nethercutt "added that he did not want any more soldiers to be killed." (snip)

(snip) Nethercutt, a five-term congressman, is running against Democratic Sen. Patty Murray in next year's election. (snip/)

http://www.nola.com/iraq/index.ssf?/newsflash/get_story.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?a0617_BC_Nethercutt-Iraq&&news&emergency

[denverbill]

1. This from the same guy who said Patty Murray supports Osama?

Get bent asshole. Maybe you should read all of Murray's comments too, ya freak.

[wryter2000]

2. LMAO

Spend some of your own money to make sure the whole world knows about it, pal. Maybe you can get Bill O'Reilly to sue you, too.

[Loonman]

3. That's what they all say

That's the first phrase out of the neo-con asshole handbook.




A rejoinder that no interviewers use is, "well, what context was it in exactly, sir?".

[Bozola]

12. That's what I was wondering

"well, what context was it in exactly, sir?".

"a bigger and better and more important story than losing a couple of soldiers every day which, which heaven forbid is awful,"

In other words, the concocted fantasies of the Bush regency are more important to publish than the ugly truth.

[GainesT1958]

4. If Nethercutt is stupid enough to challenge Patty Murray next year...

He's stupid enough to say something like that...and then stupid enough AGAIN to blame "the liberal media" for it! :crazy:

The day he unseated Tom Foley is a day I'm sure a lot of Washington Staters rue considerably.x(

B-)

[LiberalTexan]

5. So, what, Nethercutt?

His comment was tasteless anyway even without the "heaven forbid" clause.

The only sad thing is that I don't find it surprising and all these people who thought the Republicans were going to lead us through the war on terra and do everything they could for the safety of our troops are shocked at comments like this because they didn't see it coming.....or they didn't notice us protesting on the streets of virtually every American city before March 18th.

[xultar]

6. It was from the I'm freakin nutz

livin on another f'in planet context.

Put this in the "Finally a RWinger tells the truth as they know it for once" file.

[flamingyouth]

7. Neil Modie wrote the original story

He's a veteran political reporter. I think he knows how to quote someone. Nethercutt is a reactionary nutjob who doesn't give a flying $(%*& about the lives lost in Iraq.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. Poor baby

all them calls from military families <grin> must have hurt

by the way, and I am serious, who is he running against? I mean both
the Republican Primary and if he makes the cut the general election.

I have a check to write to keep this idiot out of office.

[Liberal Veteran]

9. I just wrote a letter to the editor of my local paper about this....

Rep. Nethercutt, a would be senator has complained that his recent comments concerning our successes in a Iraq being a more important story than stories about our servicemen dying were taken out of context and has gone so far as to take out an ad in major newspapers in Washington to say that his comment was deliberately distorted.

I guess he would know about deliberate distortions and taking comments out of context since he was one of the people capitalizing and distorting Patty Murray's comments concerning Osama bin Laden and why they have been successful in their recruitment to paint her as a supporter of the terrorist leader.

It shouldn't be any surprise that Nethercutt, who reneged on his term limit promise, is also a hypocrite who whines that he being treated unfairly when his own words come back to bite him after doing exactly the same thing to his political rivals.

xxx
Spokane, Washington

I hope they publish it.

[trapper914]

10. And who provided the transcript of the speech?

Was it Nethercutt's office...two weeks later? Hmmmm.

"We believe that in the story in question, the quotes attributed to Congressman Nethercutt were 100 percent accurate in content, context and meaning," Executive Editor Kenneth F. Bunting said Tuesday."

The Seattle PI sounds pretty confident.

[BringEmOn]

11. Great cartoon from Nethercutt Watch

http://www.spokanedemocrats.org/nethercutt_watch/

[yellowcanine]

13. "Term Limits" Georgie needs to stop digging.

Somebody needs to remind Georgie "I'm for term limits but not for me" Nethercutt that when you are in a hole you should stop digging - this story might have "blown over" if he had just shut up - I hadn't even heard it mentioned except here on DU. Maybe he doth protest too much?

[austinboy]

14. Repukes...not very articulate

Let's see...Lott has recently said he has been taken out of context. The infamous Gen Boykin's remarks have been taken out of context and now Mr. Nethercutt. The party of responsibility, huh? These people have no shame. :puke:

[dusty64]

15. Boo hoo!

This guy has always disgusted me. So a rethug's insane rantings FINALLY got some coverage, I hope in helps some voters realize the truth about him.