The Politico Apologizes After Wrongly Reporting Edwards Was Suspending Campaign

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

The Politico Apologizes After Wrongly Reporting Edwards Was Suspending Campaign

03-22-2007 5:18 PM
By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer

NEW YORK (Associated Press) -- A reporter for the new Politico Web site apologized for reporting that John Edwards was suspending his campaign for president more than an hour before Edwards said Thursday he was staying in the race.

The incorrect report rocketed through the media before Edwards held his news conference announcing the recurrence of his wife's cancer. Some outlets used Politico's information; others steered clear.

Ben Smith, a former New York Daily News reporter, posted the report on his Politico Web log at 11:06 a.m. EDT. Quoting but not identifying "an Edwards friend" as his source, Smith reported that Edwards was suspending his campaign and may drop out completely because of his wife's cancer.


Democratic Presidential hopeful John Edwards hugs his wife Elizabeth while they speak about Elizabeth's recurrence of cancer during a news conference in Chapel Hill, N.C., Thursday, March 22, 2007. Edwards will continue his campaign for the presidency. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

In a later post, titled "Getting it Wrong," Smith explained how he had trusted a reliable source he had known for years. But he "unwisely" wrote it without getting a second source, he said.

Read more: http://omaha.cox.net/cci/newsnational/national?_mode=view&_state=maximized&view=article&id=D8O1G1T00&_action=validatearticle

[RogueBandit]

1. Politico and Edwards benefit

I'm guessing that Edwards' campaign could use the boost...and, okay I admit I'm not up on all this stuff, I hadn't heard of Politico before this showed up on DU. Someday maybe I'll visit the site, is it worth the trouble?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. POLITICO

Putrid
Oppotunist
Lame
Inept
Tainted
Incompetant
Corporate
Obtuse

[Rose Siding]

3. Politico's got problems. Its Mike Allen on Drudge's radio show-

He's such a hack-

The Politico's Mike Allen: Democrats Are Bloodthirsty Dogs, Gushes Over Fox News & Matt Drudge, Makes Fat Jokes About Al Gore
...
So Mike Allen (e-mail here), the publication's "chief political correspondent" and a certified member of the beltway cocktail club set, appears on Matt Drudge's syndicated radio program. Ok, fine. Drudge reaches an audience and Allen's function is to get the Politico's name out there. But then, this man who is supposedly a top person at a publication that isn't just another partisan outlet proceeds to sound like any other right-wing hitman. Allen calls Democrats bloodthirsty for having the nerve to serve their oversight function. He squeals like a schoolgirl with a crush when he tells conservative gossipmonger Matt Drudge that Drudge is an idol and someone he sets as his home page in order to take direction from, then he gushes about the success of Fox News' propaganda network. Then the cherry on top, Allen simply dismisses the substance of why former Vice President Al Gore is testifying in front of congress on global warming - why bother, there are fat jokes to be made, and attacks on Gore's speaking style to be done.

http://www.oliverwillis.com/2007/03/the_politicos_m.html

[Debi]

4. I don't think Smith every actually apologized

Just blamed his source for giving him wrong information.