Eric Boehlert: The AP has a Ron Fournier problem

[babylonsister]

The AP has a Ron Fournier problem

by Eric Boehlert


You never know what nuggets congressional investigators will uncover when they set off on official inquiries.

Last week, we learned that while investigators for the House Oversight Committee were looking into the 2004 death of Cpl. Pat Tillman, the former NFL player whose story was promoted by the White House before it was revealed that he had been killed by friendly fire, they discovered that top political aide Karl Rove had exchanged emails with the Associated Press' Ron Fournier on the day the news of Tillman's death broke.

In one email, Rove asked, "How does our country continue to produce men and women like this?" Fournier responded: "The Lord creates men and women like this all over the world. But only the great and free countries allow them to flourish. Keep up the fight."

That sign-off, which seemed to indicate an allegiance between the two men, raised hackles all over the Internet. That kind of correspondence ("Keep up the fight") between a reporter and a partisan White House aide during a campaign year lands way outside the boundaries of acceptable newsroom practices.

But Fournier, now the wire service's D.C. bureau chief, shrugged off the embarrassing revelation, conceding only: "I regret the breezy nature of the correspondence."

Of course, Fournier wasn't simply being breezy. "Have a great weekend" -- that's "breezy."

Instead, Fournier was declaring sides. That was the implication of Fournier's note: "Karl, you might think the media are liberal, but you can trust me. And give me access and return my emails. Because I'm on your side."

The Fournier revelation came as no surprise to anyone who has read his recent campaign work, which has routinely been caustic and dismissive of Democratic contenders. In two "Analysis" pieces and a column, Fournier questioned whether John Edwards was a "phony," announced the Clintons suffered from "utter self-absorption," and claimed that Barack Obama was "bordering on arrogance." That's the right of a pundit. But at the same time, Fournier avoided raising any doubts about Sen. John McCain, and in fact rushed to his aid in print during the senator's time of campaign need.

more...

http://mediamatters.org/columns/200807220006?f=h_top

[blm]

1. I noted Fournier's stenographic skills back during 2000. He ramped up the Bushprotection

after 9-11.

[Diane R]

2. Unfortunately, a lot of people trust the AP. We need to be vocal about this.

[babylonsister]

3. I'm starting; every time I see something, it's going up on DU...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=6517353

[Doctor_J]

5. almost no one trusts AP any more, or any Big Media source

that's why we have the internet

[Doctor_J]

4. some psychotic on with Hartmann today said Big Media is losing market share

because they're getting more liberal. Sadly, Thom didn't point out this little nugget.

[babylonsister]

6. Newspapers are going down bigtime; I wonder what kind of media

they were talking about?

[blm]

7. This tear down of traditional media has been a calculated venture.

The fascist allies of BushInc steadily bought control of most broadcast and print media in the 80s and 90s. They have been gutting newspapers and their staffs the past few years so the oldtime news ethics will no longer exist and papers will look no different than the same video clip newscasts. See Sinclair Broadcasting. No different than any mall, anywhere, USA.

Knight-Ridder lost control of too many shares in 2000 to Bush's buddies. They forced the sale and break up of Knight-Ridder in 2005 after the Downing Street Memos broke. McClatchy let consumers believe they would maintain journalistic integrity the last couple years, all the while planning to wield the hatchet this summer....BEFORE the 2008 election gets into high gear.

I don't believe in coincidences when it comes to BushInc and the corporate media.

[natrat]

8. our glorious overlords also plan a revamp of the internet where you pay for sites visited

i think the plan is to roll it out in canada in 2010 where people are less apt to revolt and then around the world.So you buy a package of sites to visit similar to cable tv, and if you visit others you pay. Obviously this would crush an amazing thing and surely this high on their list of things to crush. So yea no print, no internet game over.

[Cha]

9. Too bad this didn't make the greatest page 'cause

ron fournier needs to be exposed over and over again for the blantant mediawhore he is. Little creep is on the wrong side of history, too.

We didn't need no stinkin' email to karl rove to know what ron fournier is up to but it is proof.

[Blue_Tires]

10. interesting...

i didn't know about this...

kick