AP account of Downing Street question differs from that of White House....

[sabra]

<<SNIP>>
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/AP_account_of_Downing_Street_question_differs_from_White_House_Wash._Po_0608.html

AP account of Downing Street question differs from that of White House, Washington Post

AP account of Downing Street question differs from that of White House, Washington Post
RAW STORY


The Associated Press appears to have errantly revised a question asked by a Reuters reporter about the Downing Street minutes, RAW STORY has discovered.

The AP transcript says the reporter asked a question which included the phrase, "intelligence and facts remain fixed" around the policy of removing Saddam Hussein, whereas the official White House transcript and account by the Washington Post asserted the reporter said "intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy of removing Saddam through military action."

The difference, while semantic, seems to have entirely changed the question the reporter asked. Neither the Associated Press or reporter Steve Holland were immediately available for comment.

#
The AP copy distributed to the papers was:

Q: Thank you, sir. On Iraq, the so-called "Downing Street Memo" from July 2002, says, "Intelligence and facts remain fixed around the policy of removing Saddam through military actions." Is this an accurate reflection of what happened? Could both of you respond?

BLAIR: Well, I can respond to that very easily. No, the facts were not being fixed in any shape or form at all. And let me remind you that that memorandum was written before we then went to the United Nations.

#
The official White House / Washington Post account stated:

Q Thank you, sir. On Iraq, the so-called Downing Street memo from July 2002 says intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy of removing Saddam through military action. Is this an accurate reflection of what happened? Could both of you respond?

PRIME MINISTER BLAIR: Well, I can respond to that very easily. No, the facts were not being fixed in any shape or form at all. And let me remind you that that memorandum was written before we then went to the United Nations.

#

<</SNIP>>

[bpilgrim]

1. ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ > MP3

http://news.globalfreepress.com/mp3/DSM/DSM-Bush-Blair.mp3

peace

[Mark Williams]

2. Video

http://www.dembloggers.com/story/2005/6/7/144157/6521

[Just Me]

3. Steve being placed before the firing squad.

That was fast.

[sabra]

4. Yep, both in the mp3 and video it follows the WH transcipt,

so why did AP get it wrong?

[annabanana]

5. i dunno

hungover?:shrug:

[cestpaspossible]

8. Huh? He said 'remain'.... I'm watching the video from Democracy now today

let me hit rewind... yup, he says remain... rewind again... he still says 'remain'


I guess I'll download the mp3 provided in this thread and watch it... I'm confused...

[cestpaspossible]

9. He says remain in the mp3, he says remain in the video

from Democracy Now... the AP story also says 'remain'... unless my ears are deceiving me, that is correct... I don't understand the comments of the other posters in this thread... could someone please chime in?

[sabra]

10. I am hearing "were being" in the mp3

the point in that either the WH or AP have an incorrect quote of the question by Holland. The question is, was this just a simple mistake, or possible intentional and has other motives (discredit the question) ?

[cestpaspossible]

11. Well you and I are hearing two different things. I hear 'remain'

clear as a bell. Are you listening to this mp3: http://news.globalfreepress.com/mp3/DSM/DSM-Bush-Blair.mp3

Is there someone out there besides Sabra who hears him say something other than 'remain'? Please chime in.

[sabra]

12. yep, may I ask how old you are (j/k)

let's say it is 'remain', then the official WH/WP transcript is wrong...

[cestpaspossible]

14. What an insulting comment. What does my age have to do with anything?

[sabra]

15. (j/k) = just kidding

just messing around, my intentions were not meant to insult you. I am sorry if I did.

Maybe it was just transcribed wrong, like you just stated...

But we have to be careful with this kind of stuff....

[cestpaspossible]

17. If I insult you and then say I was 'just kidding' it would be alright?

Saying it wasn't your intention is disingenuous, imho. If you were unaware the comment was insulting, you wouldn't have felt the need to add 'j/k'.

[cestpaspossible]

13. OK, on the 20th listen, I can hear it.

however, since it sounded like 'remain' to me on the first 19 listens, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt that they just transcribed it incorrectly, just as I would have.

[sabra]

16. But we should expect more from AP....

[johnaries]

18. Listening through headphones, he did say "were being" but

he said it so quickly "being" sounds almost like one syllable. No pause between "were" and "being", so together they sound like a single 2 syllable word. Also, the w, b, and g aren't very clear so it sounds more like "rrr-ein". I can understand someone hearing "remain".

"'scuse me, while I kiss this guy!"

[sinkingfeeling]

6. Because the AP is slanted towards the right! I wrote at least 3

different letters to them (zero responses) on stories and their chosen words over the last 8 months. One was that John Kerry 'claimed' to have been awarded 3 purple hearts.

[sabra]

7. but this a direct quote that they are getting wrong ?

pretty crazy ?!?