AP Breaking RIGHT FUCKING NOW: Obama setting terrorist free. Code Brown Code Brown!

[DRoseDARs]

At least, that's how AP is trying to make it appear with their blaring headline and first three paragraphs. After getting the pant-shitting scary Cliff Notes story on this asshole and how his (thankfully) incompetent attacks landed him in prison, THEN we find out that, oh, he's being released after 16 years in a New York prison (sentenced in 1993). He was supposed to be in for 30 years, but he's getting out early because of time previously served and good behavior.

His release has nothing to do with Pres. Obama, but thanks for trying to make The Stupids think it does AP.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090124/ap_on_re_us/mystery_terrorist

[CATagious]

1. you need to change your headline...

the story says nothing about Obama... why should you???

[DRoseDARs]

3. I need to do nothing of the sort. That's kinda the point.

Read the post again as to why I worded it the way I did.

[CATagious]

9. I can read..

I just think it's stupid.

[nsd]

2. What am I missing?

The headline and article don't mention Obama.

[Sebastian Doyle]

4. Guy's kind of an "epic fail" terraist, isn't he?

Built three bombs and none of them worked?

[DainBramaged]

5. Code brown is a Freeperism..........

The headline reads.....

AP IMPACT: Freedom looms for terrorist

and says NOTHING about Obama, NOTHING.


Hmmmmmmmmmm.


Oh yeah, IBTL

[DRoseDARs]

6. Christ, is this Slow Child Day? Read. The. Post. That. Comes. Before. The. Link.

I sense a disturbance in the Force, the snark is weak with a few of you.

[CATagious]

8. I read the post....

why fucking help freepers link the release to Obama????

[DRoseDARs]

12. I'm doing nothing of the sort; they'll do that all by themselves. AP is counting on it...

...with the way they've presented the article. We've talked about this before on DU. Some years ago AP stepped away from doing straight journalism to doing somewhat more "opinionated" journalism in an attempt to mimic a more natural speaking style. Problem is, their more natural speaking style came with a subtle rightward slant to it. AP has been criticized here for that before. I'm criticizing AP's between-the-lines indictment of Obama's shift away from treating suspected terrorists as subhumans towards a more pro-justice system that tries them in accordance to the law. AP was taking a dig at Pres. Obama. Let's dissect this:

The headline:
"AP IMPACT: Freedom looms for terrorist"

-So instead of just having "Freedom looms for terrorist" or some other title whose wording conveys that he's being released by New York State's legal system in accordance to procedure, they task on the "AP IMPACT" portion to immediately catch they eye as and convey a sense of breaking important news instead of ho-hum regular news. They chose a vaguely Drudgesque blaring headline instead of a more measured one. I'm mocking their headline. Want the sarcasm smiley to prove that that's my intention? Give me a pony. A real one, not a picture of one.

The first three paragraphs:

-Though technically not paragraphs (but in the weird world of journalism they are) those paragraphs only give vague information about this guy's release from prison. In journalism, the first three paragraphs should provide the who what when where and why in briefest of synopsis. Instead we were given his story in those opening sentences, a no-no in proper journalism. You have to scroll to the very bottom paragraphs to find out when this guy was put in prison and why he's now being released. The Stupids who bother reading the entire article have until then a niggling fear in their mind that his release has something to do with Pres. Obama, however most of The Stupids will stop reading after the first three paragraphs ... assuming they don't just stop after the headline.

The Bush Administration has played this implied association game in its many facets and the AP has done it too over recent years. I'm calling them out on it. Some of you caught this, some of you didn't. No shame in it and nothing to apologize for. Everyone's nerves are on edge and have been for 8 years. This too shall pass.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[annabanana]

10. what small, scared, timid, cowardly people.... "Home of the Brave "

my ass.

[annabanana]

11. I am having no problem with this post...

I just don't understand the confusion...