Murtha Misquote: O’Reilly and Hume Correct the Record, Scarborough and Carlson Stay Silent
Last Sunday, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that Rep. John Murtha said he believed the “American presence in Iraq is more dangerous to world peace than nuclear threats from North Korea or Iran.” The report was quickly seized on by conservative media — including Brit Hume, Bill O’Reilly, Joe Scarborough and Tucker Carlson — to attack Murtha. The story was false. Murtha was citing an international public opinion poll, not expressing his own views. On Wednesday, the Sun-Sentinel issued a correction.
I can understand media outlets and talking thugs heads making mistakes in their rush to print or broadcast a scoop. What angers me is how quickly these talking thugs heads can turn a minimum of rumor, innuendo, misquotes, and just plain lies into Gospel truth that will be swallowed whole by the American sheeple. Thankfully, some of these folks at least have enough decency and integrity (Brit Hume, Bill O’Reilly) to admit when a mistake has been made (you can watch it here). Sadly, there are still media whores “journalists” out there (Joe Scarborough, Tucker Carlson) who consider any information accurate and usable if it supports their ideological bent. The truth of the matter seems almost beside the point…and, truth be told, for them IT IS beside the point.
If you’re going to accuse John Murtha (a man who has more claim to patriotism and service to this country than ANY collection of Right-wing pundits- combined) of “being in the thrall of anti-American activists”, shouldn’t you at least at a minimum have your facts straight? Or is the Right really more concerned about power than truth…like you even need to answer that question….
