What media bias look like

Mark Levin publishes the entire transcript of Charles Gibson’s interview with Sarah Palin (h/t Newsbusters). Some of the editing changed the entire context of the answers. For example (the text that was edited out for the broadcast is in bold);

GIBSON: Have you ever met a foreign head of state?

PALIN: There in the state of Alaska, our international trade activities bring in many leaders of other countries.

GIBSON: And all governors deal with trade delegations.

PALIN: Right.

GIBSON: Who act at the behest of their governments.

PALIN: Right, right.

GIBSON: I’m talking about somebody who’s a head of state, who can negotiate for that country. Ever met one?

PALIN: I have not and I think if you go back in history and if you ask that question of many vice presidents, they may have the same answer that I just gave you.

The answer “I have not” was not even the answer to the question Gibson asked in the broadcast of the interview.

Little Green Footballs finds that at least one UPI reporter isn’t exactly happy with the interview.

All of the complaints I’ve had about the Post this week here and here, strangely enough the Post’s ombudsman, Deborah Howell has seen nothing untowards in the reportage in the Post (I’m surprised)

Many readers thought it was a non-story; others, like Bill Phelps of Indianapolis, objected to the headline — “Palin Billed State for Nights Spent at Home” — and called it, as Phelps did, “inaccurate and misleading, as the article repeatedly emphasizes Gov. Palin acted within the law.” The story’s third paragraph noted the legality of the payments. It was a legitimate story; the headline was accurate.

Yes, the headline was accurate if you don’t mind being told a quarter of the story and if you if you ignore the attention deficit crowd going straight from the headline to the comments section.

The media tells us to move along, nothing to see here.

Category: Politics