Bob Woodward To Hannity: I Never Called WH Email A 'Threat,'
Source: Huffington Post
Bob Woodward set about trying to defend himself on Thursday night from the widespread derision that has greeted his account of his hostile exchange with White House economic adviser Gene Sperling.
Woodward spoke to his own newspaper, the Washington Post, and appeared on Sean Hannity's Fox News show to discuss the now infamous emails between himself and Sperling. On Wednesday, Woodward set the media world chattering when he told Wolf Blitzer that Sperling's email which said, in part, that, "as a friend," he thought Woodward would "regret" a hotly contested claim he was making about the Obama administration's handling of the budget sequester had made him "very uncomfortable." He did not dispute Blitzer's comment that he had been "threatened" by Sperling. Nor did he quarrel with the Politico editors who interviewed him and wrote, "Woodward [made] clear he saw it as a veiled threat."
When the emails were released in full by Politico on Thursday, though, their cordial tone angered many journalists, who thought Woodward had mischaracterized the nature of the exchange.
* * *
Critics also noted the chumminess between Woodward and Hannity. After the Fox News host cricitzed the press for not looking into President Obama's associations with Bill Ayers, Woodward said, "I agree with that." He also lavished praise on Hannity, saying, "You let me say what I want. You dig into things. You there is no bleep-out button.
Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/28/bob-woodward-hannity-white-house-threat_n_2785739.html
If there is any upside to Bob Woodard's backpedaling on Sean Hannity of all shows is that it exposes how many "mainstream" journalists are nothing more than shills for the right wing.
As noted in this review of Bob Woodard's 2012 Book, the Price of Politics, Woodard's work on President Obama offered no new information and, if anything, told more about Woodard's right wing bias, then the President:
http://www.newrepublic.com/book/review/bob-woodward-price-of-politics
Hayabusa
(2,135 posts)You were practically whining about it until the facts came out.
LiberalFighter
(50,950 posts)MADem
(135,425 posts)play--and that's as it should be!
From the Huffpo:
On Thursday morning, Politico released the text of the email exchange between Woodward and Sperling. The emails look to be a far cry from the kind of thuggery that Woodward implied.
Here's an excerpt from Sperling:I apologize for raising my voice in our conversation today. I do understand your problems with a couple of our statements in the fall -- but feel on the other hand that you focus on a few specific trees that gives a very wrong perception of the forest. But perhaps we will just not see eye to eye here. But I do truly believe you should rethink your comment about saying saying that Potus asking for revenues is moving the goal post. I know you may not believe this, but as a friend, I think you will regret staking out that claim ... My apologies again for raising my voice on the call with you. Feel bad about that and truly apologize.
Woodward, who would later profess to be unnerved by Sperling's email, replied very calmly:Gene: You do not ever have to apologize to me. You get wound up because you are making your points and you believe them. This is all part of a serious discussion. I for one welcome a little heat; there should more given the importance. I also welcome your personal advice.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/28/bob-woodward-emails-white-house-threat_n_2781052.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
He's a bullshitter at a minimum, and very possibly a bit addled.
Pancho Schneider
(42 posts)into a threat claim by Woodard. As bad as Woodard is, Politico is worse.
FourScore
(9,704 posts)OregonBlue
(7,754 posts)not to believe anything he says. He has really crapped on his own reputation.
yellowcanine
(35,699 posts)a clue right there into the psyche of Bob Woodward, I believe.
SunSeeker
(51,574 posts)Woodward has sunk what little was left of his reputation. But looks like he has a gig at Fox now.
homegirl
(1,429 posts)Woodward has never been a sterling character. He left his wife, Nora Ephron, when she was pregnant. Nora wrote a screenplay amd it was a film, I thnk Meryl Streep played Nora.
Right now, Woodward is rtealizing that no president will ever trust him. The open door to the White House has slammed shut. Praising Hannity on TV is the final nail.
barbtries
(28,799 posts)streep is wonderful as usual.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091188/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
eta: and bernstein is played by Jack Nicholson so you know you wanna watch that movie.
one thing: it was bernstein who did that to ephron.
yellowcanine
(35,699 posts)But Woodward is still a low life, just not for that reason.
He appears to have carried water for GWB on the Iraq WMD issue, among other things.
yellowcanine
(35,699 posts)and if theyre going to get roughed up in this way, he later added.
Woodward is so full of shit. There is no other way to put it.
So now he is saying the language didn't bother him personally because he is this experienced reporter but he is objecting for the sake of younger, less experienced reporters.
I call BS on Woodward. For whatever reason, he got his feathers ruffled and now he realizes he greatly overreacted and is trying to make the best of it.
chimpymustgo
(12,774 posts)And he's doubling down on his bullshit - he might have some mental impairment.
yellowcanine
(35,699 posts)of his reporting. He expects people in the WH to show deference to him and when they do not do it sufficiently he gets offended and it comes out when he is in front of a camera.
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)It's always sad and depressing to see formerly admired people fall into the muck.
LiberalLovinLug
(14,174 posts)that got schooled
Mnpaul
(3,655 posts)to claim it never happened. Only on Fox News.
Pancho Schneider
(42 posts)as usual.
Hubert Flottz
(37,726 posts)the first time I ever listened to him for a couple of minutes. A total suck-up.
Arkana
(24,347 posts)Whatever it is, I'm sure he's on surer footing than Crazy Bobby.
The Second Stone
(2,900 posts)and no one is shocked.
That he appears on and endorse Sean Hannity on Fox News says that he has less than zero integrity.
cutroot
(875 posts)( Pun intended )
It occurs to me that he may have decided to milk those fat cows on the other side of the fence for a while. All you have to do is bash the president a little, and they buy up books like crazy. He has already been on TV more than usual.
frylock
(34,825 posts)xxqqqzme
(14,887 posts)in context last night.
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-february-28-2013/1600-penned
yellowcanine
(35,699 posts)Arkana
(24,347 posts)Come on, Bob, you took down a President with recorded audio--did you really think that the same thing didn't apply in the fucking age of digital media and Youtube?
Nine
(1,741 posts)B Stieg
(2,410 posts)Woodward has been struggling to stay relevant for decades. Then again, how do you top uncovering a criminal conspiracy involving the President of the United States?
Chakab
(1,727 posts)respected journalists in the country? Says everything about the state of the American media.
lindysalsagal
(20,692 posts)Trascoli
(194 posts)He's too old and late dated for this era.
question everything
(47,487 posts)but going on Hannity he lost all credibility that he may have had.
What, Blitzer was not going to be good enough?
Z_I_Peevey
(2,783 posts)I think he got a little Dick Morris on him. Ewww.