CNN trumpeted baseless accusation against Pelosi from "bombshell" Wash. Post editorial

http://mediamatters.org/items/200704060001

On the April 5 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, CNN International's U.S. affairs editor Jill Dougherty repeated the baseless accusation from an April 5 Washington Post editorial that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) had, in Dougherty's words, "allegedly botch{ed} a message from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert" about Israel's willingness to begin peace talks with Syria. Dougherty called the editorial a "bombshell," and on-screen text during the report referred to a "'Pratfall in Damascus,' " the headline of the Post editorial. Although Dougherty noted that Pelosi's staff disputed the accusations in the Post editorial, she left out other statements Pelosi made at her April 4 press conference with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, which were reported in the Post's news pages. As Media Matters for America documented, those statements undermine the Post editorial's assertion that Pelosi "misrepresented Israel's position" by failing to communicate to Assad that Israel continues to demand that Syria cease its support of groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah prior to negotiations.

In his report, Dougherty summed up the editorial and then noted the response from Pelosi's staff:

DOUGHERTY: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had barely left Syria when this bombshell lead editorial appeared in The Washington Post. Titled "Pratfall in Damascus: Nancy Pelosi's foolish shuttle diplomacy," it laid into the speaker for allegedly botching a message from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, which she delivered to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. Pelosi told Assad Israel was ready to engage in peace talks with Syria. "Only one problem," the Post claimed. "That wasn't the message the Israeli prime minister gave her." On its website, the prime minister's office issued a rare clarification: "What was communicated to the U.S. House speaker does not contain any change in the policies of Israel," it said. "Although Israel is interested in peace with Syria," it went on, "Syria is still a member of the axis of evil, and it must change its ways, including stop supporting terror in Iraq, before there can be peace."

Pelosi's staff fired back at the Post, calling the editorial poisonous. They said the speaker delivered a tough and serious message to the Syrian president that contained all of Israel's demands.

It's just sick - especially since the run up to the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq, our M$M is NOW working for Lockheed Martin and the rest of the bloated large corporations that serve the Military Industrial Complex.

We have NO free media in the USA: distortions; disinformation and outright lies are all for the benefit to keeping Republicans in control of our country. Why? It's republicans that the M$M and other corporate whores for the war machine KNOW that they will be able to keep huge profits and perpetual war with REPUBLICANS in charge.

Never doubt that the CEOs and Suits upstairs for all M$M outlets LOVE Republican rule. :grr:

War = Excellent Profits by all! = Republicans will ensure perpetual war. :(

yes, we do. they're called The Blogs (on the Internets) and more and more people are turning to them throughout the day to get their news. that's why newspaper circulation and viewership of the Cable "news" channels have both dropped.

national security "reporter" spewing all the right republican talking points to buck up support for endless war.

The troops and their families may have to be the ones that END this senseless war(s).

The military is almost broken. Dimson can NOT even glean applause from the most highly screened troops.

They think because THEY OWN the M$M that they can dupe 70% of the American Populace.
They are WRONG. :grr:

Matt Lauer did this am and guess who added his 2 cents worth TIMMY.

its all a money thing to them.