Scripps article uncritically reported that RNSC attack ad contains
 
Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2007 13:43:49 -0400


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<p><b>Scripps article uncritically reported that RNSC attack ad contains quotes
from U.S. troops </b></p>
<p><a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200704300005?src=item200704300005">http://mediamatters.org/items/200704300005</a></p>

<p>In an April 26 <a href="http://mediamatters.org/rd?src=item200704300005&http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/21903">article</a>, Scripps
News Service reported that Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) would not criticize the
recent assertion by his state&#39;s Democratic colleague, Senate Majority
Leader Harry Reid, that the Iraq
war "is lost," which Reid followed up by <a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200704200012?src=item200704300005">stating</a> that the war "can only be won diplomatically,
politically, and economically." The article noted that the National
Republican Senatorial Committee, which Ensign heads, recently released an
"<a href="http://mediamatters.org/rd?src=item200704300005&http://www.youtube.com/thenrsc">Internet advertisement</a> that
used Reid&#39;s words to campaign against
Senate Democrats up for reelection in 2008." Scripps asserted that the ad features "written comments
from U.S.
troops" and then uncritically reported the claim by an NRSC spokeswoman
that the comments were taken from letters "sent to a blogger who asked
troops to write in to tell the majority leader how they felt about his
comment." Yet the article did not mention that the "blogger"
the NRSC spokeswoman referred to is right-wing pundit <a href="http://mediamatters.org/issues_topics/people/michellemalkin?src=item200704300005">Michelle
Malkin</a> or that two of the five quotes used in the
ad came from letters sent to Malkin signed by one person who included only a first name and
another who used only initials. The other two identified themselves as "LT
Jason Nichols, USN" (who was quoted twice in the ad) and "SPC Matthew S Gangwer."

</p>

<p>Moreover, the article reported that
one of the quotes from the ad read: "To be brief, your words are killing
us." However, it did not mention that the quote came from Nichols,
according to <a href="http://mediamatters.org/rd?src=item200704300005&http://michellemalkin.com/archives/007349.htm">Malkin&#39;s
weblog</a>. Nichols founded <a href="http://mediamatters.org/rd?src=item200704300005&http://www.appealforcourage.org/Default.aspx">Appeal for Courage</a>, which describes itself as "a non-partisan, grass-roots effort to communicate to Congress the troops&#39;
desire to remain in Iraq
until [their] mission is complete." The organization encourages active
duty military to sign a <a href="http://mediamatters.org/rd?src=item200704300005&http://www.appealforcourage.org/public/appeal.aspx">petition</a> which
reads:</p><blockquote>

<p>As an American currently serving my nation
in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to fully
support our mission in Iraq
and halt any calls for retreat. I also respectfully urge my political leaders
to actively oppose media efforts which embolden my enemy while demoralizing
American support at home. The War in Iraq
is a necessary and just effort to bring freedom to the Middle East and protect America
from further attack.</p></blockquote>

<p>The article noted that "Reid
and Ensign have an agreement not to criticize each other publicly" and
that Ensign had a hand in editing the ad. Ensign was quoted as saying,
"One of the first drafts that came out was directly going after him."
The article then noted specific details about the ad:</p><blockquote>

<p>The
first ad, which went up on the Republican committee&#39;s Web site Sunday,
chastises Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana,
who is considered one of the more vulnerable Democrats in 2008. </p>

<p>Landrieu&#39;s
face is on the ad, but Reid provides the voice. <b>His "this war is lost" quote is repeated 10 times as written
comments from U.S.
troops flash across the screen. "To be brief, your words are killing
us," reads one.</b> </p>

<p>Similar
ads targeting other senators started running online Monday. </p>

<p><b>Although the ad says the letters were "to
the Democrat majority leader," they actually were sent to a blogger who
asked troops to write in to tell the majority leader how they felt about his
comment, a spokeswoman for the Republican committee said.</b></p></blockquote>

<p>The ad cites
"michellemalkin.com" as the source of the quotes it attributes to U.S. troops critical of Reid&#39;s
statement. One quote reads: "I am appalled at your callous disregard for
the impact of your words." According to an April 20 <a href="http://mediamatters.org/rd?src=item200704300005&http://michellemalkin.com/archives/007349.htm">post</a> on Malkin&#39;s
weblog, this quote appears to be part of a letter from "Reader
Karl," who described himself as
a "disabled veteran." Another
quote is taken from a letter by "CMK" posted in the same entry. In
that letter, "CMK" identified himself or herself as "a 26
year veteran, Senior Master Sergeant in the Michigan Air National Guard."</p><table width="100%" style="background: #e8e8e8; 
border: 1px solid  #ffffff; font-size: 80%" cellpadding="1">
<tr>
<td style="border-right: 1px solid  #ffffff;" 
width="40%">
</b> Contact: <br />
<b>Scripps Howard News Service</b></td>
<td valign="top">Peter Copeland
<br />E-mail: <a href="mailto:copelandp@shns.com">copelandp@shns.com</a>
<br />Editor and general manager
<br />202-408-2756
<br />
<br />SCRIPPS MEDIA CENTER
<br />1090 Vermont Ave. N.W. Suite 1000 Washington, D.C. USA 20005
<br />Phone: (202) 408-1484
<br />Fax: (202) 408-5950</td>
</tr>
</table>



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