Sarah Palin Gets One Right: 11 AP Reporters Did Fact Check Her Book
Sarah Palin’s latest blast of resentment at the national media contained this intriguing claim:
We’ve heard 11 writers are engaged in this opposition research, er, “fact checking” research! Imagine that -– 11 AP reporters dedicating time and resources to tearing up the book, instead of using the time and resources to “fact check” what’s going on with Sheik Mohammed’s trial, Pelosi’s health care takeover costs, Hasan’s associations, etc. Amazing.
The AP assigned nearly a dozen reporters to savage Palin’s literary effort? At first glance it sounded like another example of her trademark mix of creativity and megalomania.
But guess what: Palin is actually right about this one. An AP official points me to the byline way at the bottom of AP’s fact check of her book. Eleven reporters were in fact enlisted to dismantle her book’s claims.
For once this blog agrees with Palin: That’s a pretty bizarre use of journalistic resources. The constant media attention lavished on her every utterance has actually become a drain on the ability of big news orgs to cover news that actually has some real-world relevance. Maybe we should stop?
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Update: In fairness to the AP, some of these reporters may have had minimal involvement in the project, having only been pressed into service because of their expertise in particular areas. Also, to clarify, the claim that AP is “savaging” Palin’s book was meant to be ironic, a sendup of Palin’s victimization complex. My point was just that a dozen reporters may have been overkill and that in a general sense all of us are spending way too much time tracking this private citizen’s every utterance.
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Greg, I think you can start an ignore-Palin completely trend here. Might not catch on, but it sure would make your readership happy.
The AP employs 4100 journalists, I read.
That puts that 11 in perspective.
Tena — well, yes, but overall, it’s clear that the amount of time folks are spending on Palin is overkill and that journalistic resources are being squandered…
holyhandgrenaid — will take that under advisement
A lie is a lie.
Hey! Look over here!
I think Kos asked the right question about this: where were all these journalists fact checking the Bush/Cheney wars?
Our media sucks.
@Greg…I certainly take your point that our society has become obsessed with celebrities…but Palin was the VP nominee …her book IS a number one best seller even prior to it’s release…but more importantly she is consistently mentioned as a front runner for the 2012 Repub nomination. And according to the Gallup poll you linked recently…
http://www.gallup.com/poll/124097/Huckabee-Romney-Palin-See-Most-Republican-Support-12.aspx
More repubs would vote for her than believe she is qualified.
So I respectfully disagree…I think AP’s resource allotment was fine given the power…not just celebrity..Palin possesses.
Given the fact that more repubs would vote for her than actually believe she is qualified…perhaps the AP is actually doing a civic duty of national proportion in attempting to continue to educate these poor losers that Palin is a LIAR!!!!
The real questions should be:
How many people did PALIN employ to fact check her book?
and
If you’re interested in becoming a Presidential candidate, don’t you want to do your own fact-checking in your own book so you don’t come out looking like an idiot?
Of course, if you have to ask either question, you know where it’s going to wind up: F-A-I-L.
I cetainly wish we would spend less time on Sarah Palin and more on issues that matter… in fact, I’d suggest we ignore her all-together!
“Sarah Palin Gets One Right: 11 AP Reporters Did Fact Check Her Book”
And discovered that Republican Palin’s book is riddled with errors, falsehoods, and outright lies.
Given the pressure news providers feel to be first with any story, AP splitting up the book among 11 reporters for a quick fact-check is not so surprising, nor necessarily inappropriate. The real question is, how much time did each of those reporters have to spend on hir portion of the book? I’d wager that the actual person-hours involved in the project were pretty minimal. Compared the number of person-hours that would have been required to fact-check the Bush administration’s reasons for invading Iraq, anyway.
holyhandgrenaid: “”I think you can start an ignore-Palin completely trend here. Might not catch on, but it sure would make your readership happy.”
Seconded!
Ironically, it takes 12 AP reporters to do what right winger Andrew Sullivan has been doing for over a year:
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/11/the-odd-lies-of-sarah-palin-a-roundup.html
I wonder if she used her toes to count this high.
More power to AP, I say.
Let the twit from tundras “quit makin’ things up.”
11 is not enough. I won’t be happy until the media stomps up and down on her grave.
The NY Times assigned four or so of their best political reporters on EMK’s True Compass when they got it.
My question is, how did this assignment start? Was it initially, ‘Let’s scour it for the best details first!’ or, ‘Let’s fact-check/savage her!’
Perhaps the former turned into the latter? If they found so many inconsistencies, maybe it made more sense to run it as a fact-check piece than a survey of the work? Did they run a broader piece on the book, too?
And they found a grand total of six “errors”. And when you read the list, some of them are highly debatable.
“Ironically, it takes 12 AP reporters to do what right winger Andrew Sullivan has been doing for over a year…”
Firstly, it was 11.
Secondly, Andrew Sullivan a right-winger? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. He makes Dede Scozzafava look like Grover Norquist. Anyone who “endorsed” (I hesitate to use such a term to describe the political leanings of one so irrelevant)John Kerry and Barack Obama is no conservative. Anyone who defends record deficits, pending tax increases, multi-billion dollar bailouts, massive expansions of government power, essentially the Obama presidency to this point, is no “right-winger”. Sullivan is about as far to the right as Nancy Pelosi, and even a cursory examination of his writings of the past few years demonstrates as much. If being a one-time Republican qualifies one as a “right winger” than that makes Markos Moulitsas a “right winger” too.
There is a reason everyone on the right laughs everytime Sullivan calls himself a conservative.
PS Just thought I would let eveyone know I am teeing up my filibuster of the health care bill.
The Obama Record: Record unemployment, record deficits, no legislative accomplishments.
“right winger Andrew Sullivan”
!LOL!
It speaks loudly that the left is just now realizing that the AP in fact assigned so many “reporters” its “fact checking” of Palin, when the rest of us saw it on their byline last week — the one on the same story linked here last week to claim that Palin is going “rogue from the truth.”
What is sad is that so many AP “reporters” could produce such a laughably inept and substance-free “fact check.”
LOL You folks have to admit that “fact check” story was a joke.
As for Palin and Sullivan, which of the two is the nuttier? Which is the one, despite all evidence, who kept on insisting that Palin’s offspring were not her own, and tried to make some huge issue out of it?
When it comes to Palin, Sullivan has absolutely no credibility, at all.
The Obama Record: Record unemployment, record deficits, no legislative accomplishments.
“society has become obsessed with celebrities…but Palin was the VP nominee …her book IS a number one best seller even prior to it’s release…but more importantly she is consistently mentioned as a front runner for the 2012 Repub nomination.”
I agree and she is not insignificant as a national figure and what she represents. We can ignore the hell out of her = won’t matter. She’ll still get plenty of media attention.
So we might as well be happy she’s being fact-checked so thoroughly.
And what does anyone else care how the AP spends their money or uses their journalists?
Greg, I know what you mean, but I just figured they divvied up the book into 11 sections. One, it gets it done on a timely basis, and two, the AP has to consider the mental health of their reporters: they couldn’t inflict this much “Staggering BS” on one person.
Prime example of AP “fact checking”:
“PALIN: “Was it ambition? I didn’t think so. Ambition drives; purpose beckons.” Throughout the book, Palin cites altruistic reasons for running for office, and for leaving early as Alaska governor.
THE FACTS: Few politicians own up to wanting high office for the power and prestige of it, and in this respect, Palin fits the conventional mold. But “Going Rogue” has all the characteristics of a pre-campaign manifesto, the requisite autobiography of the future candidate.”
This what clowns like Oldnews call “riddled with errors, falsehoods, and outright lies.”
LOL
Damn Kos – what good does it do to ask where these people were when Bush=Cheney were in office? Would Markos rather no one bother to fact check this thing? It’s no. 1 on Amazon for frak’s sake.
That actually means it matters that the lies get revealed.
Sorry Greg I think you are wrong on this one. One thing is breathless attention another one is journalists doing heir job and given the rate at which she lies fact checking the whole book could take many more than what they used. For once journalists are covering her by actually checking what she says instead of idiotically repeating it. While I agree the latter is not good what the AP did is totally appropriate.
What is it with people like Kos and Hamsher and Glenn Greenwald? Does nothing EVER make them happy? I can’t believe Kos is actually complaining about this.
I can’t believe it.
“For once journalists are covering her by actually checking what she says instead of idiotically repeating it. While I agree the latter is not good what the AP did is totally appropriate.”
Is the AP example I quoted above a Palin lie or factual error?
Greg, are you starting to see “starbursts through the screen and richocheting around your living room ” a la rich lowry ?
“What is it with people like Kos and Hamsher and Glenn Greenwald?”
Throw Maddow into the list.
Perhaps they consider themselves progressives/liberals first and not partisan Democratic cheerleaders?
Not only is Sarah Palin running for president, the ONLY REASON SHE’S OFFERING VOTERS FOR SUPPORTING HER IS THAT THE MEDIA LIES ABOUT HER. Given that context, it’s perfectly appropriate for the AP and/or other news organizations to expose her lies.
As for the specific numbers involved, I rather doubt all 11 were ever involved full-time on this. I think one or two may have been, with the others called in to address a limited number of points in their areas of expertise or geographical back yards.
“Anyone who defends record deficits”
Republican fraud Ronald Reagan increased the US debt by 260% and right wing con-artists falsely declared him a ‘fiscal conservative.
“pending tax increases”
Republican fraud Ronald Reagan increased taxes on working Americans and right wing con artists falsely claimed the opposite.
“multi-billion dollar bailouts”
You mean like Republican Bush 2 did in order to keep US out of the Second Republican Great Depression that Republican Bush’s fraudulent right wing economic fictions pushed US into?
“massive expansions of government power”
You mean like Republican Bush’s massive illegal spying on Americans? Republican Bush’s elimination of core Constitutional protections like Habeas Corpus? Republican Bush’s claim that he could eliminate the many of the function of our American Judiciary and Republican Bush’s claim he could neuter most of the American Legislature?
Right wingers are their own worst enemies and they’ve done tremendous damage to America.
“progressives/liberals first and not partisan Democratic cheerleaders?”
Well if that’s true, then I’m more puzzled than ever. They should ge happy the book is being fact-checked, especially since no one ever did fact-check the Bush Administration.
They may consider themselves what you said, but that doesn’t make em right.
The idea that “no one ever did fact-check the Bush Administration” is just silly.
I am sick of reading anything at all about Palin on this blog and in the comments. Now we’re arguing about whether the AP used its resources wisely while fact checking a private citizen’s book? Stupid.
“some of these reporters may have had minimal involvement in the project, having only been pressed into service because of their expertise in particular areas”
This makes the “fact check” even more hilarious in its ineptitude and lack of substance.
As in, Palin goes “rogue from the truth” by citing altruistic motives for public service, when everyone knows most politicians are ambitious. LOL
Let’s all remember that the next time the One pontificates about his call to public service or office.
Quitter Palin never stops whining about being picked on. She suffers from a worse case of Persecution Paranoia than even Tricky Dick Nixon did!
Liam the liar says “blah blah blah” but still no one can defend the AP’s laughable “fact checking.” LOL
@SBJ ” Now we’re arguing about whether the AP used its resources wisely while fact checking a private citizen’s book? Stupid.”
She just finished a run for PUBLIC office as a VP nominee. She just quit PUBLIC office as Governor of Alaska. She just finished deep sixing the rethug candidate in NY’s 23rd. She is on a nationwide tour to promote her book and her mindless ideas…no SBJ the only thing STUPID was your inane post suggesting that Sarah Palin is the typical PRIVATE citizen. What an fing joke SBJ. If she had quit her job in Alaska and retreated to Wasilla or some other PRIVATE locale demanding her privacy…giving no interviews..not TRYING to shape the future of the rethug party…then she might be a PRIVATE citizen.
The only reason you are upset she is still getting discussed is because she is a living breathing monument to the traitorous(and I’m not being hyperbolic) action of McCain/Schmidt/Davis for putting her within a heartbeat of the White House if heaven forbid the rethugs had won! Added to that is your personal shame for having voted for that ticket!
In that Gallup poll 7% of rethug respondents who said they believed she was UNQUALIFIED to be President still said they would vote for her. The rethugs are becoming a party of uneducated morons!!!
Republican Palin does what every Republican does: Make a professional career out of lying.
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/11/the-odd-lies-of-sarah-palin-a-roundup.html
Truth and facts have well known liberal biases.
@rukidding: “Private citizen” comes from Greg’s post: “In a general sense all of us are spending way too much time tracking this private citizen’s every utterance.”
“She just finished deep sixing the rethug candidate in NY’s 23rd.”
Makes no sense.
“The only reason you are upset she is still getting discussed .. {mind reading ensues]”
No, I am upset because any Palin post seems to work up the commentors here into a mindless, pointless feeding frenzy. Your comment is a great example.
@SBJ “mindless, pointless feeding frenzy.” That is of course simply an opinion to which you are entitled. I would simply go back to Shakespeare..
“Methinks Thou dost protest too much”
My point is unlike QB and Joe Leiberman who are dumb enough to defend the indefensible…I haven’t read you posting any defense of Palin..but your obsessive desire to see any discussion of her disappear comes across as truly disinguous.
More than half the rethugs have said they are willing to vote for her as President…consequently she remains one of the half dozen or so front runners as the rethug pres candidate in 2012. She is releasing a much promoted book TOMORROW!!! If Huckabee, Romney, or Gingrich were releasing a book would it surprise you there would be discussion about it on this blog? The fact that Palin is a DOCUMENTED serial liar does bring prurient interest into that equationg that would not exist for the other candidates….but given that more than half of the rethugs said they would VOTE for her even thought 7% admit she isn’t qualified is cause for alarm and just one of the reasons…along with her soap opera entertainment factor…that we all love to read and write about good ole Sarah….Get over it SBJ. She ain’t goin away..and neither are we.LMAO
Sorry disingenuous…I’m going to have to start writing these in MSWord and then cut and paste LOL
New tech has made me a lazy slob.
“Get over it SBJ. She ain’t goin away..and neither are we.LMAO”
Well, if I can help to nudge Greg just a little bit…
I sincerely find it ridiculous. Greg posts something about Sarah and you can practically guarantee you’ll see 70 or 100 comments all gleefully cracking jokes a la Beavis and Butthead.
“Heh. Heh. She’s a butthead. Heh.”
“Yeah. Thank you for your order – please drive through.”
I think it brings out the worst in everyone.
Sarah Palin is KNOWN for being footloose and fancy free with the facts.I had a friend who had that sort of knack, he would use a seed of truth and then BUILD ON THAT, the rest was utter nonsense but many people bought it because there was a SEED of truth in there. He pulled the wool over alot of people’s eyes, I expect he still IS. So is Palin.
OF COURSE, she will fact checked. Why wouldn’t being employed to fact check and report FACT CHECK?
@SBJ “70 or 100 comments all gleefully cracking jokes a la Beavis and Butthead.”
Personally I stand guilty as charged…not sure whether I’m Beavis or Butthead? LOL I suppose I’d rather be Beavis.
Yes we joke because now that she is a “PRIVATE” citizen she is simply a joke and not the incredible nightmare she was as a candidate. Just miles from where I live, when Palin launched into her “pallin around with terrorists” someone in the crowd yelled “Kill Him” She can claim she didn’t hear this man during the rally itself…but she had to see coverage of at least hear of coverage of that event…in other words she was not only an addleminded ill informed, incurious LIAR, she was DANGEROUS!!! The thought of her as leader of the free world is just mind boggling to anybody with intelligence except for the worst kind of idealogue.
Bush was largely a stooge for corporate interests, controlled by Cheney and others…imagine what would have happened when they tried to control the ‘rogue”
Frightening stuff indeed!
And finally again I ask you…if Pawlenty, Gingrich, Huckabee, or Romney released a book tomorrow and then went on a nationwide tour kicked off with an appearance on Oprah do you not believe we be talking about it. I agree we wouldn’t have as many B*B jokes but after all that really does define Sarah…she is a JOKE!
“not sure whether I’m Beavis or Butthead? LOL”
I’d say Butthead – he was the one who thought he was smart.
quarterback,
You can run, but you can’t hide.
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/torture/the-morning-plum-12/#comment-114181
Please respond.
Run or hide from you? LOL
That was another classic in self-parody by you, Gasbag.
What’s really the funniest is that you maroons all quack on about Palin and yet not one of you can defend the absurd AP “fact check” that started it all.
Here is a little game for you. Which one isn’t part of the AP fact check:
Claim: Palin says she is a nice person.
Fact: She isn’t nice.
Claim: Palin says Obama said his climate plan would make electricity prices skyrocket.
Fact: It’s true, he did.
Claim: Palin claims she had altruistic motives for running for office.
Fact: Politicians are ambitious.
quarterback,
You still evade my question: Why should your sloppy misuse of terms like socialist, communist, Marxist, Maoist, and Stalinist be taken seriously when your usage bears no resemblance to any dictionary’s definition to the terms?
You don’t like the observation so you ignore the question. Check the above link.
Perhaps you should check it. I gave your “question” the answer it deserves.
Republican Palin is a HUGE power amongst fanatic right wingers.
Fanatic right wingers are a HUGE power in the Republican Party.
Republican Palin’s HUGE power within the Republican Party had major Republican heavyweights wade in AFTER her into New York’s 23rd district.
The Republican Party FOLLOWED Sarah Palin and it had disastrous consequences: Republicans LOST another Representative. Though in Republican’s Orwellian world: Losing now means they “won”.
Considering Republicans immense power and influence and the consequences of her decisions on a national scale (and potentially international scale), it would make even more sense if the ***.Press put TWO dozen reporters to work fact checking her.
It’s a sad world when it takes almost a dozen ***.Press reporters to do the job that conservative blogger Andrew Sullivan does as a part time hobby:
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/11/the-odd-lies-of-sarah-palin-a-roundup.html
Mike from Arlington says: “I wonder if [sic] she used her toes to count this high.”
That is so hilarious. Mike must write for TV. If I understand the joke, by wondering whether Mrs Palin used her toes to count a particular number, M. from A. calumniates her numerical ability and, by extension, her overall intelligence. Tee hee, he’s calling her stupid!
Brilliant stuff, Mike; keep it up!
If the AP had fact checked Obama, McCain would be POTUS
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