Sunday, July 04, 2004
The LA Times Reporter Responds!
Well, that was quick!
I just got this back from Alissa Rubin, who's normally the LA Times correspondent in Vienna, and who wrote the article mentioned below.
Here's her response, in its entirety.
My own reaction:
This is a pretty mealy-mouthed rebuttal. First of all, she entirely misses the point. She's apologizing for my own feelings, rather than apologizing for blowing the facts of the story in the first place.
Second, if she really feels that there were security reasons for Bremer remaining mum up until the transfer (and there obviously were) then why did she choose to omit that fact from the piece? Instead, she writes that Bremer seemed to have been afraid to speak to the Iraqi people.
And even if Bremer did remain silent until the handover, just how does that excuse the LA Times from missing the speech after the handover?
She commits the double sin of factual error, compounded with speculation. She is in no position to opine on Bremer's motives. She can't even get Bremer's actions right!
Third, Rubin is still trying to argue that Bremer gave no speech! Amazing!
Fourth, while I'm sure Western reporters would have been delighted to cover "an event billed as a farewell speech to Iraq," it's not Bremer's job to hold Rubin's hand and wipe her nose all the way through the process.
She should have gotten her facts straight no matter how the farewell speech was billed, or even if it wasn't billed at all. Her trying to blame Bremer's staff for her own screw-up is simply outrageous.
Just because the event was not billed to Rubin as a "farewell speech" does not mean it did not happen. Obviously the Arab stations figured it out, despite the language barrier, and managed to air it so Ali could hear it.
Fifth, I keep hearing this meme about a deteriorating security situation. But I haven't seen any real metrics to back it up. If anything, the security situation has improved substantially since April and May, the height of the Fallujah Follies and the zenith of Muqtada al Sadr's Shoot'em-up Shi'ite Shenanegans.
I know, I know. I'm one of Gore's digital brownshirts.
But when I screw up, I'll at least own up to it.
Splash, out
Jason
I just got this back from Alissa Rubin, who's normally the LA Times correspondent in Vienna, and who wrote the article mentioned below.
Here's her response, in its entirety.
I am sorry you feel that my aim was to insult Amb. Bremer. I think if you look
at my coverage of him through the year it has been quite consistently
sympathetic. On the day he left and the day or two before that when I
accompanied him on trips, he gave no farewell speech of the kind that one might
give on the day or two before leaving. That was, I'm sure for security reasons.
As you are probably aware, security had deteriorated badly or the the roughly
three weeks before the transfer of sovereignty.
Western reporters who follow Amb. Bremer would have been delighted to cover an
event billed as a farewell to Iraq. However, I will gladly look at the material
you have forwarded me and if indeed I should have included a qualification I
will discuss doing so with my desk.
My own reaction:
This is a pretty mealy-mouthed rebuttal. First of all, she entirely misses the point. She's apologizing for my own feelings, rather than apologizing for blowing the facts of the story in the first place.
Second, if she really feels that there were security reasons for Bremer remaining mum up until the transfer (and there obviously were) then why did she choose to omit that fact from the piece? Instead, she writes that Bremer seemed to have been afraid to speak to the Iraqi people.
And even if Bremer did remain silent until the handover, just how does that excuse the LA Times from missing the speech after the handover?
She commits the double sin of factual error, compounded with speculation. She is in no position to opine on Bremer's motives. She can't even get Bremer's actions right!
Third, Rubin is still trying to argue that Bremer gave no speech! Amazing!
Fourth, while I'm sure Western reporters would have been delighted to cover "an event billed as a farewell speech to Iraq," it's not Bremer's job to hold Rubin's hand and wipe her nose all the way through the process.
She should have gotten her facts straight no matter how the farewell speech was billed, or even if it wasn't billed at all. Her trying to blame Bremer's staff for her own screw-up is simply outrageous.
Just because the event was not billed to Rubin as a "farewell speech" does not mean it did not happen. Obviously the Arab stations figured it out, despite the language barrier, and managed to air it so Ali could hear it.
Fifth, I keep hearing this meme about a deteriorating security situation. But I haven't seen any real metrics to back it up. If anything, the security situation has improved substantially since April and May, the height of the Fallujah Follies and the zenith of Muqtada al Sadr's Shoot'em-up Shi'ite Shenanegans.
I know, I know. I'm one of Gore's digital brownshirts.
But when I screw up, I'll at least own up to it.
Splash, out
Jason
Comments:
*Sigh.* They have an Orwellian way of speaking. It drove me mad in the days when I would write letters to the editor. I couldn't take it any more; I canceled. It was the only way I could make my point -- and retain my sanity. As Reynolds says, "They're on the other side."
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