The so-called liberal media attempts to rewrite history, and gets caught by the Raw Story.
The AP transcript says the reporter asked a question which included the phrase, “intelligence and facts remain fixed” around the policy of removing Saddam Hussein. The official White House transcript and audio file confirmed by RAW STORY found that the reporter in fact had said “intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy of removing Saddam through military action.”
The incorrect AP copy distributed to the papers was:
Q: Thank you, sir. On Iraq, the so-called “Downing Street Memo” from July 2002, says, “Intelligence and facts <u>remain</u> fixed around the policy of removing Saddam through military actions.” Is this an accurate reflection of what happened? Could both of you respond?
BLAIR: Well, I can respond to that very easily. No, the facts were not being fixed in any shape or form at all. And let me remind you that that memorandum was written before we then went to the United Nations.
The official White House / Milbank account stated correctly:
Q Thank you, sir. On Iraq, the so-called Downing Street memo from July 2002 says intelligence and facts <u>were</u> being fixed around the policy of removing Saddam through military action. Is this an accurate reflection of what happened? Could both of you respond?
PRIME MINISTER BLAIR: Well, I can respond to that very easily. No, the facts were not being fixed in any shape or form at all. And let me remind you that that memorandum was written before we then went to the United Nations.
Small difference, but why???
Can’t link to it enough, the Downing Street Minuets
Actually, I think there’s a huge diff.
To me, the first version connotes an innocuous co-ordination of intelligence,policy, and action, and even a positive glow of determination, as in “you were fixed on a course of action.” But the second one says, “hey, you guys were fixing the facts.”
The AP did that? Jeez louise. Okay, maybe it’s an innocent editorial mistake by an editor who cut for brevity and missed the meaning. But it sure looks fishy.
I wonder why they changed the question but not the answer. Maybe they didn’t dare mess with Blair’s quote?
OOPS!
Raw Story caught this, I’m just an echo 🙂
I should have made that clearer.
You didn’t steal any of their credit. I’m just giving you the credit you deserve for catching what they found and bringing it to us!
Echos deserve appreciation, too!
It seems that the ink isn’t dry these days before we get revisionist history.
Nice catch from the Raw Story hfiend.