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TomCADem

(17,382 posts)
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 11:02 AM Mar 2013

Bob Woodward To Hannity: I Never Called WH Email A 'Threat,'

Source: Huffington Post

Bob Woodward set about trying to defend himself on Thursday night from the widespread derision that has greeted his account of his hostile exchange with White House economic adviser Gene Sperling.

Woodward spoke to his own newspaper, the Washington Post, and appeared on Sean Hannity's Fox News show to discuss the now infamous emails between himself and Sperling. On Wednesday, Woodward set the media world chattering when he told Wolf Blitzer that Sperling's email —which said, in part, that, "as a friend," he thought Woodward would "regret" a hotly contested claim he was making about the Obama administration's handling of the budget sequester — had made him "very uncomfortable." He did not dispute Blitzer's comment that he had been "threatened" by Sperling. Nor did he quarrel with the Politico editors who interviewed him and wrote, "Woodward [made] clear he saw it as a veiled threat."

When the emails were released in full by Politico on Thursday, though, their cordial tone angered many journalists, who thought Woodward had mischaracterized the nature of the exchange.

* * *
Critics also noted the chumminess between Woodward and Hannity. After the Fox News host cricitzed the press for not looking into President Obama's associations with Bill Ayers, Woodward said, "I agree with that." He also lavished praise on Hannity, saying, "You let me say what I want. You dig into things. You — there is no bleep-out button.”

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/28/bob-woodward-hannity-white-house-threat_n_2785739.html



If there is any upside to Bob Woodard's backpedaling on Sean Hannity of all shows is that it exposes how many "mainstream" journalists are nothing more than shills for the right wing.

As noted in this review of Bob Woodard's 2012 Book, the Price of Politics, Woodard's work on President Obama offered no new information and, if anything, told more about Woodard's right wing bias, then the President:

http://www.newrepublic.com/book/review/bob-woodward-price-of-politics
34 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Bob Woodward To Hannity: I Never Called WH Email A 'Threat,' (Original Post) TomCADem Mar 2013 OP
Yes, you did, Bob! Hayabusa Mar 2013 #1
Woodward is the typical demented right wing LiberalFighter Mar 2013 #2
He never thought the WH would release the email....but you don't try to screw this WH. They don't MADem Mar 2013 #29
I think Politico spinned this whole thing Pancho Schneider Mar 2013 #30
Woodward mischaracterized something??? NO!!! I'm shocked! Shocked, I say! n/t FourScore Mar 2013 #3
I never liked him. Seems arrogant and sanctimonious to me but now I know OregonBlue Mar 2013 #4
Note that even though it was "Woodward and Bernstein" all one hears since is "Woodward." That is yellowcanine Mar 2013 #9
After all this, I am guessing Bernstein did all the hard work...and Woodward took all the credit. SunSeeker Mar 2013 #11
low life homegirl Mar 2013 #14
heartburn. barbtries Mar 2013 #16
Actually Nora Ephron was married to Carl Bernstein. yellowcanine Mar 2013 #18
“The problem is there are all kinds of reporters who are much less experience, that are younger, yellowcanine Mar 2013 #5
He's a liar, a hack, and a full-blown neocon. chimpymustgo Mar 2013 #7
I think the main problem is his self image as a journalistic icon gets in the way yellowcanine Mar 2013 #8
What a fool. nt bemildred Mar 2013 #6
And a tool. Arugula Latte Mar 2013 #12
A right wing mule LiberalLovinLug Mar 2013 #20
So he went on the network that was peddling the threat Mnpaul Mar 2013 #10
The right-wing media made it up Pancho Schneider Mar 2013 #13
I knew Bob was a republican hack Hubert Flottz Mar 2013 #15
What's Bernstein doing these days? Arkana Mar 2013 #24
Woodward and Fox News embrace each other The Second Stone Mar 2013 #17
Is woodward simply being crazy like a fox? cutroot Mar 2013 #19
cute couple frylock Mar 2013 #21
Jon Stewart put it xxqqqzme Mar 2013 #22
"Because access means never having to say you are sorry." - Jon Stewart yellowcanine Mar 2013 #26
Oh, also, we've always been at war with Eastasia. Arkana Mar 2013 #23
Creep. (nt) Nine Mar 2013 #25
A victim of his own success... B Stieg Mar 2013 #27
Unbelievable. This lying piece of shit is supposed to be one of the most Chakab Mar 2013 #28
You sleep with snakes, you get bitten. n/t. lindysalsagal Mar 2013 #31
Take Bob's keys away Trascoli Mar 2013 #32
Yes, we always suspected that Woodward was leaning R question everything Mar 2013 #33
Well, Woodward should watch out-- Z_I_Peevey Mar 2013 #34

MADem

(135,425 posts)
29. He never thought the WH would release the email....but you don't try to screw this WH. They don't
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 08:08 PM
Mar 2013

play--and that's as it should be!

From the Huffpo:

On Thursday morning, Politico released the text of the email exchange between Woodward and Sperling. The emails look to be a far cry from the kind of thuggery that Woodward implied.

Here's an excerpt from Sperling:

I apologize for raising my voice in our conversation today. I do understand your problems with a couple of our statements in the fall -- but feel on the other hand that you focus on a few specific trees that gives a very wrong perception of the forest. But perhaps we will just not see eye to eye here. But I do truly believe you should rethink your comment about saying saying that Potus asking for revenues is moving the goal post. I know you may not believe this, but as a friend, I think you will regret staking out that claim ... My apologies again for raising my voice on the call with you. Feel bad about that and truly apologize.

Woodward, who would later profess to be unnerved by Sperling's email, replied very calmly:

Gene: You do not ever have to apologize to me. You get wound up because you are making your points and you believe them. This is all part of a serious discussion. I for one welcome a little heat; there should more given the importance. I also welcome your personal advice.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/28/bob-woodward-emails-white-house-threat_n_2781052.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular


He's a bullshitter at a minimum, and very possibly a bit addled.
 

Pancho Schneider

(42 posts)
30. I think Politico spinned this whole thing
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 08:22 PM
Mar 2013

into a threat claim by Woodard. As bad as Woodard is, Politico is worse.

OregonBlue

(7,754 posts)
4. I never liked him. Seems arrogant and sanctimonious to me but now I know
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 11:33 AM
Mar 2013

not to believe anything he says. He has really crapped on his own reputation.

yellowcanine

(35,693 posts)
9. Note that even though it was "Woodward and Bernstein" all one hears since is "Woodward." That is
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 12:17 PM
Mar 2013

a clue right there into the psyche of Bob Woodward, I believe.

SunSeeker

(51,510 posts)
11. After all this, I am guessing Bernstein did all the hard work...and Woodward took all the credit.
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 01:31 PM
Mar 2013

Woodward has sunk what little was left of his reputation. But looks like he has a gig at Fox now.

homegirl

(1,427 posts)
14. low life
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 01:40 PM
Mar 2013

Woodward has never been a sterling character. He left his wife, Nora Ephron, when she was pregnant. Nora wrote a screenplay amd it was a film, I thnk Meryl Streep played Nora.

Right now, Woodward is rtealizing that no president will ever trust him. The open door to the White House has slammed shut. Praising Hannity on TV is the final nail.

barbtries

(28,769 posts)
16. heartburn.
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 01:50 PM
Mar 2013

streep is wonderful as usual.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091188/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

eta: and bernstein is played by Jack Nicholson so you know you wanna watch that movie.
one thing: it was bernstein who did that to ephron.

yellowcanine

(35,693 posts)
18. Actually Nora Ephron was married to Carl Bernstein.
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 01:54 PM
Mar 2013
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nora_Ephron

But Woodward is still a low life, just not for that reason.
He appears to have carried water for GWB on the Iraq WMD issue, among other things.

yellowcanine

(35,693 posts)
5. “The problem is there are all kinds of reporters who are much less experience, that are younger,
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 11:39 AM
Mar 2013

and if they’re going to get roughed up in this way,” he later added.

Woodward is so full of shit. There is no other way to put it.

So now he is saying the language didn't bother him personally because he is this experienced reporter but he is objecting for the sake of younger, less experienced reporters.

I call BS on Woodward. For whatever reason, he got his feathers ruffled and now he realizes he greatly overreacted and is trying to make the best of it.

chimpymustgo

(12,774 posts)
7. He's a liar, a hack, and a full-blown neocon.
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 11:49 AM
Mar 2013

And he's doubling down on his bullshit - he might have some mental impairment.

yellowcanine

(35,693 posts)
8. I think the main problem is his self image as a journalistic icon gets in the way
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 12:05 PM
Mar 2013

of his reporting. He expects people in the WH to show deference to him and when they do not do it sufficiently he gets offended and it comes out when he is in front of a camera.

Hubert Flottz

(37,726 posts)
15. I knew Bob was a republican hack
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 01:49 PM
Mar 2013

the first time I ever listened to him for a couple of minutes. A total suck-up.

 

The Second Stone

(2,900 posts)
17. Woodward and Fox News embrace each other
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 01:52 PM
Mar 2013

and no one is shocked.

That he appears on and endorse Sean Hannity on Fox News says that he has less than zero integrity.

cutroot

(873 posts)
19. Is woodward simply being crazy like a fox?
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 01:57 PM
Mar 2013

( Pun intended )
It occurs to me that he may have decided to milk those fat cows on the other side of the fence for a while. All you have to do is bash the president a little, and they buy up books like crazy. He has already been on TV more than usual.

Arkana

(24,347 posts)
23. Oh, also, we've always been at war with Eastasia.
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 02:46 PM
Mar 2013

Come on, Bob, you took down a President with recorded audio--did you really think that the same thing didn't apply in the fucking age of digital media and Youtube?

B Stieg

(2,410 posts)
27. A victim of his own success...
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 04:20 PM
Mar 2013

Woodward has been struggling to stay relevant for decades. Then again, how do you top uncovering a criminal conspiracy involving the President of the United States?

 

Chakab

(1,727 posts)
28. Unbelievable. This lying piece of shit is supposed to be one of the most
Fri Mar 1, 2013, 06:22 PM
Mar 2013

respected journalists in the country? Says everything about the state of the American media.

question everything

(47,431 posts)
33. Yes, we always suspected that Woodward was leaning R
Sat Mar 2, 2013, 12:58 PM
Mar 2013

but going on Hannity he lost all credibility that he may have had.

What, Blitzer was not going to be good enough?

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