Iraq War and Midterm Elections Voted Top Two Stories of 2006 by Editors (AP)

[Hissyspit]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/27/2006/main2302443.shtml


Iraq War Voted Top Story Of 2006

Dec. 27, 2006
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(AP) The convoluted, increasingly costly war in Iraq was chosen the top story of 2006 by U.S. editors and news directors in The Associated Press' annual vote, followed closely by the U.S. election in which debate over Iraq played a pivotal role.

The war received 176 first-place votes out of 242 ballots cast. The election, in which Democrats seized control of Congress, received 46 first-place votes and was the overwhelming pick for the No. 2 story.

Last year's top story was Hurricane Katrina and the other devastating Gulf Coast storms. The Iraq war finished third in that poll, was runner-up in 2004 and the No. 1 story in 2003, while the buildup to the war was 2002's top story.

Here are 2006's top 10 stories, as voted by AP members. There was a tie for seventh place:

1. IRAQ: What started in 2003 as a supposedly straightforward drive to topple Saddam Hussein deteriorated during 2006 into a dismayingly complex and savage struggle, with Iraqis by the thousands killed in sectarian reprisal attacks and the U.S. military death toll nearing 3,000. President Bush dropped talk of "staying the course" but balked at embracing many of the key suggestions of a bipartisan study group; Iraqi authorities struggled to assert control and avoid fracture.

2. U.S. ELECTION: Unhappiness with events in Iraq was one of the driving forces behind the Democrats' surge in the Nov. 7 election. They took over the House with a large majority, gained a narrow edge in the Senate, and also advanced in statehouses nationwide. Nancy Pelosi, assailed by the Republicans as a "San Francisco liberal" during the campaign, will become the first female speaker of the House.

3. NUCLEAR STANDOFFS: The United States and its allies were frustrated in their efforts to rein in nuclear programs in North Korea and Iran. North Korea tested a nuclear bomb in October, and Iran — despite a threat of sanctions — pushed ahead with plans to bring its first nuclear power plant on line in late 2007.

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5. SCANDALS IN CONGRESS: Several Republican congressmen were brought down by scandals, including Mark Foley, who resigned over sexually explicit messages sent to male pages, and Randy Cunningham, who pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from defense contractors. House Majority Leader Tom Delay resigned after being indicted on campaign finance charges in Texas, and Ohio's Bob Ney pleaded guilty in connection with the probe of lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

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[Smarmie Doofus]

1. "Bipartisan"?!? They can't even report on this....

>>>President Bush dropped talk of "staying the course" but balked at embracing many of the key suggestions of a bipartisan study group;>>>>

... without being misleading. The ISG contained no members who opposed the IWR. The fact that they had one or two nominal, RW DEMS not withstanding. The use of 'bipartisan' is , hence, misleading. It implies that significant DEM sentiment was represented in the group.

It was not.

What next? Will AP give itself an award for outstanding journalism for it's coverage of this largely media-driven debacle?