Alaska station says (ABC News Commentator) Breitbart / Palin audio attack (dirty trick) is bogus

[jefferson_dem]

Alaska station says Breitbart Web site audio attack is bogus
Is another Andrew Breitbart Web site production about to be unmasked as bogus?

Breitbart's Big Journalism site is making an incendiary accusation: That reporters at the Anchorage CBS affiliate KTVA were caught conspiring to damage Tea Party Senate candidate Joe Miller. Big Journalism posted a snippet of audio allegedly showing this: It features KTVA reporters talking among themselves while -- unbeknownst to them -- they were accidentally being recorded on the voicemail of Miller's campaign manager.

But it's unclear from the recording precisely what, if anything, was being plotted. And now the station is adamantly denying the charges, claiming the audio was clipped and taken out of the fuller context. KTVA general manager Jerry Bever sends over a statement claiming the "complete recording was about what others might be able to do to cause disruption within the Miller campaign."

If this is true, it wouldn't be the first time this has happened, as you may recall.

Big Journalism's audio was picked up on by Sarah Palin on Fox News this morning, and by the NRSC, which issued a statement claiming: "It should trouble all Americans that any member of the media would attempt to purposefully smear a nominee for the U.S. Senate."

But here's the response from Bever, the general manager of KTVA:

"It's unfortunate that this recording has happened. It's unfortunate because it does not accurately reflect the journalistic standards of our newsroom and the garbled context will no doubt leave more questions than answers. The Miller campaign's analysis of the recording is incorrect in many material ways ranging from personnel involved in the conversation, the interpretation of conversation snippets and the reported transcript of the perceived garbled conversation.

"While the recording is real, the allegations are untrue. The recording was the result of a cell phone not being hung up after a call was placed to Randy DeSoto, Joe Miller campaign spokesperson, Thursday afternoon to discuss Joe Miller's appearance on that evening's newscast. That phone call was placed near the end of a coverage planning meeting in our newsroom regarding that evening's Miller rally in downtown Anchorage. The group of KTVA news personnel was reviewing potential "what-if" scenarios, discussing the likelihood of events at the rally and how KTVA might logistically disseminate any breaking news.

"The perception that this garbled, out of context recording may leave is unfortunate, but to allege that our staff was discussing or planning to create or fabricate stories regarding candidate Miller is absurd. The complete conversation was about what others might be able to do to cause disruption within the Miller campaign, not what KTVA could do."

The full audio is only on the cell phone of Miller's campaign manager. Will the campaign release it? Also: Who edited the audio that Big Journalism posted?

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/10/alaska_station_denies_big_gove.html

More here - http://mediamatters.org/blog/201010310001

[Blue_In_AK]

1. Joe's supporters here are all over this thing,

posting it within the comments sections of all the articles having to do with the Senate race. Fortunately, most people seem to be taking it with a grain of salt, given the source.

The Miller campaign is desperate, and this is their last gasp. I believe this race is truly between Lisa Murkowski and Scott McAdams.

[jefferson_dem]

4. Guess I shouldn't be surprised that Palin promoted this desperately lame "dirty trick"...

this morning...but i am. She knows that the defeat of her prized pony - Miller - will make her look like shit.

[karynnj]

7. Not to mention, what is it really saying

The worst interpretation is that the media dislikes Joe Miller and might work to get any real negative story out there. It doesn't say that they would position a real sex offender there and then point him out.

It also does not change any of the very real negative things about Miller that have come to light.

Are they blaming either Murkowsi or McAdams?

(Interesting that O'Donnell is also using a "media" (if Gawker even qualifies as media ) attack on O'Donnell to blame Coons, who had nothing to do with it. )

[Blue_In_AK]

11. They're blaming Murkowski indirectly,

alleging that KTVA is obviously in her pocket (just as they've alleged about every other media source here in Alaska). Everyone knows that McAdams is too nice a guy to try to influence the election in this way, and everyone also knows that Lisa is desperate to win.

Lisa has taken some hits in the past couple of days.

[karynnj]

13. Interesting

The Palin/Murkowski fight seems intense and nasty. Desperation rarely makes anyone look better - which is why having successes an momentum (like in primaries) really helps - a happy smiling politician always looks better than an unhappy one. A few of the (maybe cherry picked? ) photos of both Murkowski and Miller look really intensely angry.

McAdams looks so calm, happy and just NORMAL in contrast. it would be great if the Republicans big fight leads to Alaska rejecting both.

[Blue_In_AK]

14. Lisa softened up a bit for her last televised debate,

but the three that I saw before that, she looked like a raging harpy. She is absolutely furious with Sarah/Joe, and it shows.


You're right about Scott. He's always very even-tempered, polite and funny. I really like him so much.

[karynnj]

16. I've only seen two as and one TV appearance

Here's hoping that in the quiet of the voting booth - decency and "even-tempered, polite and funny" - is what many people really really want. The fact is that if this is the year of the outsider - you can't get much more outsider than he is.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. No film from James O'Keefe yet????

[Bolo Boffin]

3. Big Journalism has posted an edited audio, yes.

Not precisely O'Keefe, but close enough for Breitbart's standards.

And ABC News is using Breitbart to help cover election night online! Inviting a known ratfucker over for the big party and dressing up as Mickey Mouse. Crazy.

[HipChick]

8. ABC having been trying to walk back Andrew Breitbart's role...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9426944

[Bolo Boffin]

12. Next on ABC News, the Salahis cover all the Oscar Red Carpet Action!

...online only...

:D

[glinda]

17. He should be in jail. ABC is a total embarrassment.

[Sheepshank]

5. Since the media is already

guilty of a full frontal assault on herding the population in a political direction time and again, perhaps a little kick in the pants is worth just a little in the arena of eye opening experiences for the naive public.

The fact that this type of wishing/hoping conversation (don't we do the same type of wry commentaries when Cheney has another heart issue) becomes public knowledge, doesn't seem to matter if is pro or con Republicans....it brings to light that some people are hated enough to have someone (even the media) plot their colorful downfall. Look at what happened to ACORN. The media is not be above it, the media doesn't report news in a fair manner, and what they write, WILL reflect a personal or corporate bias. Hey public, live and learn the truth about the media!!!

[randr]

6. NRSC--"It should trouble all Americans that any member of the media would attempt to purposefully sm

Since When?

[Peacetrain]

9. I have a question.. if this turns out to be a breitbart cutting room rumor

Will ABC then drop him (they are getting theirs heads handed to them for putting Breitbart on the roster).. this will give them the way to do it..and will that then put the nail in the coffin of Breitbart (journalistic-ally speaking)


edit to add.. what I mean about cutting room rumor.. a doctored tape to give a different view than what the original does

[Cosmocat]

15. just REALLY highlights ...

how pathetic the MSM is in sucking republican teet ...

They castigate Ds for shiite that never happened, Brietbart owns two concocted BS scams, and they have him on a national election broadcast ...

Just pathetic ...

[redirish28]

10. Media Matters has the audio track FAUX "NEWS" played it is very

garbled and the female voice has a hint of the Palin whine...(IMHO) I'm not accusing all I'm saying I was half listening and my mind instantly thought of Sarah when I heard the female voice.

[Clio the Leo]

18. This is so much FUN!!!!!

... and to think, we wont know the outcome of perhaps the most exciting election of the night until the early morning hours of Wed (at the earliest, this thing could go on for weeks!)

I'm not sure if I was this excited about election '08 (which was all over but the shouting by this point) ... I love the DRAMA!!! :bounce:

.... and I'll be fuled the whole time by clearance Halloween candy! lol

[Supersedeas]

20. Ding Ding Ding -- they is exactly the point of releasing OBL tapes before elections

[prolesunited]

19. If anyone was ever in a newsroom

they would be appalled by the comments made and discussions that go on. Jokes about death and mocking people is commonplace. It's a tense, insane environment and covering stories daily that break your heart and make you question people's humanity, you develop a very cynical mask and a warped sense of humor. I could definitely imagine them discussion bizarre contingencies out loud.

[11 Bravo]

21. Again with the snippets! Breitbart should have been a fucking moile!