Did you read the following this morning? (Second, third and fourth paragraph of Eric Schmitt's
"Rapid Pullout From Iraq Urged by Key Democrat.")
Representative John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania, a Vietnam combat veteran who voted for the Iraq war, said that after more than two years of combat, American forces had united a disparate array of insurgents in a seemingly endless cycle of violence that was impeding Iraq's progress toward stability and self-governance. He said the 153,000 American troops in Iraq should be pulled out within six months.
"Our military has done everything that has been asked of them. It is time to bring them home," Mr. Murtha said, at times choking back tears. Mr. Murtha's proposal, which goes well beyond the phased withdrawal of United States forces from Iraq that other moderate Democrats have proposed, stunned many Republicans who quickly held their own news conference to criticize the plan.
[President Bush, in South Korea, continued on Friday to be questioned by reporters about the debate over Iraq. His press secretary issued an unusually blistering statement responding to Mr. Murtha's call for a pullout, declaring that the Democrat was "endorsing the policy positions of Michael Moore and the extreme liberal wing of the Democratic Party." Page A16.]
If so, you read it online. The print edition differs considerably. (Why is that?) For one, it doesn't included a bracket response from the Bully Boy. (And why they feel the need to note "A16" in an online version is beyond me -- they don't in the print version.)
Here's how the print version reads:
Representative John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania, a Vietnam combat veteran who voted for the Iraq war, has grown increasingly frustrated with the administration's post-invasion handling of the battles against insurgents. Mr. Murtha said that the conflict had become a "flawed policy wrapped in an illusion" and that the 153,000 American troops in Iraq should be pulled out within six months.
He emotionally denounced "people with five deferments," a veiled reference to Vice President Chency, who dared to challenge veterans like him who served honorably about their views.
Mr. Murtha's proposal, which goes well beyond the phased withdrawal of United States forces from Iraq that other moderate Democrats have proposed, stunned many Republicans who quickly held their own news conference to criticize the plans.
The online version does include this:
When asked about Mr. Cheney's remarks on Wednesday, Mr. Murtha replied sarcastically: "I like guys who've never been there that criticize us who've been there. I like that. I like guys who got five deferments and never been there and send people to war and then don't like to hear suggestions about what needs to be done."
In the Vietnam era, Mr. Cheney had five deferments and did not serve in the military.
It's also the way the print version ends. What's been altered is inserting the official response from the White House and taking out, fourth paragraph in print edition, this:
He emotionally denounced "people with five deferments," a veiled reference to Vice President Cheney, who dared to challenge veterans like him who served honorably about their views.
Why was it taken out? To argue the information is still in there (last two paragraphs) is besides the point. The paper ran it upfront in the print edition. Online, it appears the paper grew skittish.
Cheney did take five deferments and did, infamously, state that he had other priorities during the Vietnam conflict. Who's scrubbing whom? 'Taking casual Fridays' to the extreme . . .
In other news, don't forget to watch, listen or read Democracy Now! today and don't forget this:
* Juan Gonzalez will be speaking on a media ownership panel at the FCC Consumer Advisory Committee meeting in Washington, D.C. from 11:00 a.m. to noon EST on Friday, November 18. Live video streaming of that event can be found at http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/#nov18.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
the new york times
eric schmitt
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