Newspaper disciplines copy editor for adding 'allegedly' to "Obama was born in Hawaii."

Newspaper disciplines copy editor for adding 'allegedly' to 'Obama was born in Hawaii'

By MACKENZIE WEINGER | 11/21/12 8:45 AM EST


The Montana Independent Record disciplined a copy editor for changing a line in an Associated Press story to read "Obama was allegedly born in Hawaii."


The change appeared in the Sunday edition of the Helena newspaper in an AP story about President Barack Obama's visit to Asia. The line in the Independent Record read: “The Asia trip underscores Obama’s efforts to establish the United states as an Asia-Pacific power, a worldview defined by 21st century geopolitics but also by Obama’s personal identity as America’s first Pacific president. Obama was allegedly born in Hawaii.”


Retired AP staffer Tom Laceky, who worked in the Helena bureau for 28 years, pointed out the addition of "allegedly" in a letter to the editor on Tuesday.


"'Allegedly born in Hawaii?' As if there is any doubt? That right-wing notion has been so thoroughly discredited that only Donald Trump and assorted other loonies still cling to it. Neither the AP nor -I hope - The Independent Record belongs in their company," Laceky wrote.


Another reader also wrote in to share their disappointment with the edit of the AP piece.


In an editor's note, the newspaper wrote that it was a "poor attempt at humor and a poor decision" and that "those responsible have been disciplined":

Our copy desk made an error in judgment in editing the Sunday 2A Associated Press story about President Obama’s trip to Asia and his place of birth. One of the copy editors inserted the term “allegedly” born in Hawaii in the story thinking the other copy editor would catch it, he didn’t. It was a poor attempt at humor and a poor decision, but was not intended to be printed in the paper. Those responsible have been disciplined.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/...ly-150095.html

The Copy Editor is lucky he/she was only disciplined and not fired. What he/she did was a clear violation of "journalistic standards."

What he/she did was a clear violation of "journalistic standards."

Does the same standard apply to President Obama Media Cronies?

What he/she did was a clear violation of "journalistic standards."

Does the same standard apply to President Obama Media Cronies?
Originally Posted by tttalinky

Sure it does! Next!

More whining and crying from IBCrying surrogates.

Right you are, BT!

NEXT!

What he/she did was a clear violation of "journalistic standards."

Does the same standard apply to President Obama Media Cronies?
Originally Posted by tttalinky

Had you read the linked article that brought about the discipline of the Copy Editor you would have found the answer to your question, thus saving you from making an ass of yourself. As a courtesy, I will provide the relevant portion for you (in italics):

"As a retired AP staffer of 38 years, the last 28 in the Helena bureau, I regret the unjustified ridicule that your readers may mistakenly aim at the AP.

The violence was done by adding a single word to Jim Kuhnhenn’s article from Washington about the President’s trip to Asia. It appeared in this paragraph: “The Asia trip underscores Obama’s efforts to establish the United states as an Asia-Pacific power, a worldview defined by 21st century geopolitics but also by Obama’s personal identity as America’s first Pacific president. Obama was allegedly born in Hawaii.”


The word “allegedly” was edited into the story by the IR. The AP has assured me it did not appear in the story as written and transmitted.


“Allegedly born in Hawaii?” As if there is any doubt? That right-wing notion has been so thoroughly discredited that only Donald Trump and assorted other loonies still cling to it. Neither the AP nor -I hope - The Independent Record belongs in their company.


No respectable news organization gives any credence to that claim anymore, and certainly does not accord it the respectability of “allegedly.” I hope the IR will find out how this editing gaffe occurred and be sure it doesn’t happen again.


Tom Laceky
Helena"

No doubt??? Really? When the White House releases three different birth certificates and claimes that each is the "real thing"... It may not prove where Obama was born but it sure generates doubt.

I guess you would accept three different witnesses in a murder trial that give three different versions of the same event that gives the defendant an alibi.

Keep it up dipshit. With every fucking birther post, you lose more and more credibility. That is, if you had any to begin with.

obama was born everywhere but the u.s

obama was born everywhere but where he was actually born, the u.s Originally Posted by Zabrina Sarafina

I fixed it fer ya!

FACT! Obama has released three birth certificates.
FACT! They all differ in some significant way.
FACT! They were claimed to be the real deal.

Common sense...how they all be the real deal and is it possible that there is a fourth one? Talk about proving a negative. Obama has raised more questions than he has answered. Where was he born? I don't know. You can say Kenya, or Hawaii, or Seattle but no one here really KNOWS.

Fact that he released 3?????

I only remember one long form BC being released.

Fact: he was elected as the first African American President of the United States
Fact: he was re-elected

Get over it.

Fact: He is the most dishonest, corrupt, and incompetent president in history.

Fact: He is the most dishonest, corrupt, and incompetent president in history. Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

Damnit StupidOldFart, if I've asked you once I've asked you a hundred times.

Why do you keep bringing up George W. Bush's legacy? You're like a badly scratched record!