Herbert claimed Clinton said "Obama's effort" was a "fairy tale," but didn't report Clinton's denial

[antiimperialist]

Sat, Jan 12, 2008 5:09pm ET
Media Matters for America

New York Times columnist Bob Herbert, referring to January 7 comments by former President Bill Clinton, wrote, "So there was the former president chastising the press for the way it was covering the Obama campaign and saying of Mr. Obama's effort: 'The whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I've ever seen.' " But Herbert did not report that Clinton denied on Al Sharpton's radio show that he had said that. Nor did Herbert report that Clinton said Obama's "campaign" is "clearly not a fairy tale; it's real."

In his January 12 New York Times column, columnist Bob Herbert, referring to January 7 comments by former President Bill Clinton, wrote, "So there was the former president chastising the press for the way it was covering the Obama campaign and saying of Mr. Obama's effort: 'The whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I've ever seen.' " But Herbert did not report that Clinton denied that he had said Obama's campaign was a "fairy tale" on the January 11 broadcast of Syndication One's The Al Sharpton Show. In a clip aired on the January 11 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, Rev. Al Sharpton asked Clinton, "You had said that Senator Obama's campaign was a fairy tale. How -- how do you respond to that?" Clinton responded: "First of all, it's not true. I have given hundreds of speeches on Hillary's behalf in this campaign. I don't believe I've given a single one where I did not applaud Senator Obama and his candidacy. It's not a fairy tale." Additionally, ABC News reported that Clinton said on The Al Sharpton Show that Obama's "campaign" is "clearly not a fairy tale": "Now that doesn't have anything to do with my respect for him as a candidate or as a political figure in this campaign. He has put together a great campaign. It's clearly not a fairy tale; it's real."

http://mediamatters.org/items/200801120001?f=h_latest

[MADem]

1. Awww, fuck the truth, if it's inconvenient.... nt

[orleans]

2. that fucking LIBERAL nytimes is really starting to PISS ME OFF!

and FUCK BOB HERBERT.

thanks for posting this. i thought i was going crazy because i found myself in the position of defending bill clinton (after i saw the video of this on olbermann) and i have NEVER been much of a clinton defender.

[OHdem10]

3. Herbert has happed on the "Protect Obama Bandwagon"

I watched the clip on TV, Clinton was clearly referring to the
way Obama has danced around on the war Issue. Some of his positions
on the war, never having been scrutinized , is a fairy tale.

He complimented Obama's Campaign effort.

Someone explained the Media Swoon. Obama followers are upperclass
Liberals, Professionals etc. The Media is from this class . They
are all friends thus the Media is supporting their friends.

I might not call them Liberals but this is a good argument.

[tularetom]

4. Let me get this straight - daddy bush's bestest friend forever

Bill Clinton, is accusing Obama followers of being the "elite". Sounds to me like he's whining about being outmanuevered by the Obama campaign. He ain't running and if he doesn't shut his piehole he's going to alienate a lot of undecided voters. Hillary needs to find an intern to give him a BJ and get rid of him for about six months.

[juajen]

5. I hate all of this in--fighting.

Why are we killing our own. I do not have anything against Obama or Edwards, or Kucinich, I just support Hillary. Why is this hard to understand? We are not robots. We all have different reasons for our support for the candidate of our choice. I don't get it. Do you honestly think because we have people railing against our candidate, that we will change our minds and vote for their candidate if we hear enough sh**t about our candidate?

It doesn't work that way. All that happens for me, is that it is harder for me to support another candidate when they have been cruel and untruthful about mine. If Obama wins the nomination, I will find it hard to support him with all my heart because of the crap I've heard his supporters say about Clinton. Same for our side. We need to support our candidates without trying to destroy other candidates, who, after all, could be our nominee. At that point, the nominee will need all of us to win against the pugs. Perhaps we have intruders on DU who are fostering this divisiveness. If so, we are playing right into their hands. Cut it out, folks, please, for the sake of our future nominee.

[MasonJar]

6. Bob Herbert is wonderful usually, but he is undermining his future

assessments by misrepresenting what Bill Clinton actually said and meant, which is well-documented on tape for any doubter to see.

[uncertainty1999]

7. I usually agree with Herbert, but this column is misleading

[Cha]

8. So clinton said it and then he denied

having said it? That's just lying..maybe Bob Herbert didn't want to show bc was a liar. bill's trying to ooze outta what he said about Obama. I never thought I would have such disrespect for bc.

[antiimperialist]

9. No. Clinton denied that she said the "campaign" as a fairy tale n/t