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Here's the CNN RSS feed for this article:
But the spin the network put on the final published article is totally different!
Top general says Iraq status quo needs to change
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Under sharp questioning from senators, the top U.S. general in Iraq said Wednesday the status quo in the war there is not acceptable.
Gen. John Abizaid's comments came in response to persistent questioning from Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, about whether more U.S. troops are needed in Iraq.
When Abizaid, the head of U.S. Central Command, insisted that American and Iraqi troop strength is adequate for the mission, McCain responded, "I'm of course disappointed that basically you're advocating the status quo here today, which I think the American people in the last election said ... is not an acceptable position for the American people."
"Well, Senator, I agree with you, the status quo is not acceptable, and I don't believe what I'm saying here today is the status quo," Abizaid replied in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The RSS feed shows the General asking Congress not to "handicap us," not to "hamper" us, but to give us "flexibility" that we can't have if there are "force caps and specific timetables."
But the article makes it sound like the same General is criticizing GWB, backing the Dems, and calling for the status quo to change!
The words "hamper" and "handicap" don't even appear in the article. The quote about "flexibility" isn't even in the article!
Let me reiterate, this is two CNN headlines for the exact same CNN article. One headline is from the RSS feed, and one is from the published article.
This shows how hard the editors at CNN work to spin stories in an anti-GWB direction. The RSS feed, which simply seeks to sum up the gist of the story, puts a far more reasonable interpretation on the facts. In fact, the RSS feed's approach is in keeping with the Washington Post's report on this same event:
U.S. Commander Warns Against Iraq Cutoff
WASHINGTON -- The top U.S. commander in the Middle East warned Congress Wednesday against setting a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, saying it would impede commanders in managing U.S. and Iraqi forces.
The assertion by Gen. John Abizaid seemed to put him at odds with some Democrats pressing the Bush administration to begin pulling out of Iraq.
The CNN editors had to work hard to make it sound like the General was opposing GWB.
If you scroll to the bottom of the CNN web page showing the article, you can see this:
But clicking it links back to this exact same article -- which leaves out any mention of handicapping us, or setting timetables.
(Click here for a definition of RSS.)
Update (within minutes of original post): CNN is correcting the discrepancies - they've already changed the "Top Story" link at the bottom of the article to this:
Don't be surprised if they correct the RSS feed too. But I've already made a copy of it, accessible at this link.
Update (again, moments later): They did - they changed the RSS feed! Here's what it says now:
You can still see traces of the original - the word "hamper" - a word which is missing from the CNN article it describes.
#1
But the article makes it sound like the same General is criticizing GWB, backing the Dems, and calling for the status quo to change!
That's hilarious. Abizaid says "the status quo is not acceptable," and you object to the suggestion that he's "calling for the status quo to change."
And you accuse CNN of spin? Good grief.