Erick at Redstate caught another reporter pulling a Roger Simon:
Jill Lawrence, no doubt feeling slighted by the campaign for not getting a one on one with FDT, had her revenge in USA Today. She writes:
Bill Theobald of Gannett News Service … quotes [Fred Thompson] saying he doesn’t like modern campaigning, isn’t that interested in running for president and “will not be devastated” if he doesn’t win.
[Emphasis mine]
After putting that up, she had to correct herself when Bill Theobald told her she got it wrong.
Bill calls to clarify that Thompson said he doesn’t like the process of running for president but he does want to BE president.
And check out the transcript of what Fred actually said in answer to the questions “do you want to be President”:
The first place, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. I
wouldn’t be doing this. I grew up in very modest circumstances. I left
government and I and my family have made sacrifices to be sitting here
today. I haven’t had any income for a long time because I figured to be
clean, you’ve got to cut everything off. I was doing speaking
engagements and I had a contract to do a tv show. I had a contract with
ABC radio…and so forth. A man would have to be a total fool to do all
those things and to be leaving his family which is not a joyful thing
if he didn”t want to do it.I am not consumed by personal ambition. I will not be devastated if
I don’t do it. I want the people to have the best president they can
have.
Now you tell me how in the world Jill Lawrence could get so much wrong in one paragraph of writing based off of that transcript?
UPDATE
Fred weighs in:
Today I had this story
written about me regarding what I said at a Town Hall event in
Burlington, Iowa by a reporter who wasn’t even at the event.
Incidentally, I declined to be interviewed by this particular reporter
yesterday for reasons which will soon be apparent.In referring to me, she reported “he doesn’t like modern
campaigning, isn’t interested in running for President, and will not be
devastated” if he doesn’t win.The following is a transcript of what I actually said in response to
a question by a local Burlington resident which was the basis of the
reporter’s story:[Transcript]
It is clear that there are those in the media who will exact a high
price for candor and from those whom they consider to be insufficiently
ambitious. But it is with increasing amazement that we see that those
who are willing to slant or leave out important parts of a story to
make their point.If a candidate succumbs to this he will be reduced to nothing more than a sound bite machine.
As for me I am going to continue to say exactly what is in my heart
and is on my mind and give straight and honest answers to those who ask
straight and honest questions.Incidentally, the audience in Burlington broke into applause in the
middle of my answer. The reporter wouldn’t know that because she wasn’t
even there.
I guess she got her widdle feelings hurt.
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