Fake FEMA press conference spurs apology

October 27, 2007

FEMA’s decision this week to host a press conference with FEMA employees pretending to be reporters was a massive embarrassment for the administration yesterday, which drew a quick response. Apparently, no one could figure out a way to blame Dems, MoveOn.org, Michael Moore, or George Soros for this one, so they apologized for screwing up.

“FEMA’s goal is to get information out as soon as possible, and in trying to do so we made an error in judgment,” the agency says in a statement attributed to Johnson. “Our intent was to provide useful information and be responsive to the many questions we have received. We are reviewing our press procedures and will make the changes necessary to ensure that all of our communications are straight forward and transparent.”

USA TODAY’s Mimi Hall reports that officials at the Homeland Security Department aren’t happy about FEMA’s follies. “This is inexcusable to the secretary,” spokeswoman Laura Keehner says.

She describes the incident as a lapse in judgment, but says “stunts such as this will not be tolerated” and notes that “the senior leadership of the department is taking this very seriously.” [She added,] “This is offensive, inexcusable.”

Even the White House weighed in with a rebuke. Dana Perino said, “It’s not something I would have condoned,” adding, “And they — I’m sure — will not do it again.”

It’s probably worth noting that this became such a big deal in part because it played to type. The Bush gang has embraced media manipulation with both arms for so long now, examples like this FEMA screw-up reinforce everyone’s worst suspicions. We’ve seen public funds go to pundits to toe the Bush line; we’ve seen fake-news segments go to TV stations to be aired as real news; we’ve seen Jeff Gannon; and we’ve seen carefully crafted press conferences (announced with minimal lead time) at which Bush refuses to answer follow-up questions and calls on reporters based on a list drawn up in advance.

This FEMA nonsense just brought it all together in one offensive package. Indeed, it was a reminder of how the Bush administration would prefer all of its press conferences to go — no reporters, all softballs, plenty of coverage.

We’ve seen public funds to go pundits to toe the Bush line; we’ve seen fake-news segments go to TV stations to be aired as real news; we’ve seen Jeff Gannon; and we’ve seen carefully crafted press conferences (announced with minimal lead time) at which Bush refuses to answer follow-up questions and calls on reporters based on a list drawn up in advance.

And military audiences who were rehearsed in their questions by an official rehearsal director.

  • We’ve seen public funds to go pundits to toe the Bush line; we’ve seen fake-news segments go to TV stations to be aired as real news; we’ve seen Jeff Gannon; and we’ve seen carefully crafted press conferences (announced with minimal lead time) at which Bush refuses to answer follow-up questions and calls on reporters based on a list drawn up in advance.

    Wow, so are they getting to play holier-than-thou about stuff like that now? No, no, they’d never do anything like a fake news conference, they deplore it– even though they’ve done it along all. Quick way to clean up your image. It will confuse a lot of people who don’t follow the news too closely and don’t reall know about all those townhall discussions loaded with pre-screened Bush supporters and other stuff like that in the past.

  • FEMA’s decision this week to host a press conference with FEMA employees pretending to be reporters was a massive embarrassment for the administration yesterday, which drew a quick response.

    This administration is incapable of even minor embarassment

  • They were just trying to get their talking points accurate information out to the public. Just a little error in judgment about having their employees lie about being reporters at a real press conference. Kind of like paying Armstrong Williams to give his unbiased commentary about Administration policy.

    This flap is all Bill Clinton’s fault. And the liberal media.

  • Jeff Gannon Book Selected for National Press Club Book Fair
    ‘The Great Media War: A Battlefield Report’ Featured At 30th Annual Event

    WASHINGTON, October 16 /Standard Newswire/ — A book by former White House correspondent Jeff Gannon, “The Great Media War: A Battlefield Report” will be among those featured at the 2007 National Press Club Book Fair. The National Press Club is the world’s most prestigious association of professional journalists. The November 1st event is the 30th annual book fair and benefits the Eric Friedheim Journalism Library at the National Press Club.

    Jeff Gannon, the first exclusively online reporter to cover the White House on a regular basis is considered a New Media pioneer. He notes that his daily readership of more than half a million topped the circulation of most newspapers, despite reporting for a small news outlet. Gannon points out that since his tenure at the White House nearly every news entity has launched an online presence.

    Gannon chronicles his two years as a member of the White House Press Corps and reveals his role in the Valerie Plame affair and the scandal that toppled Dan Rather from the CBS News anchor chair as well as the historic defeat of Sen. Tom Daschle in 2004. He also offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the White House Press Corps, led by the legendary Helen Thomas.

    Gannon weighs in on the left versus right, liberal versus conservative debate that he dubs “The Great Media War”. He contends that the struggles between those opposing ideologies play themselves out on radio, television and in the newspapers every day and determine how news is reported. Gannon also sees the Internet as the next front in The Great Media War and discusses its effect on the future of journalism and news reporting.

    Gannon writes about his experiences after asking one of the most famous questions ever posed by a reporter to a president. He explains “The Question” and speculates as to the reasons the reaction to it caused a nationwide sensation.

    Gannon has something to say about nearly every member of the Beltway media establishment as well as many Washington politicians. His book is replete with evidence of pervasive liberal media bias well beyond the point of questioning whether or not it exists. Gannon proves the point with words directly taken from the lips of his colleagues.

    More information about “The Great Media War: A Battlefield Report”: http://www.thegreatmediawar.com

  • These days anybody can be a reputatable journalist.

    And truthfully, is this really any different than fake news releases or fake infomercials which this administration has admitted to creating?

  • I saw the headline and just assumed that right-wing bloggers had thrown a hissy-fit and got some Democrat somewhere to apologize for making a big deal out of this. This is the first time I can remember a Republican apologizing for anything during the Bush presidency.

  • Watching Tony Snow holding his own against Jon Stewart a week or so ago I was struck once again by just how out-gunned the White House press corps really is. I mean if Stewart, who actually does his homework and generally keeps abreast of current events couldn’t take Snow down, what hope did anyone who passes for an actual news reporter these days ever have? And this Perino creature certainly seems to be no slouch either when it comes to out-maneuvering the fourth estate through sheer sliminess. I sometimes think you could just replace all the reporters at a typical WH news conference with cardboard cut-outs and be no worse off than now. Maybe this incident is just a proof of concept.

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  • Why is this story not big news in my Sunday papers? Is the press ashamed of being hoodwinked by FEMA? I think this is a watershed event that should be all over the mainstream press, but it’s not! Why?

  • Apologies are not good enough.

    It’s not as if this were an accident. An accident would be sending a truckload of bottled water to San Francisco instead of San Diego.

    This is wholesale lying, deceit and trickery.

    If this had been a Dem screwup, every Dem would have to apologize. Why we can’t we ever hold the GOP’s feet to the fire and make ’em squirm?

  • “Can anyone figure out what made them apologize this time, though?”

    Sarabeth, the reason FEMA apoligized was because they got caught. If they had not gotten caught, then they wouldn’t have apologized. But, you can bet that the apology was also fake.

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