(Big ups: Ice House Gang)
From today's Corrections in the New York Times:
A front-page article yesterday about a new disclosure in the C.I.A. leak investigation referred incorrectly to an assertion made by the special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald about I. Lewis Libby Jr., whom he indicted in the case involving the naming of Valerie Wilson, a C.I.A. officer. Mr. Fitzgerald said that Mr. Libby was the ''first known'' government official - not the first - to discuss Ms. Wilson with a journalist. (Emphasis mine.)
Woops!
(Translation: Ahem...seems we forgot to note that Libby's lawyer was transmitting spin on our front page.)
Wouldn't be so bad if the original article was the only one to pass along falsehoods by what one media insider describes on double secret background as "Libby the Liar's Lying-ass Lawyer." In fact, almost every American media outlet fell for it. Here's Media Matters' full dossier, replete with video montage showing how this fictional talking point spread.
Speaking of translations, Marc Cooper interprets Washington Post Executive Editor Len Downie's apprearance on Hardball last night. A highlight:
MATTHEWS: Well, let me ask you about being used here by his source. The source says you … can say somebody leaked this back in mid-June of 2003 before it was leaked by Scooter Libby, according to the indictment language. In other words, that‘s all useful to somebody if they want to help Scooter get off. But it‘s not telling the whole story, it‘s just telling the useful part of this story. I mean, the people over at Libby‘s legal operation are ecstatic now.TRANSLATION: Do you mind getting bungholed by the White House?