Today’s Rocky Mountain News story about President Bush’s campaign fundraiser in Denver last night begins with an explosive lede — and then completely fails to back it up.
The article, by David Montero, begins: “President Bush warned at a fund-raising speech Tuesday evening in Denver that if he isn’t re-elected in November, the nation could suffer through calamities greater than the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.”
Whoah!
Figuring this was important, if true, Campaign Desk pointed our semi-trusty web browser to the White House website, where we read a transcript of Bush’s remarks. Sadly, all we found was the president’s regular stump speech, full of the sort of vague rhetoric characteristic of both candidates — no warnings of major calamities, let alone suggestions that a Kerry presidency might provoke them. The closest Bush came — which wasn’t very close — was the statement noted by the News that “It’s a choice between an America that leads the world through strength and confidence and an America that is uncertain in the face of danger … I know exactly what we need to do to win the war on terror and to bring freedom and peace to the world.”
We like a catchy lede as much as the next person. But that’s no excuse for putting words in the president’s mouth.
–Bryan Keefer
