How the Associated Press Operates

We noted yesterday that Associated Press reporter Jennifer Loven, who authored a ridiculous hit piece originally titled “Bush Twists Kerry’s Words on Iraq,” is married to Roger Ballentine, who was Bill Clinton’s deputy assistant for environmental initiatives and chairman of the White House Climate Change Task Force, and is listed on John Kerry’s website as one of Kerry’s most important supporters on environmental issues.
Reader Thomas Blumer has documented how Loven parrots her husband’s liberal views in the guise of reporting on the Presidential campaign:

In December 2002, hubby Roger Ballentine writes an article opposing the Bush “Clear Skies” environmental initiatives.
Link: http://www.ppionline.org/ndol/print.cfm?contentid=251052
Quote (in 2nd and 3rd paras):
“By leaving out CO2, Bush’s so-called “Clear Skies” legislation is both a step backward on global warming and a disservice to the very energy companies it is designed to appease.
Introduced last summer by Sen. Bob Smith (R-N.H.) and expected to be reintroduced in the 108th Congress, the proposal aims to reduce power plant emissions of three key gases: nitrogen oxide, which produces smog; sulfur dioxide, the source of acid rain; and mercury. Because it goes after three pollutants, this approach is called “3P.” But at the urging of Vice President Cheney and other Republican ideologues, the president’s proposal excludes the fourth and arguably the most important “P” — CO2, the greenhouse gas predominantly responsible for global climate change.”
Fast forward to September 2003.
Bush is visitng Michigan. Jennifer Loven writes an article about it.
Link: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/philly/news/local/6775805.htm
(Final 2 paras:)
“…And he was to push Congress to pass his so-called “Clear Skies” legislation. The plan would phase in caps on the emissions of nitrogen oxide, which causes smog, and sulfur dioxide, which causes soot and acid rain, from coal-burning power plants starting in 2010, the official said. It also would create the first controls on mercury releases and introduce market forces to help spur reductions.
Environmentalists said Bush’s proposal would actually weaken current law while doing nothing to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, blamed by many for global warming.”
+++++
“So-called”?
An AP reporter echoes her husband’s sentiments and describes a titled piece of legislation “SO CALLED”?
Repeating my point…
If Jennifer Loven wants to run around and be a spokesperson for her Kerry-contributing and Kerry-paid husband’s environmental views, she should be free to do so, JUST NOT AS A FREAKING AP REPORTER FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

The Associated Press has become a very sick organization. If you go to the AP’s website, you find this self-description:

Founded in 1848, The Associated Press is the backbone of the world’s information system serving thousands of daily newspaper, radio, television and online customers with coverage in all media and news in all formats. It is the largest and oldest news organization in the world, serving as a source of news, photos, graphics, audio and video for more than one billion people a day.
AP’s mission is to be the essential global news network, providing distinctive news services of the highest quality, reliability and objectivity with reports that are accurate, balanced and informed.

Earth to the Associated Press: you are not high quality; you are not reliable; you are not objective; you are not accurate; you are not balanced; you are not well informed.
The Associated Press is in the same position as CBS News: it must clean house, now, or face a permanent loss of credibility.

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