ABC Interviews incoming UN chief; lies about what he said
posted at 4:44 pm on October 15, 2006 by Bryan
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ABC headlines its big interview with Ban-Ki Moon, UN Secretary General designate, with this:
Ban-Ki Moon: Rice Should Talk with North Korea
Given the context and the usual tone world leaders take when addressing what the US should and shouldn’t do, the headline seems at least to me like a stern directive. But it’s not. What we have here is headline bias–a reader who just skims the headline and first paragraph or two will conclude that the new UN head is telling the US what to do, and/or that he joins our own Democrats in blaming the North Korea nuke crisis on the Bush administration.
If you watch the interview, Moon doesn’t even bring up Rice’s upcoming trip to Asia to meet with leaders other than those who answer to Kim Jong-Il. ABC’s Bill Weir brings it up to ask Moon whether he thinks Rice should go meet with Kim Jong-Il, and Moon says that if it’s possible, sure, Rice’s trip would be a good opportunity to talk with North Korea. But then Moon goes on to note that the US has been trying to get North Korea back to the six-way talks for a long time, and it’s NoKo that’s refusing. Moon correctly put the responsibility for the breakdown in talks squarely on North Korea.
And unlike Ted Turner, Moon sees Kim as being in control of all of North Korean society–a dictator, in other words.
Moon did make some real news with this quote, which ABC buried:
“America with other members [of the United Nations] … have been making a great contribution to restore peace and stability … to the Iraqi people,” he said. “We have a high admiration for all that the United States has been doing. … We hope that the Iraqi people will be able to enjoy genuine stability.”
Moon is, in other words, not Kofi Annan.
He’s probably going to need a little media training, though. He gave ABC’s scribes just enough of a quote to twist like a pretzel with that question about Rice’s trip to Asia. A savvier answer would have been to punt–it’s her trip to meet with other leaders to coordinate responses to Pyongyang, and the North Koreans should return to the talks immediately.
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Wow. Is it possible that I’m feeling optimistic about the UN under the new chief? I mean, I still think that ultimately the UN is useless and ought to be abolished, but this guy sounds like he doesn’t hate America…yet. That’s an improvement of sorts.
tiekitwist on October 15, 2006 at 4:58 PM
No matter who is the head honcho at the UN it’s irrelevant. The UN is completely UNable to UNderstand the world in which we live. IMHO we should resign our membership in the UN and send them over to Paris to meet. The French would welcome them and they could go eat snails together. America go then go about its business of making the world a better place.
Mojave Mark on October 15, 2006 at 5:12 PM
We’ve been trying to talk them for years. THEY have refused.
SouthernGent on October 15, 2006 at 5:14 PM
tiekitwist, I wouldn’t fall prey to ever feeling good about the UN. Ban-Ki Moon holds a figurehead position. As long as France, China, Russia et al have great power and influence within the UN the Secretary General can be a Ronald Reagan clone and not make the UN palatable. As an institution it hates its host, is corrupt and completely impotent in most matters.
Bellicose Muse on October 15, 2006 at 5:14 PM
Almost anyone is better than Annan. I agree the US needs to either get out of the UN altogether, taking its money with them, or just not hosting the UN in the US. France would be good, as well as most African countries.
Neocon Peg on October 15, 2006 at 5:23 PM
Wow, we may have another Secretary-General, Trygve Lie on our hands (read the last 4-paragraphs at least of this link — it’s quite the history lesson and contrast to wait we had with Mr. Annan).
Christoph on October 15, 2006 at 5:34 PM
Anti
Bush
Commentary
infidel4life on October 15, 2006 at 5:38 PM
Lying sacks of human excrement. Burn in hell ABC.
darwin on October 15, 2006 at 6:12 PM
I like that one infidel4life.
How about this one.
All
Bull
Crap
OBX Pete on October 15, 2006 at 7:22 PM
oh well, don’t worry…a nascar jihad will happen someday.
LZVandy on October 15, 2006 at 7:52 PM
WOW! The head of the U.N. said this? *mouth open staring at the screen*
Theworldisnotenough on October 15, 2006 at 7:56 PM
So:
“Ban-Ki Moon: North Korea should Return to Six-Party Talks”
… “for the sticklers”
Axe on October 15, 2006 at 9:39 PM
I’m with you, Theworldisnotenough.
And even without the feeling of “horror” that I’m used to gaping with!
Axe on October 15, 2006 at 9:42 PM
Great work catching this lying headline Bryan. I’m jealous because I pride myself on catching these things quite often, and I didn’t even read that article despite seeing that headline staring at me from Drudge all day. Usually the ones I catch are AP stories, sometimes with AP headlines, but often times it’s Yahoo!’s own headline they choose to adorn their front page with. It’s even more interesting when you get the the articles and they have different and sometimes accurate headlines, while lying and/or misleading ones remain on the front page.
Anyway, congrats on this catch Bryan. And I agree with everyone at how great this is, after living with Annan for all these years, however it hasn’t restored any sort of confidence (for me) in the UN. I still think we should get out.
RightWinged on October 15, 2006 at 10:06 PM
Since the “Path to 9-11″ ABC has been on the warpath to regain the graces of their liberal constituents.
flyboy777 on October 15, 2006 at 10:07 PM
ABC set him up, now hw knows it and hopefully he’ll see the way our MSM acts and not soft toss them anymore. I like the new guy, Moon. Now I’ve liked him for 1 hour longer than I ever liked Kofi’thief & nepotist’ Annan, which was never.
Ban-Ki Moon
Ban NO-KO, Kickass Moon
shooter on October 15, 2006 at 11:09 PM
ABC lied.
Is anybody really surprised at this?
georgej on October 16, 2006 at 12:46 AM
We should only support a U.N. HQ relocation, if we get out of it completely. Until then, keep the ‘devil’ in our bosom.
Anyone is better than Annan. Let’s see what time brings and let’s hope this gent is substantive, honest and effective. He’ll learn the communication ‘games’ and traps.
ABC - anti-American Broadcast Corporation
BBC - Blair Bush Conundrum
CNN - Communist Network News
PBS - Pablum Broadcast System
CBS - Communist Broadcast System
NBC - National Broadcast for Communism
CBC - Communist Broadcast Corporation (a Canadian oxymoron)
FOX - Foxymoron
Entelechy on October 16, 2006 at 1:48 AM
Bryan, all of the media training in the World won’t change a thing. The liberal media will make their point no matter what is actually said. Their bigger their lies get shows just how much more desperate they have become. I call that a good sign, and use those as an insider poll.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen the fact of how the US has been trying to get North Korea back to the six-way talks is ignored, or just plain not understood. Their
stupidityignorance is laughable. The MSM ‘reporters’ need to either go back to school, or get a job which they are better suited for, such as at Taco Bell.All together now. “I Don’t Believe The
StupidLiberal Media!”DannoJyd on October 16, 2006 at 4:52 AM