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FEMA sorry for fake news briefing
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 7:48 am
by Mista_B
Oh, well isn't this just cute.
FEMA sorry for fake news briefing
WASHINGTON - The Federal Emergency Management Agency's No. 2 official apologized Friday for leading a staged news conference Tuesday in which FEMA employees posed as reporters while real reporters listened on a telephone conference line and were barred from asking questions.
In the briefing, parts of which were televised live by cable news channels, Johnson stood behind a lectern, called on questioners who did not disclose that they were FEMA employees, and gave replies emphasizing that his agency's response to this week's California wildfires was far better than its response to Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.
"It was absolutely a bad decision. I regret it happened. Certainly ... I should have stopped it," said John "Pat" Philbin, FEMA's director of external affairs. "I hope readers understand we're working very hard to establish credibility and integrity, and I would hope this does not undermine it."
Oh hey, I know what we should do with this guy.
Let's give him a big promotion!
Philbin's last scheduled day at FEMA was Thursday. He has been named as the new head of public affairs at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, ODNI spokeswoman Vanee Vines said.
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 7:53 am
by Bocaj Claw
Oy vey.
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 10:43 am
by TyVulpine
Who staged the "news conference"? Michael "Heckuvajob" Browning?
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 2:40 pm
by Miles E Traysandor
Wrong forum, goes in World Events.
Also, proof that FEMA is nothing more than a bunch of blunderheads.
Re: FEMA sorry for fake news briefing
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 4:18 pm
by Loeln
He has been named as the new head of public affairs at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, ODNI spokeswoman Vanee Vines said.
Fitting, considering the state of National Intelligence.
...
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:34 pm
by Doc Sigma
I want to curb stomp this entire goddamn administration.
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:39 pm
by TyVulpine
I want to curb stomp this entire goddamn administration.
Just keep telling yourself, "15 more months...15 more months..."
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 1:06 am
by Zaaphod
Wrong forum, goes in World Events.
Yep, moved.
Also, proof that FEMA is nothing more than a bunch of blunderheads.
Yep, that too. Not that we needed more proof, Katrina showed their worthlessness.
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 2:06 am
by Steve the Pocket
I love how the NPR reporter who covered the story handled it: he followed up by mock-interviewing himself asking for his opinion on the issue. I'm all for objective reporting, at least in the truest sense, but in situations like this, when anyone with a functioning brain would know to call B.S., I think it's good to do stuff like this to remind the public that members of the press have functioning brains too.
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 2:42 am
by gforce422
At first I thought Octan double posted. Then I saw that I was wrong. I am depressed now.
As for FEMA, yeah... *thumbsdown*
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:54 pm
by Steve the Pocket
Technically I did. For some reason my original post didn't show up when I went to edit it, so I assumed it hadn't posted and just hit Back and edited from the original Post page.
If a mod can delete the first one, that's fine with me.
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 11:44 pm
by Zaaphod
If a mod can delete the first one, that's fine with me.
Alrighty, it be gone.