Nouri al-Maliki had best watch out for Obamabus, because it hungers, and my first question just got answered: Maliki denies the report from Der Spiegel, saying that his words were "misunderstood, mistranslated and not conveyed accurately," according to CNN.
Maliki became a quick friend to Obama as soon as that report came out, but now will he, too, go under the bus along with grandma?
Update: Via Gateway Pundit we have the original statement made by the Obama campaign on the 'mistranslated' remarks by Maliki:
Senator Obama welcomes Prime Minister Maliki's support for a 16 month tieline for the redeployment of U.S [sic] combat brigades. This presents an important opportunity to transition to Iraqi responsibility, while restoring our military [sic] and increasing our commitment [sic] to finish the fight in Afghanistan.
It's not a good idea when you're trying to present yourself as a great diplomat, to go and fall so easily for an agenda-driven 'mistranslation' of an important allied leader by some European magazine, I should think. Oops.
P.S. What exactly was "increasing our commitment" supposed to mean? Does "commitment" come on a sliding scale for Barack Obama? That is, do some commitments not really mean he's committed, but others do? Which of the commitments he's made on the campaign trail need increasing so they'll stick?
[Administrative note: I meant to Red Hot this, but put it up front by mistake. I then moved it back to Red Hot, but by the time I got it there, it already had a comment. So then I just moved it back. Apologies for the ping-pong at posting time.]
Way to go Neil! Drudge must be your home
gamecock July 19th, 2008 at 10:03 p.m. (link)
page too?
My question is, did Obama's campaign tout the der speigel story?
If they did not, then good for them.
Mike DeVine’s Charlotte Observer columns The Minority Report and The HinzSight Report "The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race." - The Chief Justice Race 4 2008 "One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
I had the link emailed to me
Neil Stevens July 19th, 2008 at 10:08 p.m. (link)
And I don't know if Obama did yet, but his supporters sure did, heh.
I hope if Obama ddid have a statement up, that someone took a snapshot of it, because Minitrue has some work to do.
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Egg on their face
RedFox84 July 19th, 2008 at 10:29 p.m. (link)
The double-edged sword that is the 24/7/365 newscycle coupled with the ability for "news" to cross the globe instanteously. Due to this, Obama supporters are once again made to look like chumps.
Some of those supporters even quoted the Der Spiegel story in the comments section to stories on this very website. Can't throw those down the memory hole!
It's already too late
David Hinz July 19th, 2008 at 11:02 p.m. (link)
As it says in the Recommended Blogs right to the rightn of Neil's post, And this debate is over!
The Obama supporters already have the quote that al-Maliki supports Obama's position -- it has already been reported as such on the 24/7 News Channels -- it is now FACT!
There is no point in trying to change the narative now -- no point in retracting the lie -- Obama is a rockstar and nothing we say is going to change it.
The Minority Report -- The HinzSight Report -- TMRB.tv -- MFOB
Mercy, you are probably right
dbecraft July 20th, 2008 at 2:36 a.m. (link)
as far as the media is concerned. This will be an undisputed fact by tomorrow evening...geez. Maliki could not do more damage to both the US and Iraq's position if he tried.
Worse, even if he tries to explain, it will only get worse... Bad, very bad...
Formally known as Deagle... "Golf is a way of life..."
Maliki changed the narrative
gamecock July 20th, 2008 at 8:07 a.m. (link)
by calling out der speigel for the lie.
god bless him
Mike DeVine’s Charlotte Observer columns The Minority Report and The HinzSight Report "The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race." - The Chief Justice Race 4 2008 "One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
variations in translation
KBDay July 19th, 2008 at 10:12 p.m. (link)
I came here to post earlier--Maliki was quoted in different ways and I thought to myself why is there a difference in the quote--Reuters differed from AP and others had it translated differently. But one of our famous Florida lightning shows was coming up and it's Saturday so I shut down.
This is a classic case of media advocacy. Would somebody please tell the fellow named CrabCakes?
Good on you, Neil!
best! Kay
The media
RedFox84 July 19th, 2008 at 10:31 p.m. (link)
The media tried to shoehorn a quote to fit their story, rather than make the story about the actual quote. Simple as that.
Yes, but just watch and you
dbecraft July 20th, 2008 at 3:20 a.m. (link)
will see that the Democrats view will become factual. If not now, it will soon spread and become the truth. The MSM still has the power to spread its version of truth.
Formally known as Deagle... "Golf is a way of life..."
or Classic MSM lies, Kay.
Rod_Patrick July 20th, 2008 at 3:18 a.m. (link)
Fox News
Cowboy July 19th, 2008 at 10:36 p.m. (link)
Has it up as the Obama Campaign welcoming the endorsement of his policies.
We conservatives must NEVER be the tools of the MSM
gamecock July 19th, 2008 at 11:22 p.m. (link)
http://gamecock.blogtownhall.com/2008/06/06/media_narrative_must_never_let_media_or_liberalism_be_discredited.thtml
Mike DeVine’s Charlotte Observer columns The Minority Report and The HinzSight Report "The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race." - The Chief Justice Race 4 2008 "One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
Exactly GC.
Rod_Patrick July 20th, 2008 at 3:54 a.m. (link)
On this issue alone, I spent more than 6 hours of my afternoon yesterday with a troubled heart waiting for news and reading more than 100 comments in a post created by a so-called CrabHead of Krusty Crab. On the next day, I would be smacked by the truth that the main essence of Speigel report was nothing but a farce?
It's entirely unfair and it really angers me.
What kind of election is this? If you make big lies, you get more votes? Shame on you, Obama & Co.!
I had started a new website MAD at McClatchy
gamecock July 20th, 2008 at 7:27 a.m. (link)
so angry it got funny when I noticed the disconnects in numerous stories everyday in the Charlotte Observer between the facts in the last three paragraphs of news stories and the headline and bushbash in the first three paragraphs.
It is news when msm tells the truth in a headline.
Mike DeVine’s Charlotte Observer columns The Minority Report and The HinzSight Report "The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race." - The Chief Justice Race 4 2008 "One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
the correct translation?
duckhawk July 20th, 2008 at 2:30 a.m. (link)
Has anyone seen the correct translation of al-Maliki's statement?
Unless his statement is actually corrected and the "mistranslation" pointed out, this seems more like political backpedaling.
If only Obama could cite the same excuse for his NAFTA rhetoric.
Duckhawk, he's being generous
Neil Stevens July 20th, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. (link)
The truth of the matter is, they probably didn't mistranslate him. They just flat-out lied about him, because I've read Der Spiegel's translation of the full interview, and he said nothing of the kind they credited him with saying.
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Really?
Sicutvulpes July 20th, 2008 at 2:12 p.m. (link)
Perhaps you could post a link to the entire interview, I would be interested in what he said as opposed to what was reported. To me this looks like a case of Maliki being pressured to back off of his remarks. His spokesperson didn't even state how he was misquoted.
Here you go
Neil Stevens July 20th, 2008 at 3:11 p.m. (link)
I got it from a comment by TomlinsonDouthat over in a diary.
I see nothing in Der Spiegel's own interview that corresponds with their headlined claim.
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Thank you
Sicutvulpes July 20th, 2008 at 3:26 p.m. (link)
So while it appears he never officially endorsed Obama's plan, there is no doubt that he likes the idea of the 16 month withdrawal. I believe this really is a push for Obama...there is no way Maliki would be supportive of this plan without the overwhelming success of the surge.
I'd take that a bit further
Tomlinson Douthat July 20th, 2008 at 4:07 p.m. (link)
Since Der Spiegel changed the passage we're all talking about from this (per Hot Air)
to this
and since I think we can safely presume that the first version represents more closely what Maliki actually said (being more consistent with what he said previously) and that it is the mistranslation in question, then his support for a 16 month timeframe is contingent upon the continued success of the surge—a position that I would guess even John McCain could agree with. I do, at any rate.
Apparently, Maliki was under the impression that Der Spiegel's interview...
rbdwiggins July 20th, 2008 at 3:18 p.m. (link)
would be directed at the German market. But true to form, Der Spiegel tailored its headline in order to establish a narrative that supports their anti-Bush, anti-war agenda.
The full interview (Der Spiegel's translation) can be found here.
This is the key sentence one should take from the interview:
However, personal commitment is not one of the left's strong points.
“Well, the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they are ignorant, but that they know so much that isn't so.” – Ronald Reagan
Commitment
BigGator5 July 20th, 2008 at 7:41 a.m. (link)
Obama has stated his commitment, to be noncommitted to his principles.
"There are worse things out there than reptiles." -BigGator5
LOL and true - nt
gamecock July 20th, 2008 at 11:11 a.m. (link)
5
Mike DeVine’s Charlotte Observer columns The Minority Report and The HinzSight Report "The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race." - The Chief Justice Race 4 2008 "One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
"Increasing Our Committment" = Pullout Within 18 Months
IJB July 20th, 2008 at 10:44 a.m. (link)
Just you watch...
Priase be!
redneck_hippie July 20th, 2008 at 12:45 p.m. (link)
I'll just sit on tenterhooks waiting for Der Spiegle to apologize to the American people.
I see Drudge still has Der Spiegel's headline featured. (sigh)
The free exchange of ideas inevitably yields both heat and light.
AOL...
Frank G July 20th, 2008 at 3:01 p.m. (link)
AOL is still carrying a "Maliki likes Obama's Withdrawal Plan" story, despite it's complete inaccuracy. Just saw it now.
I don't trust anything the MSM or European Media puts out there about these things...this is the same media that tried to put a negative spin on the decrease of violence in Iraq by claiming that cemetary workers were now being hard-hit by shortages of people to bury. Please.
Transcript
Yil July 20th, 2008 at 3:49 p.m. (link)
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,566852,00.html
That's the transcript of the interview in English. I presume they have a tape of the interview so the translation can be verified. Maliki is quite clear about not endorsing anybody, but makes it known that he wants a short timeframe for withdrawl.
Here's their previous article where Der Spiegel stands by their story. http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,566914,00.html
Of course, I personally found that CentCom releasing Maliki's statement about being mistranslated or misunderstood a dumb move. The military is releasing press reports about what Iraqi's PM meant in a foreign paper? I sort of figured as a head of state he could do that himself.
Just to add to this mess, don't forget that the State Department was questioning the translation of Maliki's own office concerning his support for a timeline for withdrawl just 2 weeks ago during the security agreement negotiations. http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/07/maliki-timeline/
A week later we get "time horizons". I'm guessing he wasn't misquoted either time.
P.S. RS 3.0 should auto-convert links or make them easier to enter. If it does perhaps a link on the page to the notation would be nice :)
Already Won Media Spin
dld1717 July 20th, 2008 at 11:28 p.m. (link)
Sadly, Obama has won media spin and had headlines to this affect all over the country
Even The Hill has this article on its site
Media is in bag for Obama
Well, with the press, McGovern beat Nixon (nt)
Neil Stevens July 20th, 2008 at 11:38 p.m. (link)
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