On Thu, Jun 19, 2003 at 11:50:09PM -0400, Chip Berlet wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Maybe Palast can't find her quote, but I have had it posted on our website for many months along with a discussion of her stepping over the line. I have supported her calls for an investigation but have been critical of her extrapolations. The mainstream media did screw her over, and there was a subtext of racism. But she also said some questionable things. Palast is not telling the whole story.
>
> = = =
>
> McKinney :
>
> "Now is the time for our elected officials to be held accountable. Now is the time for the media to be held accountable. Why aren't the hard questions being asked. We know there were numerous warnings of the events to come on September 11. Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, delivered one such warning. Those engaged in unusual stock trades immediately before September 11 knew enough to make millions of dollars from United and American airlines, certain insurance and brokerage firms' stocks. What did this Administration know, and when did it know it about the events of September 11? Who else knew and why did they not warn the innocent people of New York who were needlessly murdered?"
>
> http://www.counterpunch.org/mckinney0413.html
>
> = = = =
>
> See discussion on conspiracism and McKinney at:
>
> http://www.publiceye.org/conspire/conspiracism-911.html
>
> Chip Berlet
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Doug Henwood [mailto:dhenwood at panix.com]
> Sent: Thu 6/19/2003 6:56 PM
> To: lbo-talk
> Cc:
> Subject: [lbo-talk] McKinney never said it
>
>
> <http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=229&row=1 <http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=229&row=1> >
>
> The Screwing of Cynthia McKinney
> By Greg Palast, AlterNet
>
> Have you heard about Cynthia McKinney, former U.S. Congresswoman?
> According to those quoted on National Public Radio, McKinney's "a
> loose cannon" (media expert) who "the people of Atlanta are
> embarrassed and disgusted" (politician) by, and she is also "loony"
> and "dangerous" (senator from her own party).
>
> Yow! And why is McKinney dangerous/loony/disgusting? According to
> NPR, "McKinney implied that the [Bush] Administration knew in advance
> about September 11 and deliberately held back the information."
>
> The New York Times' Lynette Clemetson revealed her comments went even
> further over the edge: "Ms. McKinney suggest[ed] that President Bush
> might have known about the September 11 attacks but did nothing so
> his supporters could make money in a war."
>
> That's loony, all right. As an editor of the highly respected Atlanta
> Journal Constitution told NPR, McKinney's "practically accused the
> President of murder!"
>
> Problem is, McKinney never said it.
>
> That's right. The "quote" from McKinney is a complete fabrication. A
> whopper, a fabulous fib, a fake, a flim-flam. Just freakin' made up.
>
> Hi, Lynette. My name is Greg Palast, and I wanted to follow up on a
> story of yours. It says, let's see, after the opening - it's about
> Cynthia McKinney - it's dated Washington byline August 21.
> "McKinney's [opponent] capitalized on the furor caused by Miss
> McKinney's suggestion this year that President Bush might have known
> about the September 11 attacks but did nothing so his supporters
> could make money in a war." Now, I have been trying my darndest to
> find this phrase . . . I can't. . .
>
> Lynette Clemetson, New York Times: Did you search the Atlanta Journal
> Constitution?
>
> Yes, but I haven't been able to find that statement.
>
> I've heard that statement - it was all over the place.
>
> I know it was all over the place, except no one can find it and
> that's why I'm concerned. Now did you see the statement in the
> Atlanta Journal Constitution?
>
> Yeah....
>
> [Note: No such direct quote from McKinney can be found in the Atlanta
> Journal Constitution.]
>
> And did you confirm this with McKinney?
>
> Well, I worked with her office. The statement is from the floor of
> the House [of Representatives].... Right?
>
> So did you check the statement from the Floor of the House?
>
> I mean I wouldn't have done the story. . . . Have you looked at House
> transcripts?
>
> Yes. Did you check that?
>
> Of course.
>
> You did check it?
>
> [Note: No such McKinney statement can be found in the transcripts or
> other records of the House of Representatives.]
>
> I think you have to go back to the House transcripts.... I mean it
> was all over the place at the time.
>
> Yes, this is one fact the Times reporter didn't fake: The McKinney
> "quote" was, indeed, all over the place: in the Washington Post,
> National Public Radio, and needless to say, all the other
> metropolitan dailies - everywhere but in Congresswoman McKinney's
> mouth.
>
> Nor was it in the Congressional Record, nor in any recorded talk, nor
> on her Website, nor in any of her radio talks. Here's the
> Congresswoman's statement from the record:
>
> "George Bush had no prior knowledge of the plan to attack the World
> Trade Center on September 11."
>
> Oh.
>
> And I should say former Congresswoman McKinney.
>
> She was beaten in the August 2002 Democratic primary. More precisely,
> she was beaten to death, politically, by the fabricated quote.
> ___________________________________
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>
>
-- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929
Tel. 530-898-5321 E-Mail michael at ecst.csuchico.edu