Morning Briefing
For September 26, 2012
1. 25 Years of the Media Research Center
In 1992, Andrew Rosenthal of the New York Times wrote a story about President George H. W. Bush expressing surprise at a common supermarket checkout scanner. The story was picked up by major publications and editorialists across the country as a common narrative that George H. W. Bush, a World War II veteran, Ambassador to China, CIA Chief, Vice President, and President had grown out of touch with America during his time in Washington.
The story about George H. W. Bush and the supermarket scanner is still picked up and recycled as a cautionary tale in growing out of touch in Washington.
There’s just one problem — the story was a complete and utter fabrication. Andrew Rosenthal was not there, did not see it, and based it off a pool report that never actually claimed what Andrew Rosenthal claimed. Don’t believe me? See this entry at Snopes.com for yourself.
Andrew Rosenthal is now the editor of the New York Times editorial page.