UPDATE: Fox News White House correspondent Major Garrett corrected the record during Studio B in the 3PM ET hour on Wednesday (see video).
At 10:15AM ET during America’s Newsroom on Fox News Channel, co-host Martha MacCallum reported that in a gaggle with reporters Wednesday morning White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs claimed that President Obama did not watch election results Tuesday night but rather watched an HBO special about his 2008 campaign.
A tipster contacted NewsBusters questioning that report and after having acquired a transcript of the press gaggle, we have confirmed that the Fox News report was incorrect and Gibbs did not make any such statement.
Gibbs made this statement at the beginning of the untaped discussion with White House reporters:
One thing I should contextualize – the President obviously got updates about the election last night. He did not watch – as I told some of you – did not watch election returns. I wouldn’t read a ton into that since he didn’t actually watch election returns when he was running. If you did watch the movie on HBO – we called him and told him he won Iowa. He did not watch election returns.Clearly Gibbs was simply referencing the HBO documentary as evidence that the President does not routinely watch election returns.
Later in the gaggle, Gibbs was again asked if the President watched the election results. Gibbs reiterated: “He was not sitting in front of the TV watching them. Again, I sent him some e-mail updates and I talked to him....He just doesn’t – I mean, again, and I don't mean to sort of oversimplify this, but he never watched them when he was running. He just doesn’t.”
—Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.
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Comments Policy
→ Too good to be true
November 4, 2009 - 15:16 ET by Cool ArrowToo easy to believe.
For our penance, we should all go out and check the air pressure in our tires.
Save the tire, save the world.
LYDSEXICS UNTIE!
↶ But doesn't it feel good
November 4, 2009 - 15:19 ET by Another Dead Kennedy↶ But doesn't it feel good to be wrong about this one?
Sorta
November 4, 2009 - 15:22 ET by general companyI figured he had already seen it. Be pretty vain of him, if he watched it EVERY time it came on
My Gov. thinks I am dangerous, so be careful
"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg
Hey, I still watch Road
November 4, 2009 - 15:28 ET by Another Dead KennedyHey, I still watch Road House every time it's on. Nothing wrong with repeated viewings of an awesome movie.
I like to watch GIANT.
November 4, 2009 - 16:11 ET by ricklailI like to watch GIANT. There is nothing better than James Dean decking Rock Hudson. Liz Taylor was still glamorous at that time. Lot of stars in that movie too. Couldn't make that today-cost too much for with all the big Hollywood salaries.
Semper suprene nitens
OBAMACARE: If it ain't good enough for my Congressman then it ain't good enough for me.
It would have to be one of
November 4, 2009 - 16:22 ET by Another Dead KennedyIt would have to be one of those "favor" movies, where the cast gives up their $20M salaries to work for scale. It happens from time to time, as in the case of the Ocean's movies.
But movies like Giant won't ever be made anymore because the storytelling was the most important part of the production.
➹ No
November 4, 2009 - 15:24 ET by Cool ArrowIt's not a "fact" that will stay with me. Acknowledging FOX's mistake is enough.
LYDSEXICS UNTIE!
↶ But doesn't it feel good to be wrong about this one?
November 4, 2009 - 15:30 ET by vrwc13...the sad thing is it was very believable. And given the position Obama fills it's a sad state of affairs that it fits his M.O.
How much more golf will he play while undecisive on Afganistan?
How much more time will he spend roaming he countryside on Air Force One?
How much more effort will be wasted on his communist manifesto health care?
It's time for him to be the public servant he was elected to be, whether he turns out to be be eliglble or not.
v
"I'm sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and disagree with this administration, somehow you're not patriotic. We need to stand up and say we're Americans, and we have the right to debate and disagree with any administration."
— Hillary Rodham Clinton
When Obama breaks Bush's
November 4, 2009 - 15:36 ET by Another Dead KennedyWhen Obama breaks Bush's vacation record, then you complain about his golf habits.
Obama better get cracking
November 4, 2009 - 15:47 ET by FreakyBoyObama better get cracking cause he's only going to have four years to break Bush's eight year mark.
never say die
November 4, 2009 - 16:46 ET by jacktheripperright dead Ted ?
"The American Republic will endure, until politicians realize they can
bribe the people with their own money." – Alexis de Tocqueville
I'm not a goonie, jack.
November 4, 2009 - 16:55 ET by Another Dead KennedyI'm not a Goonie, jack.
obamas whole presidency has
November 4, 2009 - 17:01 ET by kangarooobamas whole presidency has been one big holiday for him, he hasn't done jack sh*t yet.
Except stick a big stick in the conservative nest and got them buzzing mad
So it's OK that it's not
November 4, 2009 - 19:42 ET by balboaYou got it
November 4, 2009 - 19:45 ET by general companyCongrat's. Do you think he has watched it? Do you think he ignored the election returns last night?
My Gov. thinks I am dangerous, so be careful
"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg
† Bal
November 4, 2009 - 19:47 ET by RESTLESS 1What does Dan Rather have to do with this?
"If the man, with the power, can't keep it under control...some heads are gonna roll." -Judas Priest
→ Bal
November 4, 2009 - 19:55 ET by Cool ArrowMay I direct you to another thread?
I'm sure you don't see the humor, but you're in good company.
LYDSEXICS UNTIE!
We're talking about this
November 4, 2009 - 23:18 ET by balboaWe're talking about this issue, this story.
What's your problem??
November 4, 2009 - 15:41 ET by JohnMJeepers, if it were Dan Rather "reporting", we'd be reading "well the facts may not be true, but the story is still valid."
Major Barret
November 4, 2009 - 16:03 ET by Rev_EricMajor Barret just apologized for the error, saying he misheard Robert Gibbs. At least they admit when they were wrong.
I think
November 4, 2009 - 16:29 ET by ConservativeClarkI think you mean Major Garrett.
How do we know the transcript was not doctored?
November 4, 2009 - 16:02 ET by SnerdleyCan we get audio or video to verify this for ourselves? Why only a written transcript?
You can put a suit on a Community Organizer, but he's still an empty suit.
Sorry, but I am not taking Martha McC.
November 4, 2009 - 16:32 ET by SickofLibsSorry, but I am not taking Martha McC. off that pedestal I constructed for her.
Instead, I'm going to blame this on "failed economic policies of the past".
it
November 4, 2009 - 16:45 ET by jacktheripperwas Bush's fault
"The American Republic will endure, until politicians realize they can
bribe the people with their own money." – Alexis de Tocqueville
In other news
November 4, 2009 - 18:00 ET by nwahsIn other news, a sheep stepped in a mud puddle and called it a hot tub. 87 sheep agreed it was a hot tub and continue to wade in the new hot tub.
→ Baaa Baaa
November 4, 2009 - 18:08 ET by Cool Arrownwahs. I see you've joined the hot tub group.
I think I agreed early on it was a mud puddle, cleaned myself off, and went on.
LYDSEXICS UNTIE!
Come on, Tex - that was
November 4, 2009 - 18:38 ET by Another Dead KennedyCome on, Tex - that was funny.
→ Sure it was
November 4, 2009 - 19:01 ET by Cool ArrowOf course it's funny. I clicked on a comment, and found myself back in a mud puddle, but there's this new sheep, in the mud puddle, telling everybody else it's not a hot tub.
I'm still trying to locate the sheep who originally mistook the mud puddle for a hot tub.
Turns out it's a story made up by the new sheep.
LYDSEXICS UNTIE!
!@#$%%^($!#@$$%#%$# This is
November 4, 2009 - 19:03 ET by Another Dead Kennedy!@#$%%^($!#@$$%#%$#
This is my brain on Cool Arrow.
→ ($!#@$$%#%
November 4, 2009 - 19:07 ET by Cool ArrowNow, as I was saying, then somebody from the congregation shouted "The piccolo player is a ($!#@$$%#%"
LYDSEXICS UNTIE!
You guys rock!
November 6, 2009 - 00:13 ET by MightyMouthIn the ROFL! catagory!
"The bureaucracy is growing to meet the needs of the growing bureaucracy"
What I appreciate about NewsBusters
November 4, 2009 - 19:46 ET by Vivaldi5It's very refreshing that when conservatives get something wrong in a report, they immediately correct it. Not like the last several Olbermann gaffes or Media Matters distortions where the parties involved and their allies said to themselves, "Um, yeah, I know that was wrong--but I can't admit it or it would make our side look bad so I'll just pretend it didn't happen."
Thanks, NewsBusters, for showing the kind of integrity that is typical of conservatives (and sadly is often altogether lacking on the liberal side).
You're right
November 4, 2009 - 20:01 ET by nwahsI made a joke out of it above, but in the past I came down hard on NB bloggers for not correcting or passing the buck on a mistake.
I also commend them for correcting this one in a forthright manner. Kudos.
Source that.
November 6, 2009 - 00:10 ET by JWFWhat NB blogger alleged mistake have you ever pointed out that was even remotely close to actually being a mistake?
Your pants are on fire.
The Lies of Gibbs
November 5, 2009 - 00:04 ET by slickwillie2001Gibbs was caught in a lie today:
Baghdad Bob Gibbs: Obama Never Watches Election Results When He Was Running: http://jammiewearingfool.blogspot.com
That was really too easy.
The Obvious
November 5, 2009 - 00:16 ET by viluzionIt seems obvious, at least to me, that every time Gibbs, Emanuel, Axelrod or even the big 0 himself opens his mouth lies flow therefrom. I would sooner believe a shudder Clinton than any of them.