Wash Post responds with begrudging concession

The Wash. Post response follows letter.



Subject: Evidence of one-sidedness fairly conclusive in comparison to NY Times, LA Times
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2009 18:01:04 +0000

Dear Washington Post Staff,

Washington Post reporter Glenn Kessler writes, in "At Confirmation Hearing, Clinton Talks of Engagement With Iran" - (Jan. 14, 2009) that “[Clinton] was not drawn into specific questions about how the incoming administration might handle Israel's invasion." The following analysis of this statement will hopefully make it clearer to The Washington Post why many readers view the reporting as one-sided against Israel: A Pro-Israel view would have led to "how the incoming administration would handle the incessant rocket fire from Gaza into Israel." A neutral view would have been "how the incoming administration might handle the Gaza conflict." A Pro-Palestinian view would be "how the incoming administration would handle Israel's invasion" - which is exactly how The Washington Post put it.

Below are how other major newspapers put it; unlike the Post, none appeared to take sides:

NY Times: "addressing the spiraling violence in Gaza" http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/14/us/politics/14state.html?ref=todayspaper
LA Times: "Addressing the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip" http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-clinton-confirmation14-2009 jan14,0,7495323.story

I appreciate you looking into this.

Sincerely, Michael Berenhaus


From: Glenn Kessler
To: mberenhaus@comcast.net
Subject: Re: Evidence of one-sidedness fairly conclusive in comparison to NY Times, LA Times Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Thanks for your note. Israel has invaded Gaza, which is a factual point, and I don't see much difference between that and the LAT language. No bias was intended or implied but you raise a fair point and in retrospect it would have been better to perhaps have added "in response to Hamas rockets" or something like that. I appreciate all input from readers, as it keeps me on my toes.

Sincerely,
Glenn Kessler