PrintJanuary 4, 2007
ABC News embarrasses itself
Our contributor Matt May has spotted an embarrassing contention by ABC News in its celebratory reporting of Nancy Pelosi's assumption of the role of Speaker of the House. Not only does it betray a startling ignorance of the Constitution, it features a surprising lack of familiarity with the basic history of the 1970s. One would think that after days and days of reporting on the Ford presidency, either a reporter or an editor would know better. Here's Matt's take:
Check the lead of this story on ABC News...
"As Nancy Pelosi begins her term as the new House speaker, she is only two heartbeats away from an accidental presidency - just like late President Gerald Ford once was."
Very dramatic. Except that Gerald Ford was never Speaker of the House and, thus, never two heartbeats away from the presidency. He was one heartbeat away from the presidency, and then became president upon Nixon's resignation.
Example 4,532,084 why most "professional" media would fail Ron Webb's Journalism I class at Dearborn High School.
