memeorandum: Why Did Brian Williams Lie? (Jack Shafer/Politico)

12:50 AM ET, February 6, 2015

Top Items:

Brian Stelter / CNNMoney:

Controversy grows over Brian Williams' Iraq apology — If NBC and Brian Williams believed a Facebook post and an on-air apology were enough, they were wrong. — In the hours after Williams recanted a long-told story Wednesday about an RPG attack in Iraq, rank and file employees …

Dylan Byers / Politico:

Dan Rather backs Brian Williams — Brian Williams is “an honest, decent man, an excellent reporter and anchor—and a brave one,” veteran newsman Dan Rather told POLITICO on Thursday. — Rather's note of support comes after the revelation that Williams falsely claimed to have been aboard …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Mediaite, Talking Points Memo, The PJ Tatler, Ed Driscoll, TVNewser, Hot Air, American Power and Washington Free Beacon

Travis J. Tritten / Stars & Stripes:

Brian Williams' apology leaves out key details of Iraq incident — News anchor's apology met with cynicism from servicemembers who were there — WASHINGTON — Apologies by NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams Wednesday for his false claim of being on a helicopter forced down by Iraqi rocket fire …

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Fox News, Washington Free Beacon and FOX News Radio

Erik Wemple / Washington Post:

The Brian Williams scandal is an NBC News-wide scandal — The Brian Williams scandal has burst onto the public square through a feat of Internet accountability. After NBC Nightly News last week posted to Facebook a clip of the anchor reminiscing about having embedded with the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 …

Jack Shafer / Politico:
Why Did Brian Williams Lie?

Discussion: Sarah Palin, Christian Science Monitor and The Atlantic Online

Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Brian Williams' Tall Tale Raises New Challenge For NBC News

Discussion: Power Line, The Daily Caller, Hot Air, CNN, Ed Driscoll, PJ Media, Mediaite, Washington Post, USA Today and The Huffington Post

USA Today:
Rieder: Brian Williams' unmitigated disaster

Discussion: Page Six, NewsBusters, The Daily Caller, Washington Post, Hot Air, Spocko's Brain, Raw Story, New York Times, Ed Driscoll, Mediaite, Baltimore Sun, Salon and CBS DC

Jesse Walker / Hit & Run:
Will Brian Williams Get Away With ‘Misremembering’ a War Story? Well, Hillary Clinton Did.

Discussion: Mediaite, Hot Air, National Review, The College Fix, NPR and Power Line

Caitlin MacNeal / Talking Points Memo:
Helicopter Pilot: Actually, Yes, Brian Williams' Chopper Did Take Fire In 2003

Discussion: Mediaite, Philly.com, New York Times, Washington Post, The Gateway Pundit, Slate, NewsBusters, American Spectator and The Daily Banter, more at Mediagazer »

John Amato / Latest from Crooks and Liars:

Right Wing Melts Down Over Obama's Comments At National Prayer Breakfast — Earlier today President Obama spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast, where he discussed freedom of expression along with highlighting the many acts of barbarism that are happening now and have happened throughout …

Discussion: Yahoo! News, Weekly Standard, Raw Story and National Review

The White House:

Remarks by the President at National Prayer Breakfast — Washington, D.C. — THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Well, good morning. Giving all praise and honor to God. It is wonderful to be back with you here. I want to thank our co-chairs, Bob and Roger.

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, American Spectator, Hot Air, National Review, White House.gov Blog and Religion News Service

Noah Rothman / Hot Air:
Obama: You know, Christians were just as bad as ISIS a few centuries ago

Discussion: Washington Times and RT

Charlie Spiering / BREITBART.COM:
Obama At National Prayer Breakfast: ‘People Committed Terrible Deeds In The Name of Christ’

Discussion: RedState and National Review

Scott Jaschik / Inside Higher Ed:

Firing a Faculty Blogger — A controversial professor on Wednesday revealed that Marquette University is trying to revoke his tenure and fire him for statements he made about a graduate instructor, with her name, on his blog. — The university says his behavior was unprofessional …

Discussion: The Academe Blog, JSOnline, The College Fix and Washington Post

John Lauerman / Bloomberg Business:

Harvard Tells Profs Not to Sleep With Undergrads — Don't Miss Out — (Bloomberg) — Harvard University banned professors from having “sexual or romantic relationships” with undergraduates, joining a list of campuses that have taken similar steps. — Many colleges discourage but don't ban sex between professors and students.

Discussion: NPR, Gawker and USA TODAY College

FIRE:

After Gay Marriage Flap, Marquette Moves to Fire Tenured Prof — Disregarding freedom of speech, academic freedom, and its own policies, Marquette University will attempt to revoke Professor John McAdams's tenure and fire him. — Marquette is taking action against McAdams …

Discussion: Hit & Run

Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:

Aaron Schock Adviser Resigns Over Racially-Charged Comments On Facebook — “The fact remains that White people who live in my building are routinely harassed by Black miscreants who blockade the sidewalks and entryways in front of and behind my building...” Update: Cole resigned from Schock's office.

Discussion: Gawker, FreakOutNation, Mediaite and Talking Points Memo

Josh Israel / ThinkProgress:
In Facebook Posts, Congressman Aaron Schock's Press Secretary Compared African Americans To Zoo Animals

Discussion: Gawker, Hinterland Gazette, Mediaite, Washington Post, New York Magazine, FOX News Radio, FreakOutNation, Raw Story, Roll Call and Talking Points Memo

Journal Star:
Rep. Aaron Schock's spokesman Ben Cole resigns after racially charged Facebook posts

Discussion: Latest from Crooks and Liars, PoliticusUSA, FOX News Radio, New York Times, Bloomberg Business, ThinkProgress, Talking Points Memo, New York Magazine, The Daily Caller, Towleroad News #gay and Washington Post

Edward-Isaac Dovere / Politico:

Israeli officials fail to quell Democratic revolt — Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer and Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein rushed to meetings on Capitol Hill on Wednesday trying to calm a furor created by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's planned speech to Congress next month and quell …

Discussion: Booman Tribune, Bloomberg Politics, Mediaite, The Hill, Yahoo! News, PoliticusUSA, US News, Patterico's Pontifications and Shark Tank

Jake Sherman / Politico:
Pope will address Congress in September

Discussion: Associated Press, Hot Air and ThinkProgress

David Sirota / International Business Times:

Chris Christie Administration Is Target Of New Federal Criminal Probe — Federal law enforcement officials have launched a criminal investigation of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and members of his administration, pursuing allegations the governor and his staff broke the law …

Discussion: New York Magazine, ABC News, Talking Points Memo, US News, Balloon Juice, Daily Kos and New Jersey News …

Peter Beinart / The Atlantic Online:

Is America at War With Radical Islam? — If there's one thing top Republicans know, it's that America can't defeat terrorism unless we call it by its real name. “We are in a religious war with radical Islamists,” Lindsey Graham recently told Fox News. “When I hear the President …

Ed Kilgore / Washington Monthly:
Say It! Say It! — Peter Beinart addresses an issue that's …

Discussion: Booman Tribune

Vox:

9 secrets from the inside — I am a member of Congress. I'm not going to tell you from where, or from which party. But I serve, and I am honored to serve. I serve with good people (and some less good ones), and we try to do our best. — It's a frustrating, even disillusioning job.

Discussion: Hullabaloo and The Daily Caller

Paul Waldman / American Prospect:

Why Rand Paul's Past Is Going to Catch Up With Him — We're now in a particularly creative period for the political press, when the 2016 presidential campaign is definitely getting going, but journalists aren't yet required to spend long stretches of their lives following candidates …

Discussion: Liberal Values, Washington Monthly, New York Times and Talking Points Memo

Washington Post:
For Rand Paul, a rude awakening to the rigors of a national campaign

Discussion: Politico, Mediaite, USA Today and Mr. Media Training

Beenish Ahmed / ThinkProgress:

The Air Chief Marshall Of Thailand Was A Poodle Named Foo Foo And He Just Had A Four Day Funeral — British Prince Andrew, left, shakes hands with Thailand's Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, right, as his royal consort Princess Srirasm in Aug. 2007. — CREDIT: AP

Discussion: Guardian and Liberaland

JSOnline:

Scott Walker says no to drugs, yes to beer — For the record, Gov. Scott Walker says he has never smoked marijuana. — Walker also said he is fully supportive of vaccinations but believes it should be left to states as to whether they are mandatory. — And he said he is not yet running for president.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Daily Kos and Fox News

6abc.com:

2 Philadelphia officers charged with assaulting man on scooter — Two Philadelphia police officers are being charged with the assault of a man in May 2013 that was caught on surveillance and reporting a false account of the incident. — Only Action News has the video surveillance that helped break the case.

Discussion: Philly.com and Raw Story

Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:

Mike Huckabee On Old Anti-Dance Column: At Least I Wasn't In The Choom Gang — “I'd much rather have to defend this than say, yes, I used to regularly be apart of the choom gang. It's just bizarre.” — w.soundcloud.com — Former Republican Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee on Wednesday addressed …

Discussion: Mediaite and Raw Story

Rachana Pradhan / Politico:

Tennessee turns down Obamacare Medicaid expansion — Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam's alternative plan to expand Medicaid under Obamacare was dealt a devastating blow on Wednesday, when a Senate panel rejected it on the third day of a legislative special session called solely for that issue.

Discussion: Tennessean.com and Daily Kos