AP issues ‘clarification’ on Bush Katrina video reporting

Another day, another media-fueled non-scandal. Via Drudge/AP:

WASHINGTON (AP) _ In a March 1 story, The Associated Press reported that federal disaster officials warned President Bush and his homeland security chief before Hurricane Katrina struck that the storm could breach levees in New Orleans, citing confidential video footage of an Aug. 28 briefing among U.S. officials.

The Army Corps of Engineers considers a breach a hole developing in a levee rather than an overrun. The story should have made clear that Bush was warned about floodwaters overrunning the levees, rather than the levees breaking.

The day before the storm hit, Bush was told there were grave concerns that the levees could be overrun. It wasn’t until the next morning, as the storm was hitting, that Michael Brown, then head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said Bush had inquired about reports of breaches. Bush did not participate in that briefing.

So, um, there really was no earth shattering news yesterday to begin with as it related to the video and transcripts the AP got their hands on. And the reactionary Democrats who immediately siezed on the video and called for yet another ‘where the Katrina response went wrong’ investigation: will they still pursue that, once they read the AP’s correction? Don’t bet on it.

(Hat tip: ST reader Severian)

Others commenting on this: Powerline, Captain Ed, Mark Noonan at Blogs For Bush, RightWinged.com

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Based in North Carolina, Sister Toldjah is a 15+ year veteran of blogging with an emphasis on mainstream media bias and the culture wars.

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