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Rachel Maddow Says WSJ Story on Possible End of Wisconsin Standoff Was ‘Bad Reporting’

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by Tommy Christopher | 8:25 am, March 8th, 2011

» 24 comments

Over the weekend, a report surfaced that an end to the standoff in Wisconsin was imminent, and that the so-called “Wisconsin 14″ were ready to return to the state to vote on Gov. Scott Walker‘s (R-WI) “budget repair bill.” On her program Monday night, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow called that “bad reporting,” and interviewed State Sen. Jon Erpenbach, who told Maddow that State Sen. Mark Miller, the legislator quoted in that reports, was singing a very different tune to Erpenbach.

Erpenbach told Maddow that when he spoke to Miller, nothing had changed, and that the Wisconsin 14 were “not budging” on collective bargaining. He and Maddow also explored the possibility that the Democrats could turn two more Wisconsin Republicans, along with reported defector State Sen. Dale Schultz, to defeat the “budget repair” bill:

The Wall Street Journal report in question quotes several sources, but relies most heavily on indirect quotes from Miller:

Sen. Mark Miller said he and his fellow Democrats intend to let the full Senate vote on Gov. Scott Walker’s “budget-repair” bill, which includes the proposed limits on public unions’ collective-bargaining rights. The bill, which had been blocked because the missing Democrats were needed for the Senate to have enough members present to vote on it, is expected to pass the Republican-controlled chamber.

He said he thinks recent polls showing voter discontent with Mr. Walker over limits on bargaining rights have been “disastrous” for the governor and Republicans and give Democrats more leverage to seek changes in a broader two-year budget bill Mr. Walker proposed Tuesday.

Another version of the report contained this quote from Miller:

“We are now looking at returning to the state capitol and requiring the senators to take a vote and have them declare who they’re with — the workers or the governor,” Mr. Miller said.

State Sen. Chris Larson later disputed the report, saying the quote was taken out of context:

Sen. Miller’s comments are taken out of context in the Wall Street Journal article just released. Dems will return when collective bargaining is off the table. That could be soon based on the growing public opposition to the bill and the recall efforts against Republicans. Unfortunately, the WSJ fished for the quote they wanted, skipping this key step in logic: we won’t come back until worker’s rights are preserved.

The strange thing here is that neither Larson, nor Erpenbach, dispute the actual quote, just the context. Is this really a case of “bad reporting,” or a case of “buyer’s remorse” by a news source who went a little off-message? The Wall Street Journal seems to be standing by its reporting:

On Sunday, Mr. Miller told The Wall Street Journal that Senate Democrats were planning to return to allow a vote, without providing a timeline. On Monday morning, he sent the governor and Mr. Fitzgerald an open letter offering to meet in person “near the Wisconsin-Illinois border to formally resume serious discussions as soon as possible.” It wasn’t clear whether Mr. Miller had changed his mind about Democrats returning.

“Bad reporting” or not, Sen. Miller seems pretty clear on where he stands now, having sent a letter to Gov. Walker and State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald proposing a meeting near the Wisconsin-Illinois border. This prompted the less-than-warm response to which Erpenbach alluded. If Miller’s resolve was, indeed, weakening on Sunday, his fellow Democrats seem to have bucked him back up.

Chris Larson, Dale Schultz, Jon Erpenbach, Mark Miller, Rachel Maddow, Scott Fitzgerald, Scott Walker, The Rachel Maddow Show, wall street journal, Wisconsin, Wisconsin 14

Pablo

No, dude. Your Palin invading Egypt story was bad reporting. Miller has been talking out of both sides of his mouth for 3 weeks. This is just reporting.
Alz

You can’t make this stuff up: someone from MSNBC saying a another news outlet did some bad reporting. Ouch.

Left wing news lives off of phony stories. Let’s ask Rachel about how many times MSNBC pushed the Koch’s as being somewhat puppetmasters of the situation in Madison.
http://gordonbloyershow.com gordonbloyershow

Maddow is not a reporter. She is a propagandist.

Let me tell you what is true about the story. The Senators WILL come back. The bill WILL pass. The democrats and the union WILL CLAIM victory because the republicans will lose the next election. LOL. The Gov. WILL win the next election just as Gov. Mitch Daniels did after he ended collective bargaining in Indiana.
Big Eddie

Union dues , union thugs and electing Democrats .

http://spectator.org/archives/2011/03/08/the-truth-about-wisconsin
ChrisNH

MadCow is probably the least photogenic person alive. There’s not a photo around that doesn’t have her looking like a complete dork.
BatBoy

“NBC Universal International will undergo a restructure over the next few months following the departure of president Pete Smith.”

Restructure will not be kind to Rachel.
Religion of Peace

If anyone knows bad reporting it’s maddow!
Scott_in_MI

If anyone knows about “bad reporting” its got to be Maddow. She’s the “rhode’s scholar” who said WI isn’t broke.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/rachel-maddows-wisconsin-budget-claim-deemed-false-by-politifact/

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/rachel-maddow-blasts-politifact-bullpucky-claiming-her-wi-budget-report-was-false/
Alz

Big Eddie said:
Union dues , union thugs and electing Democrats .

http://spectator.org/archives/2011/03/08/the-truth-about-wisconsin

Good article. Thanks!

Funny how the liberals keep working against choice here.

It seems the only choice liberals like is for women to be able to kill their babies.
lane

I do think Maddow is an expert on bad reporting, so maybe she’s right. She’s certainly done it herself enough….
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joseph-Glackin/100000892011713 Joseph Glackin

lane said:
I do think Maddow is an expert on bad reporting, so maybe she’s right. She’s certainly done it herself enough….

I think you true believers in the F#X Nausea Machine should be able to spot bad reporting. Your supplier pumps it out 24/7. The Faux noiseboys trot out the Party line with better discipline than the Comintern ever did. Old Joe Stalin would be jealous.
OxyCon

And as we all know, especially PolitiFact, Madcow knows an awful lot about bad reporting.
Rescuedog

Remember all those Democrats and journalists who wondered if the US Senate was “broken” because of the filibuster, or if America was “ungovernable”? Where are they now? The Wisconsin Democrats have quite literally made their state ungovernable, which of course was their plan all along. They call themselves “Democrats” but there is nothing small-d democratic about them.

As a Texan living in a prosperous right-to-work state with little public union involvement, I don’t really care about the collective bargaining issue in Wisconsin. (In fact, I cynically hope the midwestern states, NY and California remain in their death spiral so we can continue to steal their businesses and top talent). But the WI Dems *must* be defeated. Otherwise, their behavior pattern – skipping town instead of debating legislation and winning or losing in a vote – will spread to other states like a cancer. Both parties will do it, and the Democrats and media will rightly be labeled hypocrites when they complain about it.
OxyCon

Rescuedog said:
Remember all those Democrats and journalists who wondered if the US Senate was “broken” because of the filibuster, or if America was “ungovernable”? Where are they now? The Wisconsin Democrats have quite literally made their state ungovernable, which of course was their plan all along. They call themselves “Democrats” but there is nothing small-d democratic about them.

Excellent point. But remember, there’s no reason for Fox News because the mainstream media isn’t biased.
notsofast

Not as bad as RM ‘s reporting that “Wisconsin is fine.” “Wisconsin is great.”
notsofast

Hey RM, was it as bad as Chris Matthews reporting that Egypt was home to the “Panama Canal?”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_I61xNgzoQ
Jax_n_jill

A mediaite reporter reporting on a questionable reporter reporting that a reporters report is bad reporting…do I have that right? Is this a perpetual conundrum?
jrcmi

gordonbloyershow said:
Maddow is not a reporter. She is a propagandist.

gordimwit is not a talk show host. He’s a propagandist with a webcam . . . which shuts off when Mom turns out the basement lights.

Big Eddiot cites the American Spectator, a right-wing rag that tries to convince us that Gov. Wanker’s strong-arm tactics, lies and distortions are just swell. We should put all our faith and trust in “bought” politicians like Wanker and the wealthy persons and greedy corporations who paid for him – AND who don’t give a good goddamn about the rest of us. Great plan.

ChrisNH said:
MadCow is probably the least photogenic person alive.

Thanks for your profound insight. Sheesh.

Religion of Peace said:
If anyone knows bad reporting it’s maddow!

If anyone knows bad posting it’s YOU. Maddow posited that the WSJ’s report was wrong and spoke to a person directly involved in the issue who verified her assertion. Watch. Listen. Think. If possible.

OxyCon said:
And as we all know, especially PolitiFact, Madcow knows an awful lot about bad reporting.

You probably didn’t read Politifact’s response when Maddow stood by her report, which they ultimately failed to disprove.

Rescuedog said:
The Wisconsin Democrats have quite literally made their state ungovernable

Just like Abe Lincoln once did in Illinois.

U.S. Senate Republicans have blocked hundreds of pieces of legislation, using politically motivated filibusters and rendering the entire COUNTRY “ungovernable.” They were in the chamber but “absent” nonetheless.

Our entire judiciary system is nearing a crisis point due to unfilled judgeships – a direct result of Republican filibusters. But that’s okay, right?

Wisconsin IS fine – and great. Gov. Wanker CREATED a deficit through tax giveaways to his big business pals, then blamed the unions for it even AFTER the unions agreed to his financial demands. He has demonstrated dishonesty and deviousness . . . and thus has a bright future working with those same big biz pals in the private sector after remorseful WI voters throw his lying ass out of office.

The Journal, once a conservative newspaper with integrity, has been turned into a birdcage-liner by Rupert Moredreck. Radio host Thom Hartmann (.com) recommends the limey Financial Times as a far more reliable and honest source for financial news.

Homophobic hatemongers here ridicule Maddow and say she’s wrong but never prove HOW she is (allegedly) wrong.
Alz

jrcmi said:
gordimwit is not a talk show host. He’s a propagandist with a webcam . . . which shuts off when Mom turns out the basement lights.

Big Eddiot cites the American Spectator, a right-wing rag that tries to convince us that Gov. Wanker’s strong-arm tactics, lies and distortions are just swell. We should put all our faith and trust in “bought” politicians like Wanker and the wealthy persons and greedy corporations who paid for him – AND who don’t give a good goddamn about the rest of us. Great plan.

Thanks for your profound insight. Sheesh.

If anyone knows bad posting it’s YOU. Maddow posited that the WSJ’s report was wrong and spoke to a person directly involved in the issue who verified her assertion. Watch. Listen. Think. If possible.

You probably didn’t read Politifact’s response when Maddow stood by her report, which they ultimately failed to disprove.

Just like Abe Lincoln once did in Illinois.

U.S. Senate Republicans have blocked hundreds of pieces of legislation, using politically motivated filibusters and rendering the entire COUNTRY “ungovernable.” They were in the chamber but “absent” nonetheless.

Our entire judiciary system is nearing a crisis point due to unfilled judgeships – a direct result of Republican filibusters. But that’s okay, right?

Wisconsin IS fine – and great. Gov. Wanker CREATED a deficit through tax giveaways to his big business pals, then blamed the unions for it even AFTER the unions agreed to his financial demands. He has demonstrated dishonesty and deviousness . . . and thus has a bright future working with those same big biz pals in the private sector after remorseful WI voters throw his lying ass out of office.

The Journal, once a conservative newspaper with integrity, has been turned into a birdcage-liner by Rupert Moredreck. Radio host Thom Hartmann (.com) recommends the limey Financial Times as a far more reliable and honest source for financial news.

Homophobic hatemongers here ridicule Maddow and say she’s wrong but never prove HOW she is (allegedly) wrong.

I didn’t see to much of what you wrote that is right. I’m wondering if you really believe all of that or if it’s just what the Daily Kos, Democratic Underground, MoveOn, and other Soros-controlled organisations told you to say.
Grammie

jrcmi said:
Homophobic hatemongers here ridicule Maddow and say she’s wrong but never prove HOW she is (allegedly) wrong.

.
Why should we when both Johnny Dollar and Politifact do it so much better than we amateurs can.

A look at Rachel Maddow’s lazy, hypocritical defense of Keith Olbermann. It’s a special edition of Fox Haters Week in Review! With must-see J$P Video!

http://johnnydollar.us/files/101107fhwir.php

The video is so illustrative I thought I would make it easy to just skip to the best part:

Rachel Maddow Blasts Fox from her Glass House at MSNBC!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txjXBx9-2c0

Enjoy.
OxyCon

ChrisNH said:
MadCow is probably the least photogenic person alive. There’s not a photo around that doesn’t have her looking like a complete dork.

She’s a very pretty “girl next door” in her high school yearbook. Google it.
felixw

Typical of Rachel Maddow to try to score tiny points against a Murdoch publication, instead of addressing the huge issue of budget deficits staring the rest of us in the face. The Titanic could sink, and Maddow would be looking for typo’s on the ship’s dinner menu.
Tedderman

Right, because would be very interested in hearing Rachel’s views on the deficit.

P.S. The Titanic did sink oh, about a hundred years ago. Try to get a better analogy
X-3

That Madcow should deign to critique someone else’s reporting would be funny if it weren’t so ridiculous.