Uncle Ted's Problems
It was a tender moment between the Senate's two oldest members: one infirm, the other indicted.
Eighty-four-year-old Republican Ted Stevens of Alaska, newly charged by the feds with corruption-related offenses, walked over to the desk of 90-year-old Democrat Robert Byrd of West Virginia yesterday morning. Byrd, in a wheelchair, clasped his friend's hands, then squinted up at him and shouted, "Say it ain't so!"
Stevens says it ain't so. But prosecutors say it is.
They say he received gifts worth more than $250,000 from an oil and gas company whose business interests he promoted: a renovation of his home, a Viking gas grill, a Land Rover and a cabinet full of tools. The senator, expected to turn himself in at the federal courthouse in Washington today, vows to continue his reelection campaign as he fights the charges.
Exactly how he plans to do this, however, remains something of a mystery. A reporter from Fox News asked Stevens about his plans yesterday morning as he walked to the Senate chamber for a vote. The senator ignored her queries, then put his arm around her shoulder. "Someone told me the thing to do is I ought to be surrounded by beautiful women," he said -- as the Fox News camera recorded the moment for posterity.
Good advice, no doubt -- but of limited use in getting Stevens out of his legal and political fix.
-- Dana Milbank
By
Dana Milbank
| July 31, 2008; 12:00 AM ET
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Posted by: mcalvo1 | July 31, 2008 2:32 PM | Report abuse
Please correct your misrepresentation of Mr. Obama's comments. This not only hurts Mr. Obama's credibility, but more importantly yours as a represenative of the 4th Estate. For tips please call Rachel Maddow.
Posted by: jb | July 31, 2008 3:37 PM | Report abuse
Mr. Milbank,
The "elephant" in the room must still be addressed. Please find an appropriate means of doing your part to undo the damage of your unattributed quoting of Obama's comments to House Democrats, which unfortunately managed to convey the opposite meaning of the Senator's actual, contextualized remarks according to those present.
Regular readers of yours and those of us who see you on Countdown know you to be a delightfully cynical, shrewd political observer. If that same Dana Milbank could look dispassionately at the damage your piece has done, most unfairly as it turns out, I have no doubt that he would find a way to even the scales of justice. Are you THAT Dana Milbank, or are you becoming Maureen Dowd--as light and inconsequential as a feather?
Posted by: William Noland | August 1, 2008 9:13 AM | Report abuse
Dana
Now your sketch/rough sketch are all bull$&*% unless you correct your mistake on Obama misquote and save your journalistic integrity.
Posted by: jack | August 4, 2008 11:24 PM | Report abuse
Dear Mr. Milbank,
Like so many of the other commentators here, I also think it is imperative that you find the courage to correct your mis-representation of Obama's words. This is not a case of "open to interpretation", but instead an obvious and deliberate misrepresentation. We all take offense and feel as a responsible journalist you are obligated to correct that error. Until you do, I have little respect for the integrity of your work and yourself as a human being. Yes, Mr. Milbank it is that important, after all.... as a journalist, you live and die by your words therefore, you above all should know what misrepresenting another's words would mean.... do the right thing.
Posted by: nerakami | August 5, 2008 11:22 AM | Report abuse
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As always, well written. Look forward to all your comments on line and on televison.
Disappointed however on your failure to correct your misrepresentation of Obama in a recent "Sketch". Mischaracterizing his statements to Congressional group you wrote:
Inside, according to a witness, he told the House members, "This is the moment . . . that the world is waiting for," adding: "I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions."
For the sake of accuracy & to assure us of your continued non-biased reporting, please return to this issue and correctly quote the candidate and apologize for your not so subtle "inferred criticism".