Giuliani Update

Very convenient lapse there George, isn’t it?
The elite of our media consists of shills and sycophants, especially when it comes to calling on the politicians of the right when they try to bamboozle. Why should anyone expect you to be too much different?

Frankly ABC has a lot of gall with this “update.” George S should be “clarifying” his lack of response to Guiliani’s bull. I won’t be back.

Thanks for taking responsibility for your oversight.

So Guiliani “clarifies” by suggesting there were no attacks on US soil AFTER 9-11. That’s still incorrect!!! When will you call him on THAT lie?

I have to agree with Isis. There were SEVERAL attacks after 911.
tainted with anthrax kill five across the United States, with politicians and media officials as the apparent targets. On July 31, 2008 Bruce E. Ivins a top biodefense researcher committed suicide.[31] On August 6, 2008 the FBI concluded that Ivins was solely responsible for the attacks and suggested that Ivins wanted to bolster support for a vaccine he helped create and that he targeted two lawmakers because they were Catholics who held pro choice views.
May 2002 Mailbox Pipe Bomber: Lucas John Helder rigged pipe bombs in private mailboxes to explode when the boxes were opened. He injured 6 people in Nebraska, Colorado, Texas, Illinois, and Iowa. His motivation was to garner media attention so that he could spread a message denouncing government control over daily lives and the illegality of marijuana as well as promoting astral projection.
2002 July 4: 2002 Los Angeles Airport shooting Hesham Mohamed Hadayet, a 41-year-old Egyptian national, kills two Israelis and wounds four others at the El Al ticket counter at Los Angeles International Airport. The FBI concluded this was terrorism, although they found no evidence linking Hadayet to any terrorist group.
October 2002 Beltway Sniper Attacks: During three weeks in October 2002 John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo killed 10 people and critically injured three others in Washington D.C, Baltimore, and Virginia. An earlier spree by the pair had resulted in 3 deaths in Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, California, Arizona, and Texas to bring the total to 16 deaths. No motivation was given at the trial but evidence presented showed an affinity to the cause of the Islamic jihad.
March 2003 23: Sgt. Hasan Akbarwas charged in a hand grenade and shooting attack that killed Army Captain Christopher Seifert and Air Force Major Gregory Stone, while wounding 14 other soldiers on 23 March 2003. The attack took place at Camp Pennsylvania, Kuwait, a rear base camp for the invasion.
2006 March 5: Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar injured 6 when he drove an SUV into a group of pedestrians at UNC-Chapel Hill to “avenge the deaths or murders of Muslims around the world”.
2006 Seattle Jewish Federation shooting, Egyptian shoots six Jewish women
2007 October 26: A pair of improvised explosive devices were thrown at the Mexican Consulate in New York City. The fake grenades were filled with black powder and detonated by fuses causing very minor damage. Police were investigating the connection between this and a similar attack against the British Consulate in New York in 2005.
2008 February: In the first reported incident of animal-rights extremists physically assaulting the family members of animal researchers, six masked activists attempted to force their way into the home of a University of California, Santa Cruz, researcher and injured the researcher’s husband.
2008 March 3: Four multimillion-dollar show homes place in Woodinville, Washington are torched. The Earth Liberation Front is suspected in the fires.
2008 May 4 Multiple nail laden pipe bombs exploded at a Federal Courthouse in San Diego at 1:40 AM causing “considerable damage” to the entrance and lobby and sending shrapnel two blocks away. The F.B.I. is investigating links between this attack and an April 25 explosion at the FedEx building also in San Diego.
2008 July 27 Jim D. Adkisson opened fire in the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville,Tennessee killing two and injuring seven before being tackled to the ground by congregation members. A note found in his SUV indicated this was intended as a suicide attack and said the church was apparently targeted because of its support of liberal social policies.

I have been a loyal viewer of This Week, but no more. You lost me, George. REALLY disappointed. These clowns should not get away with saying garbage mistruths like that.

How you could let this go without not only a followup, but what should have been an “are you just insane” response, is bewildering.
Even if you assumed Guiliani (aka “noun verb 9/11″) meant post 9/11 (and why does the previous administration get a free pass on the most disastrous terrorist attack in our history), the Richard Reid attempt failed attack (12/22/2001) is almost an EXACT parallel.
This kind of failure to achieve any sense of journalistic competence / integrity is an absolute embarrassment.

It’s simply not feasible to believe that George just “missed” the glaring error in Rudy’s comments. George was a Rhodes scholar and is a bright guy. He didn’t correct him b/c it’s become commonplace now for “journalists” to simply be softball pitchers for guests, letting the guests spit whatever talking points they brought to the show. THAT is why people get their news from guys such as Jon Stewart now. He’s not cowed; he has stones. He calls people out on their garbage talking points.

So so disappointed in Mr. S not stopping this lie in its tracks. Perino got away with it on Hannity because, well, it’s Faux News – but ABC? Lost me as a viewer.

Maybe George Stephanopoulos’s background as a lapdog for his political Masters left him with too much of a reverence for even their most asinine pronouncements. Perhaps being a courtier wasn’t the best background for a journalist in retrospect. Unfortunately, George, while that’s all good and fine in the world of politcs, good journalists are supposed to be nmore questioning of their subjects.
Shame.

It’s still a lie. I never thought I would see the day where the citizens have to do the media’s job for them.

It is UNCONSCIONABLE that ABC STILL has this interview on the front page of their website and this tiny little disclaimer is HIDDEN deep inside the site. Unfrickin’ believable.

Until reporters and show hosts start calling out their guests’ blatant lies; the politicians, executives, pundits or whoever have no reason to tell the truth. I also have no reason to watch the reporters’ shows or read their work.

That’s not a clarification from Mr. Giuliani, that’s an obfuscation, Mr. Stephanopoulos. Mr. Giuliani meant what he said, when he said it. Would he pass up the chance to use a noun, a verb and…?

When I saw Giulilier was on ABC I turned the channnel. Because I knew GS would just let him talk and talk. That’s why when I heard what happe…. from now on I will be watching Matt and Al

Admitting your mistake via twitter and your blog is not enough. You need to admit it on the air. Rudi knew exactly what he was saying, no need to give him a pass. Oh for the days of Peter Jennings when ABC News really meant news, but of course, this is Mickey Mouse style news, smoke and mirrors.

Sorry George, Giuliani clarifying his remarks does not let you off the hook. Dana Perino, Karl Rove, Mary Matalin and the rest of the republican smear machine have been repeating the same garbage since Christmas and as a “journalist” you should have anticipated these talking points.
You have been an amazing disappointment George, and this was just one of many soft ball interviews I’ve suffered through hoping that someday you’ll do the right thing and grow a set; however I fear that’s just not going to happen. But you know George let’s look on the bright side; I think this move to GMA was the right one. Maybe your true calling is doing the cooking segments and interviewing the losers from Dancing with the Stars. Good luck.

George,
I lost any respect or admiration I might have had for Mr. Guiliani gained during the aftermath of 9/11 when he read that horrible speech at the GOP convention last year. So, not surprised when today, he glossed over reality on your show.

Unbelievable …all you have to say is that you should have challenged him but didn’t!!! It is not just your mistake and responsibility, but also that of the ABC Network to make sure that their anchors act like the journalists they purport you to be! There is a big difference between a talking head and a real journalist. George, you have proven that you are just a talking head. Anything less that a retraction on ABC World News Tonight AND GMA tomorrow morning is unacceptable!

I also do not understand why the anthrax attacks have vanished down the memory hole. IMO, they had more effect in scaring the citizenry (many of whom view NYC as on another planet).
The attacks were never solved satisfactorily, and could well have been the acts of a US government official.

The mere fact that someone like Giuliani, with the morals of an alley cat, gets air time is a sad commentary on what GMA really is: An entertainment side show. So much for George S. giving it an air of legitimacy.

OMG! I thought I was watching “FAUX NEWS” ABC you were always my source for facts and calling folks out…I can’t watch this anymore.. .come on can’t this African American president get the RESPECT that he GIVES? I’m very disappointed that we are in 2010 with spineless reporters like Mr.Stephanopoulos…

George – what a lame apology. He’s still wrong. Are you going to reference the anthrax attacks? You are a perfect example of why the mainstream media is a sad joke in this country. I’ll take the truth and rigorous fact-finding of blogs over your ridiculous interviews any day.

How do people like you keep your job? Journalism, remember? Most people would be fired for such a blatant lapse. Hard to think, though, when you’ve got stars in your eyes, right?

I guess George was worried on how to toss to the weather report. What an embarrasment. Many people who see these things when they happen, do not see the correction. I am not too sure the GMA audience is following George’s blog. Damage is done, George, you let another lying politician use your program as his personal blog. No challenges! I am sure you do not want to upset America’s mayor, he might not come back. it would hurt the show, which is all that this crap is on TV. No sense of an obligation to your viewers. GMA is no different than the bachelor. Jsut keep viewers. Who cares if erroneous information is dispensed on your show. I think i can this quality of news on your wife’s sitcom.

the clarfication makes no sense. the remark was in the context of a discussion about the undies bomber, making the shoe bomber clearly relevant, as well as a number of other terrorist incidents that exactly fit the criteria of the false clarification (anthrax, LAX attack, etc.). Giuliani is a member of the elite club so media elite will let him say whatever he pleases. Lying to the rest of us is A-OK. See George S’s interview of geithner. Same thing. Nothing about the USG agreeing to underwrite for eternity the “too big to fail” banks and sweetheart deals for AIG, which competetively disadvantage main street and community banks. The elites have hijacked America and the media is very much a part of that elite. Disgusting and depressing.

Rudy’s comments are just another example of Republicans repeating a lie often enough in the hopes they can make it a fact. Perhaps this is in the hope that they can make the public forget that the recent security lapses date back to policies put into place by the previous administration.
What the GOP is doing now though is disgusting. Instead of criticizing and saying how X, Y & Z need to be fired how about adding something constructive to the dialog?

Appreciate the clarification. It takes a man to admit to a mistake. Thanks.

Post-9/11??? No, you don’t get to do that, anymore than a bodyguard could boast that he has kept you safe since the last time you got beaten to a pulp on his watch. The GOP FAILED to protect America on 9/11. Never, ever let then forget that. Whenever a GOPer opens cite terror, remind them how they let us all down.

Enough! ABC News has seen the last of this viewer. UNBELIEVABLE.

he forgets what rudy says, but let someone from the obama admin say something incorrect he would just attack his person.

George,
I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt following your atrocious “gotcha” question-styled debate moderation in 2008. But this is the final straw.
Youre a pale shadow of Russert–and wont ever bother watching your show again.
-BG

Why is ABC moving further and further to the right?? One Faux news is ENOUGH!!?

So Monday morning when I tune into GMA George will make a PUBLIC apology, right? Because the audience that saw that soft ball interview may not be as diligent as those of us posting here. Step up to the plate George, replay the bogus claims and then say what you should have said to Rudy’s face. Think Cronkite, Murrow or any news person with any sense of personal and professional responsibility.

what a shame that we look to clowns like rudy to stir up lies and untruths about the bush era..im a republican and im embarrassed about this..its one thing to be mistaken but another to flat out lie…shame on abc i will not be viewing your station from here on out sad

incompetent villagers

Even “post 9/11″, George is still asleep at the switch.
The Terrorist Antrax atttacks, which killed Americans, and had the nation in a panic,
And:
The Shoe Bomber, were both post 9/11, and during the George W. Bush era.

Same excuse Pernio made when she said something similar “well of course I meant after 9/11″ Of course that is not true either but truth is subjective right?

Remember this line?
“You guys said that, um, we did it for the show.”
Everybody caught it, but Wolf. Pretty embarrassing, I must say. I’m glad George is owning up to it, but it would have made for a most intriguing moment had he caught it. Republicans seem to have tourettes when it comes to claiming that “Bush kept us safe.” The facts are not on their side, but they’ll keep claiming it until it sounds like the truth.
George is human: we’ll have to forgive him for the slip. Forgetting, however…

George Stephanopoulos is nothing but a weasel for “Corporate Amerika”.
Stephanopoulos is bought and paid for by the Disney corporation.
Spewing corporate lies & propaganda are George’s only claim to fame.
You and that gutless coward Giuliani could be twins!!!!

George, it is even MORE pathetic that you apologized for not challenging his statement while serving as stenographer for a “correction” that should also be challenged. And let’s be clear: there are a LOT more things you should have challenged him on than a blatant misstatement of fact that a child could have caught. For example, maybe you can ask exactly what it is he means by “…one of the right things he did was treat this as a war on terror.”

What is so tragic is that he got his message across without a challenge and the retraction comes out in a blog.

George, I’ve got one question for you: Why didn’t you press him? Actually, I’ve got two: Second, why isn’t the press calling the neo-cons out on this topic?

Stephanopoulos is terrified of being called a liberal.

LAME. Guliani is STILL making crap up, and you are still not pointing it out. But citizens are. There were several attacks after 9/11. You just compounded your own lameness and irresponsibility with this “i am responsible” line. When will Guliani be invited on next?
Bottom line indeed

Here’s an idea, since you’ve booked Liz Cheney up next:
1) Prepare for the talking points.
2) Fact-check them in advance.
3) Challenge them on-air, in real-time.
Then maybe some of us will take you seriously again.

George should step down immediately and go work for TMZ ASAP.. These politicians like Mr. noun, verb & 911 should be forced to answer tough questions w/ follow-ups. What are we gonna lose for it? Future interviews with this schmuck? George just demonstrated his love for power & he didn’t want to lose the cross-dresser from future interviews.
Unfortunately, nost of the media is using george’s formula.

.
Dear George,
How much do you get paid to NOT question LIES when given the opportunity to?
Remember when the MSM used to vet the TRUTH?
You were a kid then, and now look at you. What went so wrong? $$$$ get in your eyes?
Prove us wrong and bring Mr. Giuliani back on and CONFRONT him, publicly…
… Or is there an image of Rudy that even you, too, must maintain?
.

I just heard Rudy try to extricate himself on Wolf Blitzer’s show. What a joke! I am a New Yorker, so don’t have much regard for him to begin with. But George, you have totally disappointed me
We won’t even have Moyers around to keep all of you in line! What are we to do?
George, you lost me on your Sunday show, too.

ABC News is just Fox News lite.

Even post 9/11, it’s a lie. What about Richard Reid? The DC Snipers? The anthrax in the mail? None of that happened either? This is what happens when people get rewarded for allowing these kind of statements to go unchallenged. Stephanopoulos lacks any credibility.

Dear George,
Could you please have Rudy back on to explain how Richard Reed, aka SHOE BOMBER, a British citizen, who was afforded a full and fair trial in Federal Court ON US SOIL, WITH full representation who was sentenced to THREE consecutive life sentences and is serving them in Federal Prison ON US SOIL, all under the Bush Administration’s DOJ, was NOT weakening US Security and surrendering Constitutional Rights to the enemy?
… Or is it NOT surrendering Constitutional Rights and weakening US Security when George W. Bush’s DOJ did it?
.

Me thinks the honorable and ethical way to make amends for your severe lack of journalistic oversight would be to make mention of it within the same media in which it was committed. On your show and not on this blog…

If you’re not going to ask questions of your guests, George, why even bother to show up for work?

Davein SF,
Because George has a family to raise.
Three Steps…
1) Show up to work
2) Say what my Corporate Masters tell me to say
3) Come back tomorrow and repeat steps 1 & 2.
.

George, this is PATHETIC. You are an experienced interviewer and you let the lies once again wash over our nation without calling out Giuliani. You are the fourth branch of our government and it IS your responsability to not let them get away with this. Why don’t you go join Fixed News! Now you try and clarify, but this is not on national TV, the moment has passed and we all get screwed one more time. I am just plain sick.

With all due respect, Mr. Stephanopoulos, as several people have pointed out, you’re still missing the point.
Richard Reid WAS al Qaeda, and his ATTEMPTED attack occured AFTER 9/11. If Giuliani is going to count the underwear bomber’s FAILED ATTEMPT as an ACTUAL ATTACK, then you have to consider Reid’s failed attempt as an attack as well. Which means Giuliani is lying. OR, if you make the rather obvious distinction that a FAILED ATTEMPT at a terrorist attack is DIFFERENT FROM an actual SUCCESSFUL ATTACK, then Obama’s record is just as good as Bush’s, which means Giuliani is STILL LYING.
Any of this you could have pointed out while you had Giuliani on your show. You either chose not to, which says you value having someone spouting such falsehoods on your program; or you are too unaware of recent history to justify having a media platform such as GMA.
Please forgive my excessive use of all caps, but I didn’t want to come across as too subtle for you.

ABC/Fox News little difference. George S. is not the fool, he’s laughing all the way to the bank.
The fools are the people that get their news here and believe it. You deserve what you get, from the GQ models.
G.S. is not a journalist, he’s pretty face for daytime housewives. If you’re too stupid to see that, the blame my friends, is on YOU.

Terrific! Stephanopoulos takes responsibility…But then he goes right on to repeat Giulliani’s next lie, again without comment. I can think of half a dozen domestic terrorist attacks that happened post 9/11/2001 but before 1/10/2009, even though Rudy’s spokesman apparently can’t. Tell me again about taking responsibility George.

George your doing your part for the GOP and with luck many viewers will believe it was on Obama’s watch that we had the 9/11 attack and the show bomber. After seeing our GOP are clueless to the US Constitution makes sense to go on TV and openly lie. Why not bring Cheney on and let him say how Obama caused the Recession and chaos around the World in the pass 8 years. I’m sure you could pull that off too. Fair/Balanced news isn’t done on ABC anymore since we lost Peter Jennings.

Better late than never? RIGHT! You MSM people are so pathetic, you are feeding into these GOP lies day after day hoping that if people hears these lies long enough then they will start to believe them. Its a BURNING SHAME my grandma would say.

Mr. Stephanopolous is clearly not paying attention to the comments posted here, so it hardly seems worth pointing this out, but…
At this very moment, the lead story on the ABC News site is about a typo in a White House press release. Granted, ABC News has no sense of irony, but is it possible that they could run alongside that piece a headline that reads “ABC News Mistakenly Believes that Planes Did Not Fly into the World Trade Center”?
That would be some interesting copy.
And Jake Tapper is still calling this a “debate”.

George, if you’re really sorry please step up the fact checking and follow-up questions to BOTH political parties. Don’t let any politician come on your show and rewrite history for political gain. Restore the reputation of journalism and do interviews beyond reproach from now on. Journalist are considered the fourth branch of government, we need them to do better to protect the interest of the people and today that was not done.

Too little, too late, and still not accurate (as other comments point out). You and other mainstream media “reporters” have simply become convenient opportunities for celebrity pundits to use for their own ends. There’s little independent thought, fact checking, or challenge in programs like yours. I might as well just read the GOP talking points.

George, please watch some old Russert interviews. He never settled for bs answers, like you do.

No, no, no George… It’s RUDY’S mistake, not yours. Worse even still that he was in the middle of it and chose to lie to your face to fit his own twisted agenda.

Not often do I start my day yelling at the TV, but that’s what Rudy and George inspired me to do this morning on GMA. Cursing Rudy for his lies and George for his refusal to challenge them on national TV. And I’m a grandma.
Shame on me for losing my temper, but shame on George for not doing his job. Rudy is a lost case as far as shame goes.

Oh for heavens sake. Anyone who is not stupid realized he was talking about post 9-11. Richard Reid came soon after when anti-terror measures were being put in place as GW Bush had to deal with circumstances never imagined by any US president and never dealt with before by any US president. OStupid is just now realizing that all the times he bashed Bush while living in his ivory tower makes him an idiot and that as president he has to deal with issues in the real world. Good luck to all of us as he plays catch up.

You have always let the powerful idiots that you need access to get away with lies and misleading statements, George. Even if you apologized for ALL those instances where you didn’t perform the basic duties expected of a real journalist and ASK QUESTIONS- it wouldn’t make a difference or change the damage done to democracy. Heckuva job, George.
Heckuva job.

I appreciate you taking this seriously. Please recount this exchange tomorrow in corrections/errata on GMA. This deserves to be aired: the blog entries are a decent start, but have nowhere near the penetration of TV.

Dude what’s wrong with you? I thought you are a level headed guy. If you keep on sucking up the republicans, there might never be another position for you in any future Democratic WH.

The fact that you only think he made one misstatement means you missed the point.
Let’s imagine what would have happened with a real journalist…”Rudy…why do people keep talking about Bush, he didn’t do everything right.”
“Rudy, the reason isn’t that they’re pointing to him as an example of what should be done but to point out that a lot of those people didn’t complain when Bush did the same thing. It’s about consistency and whether or not people are just posturing politically. Why should we believe you now? How do you reconcile your positions?”
George…please help change the assumption in the media that your goal is to create news.
It’s not. It’s to inform your viewers… and letting people peddle blatant falsehoods, left or right, is a phenonemal disservice to your profession, reputation, and country.

George,
This update with mea culpa is commendable if and only if 2 additional conditions are met:
1. On-air correction also; and
2. appending correction and “taking responsibility” in update directly TO THE ORIGINAL “BOTTOM LINE” POST (i.e., anyone reading the original post should be made aware of this, either via repetition there or link from there to this update post).

Are you going to get back to Guiliani’s spokesperson & ask what he means about no attacks after 9/11 when there was the anthrax attack (often cited by senators & representatives in their votes for the Iraqi war & also some journalists vis a vis their support for it) & the shoe bomber (the most analagous situation to the fundie-undie attacker) & the LAX El-Al shooting?

Thanks George for the update. I just heard his comment on the radio. He said sternly that there has not been any domestic attack on US under George Bush, there has been one under Obama. The obvious is 9/11 – not sure where your mind is (please watch tapes of Tim Russert who listens and notices slip ups like this), secondly what attack under Obama? Does he consider the Christmas bomber an attack – then what about Richard Reid?
I know Matt Lauer would have caught it. George I like you and respect you but you are over your head here when working live in the AM.

I love his tough new approach. Giulani’s “clarification” is also absolutely false. An almost identical terrorist incident occurred only 3 months after 9/11, plus anthrax in the mail.
If I recall correctly, Giulani blaimed Iraq for the anthrax. It was actually (allegedly, maybe) a top defense department virologist.

What a pathetic interview – depressing and scary how lies can infect the media without anybody who can stick up for the truth. George, you lost me for good on this one. I’ll rely on somebody who can actually ask tough questions in the face of blatant lies, such as the Guiliani interview.

Remember the O’bama so called interview

Unless this apology is done on the air, it means nothing. Man up and do it on the show.

The real bottom line?
Pathetic.

ABC NEWS IS PART OF THE PROBLEM!!
ABC NEWS HAS NO JOURNALISTIC INTEGRITY!!
ABC NEWS…SHAME!!

George:
I think this working two jobs has gott en to you. George of all trades, master of none may apply here.Give up something probably the morning gig so you can get more sleep and be better prepared for work

Tell me Mr. S. had no idea what Rudy MIGHT say. (I won’t believe it.) But no need to tell me Mr. S. did not want to confront! Apology not accepted.

I am so irritated with this. Just let these people come on and lie like they do,and they think they can change the facts of all that has truly happened on all parts is just so wrong for all of us. Very,very disapointing!

“Whatever the Mayor meant, it’s not what he said. All of you who have pointed out that I should have pressed him on that misstatement in the moment are right.”
We understand. You’re so used to letting obama’s slip by without a followup, it must be a hard habit to break.

I use to think that abc was a real news organization but lately it become clear, base on there reporting that they are just presenters.
Shame on You George for allowing “No Shame” Giuliani to lie on your show.

Why didn’t you press him on it?
Would you have pressed him on it if you had to do it over again?
If he had insisted on this crazy idea would you have let him continue?
When have you had enough of this open lying? By doing nothing about it, you are complicit.

Well maybe you and Rudy were just up too early and confused. GMA is a new gig after all…
But no, I will not make excuses for either of you. Your ‘apology’ is also an excuse for Rudy ‘Whatever the Mayor meant, it’s not what he said.’
Sorry. The Republicans have been trying to put 9/11 on Clinton since 9/12. First Perino, then Matalin, now Rudy. No accident, George. just the party line.
And you aid and abet and do nothing. When called on it, you accept uncritically (again) the spin from Rudy’s people that no one will read compared to the GMA audience, and we’ll just go on our merry way.
I am sure you would not hesitate to book this creep again as a so-called expert on terror so he can take more cheap shots unchallenged.
Want to do some real journalism? Get a panel on about who actually perpetrated the anthrax thing, and why ABC lied about it to the public with the whole Atta thing. Yes, investigate your own network for participating in domestic terrorism. Over breakfast.

Rudy Giuliani once again demonstrated why people do not trust politicians. George Stephanopoulos demonstrated why people no longer trust so-called journalists. The dogs may bark; but the caravan moves on.

It is time to start taking these people that say “they love America” to task. Rudy Giuliani is an ignorant idiot and a glory-seeker. He should realize that it wasn’t a fluke that he laid an egg in the 2008 Presidential election.
He has “NOTHING TO OFFER” in terms of his thoughts, his actions and in leadership.

Of course you were wrong George, the question is HOW it happened.
Possible reasons:
1.George didn’t know who was President on 9/11.
2.He is a part of the ongoing campaign by the GOP and their minions in the MSM to rewrite history. ABC’s previous attempt at propaganda, ‘The Path to 9/11′ stongly suggests this is the correct answer.
3.He was too distracted by Rudy’s manliness to pay attention.

Okay, I have read all your lists of terrorist attacks that took place under Bush. Can someone give me a list of specific instances when an ABC/NBC/CBS commentator refused to let a politician dance around really answering the question that was asked. Politicians have been allowed to dance around answering the real question or pass off obviously flawed answers for years. It happens on George’s Sunday morning show. So why would you expect George to challenge him in this instance? Or is your anger more about the fact that it was Rudi?

Absolutely pathetic performance on Stephanopoulos part. Why even bother asking questions? Just invite your right-wing friends on, let them spew their talking points and then cut to commercial. That’s essentially what Steffy did today – he may as well drop the pretense of being a political journalist – he’s far better suited to Entertainment Tonight.

Wow, I never suspected you were a mouthpeice of the Right Wing, George. At first I was able to understand that perhaps you just weren’t listening at the moment. But I’m very disappointed in your pathetic “Update” to this. I thought you would have the guts to go on TV and say “I was wrong to not question the Mayor”, and then invite Rudy to a follow-up interview to where you can hold him accountable for the lies.
Oh, well, I guess there’s a future slot at Fox waiting for you.
And ABC’s credibility may be at stake too for not making you take responsibility and hold Rudy accountable.

WOW! I just returned home and was gonna add my two-bits (inflated now to $7.25), but more than enough opinions have already been expressed to reflect mine.
I remember when Chris Cuomo lambasted some guy (I don’t remember the specifics) on national television for not being a “real” journalist. Well Folks, we’ve reached an all-time low; I cannot believe ABC News any more than a Dung Beetle can believe Rush Limbaugh.
Long-live Egbert Roscoe Murrow!

Sorry, but “My mistake, my responsibility” isn’t good enough. You knew at the time he was lying and didn’t call him on it. Do your job.

George should be embarrased and ashamed, but I’m sure he isn’t. Just do what Disney wants and keep the pay coming in. George isn’t even a journalist and his interview styles shows it. It is sad to watch. ABC News is now just Fox News lite. On Diane Sawyer’s last week, who was a guest – that’s right, Bill O’Reilly. They are always having Fox personalities on as guests. I was watching GMA and saw the comment. That is the last time I will watch that right wing program. Hello Matt Lauer!

Such poor journalism. Shame on ABC for allowing this to happen. George has lost my viewership unless he gives an on-air apology both on Good Morning America and ABC Evening News.

what the heck is wrong with you George? Republican’s just walk, walk, walk all over Dems, and you just let that happen again by not pressing Rudy G. What the heck is wrong with you George?

Whoops, sorry, misled by ABC’s overly-cutesy layout — I’m quoting “David S” at 3:46 PM, not “George is a Joke” a few minutes before him.

The journalists of today are part of the problem, they don’t press politicians even when they lie on their show because they are all idiots. I like George but……
For some funny reason Republicans think that Obama will win the war by using the word “TERRORISTS” more often…………how dumb!!! Bush used it a million times over the 8yrs and the terrorists are still here.

You have to be a complete idiot to think that Giuliani wasn’t referring to post-911.

This is a pathetic apology from George Stephanolopoulos. Guiliani is just doing what he is supposed to do as a Republican hack, encourage everyone to forget ALL the terrorist attacks since W Bush was in office. George S. gets paid WAY too much to do such a poor job.

Is George S a journalist, a reporter, a news anchor, or a sniveling sychophant so awed by political celebrity that he couldn’t even register surprise that such a statement would be made?
Where can one find a real interview these days? Fox or MSNBC? Is that it? Geez.

I’m a longtime GMA viewer and I like George but this was a huge gaffe. I assumed Giuliani meant post-9/11 but it ignores the shoe bombers, anthrax etc.
I’m stunned that he let it go but even more stunned that the ABC execs didn’t think this was serious enough to fix during the show. There should have been an on-air correction and apology immediately.
I miss a time when morning news had some substance – if we can’t have a serious news program with interviews on occasion, why not go straight to fluff like Regis?

hurry for taking responsibility George. It is rare for interviewers to push back. it seems like they are too busy trying to get to the next question on their list to actually listen to answers and recognize inaccuracies in politician’s assertions. It would be terrific if interviewers did listen and make them accountable on the spot. Thanks for at least acknowledging this after the fact.

Very disappointed in Mr.Stephanopoulos.
I don’t think if Diane, Chris or Robin would’ve let Guiliani get away with this lie. Guiliani did not do anything more than any other mayor would’ve done
if their city was attacked.Only he tried to milk it as much as he could to further his political future. A lot of people thought that George is not suitable for GMA..I’,m starting to agree with them.

Go on, George. Pull the other leg. I just hope you don’t expect anyone to believe that you’ll exhibit any gumption the next time a GOP authoritarian liar pulls the same type of garbage, (which should coincide nicely with the next time you interview a GOP authoritarian liar).
“Apology” not accepted.

Guiliani was wrong and should have just said so, except he may have been knowingly wrong with his statement and stating a falsehood as a fact for political purposes. Others have pointed out other lower profile terrorists, but President G. W. Bush did almost nothing to improve border security. To this day almost anyone can in fact legally get into the U. S. and ship almost anything into the U. S. in a cargo container because G. W. Bush did nothing to x-ray containers as Hong Kong has now long done, militarily defend our sovereign borders against illegal entry as Israel does very well, or even track visa entry and departures so the government knows who came as visitors and never left. Mostly he drew terrorists to Iraq and Afghanistan so they could more easily attack American solders and contractors, who suffered sharply greater deaths than all the combined 9/11 deaths during his Presidency.
It is too early to Judge President Obama, but so far he has taken more concrete measures than pointless voice declarations and re-recruited our allies in the battle against terrorist. They had largely abandoned us because of G. W. Bush’s go it alone and autocratic approach to them.
Could any of us guessed that after continuously reducing small commitments to G. W. Bush and withdrawing troops from even their NATO commitment to Afghanistan and some national commitments to Iraq that they would respond to President Obama by promising to send 5,000 more troops than Obama asked for as their NATO obligation to fight in Afghanistan? NATO military planners will execute the plan.
I stopped watching George Stephanopoulos after a few shows because he didn’t seem to ask very challenging questions or stick his neck out more than an iota. It made me question the actual depth of his personal knowledge, but to be fair, he might have improved since or just got off to a rough start.
I get most news and analysis from original sources on the internet, such as Reuters, BBC, etc., weekly business and news magazines which have time for analysis, and then for entertainment watch Jon Stewart and Steven Corbett make fun of the news on The Daily Show followed by The Corbert Report. They seem to identify what is really important four days a week on Comedy Central, which is surprising for a self-acknowledged pseudo news program. My adult sons introduced me to their shows.

Rudy Giuliani knew full well what he was doing, these have been the ‘marching orders’ of the GOP. To discredit the President of the United States. Rudy went on a few shows to tell his lies and he was only met with “Maginot Line” resistance from the press.
With all of the time George Stephanpoulis spent in politics as Clintons aide and on the show “This Week”, there is absolutely NO excuse for him to let Rudy get away with this…but now it is too late, the words have been spoken and repeated and now it becomes a half truth to all of those americans that marginally follow the news and they are many.
It is so critical for the media to be responsible and cut through the politics of lies, distortions and misinformation so that inadvertent wars are not started and lives are lost.
So we all know of GMA and it’s ‘fluffyness’ of media coverage, hopefully George gets the message and begins to start acting as a responsible reporter. Otherwise more names will unfortunately be viewed on ‘memoriam’ from his former show.

This is not the first time the repubs have said this and the media has let them get away with it.You’re supposed to be informing people of facts not propoganda as a news person. I don’t believe you just missed the statement!

Way to fail at doing your job by not correcting that blatant lie, George. Journalism is dead.

how thoughtful of guiliani to issue a ‘clarification’ of his grotesque lie that abc’s latest highly promoted/paid spokesmodel let him get away with.
the hubris of both parties now issuing these clarifications is laughable. so george, considering that trust and credibility are features of a journalist, i suggest you resign as a true sign of you accepting responsibility.
but as we’ve come to see over the years, that acceptance means absolutely nothing.

I think that republican party has sang the same song all along. They tried to erase the 9/11 from bush record.

When your record is as bad as the GOP, its understandable you would want to re-write history. Ghouliani should just fade into the oblivion he deserves, I am sure hes made millions milking 9/11 already.

Please don’t forget about the Virginia Tech massacre. Definately domestic terrorism.

I watched the embarrassing clip several times and the problem seems to be fairly simple: Stephanopoulos wasn’t listening.
Like so many in the mainstream media, they’re really “there.”
It’s all about bridging the gap until the commercials can begin. Then hair and makeup can come out and freshen them up for the next segment.

George, this was so blatant of the ex-mayor, I was flabbergasted, my gasp could be heard down the street, “You Lie! is what George should have said immediately to such a false statement. For you not to question or followup, well sir, it is time to retire, you look bought. What were you thinking at the time RG made the statement? Were you listening?

We’re all glad you called him out on his glaring oversight (if belatedly, and in a medium much less trafficked than your show), but the real solution is to stop inviting him on to these types of talk shows. He CONSISTENTLY repeats these same lies. He contributes nothing of value to our political discourse. ABC should not reward him with repeated appearances on its programs.

To not call out this lie and to let people like Rudy, Sarah, and Parino continue spewing their lies to revise the Bush years, makes me think that ABC’s George is on their side. I was going to try to watch the GMA show because of George but now, it is like, what-ever!, might as well watch The View, at least Joyce Behar likes to crack some nuts..she let Prejean have it….and I’m not a fan of the View, but at this point, where do we turn for good journalism? I’ll keep getting my news from John Stewart.

George, maybe it is time for you to learn from this and lead an effort in the media for fairness and truth. Otherwise, you are a coward and a joke.

George,
It looks like you are doing for GMA what Conan O’Brien has done for late night.

All Americans, and that includes Republicans, Democrats and independents, are not served when politicians use the media without thoughtful challenge. Mr. Giuliani deserved the option to correct his ‘misstatement’. The public deserved to hear why Giuliani did not consider 9/11, or the shoe bomber, as attacks on America.
I stopped watching all morning shows for this very reason. They represent the worst in journalism. Terrible job!

Doesn’t Gibby do this all the time for the big O? You know when he says “what he meant was”. You all accept it everytime from Gibbs why not now? Hypocrite much?

George never presses Obama or the dems either. Whats good for the goose and all that? I stopped watching George when he got all excited when talking about Obama. Aren’t journalist suppose to be objective? I could tell right away who Georgie was voting for!

Apology accepted however, George should be fire. Incorrect information about our National Security is totally unacceptabe. George is guilty of very poor professional journalism. Again I reiterate, George’s head should roll. He appears tired and has lost his edge to think on his feet.

To quote an old saying, “The best time to catch someone in a lie is the first time they tell it.” Unknown

Did you ever hear little kids arguing about scoring a game?
That didn’t count!
I didn’t know we were keeping score!
Do over!
I am an independent and have voted for the person I deem best suited for the position, regardless of party. But I must say, I am appalled by the recent all too quick foaming at the mouth and often spurious attacks on this presidential administration. I asked my very Republican friends if they had EVER in their lives witnessed a former VP speaking out as frequently and antagonistically as Cheney. I haven’t gotten one affirmative answer yet.

there is a reason Fox news is most popular. The fox news reporters are smart and on top of information. They challenge when politicians present untrue statement. The other news network journalists are dumb and ask questions like a machine with no reaction to responses and move to next question. They are like employees who don’t enjoy their work and forced to come to work or they come just to go through the motions and collect fat paychecks. George is one of them.

What’s everyone complaining about? George made sure that Rudy was wearing an American flag lapel pin, so he saw nothing more to ask.

You should have pressed him not just “in the moment,” but even more in your first blog post on the subject. That you refused to do so even when you’d had time to reflect indicates that it wasn’t an honest omission but a purposeful breach of responsibility.

In an effort to make President Obama look bad, Rudy screwed up pick time. I think George did not quite catch that.
People continue to make Bush look like a hero. Stop the madness. Shame on Rudy.

This is typical of today’s “journalists”. They just don’t ask the right questions any more. Nobody is holding their (politicians) feet to the fire. That’s why Gov’t. gets away with so much corruption. It’s the media’s responsibility to see to it that the government doesn’t “DO” what it has been doing for the past 100 years. The government is suppose to uphold the Constitution, not destroy it (and our country). It’s all going to change….and soon. I truly believe that if it wasn’t for Fox news and the internet, we would all still be living in the dark ages believing that our government is functioning constitutionally.

ABC Chief Political Correspondent? I guess that means ABC Phone in It Correspondent? Were you even in the room with Giuliani during the interview? What were you thinking – how’s my hair, when’s the next commercial, how much will I make at my next speaking engagement?
At least NFL teams fire their coaches when they blow the easy games. ABC executives should be ALL OVER YOU but of course, they approve of the patronizing and ignorance towards Conservative Republican guests.
Back to Daily Show for REAL news. You should watch it once in a while.

LET’S NOT FORGET that Steffy is an old Clinton (Liberal Democrat) political hack. Whatever he says should be taken with that in mind.

George, have you read these comments?

What a bunch of rabid left-wing radicals on this blog! No apology was needed from George. The reason why he did not challenge Giuliani is clear and simple. It was obvious to anyone with half a brain that the mayor meant “no major successful terrorist attacks by radical Muslim organizations on U.S. soil after Sep 11, 2001. As you see, it’s a mouthful, but this is the only relevant criterion, because we’re at war with Muslim terrorists, and the war began, for us, on Sep 11. We have already had one successful such attack under Obama, and that was Ft. Hood. The Detroit attack was not successful, but there was a multitude of mistakes by the administration in that case, which was not the case with “shoebomber” Reid. Obama has definitely made the country less safe. No question there whatsoever by any impartial person. I just hope we don’t pay dearly for it.

If allegations are true that Bush Jr. and Condi Rice were smitten for each other during his reign, then they should be held accountable for not tending to the country’s business. She wasn’t Sec of State at that time, but was an international strategist who should have been able to read between the codes in that July 2001 memo, warnings of attacks by Osama bin Laden in August 2001, and weren’t taking these threats seriously enough. With their irresponsibilities in not interpreting these foreshadows early, they enabled the enemy to cause unnecesary death to over 3000 individuals who were citizens and work visa employees. Osama bin Laden did a “gotta you” on George W. Bush as Bush and bin Laden families were of friendly relationships from oil dealings in the middle east. By allowing this horrific event to happen on American soil or anywhere for that matter, shows there may have been plans to go after Saddam Hussein, and by allowing 9.11 to happen, allowed history to play out as planned. This was brought out in 9.11 reports. If this is a true assessment, then 3000 men and women who were husbands, wives, dads, mothers, daughters, sons, sisters, brothers, and so on, were collateral damage, just as the children’s day center were to Timothy McVeigh in Oklahoma City bombings. And Republicans have reasons to complain against the current sitting President and a bombing that didn’t kill. Who really dropped the ball here — Not Democrats but Republicans and Independent leaning Republicans did, that’s who.

Steve B — Your Republican persuasion can’t remove all the blood shed by your party’s failure to see the warning signs pre 9.11. Shame on you Steve B!

Go back to shilling for pols. You are not a journalist.

What I would appreciate, more than an apology, is for you to provide a counter-voice to Giuliani. Whenever my son says, “I’m sorry,” I respond that “being sorry means doing it differently next time.” Here’s your chance, George.

I really don’t expect anything better from you-seems only British/Irish journalists know how to do the job-or perhaps Katie Couric.

A journalist would have caught Giuliani’s mistake. Maybe ABC should start employing them again.

Lame.
Put this in the file with the softball interviews of an obviously dishonest John McCain during the election. George has been a shill and a hack for years. Here’s hoping more and more people stop watching.

What a huge disappointment you are to let him get away with a lie like that. The Daily Show comes on 4 nights a week. Watch and learn. You just got kicked off my Tivo.

Yes George, it was your mistake. You are a posterboy for why Jon Stewart, a guy on Comedy Central is the most trusted news person in the business.

Virtually no one presses on politicians anymore. I used to love it when a politician would say something and Tim Russert would pull out a piece of paper, give the politician a sort of “forgive me” look, and then politely say, “But you previously said…”
The media should have to tell us which topics that WILL and WON’T be discussed have been agreed to beforehand.
There are such obvious lack of questioning that such agreements are obvious. And we now know that the media agreed with the Bush Administration to stage press conferences after 9-11 where the media only ask questions the White House told them to ask – conveniently avoiding any, “Why are you lying?” questions (Dan Rather later said “We dropped the ball.”).
It may be that George couldn’t challenge Giuliani because of such prior agreements. We’ll never know.

George,
So YOU & Giuliani think the ONLY terrorist attacks in the USA that count are the ones done by fringe members of Islam? Is that so?
BTW: Do you & Giuliani think Israel has pathetic security? They must according to YOU & Giuliani after all, they have suicide bomb attacks multiple times a year …. Where is YOUR & Giuliani’s chant of “Israel has pathetic security & their leaders should BE FIRED.”

So WHERE’S THE APOLOGY, GEORGIE BOY? You JERK!

George..really disappointed in you. Mr. Guiliani forgets there were prior attacks in the N.Y. subway before 9/11 and one in the basement of the subway in the world trade towers. His steps to stop more bombings failed as eventually they bombed the actual building. He has no right to throw stones at anyone as I am a New Yorker and remember this. I don’t understand why Obama is getting so much flack for a near bombing when 9/11 happened everyone rallied around Bush. I am not saying he was negligent…but neither is Obama. Just different times and to attack our president at this time only gives the terrorists more power. We should be standing together not getting political.

IS A SHAME TO WATCH A SO CALL JOURNALIST INTERVIEWING MR.9-11 THE MAN THAT RUN USING 9=11 AS A BANNER AND TO FORGET WHO WAS THE PRESIDENT AT THAT TIME. I AM SURPRISED THAT HE DON’T BLAME OBAMA FOR THE LIE IN THE INTERVIEW AND TO CHANGE CUOMO FOR THIS. IS PAINFUL TO WATCH HIM TRYING TO SMILE IN THE MORNING IS LIKE WATCHING MOE FROM THE SIMPSONS I WONDER WHY THE SNL SKETCH ABOUT GIULANI WAS NOT IN THE SUNDAY FUNNIES

How stupid do you think people really are? Rudy Giuliani has been riding the coat tail of 911 since 911 and he was suppose to some kind of so call expert on terrorism? You’re kidding right! Giuliani could be in charge of a bunny rabbit with some kind of problem. He need to go away not even Florida won’t vote for him he spent what all most a month there couldn’t get the votes every one know he’s a joke. So why are you surprise when his true feelings came out he even thought the shoe bomber was before 911!!

George: In order to get respect back…you should admit on air that you neglected to correct Guiliani. However, his correction about meaning after 9/11 does not hold water. He should never criticize anyone on terrorism as he did a poor job on that subject. He never protected the workers on the subway from being bombed more than once and by putting the entire Fire Defense in the world trade center even after its subway was bombed and after he was advised it was a dangerous move, was a dismal mistake costing too many good lives of firemen and police. He needs to look in the mirror and face up to what he did before he throws stones at anyone else.A New Yorker

Oh, well done George. In the midst of apologizing for the enormous failure to do the simplest aspect of what is supposed to be your job, you have simply failed AGAIN to do the slightest bit of fact-checking on Giuliani’s retraction, which is just as willfully and blatantly false as his original statement.
I mean, really, what does it take for you to actually perform the duties of a journalist? Brain cells? Honor? Some minimal form of integrity? What?
Apology not accepted.

This is how it works with conservatives, you outright lie on national TV when many people are watching then you apologize later to a much smaller audience and many semi educated Americans start blasting Obama.