Atrios reports that Letterman tonight said that "his sources" say that the White House did indeed contact CNN to say the video of the antsy teenager was a fake.
CNN should be ashamed, and should apologize profusely, for running with that statement without checking it. This is one of the largest news organizations in the world, the least they could do is try to find a tape of that speech. Every speech the president makes is taped, I'm sure they could dig one up.
What's more shocking is how they spun when it was clear they White House was making it up. They could keep a shred of credibility by coming on and saying, "The White House told us this. It was a lie. We're sorry we didn't check it, but we're more sorry, for everyone, that the White House lied."
Again, the most incredible thing about this is that they (the WH), would even bother.
It's like a reflex:
"President criticized! Deny it ever happened! Quick! Now!"
"Uhh, but there's lots of proof that it did happen."
"na na na na na na.. i can't hear you... na na na na Bush is good Bush is good Bush is good.. na na na na na"
Good to have "the grownups in charge," huh?
