Remember when the members of the press held the State Department’s feet to the fire and angrily demanded answers about American deaths overseas in Libya? No? The press outrage over the Fast and Furious deaths in Mexico? We don’t either. Apparently it takes the deaths of Palestinians for the Associated Press to take off the gloves and punch until it gets the answers it wants.
In this corner, Matthew Lee of the Associated Press. Defending her title stonewalling for the State Department, spokesperson Victoria Nuland. On the table: Turkey’s Prime Minister today accusing Israel of being a “terrorist state,” and what exactly the United States intends to do about that.
Where is the president to defend a woman under attack and challenge the press to come after him instead, as he did for Amb. Susan Rice during his annual press conference? Oh yeah, Burma.
https://twitter.com/CNNCNY/status/270590341097349120
@CNNCNY state dept is saying they've been far from quiet on #Gaza
— Nick Valencia (@CNNValencia) November 19, 2012
@cnnvalencia Define "testy"? Is this must see TV?
— Jennifer Waisath Harris? (@jwharris) November 19, 2012
@jwharris heated exchange and a flustered spokeswoman. It was interesting to watch
— Nick Valencia (@CNNValencia) November 19, 2012
It’s a “heated exchange,” according to the CNN reporter. In its description of the YouTube video, the AP called it “a spirited exchange.” Viewers on Twitter called it a pummeling, a liquidation and an evisceration. And most of them liked what they saw.
I wanna marry Matthew Lee. http://t.co/emgwKRsI
— Dimi Reider (@reider) November 19, 2012
This is how to do journalism – AP Reporter Matthew Lee does not relent in his questioning of State Department… http://t.co/WYJ9xfmH
— Victoria Taft (@VictoriaTaft) November 19, 2012
Another moment from the Best of Matthew Lee Pummels State Dept's Victoria Nuland – Unesco http://t.co/EpqRprj2
— Jim Early (@mkearley2008) November 19, 2012
AP's Lee Eviscerates State Department: Associated Press reporter Matthew Lee had a spirited argu… http://t.co/OC1CuYmu #politics #news
— Pooja (@pm_girl) November 19, 2012
https://twitter.com/Yeldarb_/status/270677382816493568
https://twitter.com/Ichthus71/status/270637308242452480
RT @RushetteNY: WOW! WOW! VIDEO: AP REPORTER LIQUIDATES OBAMA OFFICIAL – Israel – Fox Nation http://t.co/gXblhfsg God Bless MATTHEW LEE
— Joe #CancerSucks Ryan (Army Dad) (@JosephMRyan1) November 19, 2012
Excellent journalism from AP's Matthew Lee at State Dept's (Victoria Nuland) press briefing re: Gaza http://t.co/zDSvfimR
— Jared Neilsen (@JaredNeilsen) November 19, 2012
https://twitter.com/tunkuv/status/270649765228867585
"@marklevinshow: AP Reporter, Matthew Lee, Liquidates Obama Official… http://t.co/ckydQz1i" WOW! THIS IS AN AP WRITER? A GLIMMER OF HOPE
— SuNami ❌ (@nygrlahart) November 20, 2012
Are you paying attention, reporters? People love it when you ask tough questions of the administration. Imagine the accolades if you’d do this more often — although we wonder if Lee would be as tough with the president in the room.
#Levin Put Matthew Lee from AP in the next WH presser.
— Dos Mas Cervezas (@DosMasCervezas) November 19, 2012
Can you just hear him asking, “Hope and change … how’s that working out for you?”
Update:
We’ve found at least one viewer who is not amused by Lee’s performance: Media Matters’ Eric Boehlert.
aka AP abandons journalism; MT @AP AP's Matt Lee engages State Dept.'s Victoria Nuland in a spirited exchange on Israel http://t.co/gCrcy01f
— Eric Boehlert (@EricBoehlert) November 20, 2012
so @PDColford_AP, re: Matt Lee's little performance today at State Dept. briefing, AP reporters now lecture and harangue gov't officials?
— Eric Boehlert (@EricBoehlert) November 20, 2012
Look out, AP. Lee’s “little performance” has landed you on Media Matters’ naughty list of purveyors of “right-wing lies and conservative misinformation.” So, congratulations.
https://twitter.com/MJayRosenberg/status/270704342636564480
@EricBoehlert Serious ? — OK if reporter had used that tone on Bush admin and "people dying" in Iraq? — because I always wished they'd had
— Will Bunch Sign Up For My Newsletter (@Will_Bunch) November 20, 2012
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