Media backpedaling from reports about border patrol 'whipping' migrants begins (now that the damage is done)

Now that the “border patrol whipping Haitian migrants conjured up horrible images of a shameful time in American history” narrative has been achieved (with even President Biden promising to hold officers accountable for something they didn’t do), the media backpedaling can begin. The first example comes from The New York Times from @JerylBier:

"An earlier version… overstated what is known about the behavior of some Border Patrol agents on horseback. While the agents waved their reins while pushing migrants back into the Rio Grande, The Times has not seen conclusive evidence that migrants were struck with the reins." pic.twitter.com/yJ84moz9ET

— Jeryl Bier (@JerylBier) September 27, 2021

NYTimes correction:

Original:"The images of agents on horseback chasing, & in some cases using the reins of their horses to strike at running migrants…"

Now:"Images of Border Patrol agents on horseback waving their reins while pushing migrants back…"https://t.co/oOMUkbZFAd pic.twitter.com/Ged8q0eR6F

— Jeryl Bier (@JerylBier) September 27, 2021

Axios has also reeled their original story back in:

We deleted a previous tweet that referred to Border Patrol agents as whipping at Haitian migrants.

The story has been updated to include comments from some journalists on the border who did not see whipping occur.

— Axios (@axios) September 26, 2021

This couldn’t have been more predictable.

“Since this article is no longer in the news cycle and the outrage has been achieved, we are correcting this story for the facts. Nobody will read this now or care.” – @nytimes https://t.co/hlUxYIOOzR

— Ministry of Truth (@minitruegov) September 27, 2021

For the record, the paper of record didn't see any evidence before they recorded what they recorded. Now they have to correct the record. Well at least Biden and Co. got to spend an entire week blasting a majority hispanic border patrol agency as racist. Another banner week, guys https://t.co/JCqVOoMCi8

— Kenny Chessor (@kchessor) September 27, 2021

But you helped peddle the lie and further the narrative, so it was worth it….or something.

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) September 27, 2021

You knew this within hours of your original posting, but took days to delete. Just had to make sure the false story stuck good.

Prove me wrong.

— BayAreaFrau (@bayareahausfrau) September 26, 2021

Pushing migrants "back into the Rio Grande" – they seem nice https://t.co/zeyt37gpUV

— fvck ETH (@stakentatertots) September 27, 2021

In 2021, you don’t have to publish a real correction as long as your heart was in the right place https://t.co/DcqeybkdJz

— Heterodox Asia (@jaspergregory) September 27, 2021

But many media outlets (and no doubt the White House) won’t bother to get to the truth:

I focus on the @nytimes because if its influence, but they have at least run this correction. The number of pundits, politicians, and others who flat out ran with "whipped!" and will *not* correct are legion. https://t.co/rB2srbzLEX

— Jeryl Bier (@JerylBier) September 27, 2021

And it’s not as if Biden, Harris and other Dems will feel the need to apologize to the border patrol for the smear:

So NYT published a correction on the BS story about our brave Border Agents on horseback. Will POTUS VPOTUS admit they lied about that too? https://t.co/ejGzV6DeP9

— Bill L. (@68freezegopher) September 27, 2021

Might want to send this to Biden, Harris, Schumer, Pelosi and the rest of the clown show… https://t.co/6fE5BWYnMJ

— Rich Jones (@rjones138) September 27, 2021