XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX MON MARCH 15, 2004 21:16:28 ET XXXXX
GLOBE REPORTER CLAIMS TAPE RECORDED KERRY 'MORE' LEADERS NOT 'FOREIGN' LEADERS; TRANSCRIPTION 'SCREW-UP'
A BOSTON GLOBE reporter at the center of a growing controversy over comments made by John Kerry last week in Florida now claims he "screwed-up" -- and John Kerry never bragged how 'foreign leaders" privately backed his presidential bid!
"I mistranscribed a key word," explains Patrick Healy, a political reporter for the BOSTON GLOBE who covered the event in a pool capacity.
"Listening to the audio recorder now, in the quiet of my house, I hear 'more leaders' and I am certain that 'more leaders' is what Senator Kerry
said."
Healy claims in an e-mail correction: "Transcribing on the bus in Florida, and again on the plane ride to Tampa, I heard 'foreign leaders' rather than 'more leaders'. I am very sorry for this screw-up, and please feel free to hold me accountable to your editors and higher-ups."
It was Healy's pool reporting of Kerry's comments in Florida that ignited the original firestorm.
BOSTON GLOBE reporter's email correction:
Subject: FW: Senator Kerry's remark at fundraiser about foreign leaders
wanting him to beat Bush
Poolers,
Given the growing attention to Senator Kerry's remark at the Fla.
fundraiser about foreign leaders wanting him to beat Bush, and Kerry's
subsequent statements that he'd merely "heard from" leaders, I went back
to my recording of the event to re-confirm his remarks and put them in
context. I wanted to provide that for all of you as well as CORRECT the
record on a key word that I mistranscribed.
When Kerry concluded his stump to the Florida fundraisers and
donors, Milton Ferrell, Kerry's Florida finance chair, piped up:
MILTON FERRELL: "This is more than just the 50 states. You travel around
outside the states, the people are still [inaudible] Europeans and
elsewhere, they're counting on the American people. They hate Bush, but
they know we're going to get rid of him. They're counting on us.
[inaudible] It's a lot more than just [inaudible]-"
KERRY: "I've been hearing it, I'll tell ya. The news, the coverage in
other countries, the news in other places. I've met more leaders who
can't go out and say it all publicly, but boy they look at you and say,
you gotta win this, you gotta beat this guy, we need a new policy,
things like that. So there is enormous energy out there. Tell them,
whereever they can find an American abroad, they can contribute," a
reference to donations, prompting laughter from the crowd.
Transcribing on the bus in Florida, and again on the plane ride to
Tampa, I heard "foreign leaders" rather than "more leaders." Listening
to the audio recorder now, in the quiet of my house, I hear "more
leaders" and I am certian that "more leaders" is what Senator Kerry
said. I am very sorry for this screw-up, and please feel free to hold me
accountable to your editors and higher-ups.
-- Patrick
___________________
Patrick Healy political reporter, The Boston Globe
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