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Kerry gaffe: Fox says sorry
04/10/2004 09:59 - (SA)
Washington - Fox News Channel said its reporter has been disciplined for posting a fake news item about Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.
Paul Schur, a spokesperson for the network, said Fox's chief political correspondent Carl Cameron had been disciplined for posting an item on Fox News.com that included several made-up quotes attributed to Kerry.
"Carl has been reprimanded", Schur said
The article alleged cover a post-debate rally by Kerry at which the Massachusetts senator was purported to gush over his metrosexual appearance.
"Didn't my nails and cuticles look great? What a good debate, the article read, quoting Kerry.
"Women should like me! I do manicures", Kerry quoted as telling the crowd.
The article also has the Democratic candidate contrasting himself to US President George W Bush
I'm metrosexual - he's a cowboy, Kerry quoted as saying.
Fox, which has been criticised for being biased towards Bush's Republican party, declined to explain how the spoof article ended up on the network's website.
Fox apologised on their website for the article, saying it was a joke.
The item was based on a reporter's partial script that had been written in jest and should not have been broadcasted. Foxnews.com also regrets that error, which occurred because of fatigue, not malice.
US media quoted a statement by the Kerry campaign's spokesperson, Phil Singer, saying Fox was right to own up to the gaffe.
Fox is doing the right thing by admitting its mistake and correcting the record, Singer told the New York Times.
George Bush would be well-served to heed the lesson and admit to his own mistakes, Singer said.
- AFP
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