Bush, Clinton, Milwaukee, and the AP

I wondered this afternoon if this would make news, and it looks like it has, as Drudge picked up on the story. In case you don't know, Bush was in Milwaukee today, and he opened up his appearance by offering Bill Clinton best wishes for a speedy recovery from his heart surgery. After the speech, an AP writer filed a story which said that the crowd booed after Bush offered his get well message, and he did not try to stop them. Within ten minutes, the AP reissued the story minus the paragraph about the booing. I missed the speech, but I listened to the Jeff Wagner show on 620 AM WTMJ after the speech. He played audio of Bush's best wishes. I did not hear booing during the audio clip. I did hear polite applause. I'd have loved to have been at the event, but since I do have a day job, I was not. So while I cannot give an eye witness statement, that audio did not show booing from the crowd.

The following is the offending AP dispatch:

Audience boos as Bush offers best wishes for Clinton's recovery

By Associated Press, 9/3/2004 13:57

WEST ALLIS, Wis. (AP) President Bush on Friday wished Bill Clinton ''best wishes for a swift and speedy recovery.''

''He's is in our thoughts and prayers,'' Bush said at a campaign rally.

Bush's audience of thousands in West Allis, Wis., booed. Bush did nothing to stop them.

Bush offered his wishes while campaigning one day after accepting the presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention in New York. Clinton was hospitalized in New York after complaining of mild chest pain and shortness of breath.

Bush recently praised Clinton when the former president went to the White House for the unveiling of his official portrait. He lauded Clinton for his knowledge, compassion and ''the forward-looking spirit that Americans like in a president.''

Now, if a couple of people booed, it is possible that I would not hear that over the radio. But if thousands had booed, that clearly would have come across the audio. This is the audio.

If the AP has any value as a news service, the writer of that dispatch should have been looking for a new job by the end of the day.

Update: Milwaukee's NBC affiliate TMJ4 had cameras at the event, and they did not even mention Bush's get well message on the 10 PM news.