The Press Can Be Really, Really Stupid

I know that's stating the obvious, but it's such an appropriate title. Here's the story...

President Bush is holding a press conference Thursday. He is asked a question about his frustration with the lack of political progress in Iraq. So far so good. In his answer, the President states...

"Part of the reason why there is not this instant democracy in Iraq is because people are still recovering from Saddam Hussein's brutal rule. I thought an interesting comment was made when somebody said to me, I heard somebody say, where's Mandela? Well, Mandela is dead, because Saddam Hussein killed all the Mandelas. He was a brutal tyrant that divided people up and split families, and people are recovering from this."

That's all good. A nice metaphor, explaining why there are no Mandela-like leaders rising up in Iraq. Still, so far so good.

But wait... apparently the folks at Reuters missed that day school when metaphors were discussed. They promptly dispatched the following:

Mandela still alive after embarrassing Bush remark

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Nelson Mandela is still very much alive despite an embarrassing gaffe by U.S. President George W. Bush, who alluded to the former South African leader's death in an attempt to explain sectarian violence in Iraq.

Part of me wants to ask if they are really that stupid, or if their blood-lust to make President Bush look bad leads them to deliberately twist and misrepresent a story.