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‘Poor Attempt at Humor’: Montana Paper Disciplines Copy Editor for Adding ‘Allegedly’ to ‘Obama Was Born in Hawaii’

Nov. 21, 2012 9:57am Madeleine Morgenstern

Montana Independent Record Newspaper Disciplines Copy Editor for Adding Allegedly to Obama Was Born in Hawaii

A Montana newspaper disciplined a copy editor for adding the word “allegedly” to a line in an Associated Press story to read, “Obama was allegedly born in Hawaii.”

“Our copy desk made an error in judgment in editing the Sunday 2A Associated Press story about President Obama’s trip to Asia and his place of birth,” an editor’s note in the Montana Independent Record said Tuesday. “One of the copy editors inserted the term ‘allegedly’ born in Hawaii in the story thinking the other copy editor would catch it, he didn’t.”

The Helena-based newspaper said it was “a poor attempt at humor and a poor decision, but was not intended to be printed in the paper” and that those responsible have been disciplined.

Retired AP staffer Tom Laceky pointed out the use of “allegedly” in a letter to the editor on Tuesday.

“‘Allegedly born in Hawaii?’ As if there is any doubt? That right-wing notion has been so thoroughly discredited that only Donald Trump and assorted other loonies still cling to it. Neither the AP nor — I hope — The Independent Record belongs in their company,” Laceky wrote.

Another reader wrote in to call the addition “inexcusable for a purported news organization.”

(H/T: Politico)

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Comments (45)

BarefootBoy
Posted on November 23, 2012 at 12:05am
Folks, O was “allegedly born in Hawaii” is THE TRUTH!!!! A crudely crafted “Hawaiian ‘Birth Certificate’” has been shown as the “Official One,” clearly a fake. But the People of Kenya, Africa, know he was born there in Mombasa at Coast Province General Hospital.

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Larry E
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 5:58pm
And the AP being totally in the tank for der Führer will likely keep their fellow socialists firmly in line henceforth.

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- Pantloadian
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 9:04am
  Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
  
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thegreatcarnac
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 1:58pm
Obama is allegedly the president…..but in reality…he isn’t. He is a fake. The word ‘allegedly’ can be used with anything obama is or does. He ‘allegedly’ is a citizen ,…but he isn’t. He ‘allegedly’ is named Barack Hussein Obama,….but his social security number belongs to a dead man in Connecticutt. He ‘allegedly’ is a Christian but he says he will stick with the Muslims and he went to a church which really wasn’t one. On and on it goes.

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- turkey13
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:55pm
  Two reporters quit last night at the end of their news report. Are all the smart news reporters seeing the light. Smart ones know that the few that Obama keeps will just be reading what the prompter says. When Obama goes all Hugo Chavez with state news and TV media and probably one person to do computer media also. A lot of folks will be added to the unemployed to raise the rate to 9.1%
  
  Report this comment
- desertspeaks
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:06pm
  UNTIL the ALLEGED obama long form b/c has been subjected to an independent forensic examination in public “not behind closed doors” then obama is ALLEGEDLY born in hawaii!
  
  Report this comment
Akridgerunner
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 1:27pm
This is hilarious that it became such an issue. Who gives a ratzazz?? Apparently the lib editor is PO’d that he missed it and that it went to print. Waaahhh! Poor baby! Try not to wet your panties! I think they guy who inserted it is likely a good if closet patriot and should go get a job at a real newspaper.

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- TurboCat
  Posted on November 23, 2012 at 4:30am
  Where is their sense of humor??
  
  Report this comment
blackyb
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 1:02pm
American newspapers and media can use a few good men.

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- Pantloadian
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 9:04am
  Know any? How well?
  
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alex1590
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 12:56pm
I’ve worked in IT for 30 years and I too believe his birth records are forgeries. There are too many experts in digital imaging who claim they are forgeries. I would discipline the paper as Obama’s birth in the US has not been conclusively proven and articles in a newspaper don’t count – grandparents and other relatives often send in birth announcements. One thing only is certain – the lies around this man are breath taking!

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- VanceUppercut
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 1:58pm
  He released both his short-form and long-from birth certificates. The Governor of Hawaii made a public statement saying that he had personally looked into the records and was satisfied that Obama was born in there. The newspaper announcements that “don’t matter” DO actually matter. But wait, alex1590 and his “experts” aren’t buying it.
  
  Report this comment
pap pap
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 12:19pm
Whether Obama was born in Hawaii or not he still hasn’t done anything to prove he is actually an American with American values.

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- Jesse_J
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 12:29pm
  He’s has proven himself to be UnAmerican through his speech and action, not where he was born. Read fresh political commentary at: http://smallcraftadvisorychronicles.blogspot.com/
  
  Report this comment
- taintso
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 1:01pm
  Doesn’t matter where he was born, his father was not a citizen there for he cannot be natural born citizen ART. II You inherit everything from your father in Natural law, the name, citizenship etc..
  
  Our founding fathers wanted our presidents to have been brought up hearing stories from their fathers and grandfathers about this great country, and most likely their roles in defending it. Now that we have ignored Natural born for the 14th born on US soil we have surrogate US women giving birth to parents which neither are citizen. What a slippery slope.
  
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Jeffursun
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:47am
Carlos Gutierrez, Mitt Romney Adviser: Latinos ‘Were Scared’

Can we be surprised they were scared of those rabid morons who believe that Obama’s birth certificate doesn’t exist. Scary

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- The_Jerk
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:47am
  Latinos are moochers.
  
  Report this comment
jeanr
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:47am
Glenn Beck is allegedly sober

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- wealthylady
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:23am
  Lmbo
  
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- G-WHIZ
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:25am
  And you are “allegedly”…a blogger… .
  
  Report this comment
term limits for congress
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:42am
Disciplined? How? What is the pentalty for dissin’ Dear Leader? 90 years in labor camp? Speaking of,… how long before Marco Rubio is declared an enemy of the state?

At least the copy editor did not insert a cartoon of the prophet.

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spfoam1
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:40am
What? The Independent Record is a “news” paper…now that’s the real joke.

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- G-WHIZ
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:26am
  …Dissiplened for actually inserting some news… .
  
  Report this comment
theBru
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:32am
Allegedly we will learn the truth about anything potus has said or done within the 100 years. I remember when we were supposed to find out who really killed Kennedy, but I am still waiting on that, too…our gov’t works in mysterious ways, oops, my bad, it is not OUR gov’t anymore, it got hijacked when they shot Kennedy…

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Stelex
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:28am
Obama was born? There goes my spore theory.

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- wealthylady
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:24am
  Stelex Said the inbred Stelex residing on BS Mountain
  
  Report this comment
- taintso
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 1:03pm
  Try Darwin theory, Obama being the first generation without a tail.
  
  Report this comment
- Stelex
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 1:07pm
  Feel free to translate your babbling post anytime.
  
  Report this comment
Black Midge
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:26am
From the second most liberal rag in the big sky state wa ha ha !!!

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gigalynx
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:21am
Show me the proof he was born in the USA, Barry Soetoro is the first non citizen to become the first non President, history will tell this after the damage is done.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uRCQOTBO3Sk

” I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction”

Barack Hussien Obama – Audacity Of Hope

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davidwjohnson
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:18am
A small Montana newspaper can find out in 2 days who changed the “talking points”, yet the Obama administration after 11 weeks can’t.

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- Publius V
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:27am
  Private sector vs. Public sector
  
  The civil servants are on coffee break.
  
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Denise Matthews
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:16am
I am glad we have some editors who are willing to not drink the kool aid of the rest of the media bought and paid for by the leftists. I have no doubt that when the truth is revealed, if it ever is, we’ll realize that he wasn’t born in Hawaii. In Montana we still call a spade a spade.

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- benrush
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:32am
  gotta agree here. Without a bona fide, the rumors of Obama’s Hawaiian birth are but an allegation. At any rate, there should be no reason to “discipline” anyone over this triviality.
  
  Sounds like newspapers are not worried about journalism so much as political correctness.
  
  Report this comment
- JeffMT
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:56am
  The Helena Independent Record is a Lee Enterprises newspaper. Lee Enterprises is bankrupt with almost a billion dollars in outstanding debt. They just came out of a reorganization earlier this year. Last week they reported a loss of nearly $8 million for last quarter.
  
  Given the dire condition of Lee Enterprises, I doubt they will be around much longer unless minority (about 3%) owner, billionaire Warren Buffett, decides to dump more money into the company in the hopes of saving it. If that doesn’t happen, these guys will continue to die the same slow death that many in the print media are experiencing.
  
  As a result of their condition, anything that generates the sales of a few more newspapers or a few more hits on their web page helps them survive another day.
  
  Report this comment
IndyGuy
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:13am
The truth will eventually win out…Obama was NOT born in Hawaii…

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- wealthylady
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:27am
  If Stupid hurt you wld live a lift of pain! birth certificate! birth certificate! birth certificate! Stuck on stupid!
  
  Report this comment
- IndyGuy
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:46pm
  Yes…I see you are stuck on stupid…Or drunk…Probably both…
  
  Report this comment
vic138
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:11am
If uncle Warren owned that paper he would probably shut it down. How dare someone go against the party line and ze Führer.

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Dumpster Baby
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:11am
Good God people, you lost. Get over it.

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:46am
  Hey DUMPSTER, Do you guys give up when you lose? Hell no, you get more ornery each time. So, go pound salt and bother other people.
  
  Report this comment
- thegreatcarnac
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 1:51pm
  It is just the first inning….we will win in the end and you will know when we do.
  
  Report this comment
GhostOfJefferson
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:07am
“a poor attempt at humor and a poor decision, but was not intended to be printed in the paper”

1. It was not a poor attempt at humor. Obama makes jokes of this nature with increasing frequency.
2. It was a poor decision, there are few people left with any humor left in their life.
3. That’s correct, it wasn’t intended to be printed. The joke was for the final editor to catch, so clearly, the high ranking final editor needs to be relieved of the duties he apparently doesn’t perform.

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kickagrandma
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 10:00am
HOORAY, finally, a reporter with huevos!

Unfortunately the editor has none.

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- VanceUppercut
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:03pm
  @kickagrandma
  
  No, in fact he is a coward who allowed himself to be taken in by a completely disproven conspiracy theory. In the end, it does not matter, because like or not Obama will be President for the next four years, and if the Right doesn’t start to vehemently fight back against the loonies who have taken over the party, another Democrat will certainly be President for the four years after that. To bad, so sad, and as Cons were fond of saying during the Dubya years, “if you don’t like it, well then you can GET OUT!”
  
  By the way, have you ever actually kicked a grandma? I bet it was fun, right? Lulz.
  
  Report this comment

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