PMO backtracks over Italian soldiers in Afghanistan

[Fortunata]

PM spokesperson backtracks on Afghanistan briefing

CTV.ca News Staff

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Stephen Harper was forced to backtrack Thursday after inaccurately informing reporters that Italy was removing restrictions on the use of their soldiers in Afghanistan.

CTV's Roger Smith said the gaffe occurred just before the prime minister's plane was to leave Rome for London on the final stretch of Harper's European tour.

...

But then, after the plane departed, Stewart alerted reporters that she had got it wrong.

She said there was a wire story saying that Berlusconi was reconsidering the caveats but he hadn't made any decisions.

"The prime minister's staff was so anxious to have the story corrected that they allowed us to go up to the front of the plane and use the prime minister's secured satellite phone to call our news desks," said Smith.

"It seems the prime minister's staff was just in some unseemly haste to claim some sort of diplomatic triumph that they rushed out this news without checking the facts and it's a big embarrassment."

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

What a bunch of clowns this government is made up of.

[M.Dancer]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

What a bunch of clowns this government is made up of.

The first comment is bang on.

GasStation

I love the media. Who made the "gaffe", the prime minister's staff or the media so anxious to get something out that they themselves don't confirm the information. With the media, it's never their fault, just like the housing construction industry, it's always someone else's responsibility. Where's the news accountability

I take it you have a problem with the Gov't correcting an error and then bending over backwards so that the media could correct their reports? I asssume you would have prefered the story not been corrected?

What clowns some posters are...

[fellowtraveller]

What the PM should have said to the Italians, and the Germans is:" you are a pack of gutless, worthless bastards who are failing both your NATO allies and the Afghani people by cowering in your bases in Afghanistan.".

[madmax]

What the PM should have said to the Italians, and the Germans is:" you are a pack of gutless, worthless bastards who are failing both your NATO allies and the Afghani people by cowering in your bases in Afghanistan.".

Errors and miscommunications of this sort are not uncommon. The Spokesperson rushed to judgement, but so did the media. The media is trying to keep up to the rumour mills on the internet, and the raw data is now reported as fact, without investigation. The government is behaving in the same manner.

No big whoop.

But then we have fellowtraveller.........

And just where are you stationed?

[jdobbin]

But then we have fellowtraveller.........

And just where are you stationed?

REMF.

[Who's Doing What?]

What the PM should have said to the Italians, and the Germans is:" you are a pack of gutless, worthless bastards who are failing both your NATO allies and the Afghani people by cowering in your bases in Afghanistan.".

Damn Straight!!!!

I would add: "Get your collective arses out of the safety of your bases, show some balls and come out with us Canadians to where the real fight is. "

[Kitchener]

Who made the "gaffe", the prime minister's staff or the media...

The prime minister's staff.

What a superhumanly stupid question/suggestion. The PM's staff said that P; the media reported that the PM's staff had said P. But it's, um... the media's fault! For reporting the undeniable fact that the PM's people had said that! Or something.

I take it you have a problem with the Gov't correcting an error

"An error." Whose error? Can't say -- because that would put the lie to the above-mentioned stupid-assed question.

I asssume you would have prefered the story not been corrected?

No doubt you do assume this absurd strawman. That's a manifestation of the sociopathology at play.

What clowns some posters are...

...Ah, too easy. Won't touch that one.

[Fortunata]

I take it you have a problem with the Gov't correcting an error and then bending over backwards so that the media could correct their reports? I asssume you would have prefered the story not been corrected?

I think this government should get things right before shooting their mouths off. Of course they bent over backwards to let media file corrections - they are in enough doo doo without this.

What clowns some posters are...

Oohh, hit a sore spot did I?

But it's, um... the media's fault!

Of course it is. The media should know by now to hold stories until the PMO decides which one is right. What the hell are they thinking?

[Keepitsimple]

It's part of the price you pay for trying to control the media......there is little room for forgiveness. As a result, the story, which should be a good-news story, is all about a "gaffe" as opposed to Italy starting to consider removing some of their caveats.