Blogged by Brad Friedman on 10/18/2004 1:44PM  
Audio & Video Removed!

In addition to the documents removed from the White House website reported here previously, it looks like the White House is now removing even more content from their site! This time it's audio and video that has been taken down!

As with the last "disappeared" material, this one also includes info that directly rebuts a comment made in the Debates. In the 3rd Presidential Debate, Bush said:

BUSH: Gosh, I just don't think I ever said I'm not worried about Osama bin Laden. It's kind of one of those exaggerations.

Which was a direct contradiction to his March 13, 2002 statement at a White House Press Conference in which he said:

"Well, as I say, we haven't heard much from him. ... And, again, I don't know where he is. I --- I'll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him."

The White House Website's posted transcript of that Press Conference is still available, for the moment, right here but the links to the Audio and Video of the Press Conference, links to which are still on that page, for the moment, (linkbox pictured at right) are no longer available! They've been taken down!

Audio and Video from the Press Conferences immediately before and immediately after the one in question are still available, but no longer for the March 13, 2002 Press Conference.

Why they would try and remove such public information is beyond me, since the footage is widely available elsewhere. Atrios, for example, has the video clip in question right here, and the Press Conference was covered by all the networks. I can only assume they're hoping to make this information less available however they can? Perhaps they're getting sick of all the homegrown Anti-Bush Videos out there, and are now using the White House website (illegally, I would think) to eke out whatever partisan political advantage they can?

And again, I ask, what else are they "disappearing" from the historical record of the White House website? If you find more missing, please let us know!

(Thanks to eagle-eyed emailer David K. for catching this one!)

UPDATE: More missing Audio/Video on this page...
7/17/02: "President Bush, President Kwasniewski Hold Joint Press Conference"
A very quick breeze through the transcript shows discussion about Poland's involvement in the "Coalition", and some stuff about both Halliburton and Harkin. Any guesses why they want that audio/video unavailable?

Still looking for more...Tips welcome...

UPDATE 10/21/04: Boatloads of more Audio/Video missing! Update here!

UPDATE 10/22/04: Hooray! Mainstream media finally picks up on this story!

UPDATE 10/25/04: The Washington Post finally picks up the story today! Twice!

UPDATE 10/29/04: BRAD BLOG SUCCESS! WH restores Audio/Video! Though much still missing...

Buzz this story! C2NN: Submit it!


READER COMMENTS ON
"More Scrubbing of White House Website!!!"
(12 Responses so far...)

COMMENT #1 [Permalink]
... mpt said on 10/18/2004 @ 8:45 pm PT...


Because Poland recently announced they were pulling out of the Coalition.

On the broader point, someone should have made a distributed backup system for whitehouse.gov --- like the Wayback Machine, but able to archive videos and audio as well, even those about Iraq, and decentralized so that it can't be blocked.


COMMENT #2 [Permalink]
... jaime said on 10/18/2004 @ 8:57 pm PT...


Don't forget Poland. He said it again today. Kerry forgot Poland.

Douchebag.


COMMENT #3 [Permalink]
... johnhp said on 10/19/2004 @ 5:30 am PT...


i recall reading a book about a guy who worked for the government. His job was to make official documents reflect the current political position of the State. i suppose when they make the film of this regime they will call it: Winston Smith goes to Washington.

i certainly am glad we live in a nation where the media doesnt bow down to the political needs of thoise in power.

http://news.yahoo.com/ne...pr/kerry_film_reporter_3

never mind.


COMMENT #4 [Permalink]
... Patrick Shumaker said on 10/19/2004 @ 8:49 am PT...


The Bush administration has moved us into George Orwell's 1984 with their manipulation of the truth. Orwell seems to have been off by only twenty years. This is why this election is about saving our democracy.


COMMENT #5 [Permalink]
... Mr. M said on 10/19/2004 @ 5:10 pm PT...


*sigh* I wonder, if Orwell were still alive do you think he would be screaming, "1984 was a warning, not a prediction, you morons!" It's sad, but this isn't the first time this has happened with this administration. If you read Al Franken's book he recalls the story of a white house reporter who actually had the stones to report negatively regarding POTUS, and he got blacklisted from the white house for it. Even today, with the comments of Mark Halperin (spelling?) and others like him in more mainstream media outlets calling for a more honest accountability of the reporting of the campaigns have received a backlash from the white house which not too subtly implies that people shouldn't immediately think the prez is lying. Of course, the question that comes into my mind is "now what on earth could have possibly led people to the conclusion that the president is a liar?" *shrug* Beats me. But as this election comes to a close, some things have become incredibly clear through the distillation of rumor and innuendo. I think Bush is going to win this one. I don't think it will be honestly done so. But here are some things to think about. We live in a nation that takes exceptional pride in our freedoms and our constitution. So why vote for the party that is for voter suppression? (Nevada ballot trashing by an adjunct group of the RNC) When the other side is for increased registration and voting of all voters (even Michael Moore said on NPR that he isn't specifically telling kids WHO to vote for, just to vote). Why vote for the party that attempts to take away our privacy and personal freedoms (Ashcroft, the republican who lost a senate race to a dead guy, our Attorny General, and his Patriot Act) when you could vote for the guy who wants to keep our freedoms in tact, (Kerry is for revision of the Patriot Act such that it actually upholds the constitution as opposed to undermining it). And more to the subject of the day, why would you vote for the guy who in a society that depends on a FREE press has done everything he could to limit the amount of information that is passed on to the American people (The removal of the "Osama" quote removed from the website, the protests against the 9/11 commission from its formation, to Condi's participation, to the Commander in Chief's participation, the blackballing of reporters who refuse to paint the prez as a hero, the failure of the pentagon to still, even after being sued by the press, release in full all of Bush's military service documents, etc. etc. ET Mother ****ing CETERA). Unless we can really get in there and push this thing, Bush will win a second term, and all we can do is hope that this country survives for four more years.

Mr. M


COMMENT #6 [Permalink]
... Joe F. said on 10/22/2004 @ 7:15 am PT...


Does anyone remember Bush's speech just after 9-11 when hes said something like, "Now I know there will be conspiracy theories and all that, but let's remember who attacked us is Al-Queda etc etc"?

I was sober and paying attention to the broadcast and I remember my jaw dropping involuntarily. But I can't find it in any transcripts or video clips. Any body. remember?


COMMENT #7 [Permalink]
... Joe F. said on 10/22/2004 @ 7:18 am PT...


Does anyone remember Bush's speech just after 9-11 when he said something like, "Now I know there will be conspiracy theories and all that, but let's remember who attacked us is Al-Queda etc etc"?

I was sober and paying attention to the broadcast and my jaw dropped involuntarily at this statement. But I can't find it in any transcripts, searches or video clips. Anybody remember this shocking statement?


COMMENT #8 [Permalink]
... Chris said on 10/22/2004 @ 8:36 am PT...


If this were a congressional race, it would be illegal to change any federally funded official website in any way for 30 days before the election. I am not sure if this is an FEC rule or law, and I don't know if it applies to the presidential race. Maybe somebody here knows?


COMMENT #9 [Permalink]
... Wuzy said on 10/25/2004 @ 11:13 pm PT...


Great site! Firefox has some issues with it though :( Please fix when you have time.
Thanks!!!


COMMENT #10 [Permalink]
... Kyle said on 10/26/2004 @ 11:54 am PT...


Does anyone remember Bush's speech just after 9-11 when he said something like, "Now I know there will be conspiracy theories and all that, but let's remember who attacked us is Al-Queda etc etc"?

He said "Let us never tolerate outrageous conspiracy theories concerning the attacks of September the 11th..."

Video is at http://100777.com/node/view/371


COMMENT #11 [Permalink]
... Spakeh said on 10/28/2004 @ 8:11 pm PT...


:crazy: JOHN KERRY IS LIKE A BIG GRAY HAIRED BITCH THAT NAGS AND COMPLAINS. HIS WARM SPINCHTERED LOVER EDWARDS IS A LITTLE BITCH TOO. I'VE NEVER HEARD AN ELECTION CAMPAIGN LIKE YOURS EVER! YOU'RE SUCH THE NAG FAG BOYS. WAKE UP AND GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEADS THAT THE UNITED STATES WILL FAIL UNDER YOUR SO CALLED LEADERSHIP. YOU DON'T HAVE WHAT IT TAKES! VOTERS AND POTENTIAL VOTERS SHOULD REALIZE THAT BEFORE ENTERING THE POLL BOOTHS. WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO IMPRESS US WITH YOUR RHETORIC DONKEY FACE? BEWARE OF KERRY, HE CANNOT DELIVER.


COMMENT #12 [Permalink]
... Mike said on 10/31/2005 @ 3:12 am PT...


Hey kids!
You want a soundtrack that's gonna make you feel tense?
Let you express your frustration?
Make ya scared, wanna run out and buy a gun?
You're looking for another rock'n'roll record that'll make you
feel like a victim.
You're like a victim - you love to be a victim.
You love the United States prime time victim show.
Hey, bells, helicopters, machine guns.
Listen to that! Listen to that!
Kill for Allah. Kill for Jesus.
1980´s shit - turn it down.
Tone it down

http://www.archive.org/s...AND%20mediatype%3Amovies


-=- Comments on this item are now closed. -=-


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