Word from New York is that former President Clinton is facing bypass surgery after suffering chest pains. We wish President Clinton a speedy recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family. Plus, it's only fun to tease him if he's still around ;-)

Update: Some people in the crowd in West Allis, WI apparently booed when President Bush offered Clinton best wishes for his recovery. That's awful. I'm ashamed of my fellow Wisconsinites. The only thing I can think of is that they got into their brandy old fashioneds too early, or, that they weren't booing, but rather saying "boo-ill", "boo-ill".

And why in the world does that article mention that Bush "did nothing to stop them"? The press is showing their bias in trying to blame Bush for not "stopping" them. It's like reporting "a woman had a heart attack at a bush rally... bush did nothing to help her." The insinuation is that he is somehow responsible. He wasnt the one booing. In fact, he was wishing Cinton WELL. They take a noble and kind act and turn it into a negative for what he didnt do, completely ignoring what he did do. I mean, he could have just not mentioned it at all.

Update #2: Okay, so now it sounds like the AP made up the boos. Wow. It's amazing how often the media shocks me with their biases. You'd think I'd be used to it by now. Thanks to our reader Sherry for the tip.

Update #3
Here is a link to the actual audio of the event. (mp3, ~500k). As you can hear for yourself, there is no booing. (as soon as i saw this article, i mailed kris and said "no way did a wisconsin crowd boo, this can't be true. --james)

Be sure to check out the thread posted in update #2, as it's chronicling the media's issuance then unexplained retraction of this story.

Update #4: Behold the awesome power of Lexis/Nexis, as Galley Slaves uncovers the original AP article, complete with byline by one "Tom Hays." (perhaps they meant Tom Hayden? :-)

Update #5: I've sent an email to Mr. Hays inviting him to give his "side of the story." Who thinks he'll actually respond? (Of course he won't, after all, why should the press be accountable to the people?)

Date: Sat, 4 Sep 2004 10:49:57 -0500
From: James Hat
To: thays@ap.org
Cc: kris@dummocrats.com, tlhughes@ap.org
Subject: West Allis rally story retraction

Mr. Hays,

My name is James Hat, I run a weblog (blog) entitled "dummocrats.com." From
what I understand, you are the reporter who was originally credited with the
byline to Friday's AP story, "HEADLINE: Bill Clinton hospitalized with chest
pains, will face bypass surgery."

As a proud Wisconsinite, I was understandably horrified at what you initially
reported, that the crowd erupted into "boos" when President Bush announced that
former President Clinton had been hosptalized. Indeed, my college Kris
initially posted on the dummocrats.com weblog about your story, and in her post
(available at http://www.dummocrats.com/archives/000408.php) she expressed
disbelief and shame that her fellow Wisconsinites would react in such a way.

Since that time, however, we've had the opportunity to review audio tape of
President Bush's announcement at the West Allis rally, and I have to say, we
are hard pressed to discern a single "boo," let alone the "thousands" of boos
that you intimate.

I can only assume that the AP had similar problems with your account, as they
have since "pulled" the story and replaced it with another version, sans your
byline, that doesn't "report" the boo-ing that you alleged.

I and my readers would like to give you an opportunity to tell "your side of the
story," Mr. Hays. Were you actually present at this rally, and, if so, were
you located "within earshot" of the crowd of thousands? Are you in any way
hearing impaired? Was your account based on firsthand knowledge of the events,
or were holed up in a little studio in NYC while you slandering the good people
of Wisconsin? How long have you been an AP "reporter?"

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

James Hat