By Randall Mikkelsen

WASHINGTON, Oct 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. government's main disaster-response agency apologized on Friday for having its employees pose as reporters in a hastily called news conference on California's wildfires that no news organizations attended.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, still struggling to restore its image after the bungled handling of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, issued the apology after The Washington Post published details of the Tuesday briefing.

"We can and must do better, and apologize for this error in judgment," FEMA deputy administrator Harvey Johnson, who conducted the briefing, said in a statement. "Our intent was to provide useful information and be responsive to the many questions we have received."

No actual reporter attended the news conference in person, agency spokesman Aaron Walker said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN26366100

I guess Fox Molder was right about FEMA alll along;) Serioulsy, this is very disturbing. This is the second time this administration has been caught doing this. Does anyone remember Jeff Gannon? The Gay male prostitue that was exposed for being a fake White House reporter? That's why it's very hard to believe anything this administration says.

It's pretty disgusting, but I think a big part of this equation is the horrendous (and dishonest) job the actual media have done covering the fire. From that frustration, this dishonest ploy was probably hatched.

I am an avid conspiracy theorist, but could it be that the coverage is problematic because anyone who is worth anything is pitching in and helping instead of trying to get live on the spot reporting out?

you do have to admire their audacity though using fake reporters takes balls

Wow, I wonder where in Hell they got the notion they could get away with this? I don't know?!? Is there another source of fake News reports??? (Faux News?)

Yes, Faux News. How original you are...

Wow, I wonder where in Hell they got the notion they could get away with this? I don't know?!? Is there another source of fake News reports??? (Faux News?)

So... it's all Fox News's fault. Right.

News with Liberal slant is good, intelligent and wholesome... but news with a conservative slant is evil, conspiratorial, and anti-free speech.

That's the liberal mantra: Blame Fox News.

You'd think they'd be more creative!

~String

News with Liberal slant is good, intelligent and wholesome... but news with a conservative slant is evil, conspiratorial, and anti-free speech.

It has nothing to do with Fox News giving a conservative side of the story, they get caught misleading people or just flat out lying quite often. There's decent conservative news sites, papers, and radio shows, but when it comes to Fox News, no thanks, I quit wasting my time.

- N

well, if you think about it, because Faux News did not show up FEMA needed to create their own Faux News Reporters...

I'm still having trouble grasping the concept that this story is real. The other night, Bill Maher showed this picture of Laura Bush sitting with two Saudi women in burkas in front of this vivid pink wall. And yeah, there was something inherently comedic about the picture. So much so that Bill acknowledged that it looked like a joke put together by show staff. But it wasn't (http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/10/22/10162182.html).

Every time I read it, the story seems like a joke. But it isn't.

I'm still having trouble grasping the concept that this story is real.

surreal
alternate reality
thats why

while it may pale in comparison to the bogus war, it nevertheless evokes a similar response

It has nothing to do with Fox News giving a conservative side of the story, they get caught misleading people or just flat out lying quite often. There's decent conservative news sites, papers, and radio shows, but when it comes to Fox News, no thanks, I quit wasting my time.

- N

I don't watch Fox, but before I'd buy the above, I'd like multiple specific examples...

I don't watch Fox, but before I'd buy the above, I'd like multiple specific examples...

you stateside?

From that frustration, this dishonest ploy was probably hatched.

On the bright side, FEMA has an emergency plan for dealing with the press.

And you know, Counte, I say some pretty wicked things about the government, but .... I mean, wow. If that's the case, what the hell is wrong with these people? Frustration is one thing, but how, in any context that doesn't embarrass FEMA, does one even come to think that this is a good idea? I mean, frustration, yes. But by that scenario, someone still had to actually make the decision to do it. Someone had to pick the staffers and script the questions.

To the other, though, WYWA is the rule of politics, and Republican administrations are always looking to streamline the government ...

(And this internet radio station has now played two Lita Ford songs in the last hour. I mean, that's just sick! And it's the two bloody songs you'd expect! Phack!)

... so they just stopped outsourcing that part of the operation.

And you know, Counte, I say some pretty wicked things about the government, but .... I mean, wow. If that's the case, what the hell is wrong with these people? Frustration is one thing, but how, in any context that doesn't embarrass FEMA, does one even come to think that this is a good idea? I mean, frustration, yes. But by that scenario, someone still had to actually make the decision to do it. Someone had to pick the staffers and script the questions.

I agree. It's mind boggling. And it's insulting. But I think there are reasons for it, though I am not in any way, shape or fashion saying these reasons alleviate the utter ridiculousness of the act itself. Still, why we're on it, the blatant falsehoods the Media reported during Katrina most immediately spring to mind. And the Media's laughable attempt to make these fires (and the response to them) a politically-charged issue of who "screwed up" is another. But yeah, overall I am with you. How did a committee, and you just know it was a committee (it's government we're talking about), really reach the decision to do this - and then actually plan it?

http://archive.gulfnews.com/images/07/10/22/23_nt_cancer_4.jpg

I don't watch Fox, but before I'd buy the above, I'd like multiple specific examples...

Heh, where've you been? Heck, just reading these forums you should have already seen numerous examples.

- N

As i do believe Mulder called FEMA - ''The secret government.''

This is disturbing. What else has this superpower lied about?

It's pretty disgusting, but I think a big part of this equation is the horrendous (and dishonest) job the actual media have done covering the fire. From that frustration, this dishonest ploy was probably hatched. How is a fake news conference a response to bad coverage of real news conferences? Do they also have fake newspapers and TV stations for the fictitious reporting to appear in?

Lol!!! Good point.

Heh, where've you been? Heck, just reading these forums you should have already seen numerous examples.

- N

So when pressed, you can't give one example?


How is a fake news conference a response to bad coverage of real news conferences? Do they also have fake newspapers and TV stations for the fictitious reporting to appear in?

It was utter speculation by me. That's all. Take it or leave it. You'll also note I never said this excuses what I think is a dispicable act. And speculating, the only reason I could see them coming up with it is because they were totally tired of the bogus news coverage of the fires.

Nonsense, they didn't want any tough questions.

Here's more on this debacle. The explanations grow stranger by the day. And apparently the fellow who started this sham was scheduled to work for the DNI...

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/briefing-costs-fema-spokesman-new-job/20071029163509990001

From yesterday's Day to Day (NPR), Brian Unger castigates FEMA for insulting fake journalists everywhere.


• http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15727778