NBC Issues Correction, Changing Story To Match White House Spin On Griner Swap | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the The Daily Wire. The author of this post is Virginia Kruta.

    NBC published a bombshell story - alleging that Russian officials initially offered the Biden administration the choice between WNBA star Brittney Griner and Marine veteran Paul Whelan in Thursday's prisoner swap - but then issued a correction after the White House told a different story.

    Outkick's David Hookstead shared screenshots of both the original story and the edited version, explaining, "NBC had a bombshell report that Russia offered America Brittney Griner OR Paul Whelan, citing a senior government official. It would be Biden's choice which one to save. The report was later edited without explanation to mirror Biden's explanation that only Griner was offered."

    Both the original and the edited stories noted that Russia was willing to make a trade for convicted international arms dealer Viktor Bout, who has served 11 years of his 25-year sentence.

    "But the official said Russia has treated Whelan differently because he is an accused spy, and that the Kremlin gave the White House the choice of either Griner or Whelan - or none," the text of the original story read.

    But the corrected copy offered a slight alteration, stating that Russian officials had only offered a deal for Griner, saying, "But the official said Russia has treated Whelan differently because he is accused of spying and that the Kremlin ultimately gave the White House the choice of Griner or no one after different options were proposed."

    The article included a correction, adding, "an earlier version of this article misstated the choice the Biden administration was given over hostages. It was to swap for Griner or no one, not a choice between Griner or Whelan."

    The revised copy mirrored the White House's claims almost exactly. After Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre highlighted all the reasons it was great that Griner was coming home - namely that she was "more than an athlete, more than an Olympian, she is an important role model and inspiration to millions of Americans, particularly the LGBTQI+ Americans and women of color" - she told reporters, "unfortunately, the choice became to either bring Brittney home or no one."

    Former National Security Advisor John Bolton cast additional doubt on the Biden administration's claim when he said that the Kremlin had previously offered Whelan as part of a one-for-one swap for Bout. He explained at the time that then-President Donald Trump had turned down the deal - and excoriated Biden for taking it.

    "The possibility of a Bout-for-Whelan trade existed back then and it wasn't made, for very good reasons having to deal with Viktor Bout," Bolton said during a CBS interview, adding that he saw the final deal - Bout for Griner - as a "very bad mistake."

    "This is not a deal. This is not a swap. This is a surrender. And terrorists and rogue states all around the world will take note of this, and it endangers other Americans in the future who can be grabbed and used as bargaining chips by people who don't have the same morals and scruples that we do," Bolton said. "There are occasions when you swap spies. Obviously, there are legitimate exchanges of prisoners of war. But this doesn't even approximate that. The idea that somehow what Brittney Griner did - very foolishly, in my estimate - but that whatever she did compares to Viktor Bout is something that shows just how desperate the administration was to make this deal. And I'm just very worried about the effect it has and the danger that it can put many other Americans in, all around the world."

poll#125

Since only about 20% of the News Media has any shred of Journalistic Integrity remaining: How does our Constitutional Republic continue without a "Free Press"?

  Demand real information, using real sources, backed up by facts.

  Promote real journalist entities only, and admonish those that prostitute their profession.

  We Democratic Socialists are doing just fine, thank-you, by promoting lies while having very little real knowledge about so much.

260 total vote(s)     What's your Opinion?

poll#162

In what may be the most divisive period in modern American History, even more divisive than the turbulent sixties due to today's lack of patriotism, consider what are the major catalysts causing so much of this calamity of conflict, and vote: What most instigates the division of America, on this day September 20, 2022?

  Racism within our society

  Sex realignment to the detriment of our society.

  Biden /Harris Wide Open Southern Border Policy for the Demographic Upheaval of OUR Constitutional Republic

  Rampant Crime in Democratic controlled cities, and the possible contagion elsewhere

  Covid Pandemic, and its mishandling at the political, and bureaucratic levels.

  The unresolved questions /allegation regarding the flawed 2020 General Election

  January 6th Riot or "Armed Insurrection", depending upon patriotic perspective

  Joe Biden as Divisive Leader; Ineffective and Corrupt Executive

  Failed Education Industry, from an overall perspective, regarding all levels of education.

  Propagandistic Media in complete conflict with the First Amendment's guarantee of Freedom of Speech, and the awesome responsibility of a Free Press..

  "Orangeman Bad!"

  Bureaucracy rushing to a behemoth size, its unjustified expense, and far too often overreach.

  The Weaponized Deep State for political purposes

  A secular ambivalence to all that is real.

  Record number of overdose deaths from opioids and now Fentanyl

  Biden Administration's disastrous Foreign Policy

  Bidenflation /supply chain failure inevitably evolving into stagflation and recession.

  "Ultra MAGA Extremists" freely speaking louder AND LOUDER!

927 total vote(s)     What's your Opinion?