The past through the future

Occasionally newspapers will prematurely run obituaries. Embarrassing, even though everyone knows they’re largely written ahead of time.

Then you get stories like this, from the AP, posted on ABC’s news site:

After a deluge of campaign speeches and hostile television ads, President Bush and challenger John Kerry got their chance to face each other directly Thursday night before an audience of tens of millions of voters in a high-stakes debate about terrorism, the Iraq war and the bloody aftermath.
The 90-minute encounter was particularly crucial for Kerry, trailing slightly in the polls and struggling for momentum less than five weeks before the election. The Democratic candidate faced the challenge of presenting himself as a credible commander in chief after a torrent of Republican criticism that he was prone to changing his positions.

Yes, if you think that reads a little oddly, it’s because the debate hasn’t happened yet. Even though the story is all written in the past tense.

Now, obviously what’s happened is that someone at AP prepped the background framework for the story beforehand, and instead of the story that goes with the headline (“Bush, Kerry Prepare for Debate in Fla.”), they published the draft, which would ordinarily, when the debate happens, be published with the actual details of the confrontation included. Then someone at ABC got the story and just posted it blindly (heck, it may be automated).

And it’s not like the AP story is particularly prescient. Analysts and campaign spokesfolk have been pretty clear on the tack both candidates are liable to take.

Not a scandal, nor an indication of media bias (in any direction), just someone (or two) sloppily picking the wrong file to post. (Assuming ABC fixes the page, I do have a nice PDF of it saved. 🙂 ) Still, I hope a few heads will, if not roll, at least get clouted soundly.

(via Stan)