The Washington Post was busted on a false claim about Secretary of State Rex Tillerson when a veteran reporter for the Associated Press called it out.
In a story about the how Tillerson has isolated himself in his first weeks at the State Department, the Post referred to the former ExxonMobil chief executive as “walled off” and “cloistered” with “rare” sightings of him at the office building.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson spends his first weeks isolated from an anxious bureaucracy https://t.co/zrnHfhgDcd
— Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 31, 2017
“Many career diplomats say they still have not met him, and some have been instructed not to speak to him directly — or even make eye contact,” Post writers Anne Gearan and Carol Morello reported.
Other media outlets picked up the story and continued the narrative.
Diplomats instructed to “avoid eye contact” with Tillerson: report https://t.co/InxRWhrnKU pic.twitter.com/Dis2UJHBOC
— The Hill (@thehill) March 31, 2017
In @POLITICO Playbook: Rex Tillerson isolated at State — employees have been told not to make eye contact with him: https://t.co/WBBTEhjpkH pic.twitter.com/lO9NrpW5QN
— Daniel Lippman (@dlippman) March 31, 2017
Can you imagine the outcry if Hillary Clinton had insisted that diplomats at State not make eye contact with her? https://t.co/W9DRmzw33c
— Annie Lowrey (@AnnieLowrey) March 31, 2017
Associated Press diplomatic reporter Matt Lee put the brakes on the “fake news” and called it out in a tweet.
This is not true and people repeating it are making it more difficult to address very real issues. https://t.co/ztEm3mAXd6
— Matt Lee (@APDiploWriter) March 31, 2017
It seems there were others who were skeptical of the claim as well.
If you’re a national security expert who fell for the “don’t make eye contact with Tillerson” story, you’re not a national security expert.
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) March 31, 2017
Now seeing AP and other reporters say “Tillerson eye contact” story is…another falsehood. Can their credibility sink any lower?
— Scott Ruesterholz (@Read_N_Learn) March 31, 2017
No eye contact? I don’t believe this item on Tillerson, but if it’s true–as reported–geez, what an arch-villain. https://t.co/go6meiAY46 pic.twitter.com/AE6mNIHZ6g
— Brandon Friedman (@BFriedmanDC) March 31, 2017
I don’t buy the “don’t make eye contact” detail in the Tillerson story.
— Tim Sullivan (@Tim_Org) March 31, 2017
Lee was instantly on the defensive as his counter-claim made him the target of some serious blowback.
@APDiploWriter really? it’s a compelling detail – so what is it like to talk to the secretary? is it OK to look him directly in the eyes?
— Tara McKelvey (@Tara_Mckelvey) March 31, 2017
@Tara_Mckelvey It’s compelling gossip. I have looked him in the eyes and not turned to stone. At least not yet…
— Matt Lee (@APDiploWriter) March 31, 2017
@APDiploWriter How do you know it’s not true?
— McBlondeLand (@McBlondeLand) March 31, 2017
@McBlondeLand Because. Because I have covered State since 1999. Because I know people who didn’t start in 2009.
— Matt Lee (@APDiploWriter) March 31, 2017
@APDiploWriter Isn’t it possible that some people were told this and you’re unaware of it?
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) March 31, 2017
@MarkHarrisNYC I would suggest to you that I was told of this allegation – weeks ago – and checked it out.
— Matt Lee (@APDiploWriter) March 31, 2017
@APDiploWriter @McBlondeLand That means nothing. Do you have sources who say it’s not true?
— Jen Gregory (@ellewoodsin916) March 31, 2017
@ellewoodsin916 @McBlondeLand Yes, I do.
— Matt Lee (@APDiploWriter) March 31, 2017
I don’t know if it’s true or not. But agree the issue is not eye contact. It’s that he is cut off from the experts there to help him succeed https://t.co/5lnNv6QPqj
— Ilan Goldenberg (@ilangoldenberg) March 31, 2017
You don’t know that it’s true but you retweeted it anyway to make a point that you’re not quite sure about? Is that it? https://t.co/ENvMvNUArO
— Matt Lee (@APDiploWriter) March 31, 2017
Veteran AP reporter disputes WaPo’s Tillerson story https://t.co/QR5s3DPAL3
— Michael Calderone (@mlcalderone) March 31, 2017
Just as quickly, when the word got out, the buzz around the “no eye contact” narrative switched gears.
Wake up right! Receive our free morning news blast HERE
One of the faster cycles of “OMG, Team Trump did what?!?!?!” to “Nevermind, but just the possibility…” that we have had so far. https://t.co/AIpoHdK1ot
— Darrick Johnson (@darrickjohnson) March 31, 2017
I thought it sounded squirrelly. @APDiploWriter one of the best DOS correspondents out there – tough on everybody – so I’ll take his word. https://t.co/10QLn7Ece1
— Eliot A Cohen (@EliotACohen) March 31, 2017
#instapundit FAKE NEWS: AP reporter says sensational WaPo claim on Tillerson “not true.” “When challenged… https://t.co/qTqCf47hLU #PJNet
— RWB (@readwriteblue) March 31, 2017
TOO GOOD TO CHECK. AP Says the Tillerson No-Eye-Contact Story Is #FakeNews https://t.co/gZnibD6sgM pic.twitter.com/cDeN0DErMw
— RedState (@RedState) March 31, 2017
@WooPeiPei @lynn_weiser @thehill It’s #FakeNews being spread by disgruntled State Department swamp creatures who want Tillerson gone.
— id est (@idestHQ) March 31, 2017
More #FakeNews from the #MSM Report: State Dept. Employees Told Not to Address, Make Eye Contact with Rex Tillerson https://t.co/fphgSfrI1P
— Brian Craig (@BrianCraigShow) March 31, 2017
Avert your eyes: @AP reporter says sensational @washingtonpost claim on Tillerson “not true” WAPO FAKE NEWS https://t.co/uL1XOpR292
— deltaweb (@websquaw) March 31, 2017
Report: Diplomats Told to ‘Avoid Eye Contact’ With Tillerson https://t.co/dQjXP3D0fb Another example of FakeNews Nothing else 2 report? ?
— LetFreedomRing (@MariaMe42546452) March 31, 2017
The same career diplomats “who swap paranoid stories about Tillerson that often turn out to be untrue”? More #fakenews from @washingtonpost https://t.co/wuhXDTcKYx
— Clifford Cunningham (@CliffordC1776) March 31, 2017
WaPo on Tillerson: deliberate falsehood planted on journos who absolutely must be too smart to believe it, print it anyway. IOW…fake news.
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) March 31, 2017
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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