AP: Masters of the spinosphere

The AP, in their own words:  (via Michelle, as is most of this post)

The Associated Press is the bastion of the people's right to know around the world. 

A BASTION they say.  Well as we say here in the "so-called blogosphere"  ROTFLMAO. I will add that the blogosphere is the industry leader in "open mainstream media issues".

From Michelle's post:

It's spin time. The Associated (With Terrorists) Press is now waging a p.r. campaign against what it calls the "so-called blogosphere" over detained photographer Bilal Hussein. After five months of stonewalling, the "so-called reporters" at AP finally reported what this blog reported on April 12--that Hussein had indeed been captured by the US military in a Ramadi apartment building where bomb-making materials were found...along with an alleged al Qaeda leader. Hussein reportedly tested positive for traces of explosives.

AP reporter Robert Tanner interviewed me by phone yesterday. Here is his new piece filed last night. Instead of focusing on AP's questionable news suppression and Hussein's so-called journalism, Tanner quotes a few critical bloggers and then devotes the rest of the article reiterating the AP's defense of Hussein's work, quoting the AP and left-wing human rights crowd's call to free or charge him, and quoting liberal bloggers accusing conservative bloggers that unearthed this story of "thuggery:"

According to the military Hussein is being held for "imperative reasons of security"

Military officials said  Bilal Hussein, an Iraqi citizen, was being held for "imperative reasons of security" under United Nations resolutions. AP executives said the news cooperative's review of Hussein's work did not find anything to indicate inappropriate contact with insurgents, and any evidence against him should be brought to the Iraqi criminal justice system.

Well gee AP, thanks for investigating, but if it's all the same to you I think we should let the military handle this.  Maybe they'll give you an exclusive.

Thanks to Michelle and all the bloggers who followed up on this story. Please keep us "posted".