The state-owned People’s Daily recently published a transcript of an interview with Philip Bennet, managing editor of the Washington Post.
The People’s Daily titled the piece “I don’t think US should be the leader of the world”, apparently quoting Bennet’s own words. Right wing American blogs freaked out, as reported on Danwei here. Hugh Hewitt, one of the right wing bloggers who freaked out, wrote to Philip Bennet to demand an explanation:
I am suspicious of transcripts from state-controlled presses, and asked Mr. Bennett via e-mail if the transcript was correct. Here is his response:
“Mr. Hewitt,
You wrote to me about comments attributed to me in an interview with the People’s Daily of China. I am responding to set the record straight.
The version published in the People’s Daily includes numerous and important inaccuracies. In many places words and sentences were removed to change the meaning of what I said. In some places words or sentences were invented that I did not say.
The Washington Post Company owns Newsweek, which has recently started a bowdlerized Mainland Chinese version, as reported on Danwei here. So the Washington Post Company has some diverging interests. And if Hugh Hewitt and other right wing bloggers get a bee under their bonnet about this story, it might not go away.
UPDATE: Nobody is getting a bee under their bonnet. The story is going away.