(2003-07-12) — The New York Times today asked Congress to launch an investigation into all the errors The Times has made during the past 107 years. The request comes on the heels of a Times’ editorial demanding an investigation into how a 16-word statement about uranium was allowed into the text of the President’s State of the Union Address.
Yesterday, CIA Director George Tenet acknowledged responsibility for not cutting the sentence, which was based on unconfirmed reports from British intelligence. The acknowledgement of wrongdoing and acceptance of responsibility may have been a first for a Clinton appointee.
The Times editorial said Mr. Tenet’s mea culpa was inadequate: “ Now the American people need to know how the accusation got into the speech in the first place, and whether it was put there with an intent to deceive the nation. The White House has a lot of explaining to do.“
Publisher Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr., said the editorial made him realize that the Times doesn’t hold itself to the same standard it requires of the White House.
“If we’re going to maintain the trust of our readers, “said Mr. Sulzberger, “We must do more than print corrections when we make mistakes. We must enlist outside agencies to launch probes into how incorrect information gets onto the printed page, and whether it was a deliberate attempt to deceive. That’s why we’re asking Congress to investigate us. Congressmen are revered by the citizenry for their unshakeable integrity. We will submit everything we have published to their scrutiny.”

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