If you thought the New York Times' write-up of a Medicare regulation about advising patients of end-of-life care options was bad, wait until you see the Associated Press. The Times article invoked Sarah Palin's 2009 claim that a similar provision constituted “death panels,” while explaining only that Palin's (deeply false) claim was “unsubstantiated.” The AP didn't even offer that caveat. Here's how the wire service's report handles Palin's lie:
[T]he practice was heavily criticized by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and some other Republicans who have likened the counseling to “death panels.”
…
Prominent Republicans singled it out as a glaring example of government overreach. Palin's use of the phrase “death panels” solidified GOP opposition to the health care bill.
That isn't even “he said, she said” reporting (which is bad enough.) That's just “she said.” But what she said was false. That's worth mentioning, don't you think?
Nobody should be surprised when Palin lies -- after all, she knows news organizations like the AP will just type up what she said and pass it along to their readers, without lifting a finger to correct the record.