Sir, - Your Washington correspondent, Conor O Clery, in article "Irish American Leaders Reject Priest's Criticism of Clinton" (April 29th) breaks two cardinal rules of journalism: (1) never mislead the readers and (2) report, don't make, the news.
Mr O Clery's article says in effect: folks, here is a report about a letter (signed by loo Irish Americans) which rejects Fr McManus's criticism of President Clinton.
Mr O Clery conveniently fails to mention, however, that nowhere in the letter am I or the Irish National Caucus mentioned. Indeed, the drafters of the letter specifically decided that it would not criticise me and people who signed the letter did so on that understanding. (Neither did they intend the letter to condone President Clinton's opposition to the MacBride Principles.) Furthermore, in the letter there is no mention of "priest's criticism".
Instead of dealing with the facts of the letter he purports to write on, Mr O Clery speaks to some anonymous source who puts a "spin" on the letter. Mr 0 Clery then proceeds to deceive the readers by giving them a "spin" instead of what the letter actually said. Is this the type of journalism The Irish Times wants to endorse?
Here is the original issue. The 11 major Irish American organisations - including the Irish National Caucus - signed a letter to President Clinton. The letter expressed deep gratitude for his role in the Irish peace process but told him that we could no longer be silent abut his opposition to the MacBride Principles - contrary to his pledge. We then asked the President to reinstate his previous policy of support for the MacBride Principles.
Irish Americans overwhelmingly support the MacBride Principles and they want the President to sign them into law. Any attempt to obscure that central fact does no service to the truth nor to the President, who has done so much good for peace in Ireland. Those who try to tell President Clinton that Irish Americans do not mind his opposition to the MacBride Principles are trying to deceive the public and the President of the United States. - Yours etc.,
President,
Irish National Caucus,
East Capitol Street,
Washington DC.
Conor O Clery writes: Since the article appeared, the main architect of the letter, Mr Frank Durkan, and other signatories have confirmed publicly what I reported, that the letter was mainly a response to Father McManus's criticism of President Clinton. Mr Durkan told me "We would never have written that letter if he hadn't attacked Clinton in the manner that he did."