Whaaa???

Via Atrios, Annatopia captured screenshots of the Associated Press article posted by ABC News talking about the debate in the past tense, even before there was a debate:

The debate's focus on Iraq was sharpened by bombings in Baghdad Thursday that killed three dozen children.

Ahead in the polls, Bush could afford to settle for a debate draw while Kerry needed something to break the status quo. Some Democrats saw the debates as the last chance for a Kerry breakout.

They did this to frame the conventional wisdom after the debate even before it happens. Unfreakinbelievable.

Hey AP, since you're so psychic, why don't you give us this week's winning lottery numbers?

That's why John Stewart is so cool. He knew this would happen. Via Angrybear:

STEWART: …Can we talk a little bit about what’s really going to happen at the debates tomorrow?

HELMS: [Sarcasm] Ookaay. This is the report I’m going to file. [grabs notebook and starts reading, in a quick monotone]. The two candidates exchanged pointed barbs about our Iraq policy and the war on Terror. Senator Kerry made strides towards shedding what some of his analysts call a patrician image…yadda yadda yadda…but the president with his plainspoken words was more effective in communicating his vision by relentless ...

STEWART: [interjecting] Ed. Ed, I’m sorry. You’ve written your report as though it's already happened. This is, is…

HELMS: Yeah, I wrote it yesterday.

STEWART: You write you stories in advance? And then put it in the past tense?

HELMS: Yeah. We all do. All the reporters do that.

STEWART: Why?

HELMS: We write the narratives in advance based on conventional wisdom, and then whatever happens, we make it fit that storyline.

STEWART: Why?

HELMS: We…We’re lazy. Lazy thinkers.

STEWART: But what happens if actual news happens?

HELMS: That’s what bloggers are for...

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