AP Warns Staffers About Threats After Calling Dem Race For Clinton

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks during a presidential primary election night rally, Tuesday, June 7, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
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The Associated Press advised its journalists on Tuesday to “practice situational awareness” around its bureaus amid sharp backlash over the news organization’s naming Hillary Clinton as the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee.

The AP call, which came one day before the closely watched California primary and included superdelegates in its calculations, was quickly picked up by other national news organizations, prompting outrage from staunch Sanders supporters.

The backlash was strong enough for the AP’s vice president for global security, Danny Spriggs, to send out a memo noting staffers had received angry phone calls, emails and messages on social media.

“We have not received any specific security threats,” Spriggs wrote in the memo, which was obtained by Poynter. “It is always good to practice situational awareness around AP bureaus and offices.”

AP staffers weren’t the only targets. The New York Times’ Amy Chozick, who reports on Clinton’s campaign, said Tuesday that she had received multiple threatening calls from Sanders supporters:

In a blog post defending the AP call, executive editor Kathleen Carroll wrote that the process of concluding Clinton had secured enough delegates to earn the nomination was “very straightforward” and based on a survey of superdelegates as well as pledged delegates won in primary contests.

Sanders accused AP of “hounding” superdelegates to learn their votes and said he was “disappointed” by the news organization’s methods.

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Notable Replies

  1. More evidence that at least some Sanders supporters are the kinds of voters who’ll end up supporting Trump.

    Sanders’ response last night was extremely disappointing. Is he big enough even to understand that his actions now could determine not just Hillary’s fate but whether the Dems win the Senate? He could be working his way out of becoming Budget Committee chairman.

  2. Jesus. Because, yeah, a news organization reporting the news should be punished.

  3. Well as someone who voted for Sanders, I am very disappointed with Sanders. I detest these self serving attacks on the “media.” Is so Nixionion.

  4. The first amendment is having a fight with the second amendment.

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