The Associated Press deletes Bush tweet after backlash over bias

The Associated Press deleted Sunday an earlier tweet about the death of President George H.W. Bush after critics ripped the post as unfairly negative and biased.

The AP also said it had revised its obituary, which was pilloried in its initial form as “tasteless” and “filled with liberal bias” by the conservative Media Research Center.

“We’ve deleted a tweet and revised a story on the death of President George H.W. Bush because the tweet and the opening of the story referenced his 1992 electoral defeat and omitted his WWII service,” said the AP’s Sunday tweet.

Mr. Bush was a decorated World War II fighter pilot who dedicated his life to public service as a congressman, ambassador, CIA director, vice president and the 41st president, but the AP’s tweet focused on his defeats.

“George H.W. Bush, a patrician New Englander whose presidency soared with the coalition victory over Iraq in Kuwait, but then plummeted in the throes of a weak economy that led voters to turn him out of office after a single term, has died. He was 94,” said the now-deleted tweet.

Rest in peace to the 41st President. Why must these obituaries — written years in advance — still be so rough on GOP presidents when they pass away? We had our differences, but I can’t imagine AP is going to be this strongly worded for Jimmy Carter. https://t.co/I4DWPXiHNM

— Brent Bozell (@BrentBozell) December 1, 2018

The backlash on social media was swift. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a Republican, called it the “CRUMMIEST Tweet,” while “The View” co-host Meghan McCain ripped it as “extremely asinine and disrespectful.”

This is an extremely asinine and disrespectful tweet to our former President and his distinguished life and legacy. Do better @AP - and have some respect for this time of grief in our country. https://t.co/AsO9ENv6gN

— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) December 2, 2018

After the tweet was deleted, critics took issue with the AP’s brief explanation and the two-day delay.

Oh, @ap — You deleted your unhinged tweet and “story” on President Bush’s passing because it was impossible to tell the difference between your “news” coverage & bottom-of-the-barrel partisan sniping.#FIFY https://t.co/kUgx5aALID

— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) December 2, 2018

More like, “we accomplished our mission of trashing president Bush. We’ll now delete the tweet since everyone has seen it. Thank you.”

— Sean Wrucke (@Sean__01) December 2, 2018

Mr. Bush died Friday at his home in Houston, eight months after the death of his wife of 73 years, Barbara Bush.