Page 7 - Editing Process News Today

"times" doesnt usually include the name of the victim. and so i think in this case the editors felt like maybe it was probably better to remove it. in removing her name, they removed the other reference to the fact that she didnt remember it. >> in your draft for the "times," you used the exact words in the book, that i deliberately left off the name because that passage begins with the name. >> yes. >> and so in their removal of the name, they ended up removing the whole -- >> the whole sentenc...

Blazesy ford during the incident. that was actually far more of a news peg in the book than this other poorly sourced -- anecdote. >> exactly. and the fbi clearly it did not do a thorough investigation. >> so more details on the fallout over the essay in the "new york times" published that ignited this entire situation. last night the authors of the piece told msnbcs lawrence odonnell that the key element of the books account that, quote, the female student declined to be interviewed and friends...

Special interest time with her, why the incident hit so hard for her. she was feeling like a fish out of water that first year at yale to begin with for any number of reasons. socioeconomic, cultural and so on. and this incident was deeply traumatizing for her. that was the focus of the piece. we included the additional detail of this other unreported allegation because it seemed germane to the type of thing that we were investigating. >> in your draft, did it include those words that have since...

>> well, first of all, lawrence, there was zero intent to mislead anybody about the details of the incident. that excerpt we ran in the "times" was an adaptation of whats in our book that you just described so aptly. it really focuses on the experience of deborah ramirez as we understand it, after robin special interest time with her, why the incident hit so hard for her. she was feeling like a fish out of water that first year of veil to begin with for any number of reasons. socioeconomic, cult...

Alleged victim and the alleged victim says this never happened. in the "new york times," that interview last night is even more daximning for somebody in e "new york times" for somebody who decided to take out the part that said oh, wait, a man said it happened but the woman whos the alleged victim said, no, i -- told her friends i dont remember that ever happening. >> well, you know, i mean, i wont pile on "the new york times" editing process except to say that they need to find out why that ha...

>> in your draft for "the times," you used the exact words in the book, that i deliberately left off the name because that passage begins with the name. >> yes. >> and so in their removal of the name, they ended up removing the whole -- >> the whole sentence. so i think it was just an editing -- done in haste, in the editing process as you know for closing the section. >> were you involved in the decision to amend this? >> we discussed it. we felt like there was so much heat. everyone has been k...

>> right. you know, its like saying the sun is going to set later for the president to bash "the new york times." but with respect to the article that came out in collaboration with the el paso "times," the texas "tribune" needs to work with the "new york times." we know their editing process, theyre fiercely accurate. i know some of them personally. i dont think anything is a fabrication. as we said before on this report, you have the government inspector general saying there have been warning ...

Hes not portrayed as a bad individual. hes portrayed as someone who is tough but hes not necessarily portrayed as someone with a bunch of deep character flaws. nowadays we have so many tv shows you have the anti-hero, where you have their flaws put on display and is actually part of what makes them compelling. do you sense there was any sort of room for having -- when you were interviewing for this piece was there a sense that folks didnt want to have any of his flaws on display, or how did that...

Hair gel. but i dont want to use the silicons. what should i use? we start to r&d it. that didnt work and that didnt work. i created a gel made out of starch. you can use it to thicken your gravy. its tapioca starch and cornstarch. thats where the editing process comes in. that didnt work. that didnt work. take the one little thing that works and expand it. not every idea is a good idea. you need to write the ideas down, let them live a little bit and you come back. i think thats the essence of ...

You and khashoggis family at what im sure is an incredibly difficult time. can you talk through the decision to go ahead and publish what may be now the last column from khashoggi? >> sure. thank you. thanks for the words and thanks for having me on. he sent that column in the day before he disappeared in the saudi consulate in istanbul. we held out publishing it because we hoped he would reappear and we would do what we always did, which was go through the editing process with him and, you know...