"It's a former president, Tom. What do you say -- he's not delicious?"

This month CNN accidentally posted some of its prewritten obituaries to the Web, letting us see how it plans to cover the deaths of Dick Cheney, Fidel Castro, and other notables. The Smoking Gun captured some screenshots before CNN discovered its error and took down the obits.

One disappointment: The website's tribute to Jerry Ford does not appear to include the line, "Tragedy today, as former president Gerald Ford was eaten by wolves." ("Just covering our bases, Tom. You never know.")

[Via The Agitator.]

Comments

Sven | April 17, 2003, 3:11am | #

It's curious that they all love(d) racing.

Kevin Carson | April 17, 2003, 8:08am | #

Are you familiar with the claim (I'm not sure of what validity) that FDR composed his "day of infamy" speech BEFORE Pearl Harbor?

I'm afraid to admit that composing obituaries for the pigs (ahem, I mean "our leaders") is one of my own hobbies. It could be construed in all sorts of unpleasant ways in this new age of freedom and homeland security.

david f | April 17, 2003, 11:32am | #

well, if you want to take vacation, you have to be prepared that gerry would get masticated on by lupine creatures...
drf

Steve | April 17, 2003, 11:48am | #

Reminds me of the prepared speech Nixon had that would have been read upon the demise of Apollo 11 Astronauts... covering the bases I suppose.

On a lighter note, CNN will now probably be accused of wishing the death of two Republican ex presidents and a current VP (who many believe really runs the show).

:-)

md | April 17, 2003, 11:52am | #

They need a new obit writer. Almost all of them ended the first paragraph with "there wasn't much he did not do in his lifetime." Hacky...

Russ | April 17, 2003, 11:53am | #

The Castro one mixed with Reagan stuff was funny.

Madog | April 17, 2003, 12:44pm | #

"I am Ford, not a Lincoln"
Now that's a funny quote - all sorts of car images come to mind.

Jim N | April 18, 2003, 2:27am | #

Kevin...Carnivore! Carnivore!

Harry Tuttle | April 18, 2003, 11:50am | #

Kevin, your confession has been forwarded to the proper authorities.