The Real Randy Cunningham's (R-CA) Quote

I put out an APB and asked anyone who had tivo'd The Daily Show last Thursday to report exactly what Congressman Randy Cunningham (R-CA) said re amending the Constitution to ban flag burning. An eagle-eyed reader tells me that she viewed the film clip, and this is what Cunningham said: "Ask the police and fire that stood on top of the World Trade Center. Ask them and they will tell you, pass this amendment." She also said, referring to my claiming that his words didn't synch with the way his mouth moved, “that's what I heard and those are the words I saw pass his lips.” And I thank this reader very much for clearing this up. Now, the quote is simpleminded. First, no policemen or firefighters stood on top of the World Trade Center after the attack. And second, who is Randy Cunningham to presume to speak for the NYFD and NYPD? But the real point is, how come there are so many versions of this silly quote? When words are put within quotation marks, they supposedly are the exact words that were spoken. Associated Press reported the quote this way: "Ask the men and women who stood on top of the Trade Center," said Rep. Randy (Duke) Cunningham, R-Calif. "Ask them and they will tell you: pass this amendment." CNN used AP's quote but expanded on “Trade Center” : "Ask the men and women who stood on top of the [World] Trade Center," said Rep. Randy [Duke] Cunningham, R-California. "Ask them and they will tell you: pass this amendment." The Moderate Voice used the AP quote, "Ask the men and women who stood on top of the Trade Center," said Rep. Randy (Duke) Cunningham, R-Calif. "Ask them and they will tell you: pass this amendment." Centerfield, A Weblog of Centrist Voices in American Politics reported that these were Cunningham's words: “Ask the men and women at Walter Reed or Bethesda. Ask the police and fire(fighters) that stood on top of the Trade Center. Ask them and they will tell you: 'Help pass this amendment.'” But it's important to note that all the writers kept their version of Cunningham's words within quotation marks. The more stupid the speaker, the more journalists will try to make them sound intelligent. It's an occupational hazard. Writers cannot help creating simple declarative sentences that make sense. Fine. But amending quotes to make them sound better, no matter how small the amendment, is wrong. The quotation marks should be removed when a writer changes the exact words in any way. If writers are assisting an inarticulate and no-account Congressman like Randy “Duke” Cunningham to sound less like the boob he is, we can only imagine what they are doing for George W. Bush when he speaks off-the-cuff.