The 'Goat' of 9/11

By: E&P Staff Well, we're glad they got that straight.

In a belated, bizarre, Sunday editon correction, The New York Times today cleared up a myth Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" propagated and the federal commission on the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks missed.

It's The Goat, stupid.

The now-famous piece of writing President George W. Bush patiently (for seven minutes) held in his hands during a classroom read-along in Florida on the morning of 9/11 was not a book but a mere story, and it was titled "The Pet Goat," not "My Pet Goat."

Actually, E&P pointed out this discrepancy months ago, but no matter, here's how the newspaper of record phrased it this morning:

"An article on Oct. 30 about a video-taped message from Osama bin Laden, in which he told the United States that it could avoid a repetition of the 9/11 attacks if it stopped threatening Muslims' security, referred incorrectly to material being read in a Florida classroom where President Bush was visiting when he learned of the attacks. (The error also appeared in earlier articles, starting on May 23.) The reading was a story -- not a book -- and it was titled 'The Pet Goat,' not 'My Pet Goat.' A reader telephoned last week to point out the error."