ABC Reporter Favored GIs who Support Obama in Iraq-Fiction!

ABC Reporter Ignored GIs In Iraq Voting for McCain to Feature GIs Voting for Obama-Fiction!

Summary of the eRumor:
The writer of the eRumor claims it is from a retired Major General Buckman. He says that his niece is station in Iraq and was present when Martha Raddatz of ABC covered a visit to Iraq by Senator and Presidential candidate John McCain. The email says that Raddatz asked a group of 60 GIs whom they planed to vote for in November. Fifty-four of them said John McCain and 4 said Barack Obama. Later in a televised report from Iraq, Raddatz featured 5 GIs for Obama and didn't mention the 54 for McCain.

The Truth:
This forwarded email, which began circulating in July, 2008, is a hoax.

Martha Raddatz told TruthOrFiction.com that the incident described in the email did not happen and that she did not meet with 60 GIs.

Additionally, First, Major General Louis C. Buckman has told Martha Raddatz, that he did not author the email and is upset that his name got attached to it. In an email to Rddatz he said, "Martha-the referenced e-mail about the reaction of our men and women in Iraq was not authored by me. I would not send or forward an e-mail that I knew to be bogus or untrue and would appreciate it not being associated with me."

Buckman has said the same to others who have contacted him including bloggers such as Lewis Perdue.

Updated 7/16/08

A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:

Subject: The news is merely someone's selected slant these days .... not worth the time to watch when you

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Lou, This from Major General (ret) Buckman, a close friend of ours. Will

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My niece, Katelyn, stationed at Baluud , Iraq was assigned, with others of her detachment, to be escort/guard/ watcher for Martha Raddatz of ABC News as she covered John McCain's recent trip to Iraq . Katelyn and her Captain stood directly behind Raddatz as she queried GI's walking past. They kept count of the GI's and you should remember these numbers. She asked 60 GI's who they planned to vote for in November. 54 said John McCain, 4 for Obama and 2 for Hillary. Katelyn called home and told her Mom and Dad to watch ABC news the next night because she was standing directly behind Raddatz and maybe they'd see her on TV. Mom and Dad of course, called and emailed all the kinfolk to watch the newscast and maybe see Katelyn. Well, of course, we all watched and what we saw wasn't a glimpse of Katelyn, but got a hell' uva view of skewed news. After a dissertation on McCain's trip and speech, ABC showed 5 GI's being asked by Raddatz how they were going to vote in November; 3 for Obama and 2 for Clinton . No mention of the 54 for McCain.