“PREP. DO NOT PUBLISH UNTIL THE NEWS CROSSES” did not stop the online news website Deadline from accidentally publishing a prewritten story on Thursday.
The news outlet apologized and deleted a story that hit the front page of its website with the headline: “PREP. DO NOT PUBLISH UNTIL THE NEWS CROSSES. Vice President Mike Pence Tests Positive For Coronavirus 8 Days After Donald Trump.”
It addressed the mistake in a note to readers, where it acknowledged that the story was “a draft” and that it “was never meant to [be] published.”
“It was pulled down immediately,” the note continued. “It never should have been posted and Deadline will take steps to see this kind of thing never happens again. Apologies to the Vice President and our readers. We regret the error.”
Katie Miller, Pence’s communications director, addressed the situation Thursday night.
IRRESPONSIBLE & UTTERLY FALSE. https://t.co/28Yv4hWyKB
— Katie Miller (@VPComDir) October 8, 2020
News outlets often prewrite stories in anticipation for an event to occur — in this case, Deadline accidentally jumped the gun. The headline noted that the vice president had tested positive “8 days” after President Trump received his diagnosis, which would correlate to Friday, given the White House said Trump’s first positive COVID-19 test was Oct. 1.
If the vice president were to contract the coronavirus, it would not be shocking given the virus has spread throughout the White House and the president’s reelection campaign.
