DATA Statement

11.09.07

In an interview recently with Brian Williams, Bono was asked for his reaction to reports that a transcript of his remarks at the National Constitution Center's Liberty Medal ceremony had been inappropriately edited. While it wasn't outlined specifically in the interview, Williams and Bono were referring to a highlights video that was created by a Philadelphia tourism organization after the ceremony -- not to the handling of the event by the Center. The Center at no time edited Bono's speech, and posted a complete transcript and video as soon as they were available. The tourism agency's video, which does not include comments Bono made in the speech on American attitudes on torture, is posted on the Center's website and was initially labeled as "Bono's acceptance speech." After DATA raised concerns with this, the Center relabeled the video as highlights from the speech. Bono and DATA have a high regard for the Center and its amazing work.