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NEW YORK - What began on David Letterman's Late Show as a comedy bit needling President Bush turned into a comedy of errors this week when CNN got hold of the story.
The whole thing started during a collection of video clips Letterman showed Monday under the label "George W. Bush Invigorates America's Youth."
One showed Bush at a March rally in Orlando. In the group behind him was a boy in his early teens who yawned, checked his watch and generally seemed dead on his feet.
Tuesday morning, CNN attempted to lighten its news mood by running the segment, credited to CBS's Late Show with David Letterman.
Added CNN host Daryn Kagan: "We're being told by the White House that the kid, as funny as he was, was edited into that video, which would explain why the people around him weren't really reacting."
Later on CNN, anchor Kyra Phillips reran the tape but cautioned viewers: "We're told that the kid was there at that event, but not necessarily standing behind the president."
The truth: The White House never complained, and the footage was real.
So is the boy: Tyler Crotty, 13, son of Orange County chairman and Bush supporter Rich Crotty, who Wednesday took full responsibility for Tyler's sleep deprivation, telling the Orlando Sentinel: "His mother was out of town, and I let him stay up too late (the night before)."
On Tuesday night, Letterman aired Kagan's and Phillips' skeptical remarks and ranted: "An out-and-out, 100 percent absolute lie. The kid absolutely was there, and he absolutely was doing everything we pictured via the videotape. ...
"So when you cast your vote in November," he urged, "just remember that the White House was trying to make ME look like a DOPE."
By then, CNN had owned up to its mistake. But the 5:30 p.m. taping had begun before Letterman got the word.
"According to this," he said during the show, referring to an index card in his grasp, "CNN has just phoned and ... the anchorwoman misspoke. They never got a comment from the White House. It was a CNN mistake."
So then he wailed: "Now I've called the White House liars, and you know what that means: They're going to start looking into my taxes!"
CNN spokeswoman Christa Robinson on Thursday confirmed the "misunderstanding among our staff" surrounding the yawning-boy video.
Meanwhile, Kagan made an on-air show of contrition.
"Dave, we apologize for the error," she said, offering to go on his show for a Stupid Human Trick.