He lied about Iraq trying to get nukes from Niger. He lied about Iraq trying to get nukes from Africa. He just lied

The truth is complicated. Just ask The New York Times:

A front-page news analysis article on Wednesday about the impact of electoral politics on President Bush's State of the Union address referred incorrectly to a statement in last year's address, about Iraqi efforts to acquire uranium. The president said Iraq had been seeking to buy uranium in Africa. He did not specifically mention the African country of Niger, though it was identified several weeks earlier — along with Somalia and Congo — in the National Intelligence Estimate provided to members of Congress on Iraqi purchase attempts.

Actually, the president said:

The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.

And, to this day, British intelligence stands behind the report. Why is it so hard to report the words the president actually used, rather than try to characterize them one way or another?