How does a statement like this get into a NY Times news piece, as opposed to Op-Ed?

The furor over Clarke's charges threatens the image of a ``war president'' that Bush is nurturing as he campaigns for re-election in November.

Image?!? Nurturing?!? Are we not in a war (or several)? Is Bush not President?

Perhaps they meant to say "succesful war president" or "arch-enemy of terrorism". In any case it's a careless use of language.