Reply #15: uh huh

[wyldwolf]

Here's a prime example I ran across on Buzz Flash this morning:

The Democratic candidates have major differences on policy. . . . As they have done in the past, the center-right Democratic Leadership Council is this time around running what in Standard-Breed (trotters and pacers) horse racing terminology is known as an "entry." In these races, one owner can enter two horses and bettors can bet both as if they were one. If either horse wins, places, or shows, the bettor collects. In 2004 the DLC entry was John Edwards and Richard Gephardt. . . . Neither won, of course, but the DLC was able to project the perennial loser Bob Shrum into the Kerry Campaign and we all know what happened. . . This time the DLC has an entry as well . . . Clinton and Obama.

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/jonas/152

There are several outright fabrications in this one paragraph alone:

In 2004 the DLC entry was John Edwards and Richard Gephardt

WRONG! By 2004, Dick Gephardt had already been disassociated with the DLC for years. And John Kerry was a DLC member in good standing. The author fails to even mention DLCers Bob Graham and Joe Lieberman.

the DLC was able to project the perennial loser Bob Shrum into the Kerry Campaign

WRONG: Bob Shrum has never been associated with the DLC. As former DLC Policy Director Ed Kilgore said in 2006, "Bob Shrum's relationship with the DLC is about as warm as Ned Lamont's with Joe Lieberman."

This time the DLC has an entry as well . . . Clinton and Obama.

WRONG: Barack Obama never joined the Senate New Democrat coalition.

And here's a good example of a blog pointing to another blog that cold busted David Sirota for misrepresenting the words of former Ohio congressional candidate Paul Hackett.:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/10/26/10235/112

Another great example I recall was from Ari Berman in The Nation. When discussing the 2005 bankruptcy bill, Ari Berman tries to build a case for Sen. Clinton being in favor of that legislation because she voted for a similar bill in 2001 that did not pass and because she missed the vote on the 2005 version. What the author either neglects to mention (setting up the inaccuracy) was Clinton not only opposed the 2005 bill as indicated in a speech the day before, she was also one of only 29 Senators to vote against cloture on it. Few faulted Clinton for missing the vote - she was by her husband’s side during his open heart surgery.