Should we organize a truth squad to rebut right-wing radio nuts?

[Bossy Monkey]

The last couple of days, my radio dial accidentally fell on the "news" station playing Sean Hannity. Both days he was raving about those true patriots the Swift Boat Veterans and how us liberals are doing them wrong by impugning their motives and that we can't condemn "Unfit for Command" until and unless we've read we've read every word. Now any of us would know that this is just more straight-from-the-RNC lying, but a lot of voters are going to take crap like this at face value. Kerry's camp needs to take these clowns on, but maybe we can help too. It would take about 20 words to refute this particular Hannity raving totally, and it would also be fun to trot about a bunch of liberal books such as those by Franken and Moore and ask Sean when he read those before denouncing them.

What do folks think?

[LuminousX]

1. The minute Kerry addresses it

Kerry is admitting it is important enough to be addressed. I think what is happening is good without Kerry mentioning it.

[michigandem2]

2. That is an excellent point

i get sick of taking it..I really do but saying nothing related to these charges makes him look above this petty slander..

hannity is an idiot...but its more funny for me to hear him now..he is so desperate..I know that no matter who was running for the repukes he would be spewing venom so its not like he LOVES bush...he just doesn't want a "liberal" to run the country..

I think sitting back and letting it all fly at you...while you speak about the issues makes him look better...after reading this board today has helped me realize this...

[Dem_Strategist]

3. How much time are you willing to put into a truth squad?

I think it's a great idea.

[Bossy Monkey]

4. The more I hear these idiots, the more I feel like devoting my time to it

Dunno; I haven't decided what I can really do for Kerry. This might be it.

[alarcojon]

5. I love the idea of asking Hannity if he's read

the books by Franken, Ivins, Hightower, Alterman, Corn, Chomsky, etc. etc. Gee, I wonder what the answer is?

[stevedeshazer]

6. There already is one

http://mediamatters.org/

[Bossy Monkey]

7. No, phoning in and rebutting them; their listeners are not exactly

the ones to do extensive Internet research (beyond logging on FR)

[stevedeshazer]

8. I see what you mean

I have phoned in, but it's tough to get through, and they want to shout you down if you do try to rebut them.

Perhaps a variation on your suggestion would be to create a central repository of rebuttal information for the use of those who call such shows. Is that closer to what you have in mind?

[bobbieinok]

9. I agree...........could that be part of DU??

[ContinentalOp]

11. You can be more sneaky though.

"I have phoned in, but it's tough to get through, and they want to shout you down if you do try to rebut them."

If the rebuttals are boiled down to simple "memes" or talking points you can call into a radio show as a right-winger but slip in these little nuggets of doubt. For example if you want to point out the swift boat author's racist posts on FR you could call up a radio station and talk about how cool those guys are and "hey did you know so-and-so posts on FR under the name "so-and-so". He's so funny! He's one of us. Listen to this one joke he made" etc. That's kind of a bad example but there are probably better ways to go about it. Watch how the provocateurs do it here on DU to see how it works.


On edit: I quoted the message I'm responding to for better context.

[ContinentalOp]

10. I like the idea of a central site with quick rebuttals and talking points.

All of these lies are already rebutted all over the place but it would be a great idea to take information from DU, Media Matters, various blogs, that one DUer's Meme Memo (sorry I forget your name), and collect them all in one place. You could refine the ideas, boil them down to simple, easy to remember and quick to access talking points and create a resource for people who want to call into talk radio, argue with posters on right wing message boards, or even just have a discussion with their neighbors or coworkers. Sorry for the long, run-on sentences but I'm in a bit of a hurry :)