HuffPo: Fact-Checking the Blogs; Left vs. Right

[dalaigh lllama]

Eric Boehlert says something here that's good to remember as many of us here lick our wounds over the truthout.org controversy:

Anyone looking for the latest piece of proof that liberals and conservatives play by a different set of rules, with liberals setting a higher bar for personal responsibility, look no further than the back-and-forth taking place online over a dubious report from a liberal website ten days ago that Karl Rove had already been indicted on charges of perjury by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's grand jury. The report was posted May 13, by Truthout.org. Not a single other news organization has been able to confirm the facts and lots of people are expressing doubts about Truthout.org, including conservative bloggers who've been busy mocking the report.

What's worth noting though, is the fact that, concerned about potential damage being done to the larger, liberal blogosphere, online progressives have also stepped forward and pressed Truthout.org for answers. Not content to ignore the possible mishap just because it appealed to a deep-seated Democratic contempt for Rove, key liberal voices online have demanded a full account of the report. (Truthout.org, btw, stands by its account, that Rove has officially been indicted but that the charges just haven't been made public.)

That kind of grappling and soul-searching has been regularly AWOL among key, high-profile, right-wing bloggers such as Michelle Malkin and those at Power Line, who have repeatedly jumped the misinformation tracks only to be met with silence from their online political peers. (When not being met by cheers.) The fact that liberal bloggers take a more responsible approach may not be news to most players online, but it's important that the mainstream media understand the difference between the two groups and stop pretending the activists play by the same rules of fairness. (The Wall Street Journal's. D.C. bureau was quick to write-up the Truthout.org story as a cautionary tale about liberal blogs, but the paper's news department has turned a blind eye to several recent instances of conservative blogs actively peddling misinformation.)

More...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-boehlert/factchecking-the-blogs-_b_21493.html

[katinmn]

1. Good post. Thanks!

There were many calls to curb the enthusiasm until all the facts were in.

[dalaigh lllama]

9. I think Pacifist Patriot nailed the problem in this post

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1263315

[KittyWampus]

2. Michelle Malkin-Soul Searching. Now There's A Statistically Improbable

pairing of words.

[NJ_Lib]

3. Uchhh, I have to look away when she speaks...

It's either that or mute the sound... The two combined is too much to bear... :puke:

[dogday]

5. Didn't she sell her soul? nt

[SeattleVet]

13. Why is it improbable that she's searching for a soul?

She's never shown that she actually had one. Maybe she's looking for one from here, or one of the unused ones from over at freeperville.

[LSparkle]

4. Just one word: DRUDGE

How many retractions is he up to now? During this week alone? Like this administration, he just keeps lying ... and lying ... and lying ...

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. Now if we could just learn how to debate

without put-downs and personal insults we might be able to actually get somewhere.

[dalaigh lllama]

10. A hearty Amen to that sentiment.

I wonder how many folks won't ever come back to DU after some of the eviscerating. Sad, really.

[jsamuel]

7. yep

[RufusEarl]

8. Something clever to say!

I wish i could think of something clever to say, but nothing comes to mind. Except that most progressive/liberals/democrats, make mistakes like everyone else, the only difference when we make a mistake we'll admit it.

According to Truthout they haven't conceded the story is wrong, and they're sticking to the original story that Rove has been indited. Truthout claims the admin just hasn't released the the news to the MSM, this may or may not be accurate.

But to me the story has developed more into an ethical story then a beltway crime story, and the fact that progressive/liberal/democrats are more ethical the RW/wingnut/conservatives.

This is something i've always known, but anyone with doubt can look at the way this story has been handled by the progressive/liberal/democratic bloggers and come to their on conclusion.

Peace!

[dalaigh lllama]

12. Peace, indeed.

I guess this editorial struck me as the one silver lining from the entire episode.

[demobabe]

11. This is an excellent point

And we should remind the WaPo and other MSM the next time they give a blind eye to a conservative blog peddling misinformation.

[progressoid]

14. We're better, so it's only natural that we are held to a higher standard.

The RW blogs aren't any different from RW radio, Fox and most of the MSM. "That kind of grappling and soul-searching has been regularly AWOL" among ALL of them.