a nice collection of republicans being WRONG about "fake memo"

[Cocoa]

I love this whole thing. :-)


http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005/04/i-love-when-conservative-bloggers-make.html

<snip>

Tucker Carlson on Chris Matthews' show:

"Last week a memo surfaced, reportedly written by the Republican members of Congress explaining how to make hay with the Terri Schiavo case, the Talking Points Memo, Ah, I think within a week or two it will become clear that that memo was a forgery, possibly written by Democrats on the hill in an effort to discredit Republicans. Bloggers are saying that now and it sounds like they may be right."

<snip>

Fred Barnes via the Washington Times (I think that's a two-fer):

<snip>

"The only evidence was of a dirty trick -- and there wasn't much evidence of that. Powerline, the influential blog, found a version of the memo with typos cleaned up on left-wing Web sites.

"The only basis for blaming Republicans was the unsubstantiated allegation that the memo was spread among Republican senators. Yet no senator stepped forward and said, 'Yes, I got that memo.' Now consider what would have happened if a damning memo had been distributed to Democratic senators, saying the Schiavo issue could be used politically against Republicans. Would anyone in the mainstream media have jumped on it? I doubt it. Only right-wing bloggers would have.

"So rather than an example of aggressive reporting, the memo story turns out to be yet another instance of crude liberal bias, in this case against both Republicans and those who fought to have Schiavo's feeding tube restored. Naturally, the memo had a second life when the story was picked up by other news outlets, pundits, and columnists. How did ABC and others get wind of the memo in the first place? It came from 'Democratic aides,' according to the New York Times, who 'said it had been distributed to Senate Republicans.' Not exactly a disinterested source."

more…



http://thinkprogress.org/index.php?p=599

<snip>

The American Spectator: “It’s Rathergate all over again, and the same vigilant entities that brought about to the collapse of CBS News could now also cause heads to roll…and further shame multiple news organizations that would appear to have fallen for another document hoax… here is no evidence that the talking points were a Martinez staff product.”

Powerline, Time Magazine’s Blog of the Year: “We have written extensively about the fake ‘talking points memo’ on the Schaivo case that ABC News and the Washington Post publicized, beginning on March 18. We have pointed out, most comprehensively in the Weekly Standard, that there is no reason whatsoever to believe that the memo originated with the Republicans, and considerable reason to think it may be a Democratic dirty trick.”

Accuracy in Media: “The memo may have been written by some Republican somewhere. But there’s no independent evidence at this point that it was authorized by a Republican Senator or written by a top Republican staffer. If the media are confident that the memo is real, let them produce an actual copy and describe in detail how they verified it. There’s no reason we should accept their claims about this memo at face value. Didn’t we learn anything from Memogate?”

A post on the FreeRepublic: “Here we go again. Another fake memo story is handled quite well by new media types John Hinderaker and Cliff Kincaid and along comes the defender of all things old media Howard Kurtz to set the record straight. Kurtz is again put in the uncomfortable position of trying to spin another one of his employers and the rest of the old media out of a poor decision. This time the implication is that the GOP was willing to politicize the Terri Schiavo case. To get to that point, the proof the old media cited was a poorly worded, rambling note that was unsigned and was being distributed by Democrats to Republicans. They called it ‘talking points’ and imply that the ‘memo’ was written by the GOP. The defense is comical.”

more…

[CatWoman]

1. here's some more (from our side):

(Update): World O' Crap analyzes Powerline and Brian Darling, the man who wrote the memo: Powerline's Hindrocket on the "Schiavo Memo "The third possibility is that the memo is a Democratic dirty trick. At the moment, that looks most likely.

The Carpet Bagger Report says: The end of the dumbest … right-wing conspiracy theory … ever

Steve Gilliard writes: Idiots: Here's a hint Howie: the right guys don't do their research. It's all ideology to them.

Armando via Kos writes: Egg on his Face: Kurtz Burned by Powerline: Hindrocket is Kurtz's own personal Curveball.

Talking Points Memo writes: I hope some folks have sense enough to feel like real fools tonight.

MyDD writes: Michelle Malkin can quit worrying about why wingnuts that dream up non-factual stories are ignored (well, we wish they were). As for "the boys at Powerline" (hey, that's what the winger gals call them), they really blew their brand new toaster on this one.

Roger asks us: Who Is Brian Darling? My guess is that Brian Darling will be very, very quiet about his role in the circulating the G.O.P. memo, and will find himself again in a comfortable position in the right-wing lobbying machine very, very soon. If he knows what's good for him.

Shakespeare's Sister soliloquies: Memo to Conservative Bloggers: Better Luck Next Time

Tucker Carlson: Last week a memo surfaced, reportedly written by the Republican members of Congress explaining how to make hay with the Terri Schiavo case, the Talking Points Memo, Ah, I think within a week or two it will become clear that that memo was a forgery, possibly written by Democrats on the hill in an effort to discredit Republicans.

Oliver tells them to all: Shut Up!

Kevin Drum writes: With that, I hope that Power Line and Hugh Hewitt and Michelle Malkin and the rest of the crew trying to relive the glory days of Rathergate will take his lead and just STFU. Enough.

MyKeru wrrites: What's Good for Their Cooked Goose is Good for the Gander.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2005/04/07.html#a2344

[BurtWorm]

2. Notice how it has been Republicans obsessing about this memo.

Has DU been obsessing about it? No! But I wouldn't doubt that freepers have been obsessing about, as the right-wing press clearly has been. They've been dying for another "Rathergate." Once they taste a little blood, they've got to keep getting more and more.

PS: And they'll forge the forgeries themselves to get another Rathergate.

[bryant69]

4. See that's the nice thing about not being crazy

It's much less tiring.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Cocoa]

7. very good point

you're very right, we haven't been obsessing about this memo. I guess we don't need a smoking gun to see the republicans' hypocrisy, it would be just as obvious without this stupid memo.

The funny thing is the freepers & co. who simply can't believe this thing could be real. How gullible can they get that they take people like Delay for being sincere?

[fob]

3. I love the Idiot Fred Barnes reference to "versions with typos cleaned

up on left-wing websites", that's fucking priceless! I can't stand to read freeper posts with "Hugh" when they mean "Huge" and "Loose" when they mean "lose" so if I'm sure glad those evil "left-wingers" cleaned up their stupidity and Idiot Fred Barnes thinks that's "proof".

Fucking MorAns! (Yes, it's misspelled on purpose, lurking Idiot Fred Barnes)

[librechik]

5. in the immortal words of Nelson Muntz: " Ha ha"

the old "Oh it's a forgery from the liberals" gambit didn't work in the face of actual facts.

What a shocker!

[rocktivity]

6. Yum!

Skinner, you didn't give us this smiley a moment too soon!

:popcorn:
rocknation