Conason: "Drudge & the GOP smear machine are back in the Dems pants"

[flpoljunkie]

http://www.salon.com/opinion/conason/2004/02/13/drudge/print.html



There he goes again!
Matt Drudge and the GOP smear machine are back in the Democrats' pants.

By Joe Conason

Feb. 13, 2004 Is American politics suddenly returning to the bad old days, when Washington journalism became frenzied with sheet sniffing and keyhole peeping? That seems to be the default program of the right-wing media machine whenever Republican poll numbers sink into the red zone.

Late Thursday morning -- with George W. Bush's credibility damaged on several fronts as reporters demanded answers to questions about his National Guard service that should have been asked years ago -- the Drudge Report defamed his leading Democratic challenger with a "world exclusive" smudge of personal dirt.

Vague and unsourced but hyped to the maximum by Drudge, the brief item sounded disturbingly familiar. The Internet gossip accused John Kerry of "recent alleged infidelity" with "a woman who recently fled the country," adding that a "close friend of the woman recently approached a reporter with fantastic stories." The same item ran an "off the record" comment attributed to retired Gen. Wesley Clark, who was quoted as saying, "Kerry will implode over an intern issue." Major news organizations from ABC News to the Associated Press, warned Drudge, were all over the story.

By evening, however, no major news organization had run with it, though many were chasing it. Perhaps frustrated, Drudge put up an additional item eight hours later, with a few more details about the alleged relationship. "Unlike the Monica Lewinsky drama, which first played out publicly in this space, with audio tapes, cigar and a dress, the Kerry situation has posed a challenge to reporters investigating the claims," his later item explained. Drudge also quoted a "top source" as saying: "There is no lawsuit testimony this time . It is hard to prove."

But the kind of proof usually required by national news organizations isn't what Drudge needs in order to put innuendo into circulation.

more...

Exactly the point. This innuendo is now out in the public domain. Mission accomplished. We, at DU, however, ought not to be sucked into this GOP smear campaign against our likely Democratic nominee for President.

[JI7]

1. this is really good reading

for everyone. conason gets it and deals with many points.

[dpbrown]

2. Matt the Masturbator Drudge

That's what they should call him.

This is garbage. Dividing over ideology is one thing, this unsourced disgusting crap is another.

[THUNDER HANDS]

3. this will be old news

in a week.

Sex trumps a lot of things, but not war and not money.

[oasis]

5. This will wither on the vine after JK steamrolls to victory in Wisconsin.

[Tim_in_HK]

4. I really can't believe

anyone here is taking any of this crap seriously.

I've been away from the board for about 4 hours, come back to it, started reading all the posts about Kerry and the intern, and assumed that some breaking news had occurred. Only to find . . . nope, nada, zilch, nothing.

Except that Rush and Co have picked up the torch and eagerly ran with it.

All I can say to the Kerry supporters out there is you have my sympathy. This whole thing is an exercise in futility and a colossal waste of time.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

7. It is more revealing of the people pushing it

than it is worrying or troubling.

[flpoljunkie]

6. Kick for those who missed it earlier.

:kick:

[JI7]

8. that picture

that picture of drudge tells it all.