McCain campaign ‘steered’ reporters to hoax attack story.
By on Oct 25th, 2008 at 11:07 am
McCain campaign ‘steered’ reporters to hoax attack story.
Yesterday on NBC News, Brian Williams revealed that the McCain campaign quietly “steered” the media toward the story, now proven to be a hoax, about a young volunteer, Ashley Todd, being attacked by an Obama supporter:
The McCain campaign steered reporters’ attention to the story yesterday. John McCain even called the 20-year old woman. Sarah Palin called her family. Well, tonight that woman is charged with making a false report.
Watch it:
TPM’s Greg Sargent also reported yesterday on the McCain campaign’s involvement in pushing the hoax, with a spokesman allegedly telling reporters that the attacker told the victim, “Oh you’re with McCain, you’re with the McCain campaign? I’m going to teach you a lesson.”
UpdateTodd is now reportedly "upset with the media for blowing this into a political firestorm."
UpdateThinkProgress spoke with a representative from the McCain campaign who confirmed that they have not yet put out a statement about the Todd hoax.
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Willie Horten has left the building.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:12 amclassy
October 25th, 2008 at 11:15 amThe MSM needs to dig deeper into this. It's obvious that the McCain camp and even McCain/Palin were in on this hoax. They need to be called out.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:16 amHowever, this is the MSM, so I am not holding my breath.
Ms. Todd did something mind-bendingly stupid and now she is "upset with the media" for reporting it? Wow. She just might have a future as a Republican strategist.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:20 amShe' upset with the press for turning this into a media circus, why not the McCain campaign?
October 25th, 2008 at 11:20 amThis is PROOF that mcgrampa is not worthy to be president. FACT
October 25th, 2008 at 11:22 amI see this crazy pig got the memo, blame the "liberal media." What a freaking pathetic loser you are.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:26 amThis could be the final nail in the McCain campaign's coffin, as stated by the Fox VP...that is if the media will actually INVESTIGATE it and REPORT it...
October 25th, 2008 at 11:30 amTodd is now reportedly "upset with the media for blowing this into a political firestorm."
All the false indignation is really getting old...
Did she learn nothing from Sarah Pailn or Joe the Plumber or even John McCain himself? We Liberals have had enough of you lying sacks o' shit getting away with your business as usual, and if you're not going to hold yourselves to a higher level of honor, then WE will.
Stupid Republicans.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:31 amIf you surround yourself with inept campaign advisers how can you be trusted to have competent people in your circle of advisers if elected?
Todd's 15 minutes of fame will most likely lead into book or movie rights - which will further document the insanity of the neoconservative movement and it's attempt to destroy America.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:33 amOT: The republicans repeat the mantra that raising taxes on Americans will worsen the economy and that raising taxes on corporations is the reason why corporations move their manufacturing operations overseas.
We have been under the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy for almost eight years now and it hasn't stimulated the economy. As for high corporate taxes. I heard the other day that 60% of corporations haven'tpaid any taxes over the past six years.
So this mantra is just another republican lie.
1-Giving tax cuts to lower and middleclass workers will stimulate the economy more than giving out tax cuts to the wealthy.
2-Corporations outsource and move overseas out of greed more than they do due to higher taxes.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:33 amThe more I read about Ashley the ATM Attack Hoaxer, the more it seems that this is a case of the McCain Campaign trying to take advantage of a very troubled individual. I think she probably called them before going to the police, and as usual they thought it would be a great idea. Just another case of McNumbnuts exploitation blowing up in his face.
I hope this girl gets the proper treatment she needs for her obvious mental issues. It is to late to get any treatment for McDummy though.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:34 amThe McCain campaign steered reporters’ attention to the story yesterday. John McCain even called the 20-year old woman. Sarah Palin called her family. Well, tonight that woman is charged with making a false report.
I suppose, for some people, simply the scent of power is enough to fully corrupt them...
Imagine what would happen with these two power-whores if they were actually elected and took office? They would make Hitler and Mussolini would look like a couple of Egalitarians...
October 25th, 2008 at 11:35 amTodd is now reportedly "upset with the media for blowing this into a political firestorm."
Boo frickin' hoo.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:35 amUncle Fester Lurks Says: OT: The republicans repeat the mantra that raising taxes on corporations is the reason why corporations move their manufacturing operations overseas.
I once asked a Con to tell me why, if this were the case, American companies like GE have fully-functioning facilities in countries like France where the middle-class tax payer gets actual health care, vacations, and a host of other quality-of-life benefits - while the company itself pays higher taxes than they do here in the United States.
I never got a response.
But for any Cons reading, the answer is 'productivity'. Despite higher taxes on corporations, and a boat-load of benefits to the average worker that includes 35 hour work weeks, the French have a highre level of productivity tan 50-hour per week over-worked Americans.
Why?
Well, it's simple really. When working people are happy and feel secure they work more efficiently, are rarely ill, want to help their employer succeed - and, as a giant bonus - then go out and spend money, which causes the economy to thrive.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:43 amTodd is now reportedly "upset with the media for blowing this into a political firestorm."
Wow, maybe Todd and Joe the Plumber should consider running together in 2012!
October 25th, 2008 at 11:48 amTodd is now reportedly "upset with the media for blowing this into a political firestorm."
She is upset with the media? What in the hell did she think would happen regarding her hoax. It's pretty apparent to me that she did this hoping to make Obama look bad and to benefit McCain. How could that have been accomplished without the press?
It was highly irresponsible for the McCain Campaign to try to whip up hysteria about this situation. They could have caused a full-on race riot by their actions. But, I'm sure they would not have cared and they certainly would not have taken responsibility for it. The would have said "We did not tell those people to riot, so it's not our fault".
The minute I read that story I knew it was a hoax. Besides the perfect backwards "B", the black eye was too perfect. I got a black eye once and it didn't look that black until the next day, not hours after it happened.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:49 amAnother horrific dragging death in Texas, but she has the f___ing audacity to moan about the press and the McCain Palin campaign use this to their political gain, before it blows up in their face
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27365080/
October 25th, 2008 at 11:50 am#unbelievable Says:
Uncle Fester Lurks Says: OT: The republicans repeat the mantra that raising taxes on corporations is the reason why corporations move their manufacturing operations overseas.
Somehow these corporations were able to survive during the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's just fine without having to move their operations over seas.
Health care is a big issue. Recently Toyota was trying to open a new plant in Detroit. But, they ended up in opening it in Canada for one reason and one reason only...health care. If they had opened the plant here, they would have had to pay for their employee's health care. In Canada, they did not have to carry that burden.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:52 amIf this scandal had worked the other way around and it was the OBAMA campaign that had "steered" the media towards a story of an OBAMA campaign worker being attacked, sexually assaulted, and mutilated by a MCCAIN supporter...which later turned out to be a poorly fabricated hoax...how many days of nonstop news coverage on every major network would you expect? 5? 6? Every single day up until and after the election?
Since it is not the other way around...how many days of nonstop news coverage on every major network do you expect this story will get? 1? 2? or will the weekend kill it and we'll be onto new stuff on Monday?
It remains to be seen, I'm surprised this portion of it (McCain Campaign's involvement) is being mentioned at all outside of the blogosphere.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:55 amdumbstruck Says:
Todd’s 15 minutes of fame will most likely lead into book or movie rights - which will further document the insanity of the neoconservative movement and it’s attempt to destroy America.
Well, why not. Joe the Plumber is already trying to pitch a book deal. Next up, a "movie of the week".
I am ashamed of how shallow this country has become.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:56 amI smell a reality TV series in the making. Let’s call it “Crazy Conservatives and the Crazy Things They Do”.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:58 amBilbo Hussein Baggins Says: If they had opened the plant here, they would have had to pay for their employee’s health care. In Canada, they did not have to carry that burden.
Another argument that the Republicans cannot win, and they will eventually have to stop battling.
Michael Moore clearly showed the nation that we could have National Health Care in which all Americans have quality care for HALF the cost of what we are paying now.
What self-depricating moron wouldn't want that? Oh, yeah, the people who won't pay a dime for welfare for the truly indigent, but will gladly pay $700 billion for welfare for Wall Street, and now, Insurance giants.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:00 pmBilbo Hussein Baggins Says: Well, why not. Joe the Plumber is already trying to pitch a book deal. Next up, a “movie of the week”.
I saw he is considering running for Congress. LOL!
Oh, please, please, please! The entertainment factor alone would be priceless. Just look at how much fun we are having with Caribou Barbie via SNL?
October 25th, 2008 at 12:03 pmIt seems this woman learned well from her handlers: Do something indescribably stupid, then blame the media for reporting it. Always shoot the messenger, no matter what.
Other reports describe this woman as a "troubled" individual. She's a McCain supporter; I don't see how it could be otherwise.
To me, she sounds like your typical bigoted ("A big, mean black man did it!"), ignorant, easily led, Bible-thumping, "I've got mine, screw you" Republican. This is McCain's base.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:09 pmIn case anyone hasn't seen them yet, YouTube has plenty of videos that show the lunacy of McCain's base.
As a sample, watch these bigots call Obama supporters "commie faggots" (!?!?) here.
Calling this woman a "troubled McCain supporter" is redundant.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:17 pmBack in 1994, South Carolina mother Susan Smith earned the revulsion of the nation when she blamed a mysterious black assailant for the abduction of her two sons, children she ultimately admitted having murdered herself. With today's revelations that it helped foster a hoax about the supposed assault of one of its volunteers by an African-American backer of Barack Obama, John McCain's presidential campaign has joined Smith as a race-baiting fraud.
For the details, see:
October 25th, 2008 at 12:18 pm"The McCain Campaign's Susan Smith Moment."
Stupid, desperate, people do stupid, desperate things.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:21 pmFixed it.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:22 pmThere are no depths the republicans will not stoop to.
They have sent monica on a semen collecting mission to discredit a sitting president of the US.
Remember, the only political assasications committed in the last 100 years in America were Democrats.
They feared MLK enough to have him assasinated too.
I admit to being a little afraid of these republicans, my fellow Americans. They have no honor.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:26 pmThe putrid smell of desperation! Webster's definition of desperation: loss of hope and surrender to despair, a state of hopelessness leading to rashness.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:27 pmThe dumb bytche should've jumped off a bridge since she's so miserable.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:27 pmI know it's prolly only wishful thinkin' on my part, but is there any chance they'll charge the entire McPain campaign w/ filing a false report? Please???
October 25th, 2008 at 12:40 pmThat's the sad part, that the McCain campaign tried to exploit the story. I think the young lady needs help. Even when the story was coming out, which I think was on Thursday, the whole thing seemed fishy. I would have been more cautious with the story than some in the McCain campaign were. Now it's biting them in the butt. http://straighttalkonmccain.blogspot.com/
October 25th, 2008 at 12:45 pmEwww, this smells bad...F her...F McCain...F Palin...F Joe the Plumber/Six-Pack...
October 25th, 2008 at 12:48 pmthe guy behind this whole false flag, who was pushing this story like a madman the moment he allegedly "just heard" about it, is her boss Ethan Eilon (yes, she WAS employed there..she has NOT volunteer) at the National College Republicans..send him your love..
eeilon@crnc.org
http://www.facebook.com/people/Ethan_Eilon/20205997
http://twitter.com/eeilon
http://lifeinthefield.com/blogs/ethan-eilon
http://brightkite.com/people/eeilon
October 25th, 2008 at 12:48 pmSpoxlogic: "It’s obvious that the McCain camp and even McCain/Palin were in on this hoax."
It's possible, but it's still conjecture and assumption to claim this hoax was organized 'from the top' at this point.
Granted the hoax was as shambolic as the McCain campaign has been (and still is) but that observation proves nothing.
The racist and xenophobic tone of the McCain-Palin campaign of late deemed necessary to whip-up 'enthusiasm' from the Republican base I'm sure served as an inspiration to this stupid bigoted young woman working in the state the campaign has targeted as being its last hope to challenge Obama, a state which it was and is clearly losing.
Absent more facts for the moment it appears to me that there was no premeditated 'plan' at work but rather a venal impulse.
It seems to me the McCain campaign involvement came after the fact (or rather after the 'fact') but that certainly doesn't excuse their reaction to the initial story which was to promote it immediately as it appeared to mesh so well with their present racist strategy.
I expect the claim will be made that overwhelming concern over Todd's well-being colored their judgment, i.e it was a 'natural reaction' to be sympathetic to the 'victim' and so it wasn't their fault that the story was bollocks.
That doesn't wash because if they were more genuinely concerned about Todd they would have attended to her FIRST, especially by getting her some medical attention and helping her with the police process.
Instead they got the phone call and immediately trued to turn it into an "October surprise".
As of know it is my opinion that Ms. Todd took desperate action facilitated by the McCain campaign as a whole, the campaign manager saw an opportunity to exploit the young woman's story, roped Palin and McCain in with the phone calls to give it more 'weight' and being a desperate stupid bigot himself assumed the whole thing would play so strongly on the emotional level in public that it would create a general sense of outrage, rather than simply outrage the partisan base.
He had no interest in getting the details because at the very least he didn't have the time. as far as he was concerned, to bother with them. He wanted the story to be true, personally and professionally, and he especially needed it to be true to justify himself and his crappy disgusting campaign.
To help it along he roped McCain and Palin in to make their concerned phone calls when he'd already set the story in motion. But that assumption of mine doesn't excuse McCain and Palin as both are guilty of encouraging and/or not discouraging racism and bigotry to maintain their campaign, and clearly McCain either didn't think to question his campaign manager or worse let him promote the story immediately. Either case speaks volumes about McCain.
I guess what I'm getting at is that I dno;t think it was a planned conspiracy, but it became a conspiracy, by default.
The worst of it though, IMHO, is that McCain's manager was obviously prepared to try and turn the election by tipping the country to violent reaction and McCain was ready to play his part at the least out of sheer ignorance, stupidity and self-serving expediency.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:51 pmYou know, a simple "now we don't need that" from McCain and Palin when somebody shouts "kill him" and other such outrages may well have prevented this hoax story from ever being planted by this 20-year old Texas woman. It is a case of you reap what you sow.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:53 pmoff topic but revelant:
AP INVESTIGATION: Palin pipeline terms curbed bids:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081025/ap_on_el_pr/palin_pipeline_1;_ylt=AqJi5PMKMc3ld2NhQcLwprtg.3QA
October 25th, 2008 at 12:58 pmmaybe she had a "wide stance"
October 25th, 2008 at 12:58 pmMcCain Faces Internal "Palin Insurgency"
Politico's Ben Smith reports on the internal tensions that are roiling the McCain campaign, with many Palin allies voicing their unhappiness at how the campaign has been run. According to Smith, there are now "stirrings of a Palin insurgency." Some of the highlights:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/25/mccain-faces-internal-pal_n_137786.html
October 25th, 2008 at 12:59 pm"ThinkProgress spoke with a representative from the McCain campaign who confirmed that they have not yet put out a statement about the Todd hoax."
"have not yet" = "will never"...
you can't spin this one, no way, no how. if they condemn her, they risk LOSING alot of nutballs who are happy that someone did ANYTHING, so matter how illegal, to try and stop Obama.
right now, id day those sorts are a good 30 to 50 percent of the peopel who are voting for them...
and if they say anything besides condemning her, they look like they were in on it...they look like absolute fools for harping about this, even calling her, and theres nothing they can do about it...
sorry mcpalin/hitler youth, EPIC FAIL... send your love to the email I posted above.. and sorry mccain/palin, as usual, anything you say will only make you look more stupid...par for the course with PLane Crash and Trailer Trash '08 at the helm..
October 25th, 2008 at 1:06 pmI'm guessing that if this kind of thing is taking place there's the possibility that they may not have the ability to steal this one.
October 25th, 2008 at 1:06 pmOr maybe they just haven't yet found a solid reason to pin mcbush's amazing last minute come-back on.
McCain actually called the woman before he knew all the facts?
McCain. Epic. Fail.
October 25th, 2008 at 1:07 pmso, the fat skank is mad the media has turned this into a political firestorm? what was your intention, crazy beyotch?
October 25th, 2008 at 1:08 pmThat story stank from the first instant i saw the foto of the alleged knife marks.
There was NO BLOOD, and Ashley Todd was a substantial enough young woman to have leaked a little blood had she REALLY been scratched by an attaqcker.
No blood.
No scabs...
No, that's not exactly true. Ashley's pretty much a scab, tout suite...
October 25th, 2008 at 1:09 pmAnyone stupid enough to pull this stunt wouldn't be smart enough to think of it in the first place.
Therefore she had help.
Q.E.D.
October 25th, 2008 at 1:11 pmi wonder if anyone told this stupid cow bearing false witness is a sin and jeebus will get her for it? i can see michele bachmann making the call to her.
October 25th, 2008 at 1:14 pmSarah has been known to quote Joe the Plumber, how soon will it be until she is quoting Ashley the Assault Victim?
¶ AIO
October 25th, 2008 at 1:15 pmalphainfinityomega Says:
"Sarah has been known to quote Joe the Plumber, how soon will it be until she is quoting Ashley the Assault Victim?"
about the same time she starts quoting her inytellectual equal "dora the explorer"
October 25th, 2008 at 1:18 pmWith all the lies we've been told since the year 2000, by now the neo-con lying machine is broken. The lies blow up right on their faces right after they're told. What a sad bunch of idiots these neo-cons!
October 25th, 2008 at 1:24 pmunbelievable # 15...re: work, bennies, productivity and capitalism.
I remember reading some years ago about the chap who introduced the theory of capitalism to the world.
I'd provide a link but it's Saturday, so...you know, too much work.
Anywhoo as I remember this chap was British and come up with this capitalism notion in the mid 19th Century when the Industrial revolution was beginning to pick up steam ( a little 'joke' there).
Now of course a major thrust of his screed was that the less overhead you had, the more you could build up capital to spend on expansion to make more money to build up more capital and so on.
He argued that economy of scale, mass production and machinery, and mass distribution were key lowering production costs which would provide a greater return on investment ( and the more you could produce the more control you'd have over the market and thus the more control you had over the price of your product and thus accrue more capital to then re-invest or spend as you wished).
BUT, and here's the interesting thing, he also pointed out the importance of investing in the workforce, in providing good wages to not only attract good workers but to pay them enough ensure they were healthy because then they could afford better food and live in cleaner conditions, and therefore they'd be reliable and more productive.
Of course it didn't take long for others to adopt his capitalist model, except for the bit about taking care of the workers. They replaced care of workers with control--setting up company housing and company stores that made the workers utterly dependent on the company. And that's how capitalism got it's bad reputation.
October 25th, 2008 at 1:26 pm#Bozo The Neoclown Says:
i wonder if anyone told this stupid cow bearing false witness is a sin and jeebus will get her for it? i can see michele bachmann making the call to her.
October 25th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Bachman's one of those rabid anti-abortion folks. She totally approves of the 'ends-justify-means' rationality of the Right/Clinic bombers.
October 25th, 2008 at 1:31 pmSo tell us, McCain. If the story turned out to true, in what way were you planning to pin this on the Obama camp? I think we all know.
"Black man attacks da white woman, make the connection to Obama and vote McCain/Palin '08"
Of course, the sub-conscience appeal would be "McCain volunteer attacked by random Obama supporter who happens to be black"
October 25th, 2008 at 1:35 pmThe media is not ever covering McCain's campign with the same energy it is Obama. How could they steer them towards anything. Keith Olberman himself said there would be a vaccum once Obama went to Hawaii. I guess he forgot their are TWO canidates running. The media has put all their efforts behind Obama from day one. I don't think there is any denying that.
October 25th, 2008 at 1:37 pmBush Orders DOJ to Probe Ohio Voter Registrations
October 25th, 2008 at 1:38 pm5th Estate Says:
unbelievable # 15…re: work, bennies, productivity and capitalism.
Adam Smith published "Wealth of Nations" in 1776, same year as the DecOfInd was created. Part, that is, of the same spirit of inquiry which spawned 'democracy.' But 'democracy' and 'capitalism' are fundamentally incompatible, a fact that nobody noticed, apparently, for a long time, the first ones being Marx and Engels.
"Utilitarianism"--the theory that society should be organized so as to supply the 'greatest good for the greatest number"-- then emerged as the philosophical justification for capitalism. Utilitarianism was suggested by Bentham, before 1800, and elaborated by John Stuart Mill in the first decades of the 19th Centruy, just in time to rationalize the Industrial Revolution.
just sayin'...
October 25th, 2008 at 1:41 pmDallasNE Says: "You know, a simple “now we don’t need that” from McCain and Palin when somebody shouts “kill him” and other such outrages may well have prevented this hoax story from ever being planted by this 20-year old Texas woman. It is a case of you reap what you sow."
Damn straight! I saw a clip on TV the other day of Obama at some rally and he made a reasonable critical remark about McCain and a 'booing' begin to rise from the audience.
The second it started Obama looked over the audience and said firmly "we don't need that" and said something about expressing disagreement like that wouldn't be helpful to anyone, and the boos stopped immediately. One second.
In all the clips of McCain I've seen, he's lapped it up, he let's boos and jeers run on whilst he grins and nods in approval, equating approbation of Obama as a corollary endorsement of himself, when all McCain's actually doing is pandering to them so that they pander to him.
October 25th, 2008 at 1:45 pmThinkProgress spoke with a representative from the McCain campaign who confirmed that they have not yet put out a statement about the Todd hoax.
They're too busy planning the next longshot Obama trap to put out a statement. The fact that this plan failed will be of no deterrence to this pests. It's time to call the Orkin man on the McCain campaign.
October 25th, 2008 at 1:52 pmWhere are the apologies from the reich-wing radios hosts who blamed Obama and the Left?
*crickets chirping*
October 25th, 2008 at 1:58 pmtokin librul...
Sorry tokin, I appreciate the feedback but it's not helping much.
It is Saturday after all so don't see why I should justify my expressed "knowledge" with anything more than fuzzy recollections about something just because you have 'facts' and 'reading' at your disposal, and really what's the point knowing historical type stuff? John McCain is historical and how relevant is he? HAH!
:)
P.S. I'm guessing John Stuart Mill might be the chap I was thinking of. But it's the weekend so I'm just going to wallow in ignorance and beer instead taking any personal responsibility or whatnot. Cheers!
October 25th, 2008 at 2:07 pmRe: ThinkProgress spoke with a representative from the McCain campaign who confirmed that they have not yet put out a statement about the Todd hoax.
Well, gee, if they were not involved in any way, shape, or form, then it should take all of 5 minutes to formulate a response. How long has it been now? 24 hours and counting?
Thus the answer should be obvious.
October 25th, 2008 at 2:18 pmQuestions . . .
October 25th, 2008 at 2:20 pmIf she came up with this all by herself, who blackened her eyes?
We get that the backwards "B" was likely self-administered, but if they were real, the ability to self-inflict such damage to one's own face seems highly suspect.
Were they really back eyes or did Max Factor have a hand in this?
Take heart, my friend. They are also cowards.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYxqSipov5E
October 25th, 2008 at 2:32 pmThe fact that her imagined assailant was a "black man" gave it all away. More racist lies from the Republicans, trying to incite hatred & division. And McCain & Palin jumped right in immediately-- but now that we know Todd is another Repub liar, note how McCain/Palin have not denounced her-- they aren't even mentioning it. It's disgusting how many times they've demanded denunciations (for non-issues) of Obama, yet do nothing to denounce Repub liars & smearers, other than to say "We're moving on". Sorry, McCain/Palin, but the majority of us are not "moving on", we are remembering your hate, racism, lies, & smears.
October 25th, 2008 at 2:56 pmI'm just grateful for the fact that Ashley Todd turned out to be such an idiot and that this story fell apart so easily, and so quickly. Otherwise, could you imagine if this had gone so far as to have seen an innocent African-American man arrested, thrown in jail,and completely eviscerated by the media? Not all that long ago, he might have faced an even worse fate from all the racist loonies out there.
This really should be the final nail in the McCain-Palin campaign's coffin.
October 25th, 2008 at 3:03 pmjahzilla Says: Were they really back eyes or did Max Factor have a hand in this?
I'm no expert but Ms Todd's 'black eye" looked a helluva lot like a reprise of the Tareyton cigarette ads of the 70s (tag line: "I'd rather fight, than switch!" [to another cigarette brand]).
It doesn't take even a pre-med student to know that a black-eye isn't consistently 'black' (or dark gray in this case)without any other discoloration.
October 25th, 2008 at 3:11 pmAttacked by a McCain Supporter!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrEsUtG1U0k
October 25th, 2008 at 4:04 pmSatirev,
I think it has to be the latter....no wisdom and lurching.
If anyone at the McCain Campaign set this Public Relations Nightmare up on purpose, then they are More Dangerously Incompetent than I could believe.
Ms. Todd got the letter B Backwards! She recanted her story almost immediately. Sen. McCain is not good at vetting people, but this would be ridiculous.
This episode seems like Desperation mixed with Wishfull thinking and sloppy Homework.
I hope those in the McCain Campaign and the media who Ran with this story without exercising Due dillegence will be held Accountable. This is social dynamite that could have ended Very Badly.
October 25th, 2008 at 4:20 pm>I hope this girl gets the proper
>treatment she needs for her
>obvious mental issues.
That treatment being jail for as long as possible, on as many
different charges as could legally be brought against her for this charade she pulled. Then an exile to the trailer part where someone of her mental and ethical shortcomings will undoubtedly spend the rest of thier miserable, worthless lives.
My sympathy for the mental shortcomings of others ends where the harm they cause others begins. Irregardless of the implications on the presidential race, this white trash
October 25th, 2008 at 4:59 pmhillybilly from one of the most rancid, backward, cowf#cking, biblehumping cities in texas (and thats saying ALOT) could have cause ALOT of innocent blacks and/or obama supporters to be brutally attacked in retribution for this alleged attack on a white woman...
UpdateThinkProgress spoke with a representative from the McCain campaign who confirmed that they have not yet put out a statement about the Todd hoax.
I want to know why they have not issued any statement.
October 25th, 2008 at 6:02 pmI don't know what is more disturbing. The slimy nature of the GOP campaign or, how incredibly bad they have become at smearing. I bet Herr Karl is getting drunk and bemoaning the sad fate of the smear and fear machine.
October 25th, 2008 at 7:38 pmjahzilla Says:
Were they really back eyes or did Max Factor have a hand in this?
__________
The McMaverick Campaign has been spending an INSANE amount on make up of late... hmmm...
October 25th, 2008 at 7:41 pmThis wouldn't have hit the MSM if the McCain campaign didn't push it by releasing a press release containing the most incendiary possible version of rumored events before they'd been checked out by the police. If it had showed up and then been proven false without McCain "putting it on the table," then the MSM wouldn't have a handle - no reason to call it newsworthy on a national scale. Huge mistake, McCainiacs. Huge mistake.
So now she's angry at the press for reporting on it? Yes, I completely believe that she wanted to avoid attention. That must be why she lied to the police about being attacked by a giant extra-black face-mutilating Obama supporter. I also believe that JtP wanted to avoid attention while he was giving lengthy press conferences and interviews on his lawn and dressing up to go on talk shows.
October 25th, 2008 at 10:56 pmAnother Chris Says:
The media is not ever covering McCain’s campign with the same energy it is Obama. How could they steer them towards anything. Keith Olberman himself said there would be a vaccum once Obama went to Hawaii. I guess he forgot their are TWO canidates running. The media has put all their efforts behind Obama from day one. I don’t think there is any denying that.
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Oh yes there is denying it. I am in fact denying it. I think its delusional. We hear all about his reverand but Hagee? Nots so much its Ayers 24/7 for a couple of weeks Liddy? Not so much. McCain has not been subjected to NEAR the scrutiny Obama has. Your complaint is a warmed over delusion about a liberal media. It exists mostly in your mind.
October 25th, 2008 at 11:34 pmThe Backlash is Starting
October 26th, 2008 at 12:30 am