Conservative commentators do this all the time. They try to inject a controversy where there is none. Even if they are proven wrong, they don't care. They got a certain percentage of the audience to doubt the subject of the attack.
The classic example was the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. They didn't care that their allegations against Senator Kerry's Vietnam record weren't true. They just wanted to throw enough dirt on him so people could say, "I don't know, some say he fought bravely in Vietnam and some say he didn't."
Ditto for global warming. 924 peer reviewed scientific studies all agree that it exists and that it is man made. But Exxon-Mobil spends enough money to confuse people into thinking there might be a disagreement where none exists. They just want you to think, "Well, some people say there is global warming and others say there isn't."
What Matt Drudge did to Michael Ware of CNN is another classic example of this. Ware has been doing some great reporting from Baghdad, risking his life to report the real situation on the ground in Iraq. He is reporting back that it is a mess and that violence is out of control. This does not comport with Republican propaganda, so he must be destroyed.
They have nothing on him, so they'll make something up -- just enough to sow the seeds of doubt in the viewer's mind. Drudge charges him with something that he thinks is neither provable or unprovable -- he heckled John McCain in a press conference in Baghdad. It's a ridiculous charge but hard to disprove. Except this time, there was videotape that shows Michael Ware at the press conference and absolutely no heckling. Oops.
But no matter, the damage is done. A large percentage of the audience will never see the exonerating videotape. And a certain percentage of the audience will always think, "Wasn't he the guy that heckled John McCain?" Mission accomplished. Target smeared.
If they do this a couple of more times, CNN will be forced to withdraw him from Iraq because of the "controversy" surrounding his reporting. When in fact the controversy was purposely manufactured by the conservative noise machine -- and proven wrong.
If media organizations and the public aren't aware of the game that's being played, this could go on for a long time taking down opponents of the Republican Party or just good journalist who report the facts as they are. And that will do significant damage to our society and our news gathering apparatus. We have to call out and delegitimize the people behind these attacks, like Matt Drudge, before they do more damage with their purposeful misinformation campaigns.
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Character Assassination in the Form of a Question Mark
Posted Apr 2nd 2007 3:58PM by Cenk Uygur
Filed under: World News, Iraq, Media, Young Turks, John McCain
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Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 2)
16. yeah,Swift Barf Butts for Truth. How many
Congressional Medals of Honor? And Oh lest we forget that the secretary who worked
for the Air Force National Guard officer noted that
the "perfomance documents" were forgeries but the
content was TRUE.
tom leahy at 3:11AM on Apr 3rd 2007
17. If the republicans have so many supporters for this war why is the Army sending troops back to war with out the proper rest and equipment.
When are you Republicans going to come out your hole and go fight for your beliefs.
Lets not forget you your greatest President Ronald Reagan inveneted Cut and run.
Cowardice = The base of the Republican party.
langston at 6:09AM on Apr 3rd 2007
18. OUR PRESIDENT HAVE ALL THE RIGHT TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW!!!! H. HILOTT
So the Republican party has finally flipped.
Your Fascist Commies. You are not an American sir.
You may get your wish. The way Bush has destoyed the constitution the next Presidnet may declare the Republiican party evil combatants.
With thoughts like this H. HILOTT we may be forced to disban your party.
langx at 6:09AM on Apr 3rd 2007
19. I figured out why so many (R)'s are incensed and wrote comments; they are sick of our president and his inability to scandal-manage. They want to talk about an easy, wimpy target like Kerry.
(R)'s! Watch this clip of President Bush. He'll tell you that not only was Saddam not associated with 9-11, but implies you're stupid for thinking so. Good stuff. http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/21/bush-on-911/
lil_turk at 7:27AM on Apr 3rd 2007
20. Is this all conservative commentators? Is this 100% ("all") of the time? HJope your house isn't made of glass.
Bill at 7:56AM on Apr 3rd 2007
21. Thde main issue is that statement that KERRY
wrote up his OWN PURPLE HEART RECOMENDATIONS //
this is not routine nor is it acceptable //
If true then he should return them,
But since three purple hearts qualified him
to leave VietNam, which was his ultimate objective then I believe the accusation as true.
Carmine Bricchi at 8:13AM on Apr 3rd 2007
22. OOOOPS !!!! Looks like your Commie trash report backfired !!!!!! I see a lot (majority) of dissenting opinions here, and very few in agreement.
The Democrats invented sleazy mud-throwing and are expert at it....it is funny, when someone on the right revelals something about someone on the left it is a scandal.....but when someone on the left attacks someone on the right, it is justified and full of goodness and apple pie and all of the wondrous things only the left can produce!!!!!
One of the the greatest presidents of the 20th century was a Democrat named Harry S. Truman--if he were to see what has become of his beloved party since his presidency he would regurgitate on it. There were no cowards in Truman's party-and old Harry did what he felt was right for this country, no matter what anyone thought,or what the polls showed, or how many idiots with signs marched around stirring up trouble.
The left of today should hang their cowardly heads in shame.
r tartaglia at 8:14AM on Apr 3rd 2007
23. First off, who in their right mind would think anyone needs to heckle John McCain - he "swift boats" his own campaign whenever he opens his mouth. The whole nation knows that a vote for him is a vote for "Bush Plus." Everyone is already laughing about his "safe" short stroll in Baghdad with a small army and airforce protecting him the whole time.
I like Ware, and I think the best way to combat this is to spread the accusation and the video, just like you have done, all over the internet. In addition, CNN and Olbermann can highlight it extensively. That would probably undo a lot of the damage.
Phil at 8:23AM on Apr 3rd 2007
24. What carnival side show will MSNBC install next to satisfy its “Neo-Lib” fanatics, how about”News Hour with Keith and Rosie”?
Bob Rogan at 9:12AM on Apr 3rd 2007
25. If I were Kerry i would have sued teh Swift Boaters for liabel and slander and everyone else who concurred in the fabrication. I see whee teh guy who financed the swift Boatrs was put forth by Bush for an ambassadorship but was rejected by teh senate. Who do you wanat to believe the Navy war records or teh Swift boaters.Bush and his henchmen also tried to destroy Mccain in South Carolina, Bush is teh worst bastard who has ever run for public office and teh list includes David Duke.
bob U. at 9:53AM on Apr 3rd 2007
26. I completely agree with Bob U. Unfortunately, the rules for libel (written) and slander (verbal) make it harder for a public figure to sue for damages under either theory - especially someone who is campaigning for office. This is why all the lies and negative campaigning sail through without the slightest legal problem.
Phil at 10:40AM on Apr 3rd 2007
27. The first paragraph proves the writer is 100% partisan--making a major issue taking most of congress's time about the 8 fed prosecutors fired after Clinton fired all 93 when elected including one investigating him!
B Dantagnan at 12:30PM on Apr 3rd 2007
28. By the way, why hasn't the Media reported on the utter failure of Air-America? The Media gave the Air-America idea (An alternative to Talk Radio) and its start-up continuous free coverage when they began. What’s going on here? Media, tell us why your darling of “fairness” failed to gain an Audience?
With this Air-America performance in his resume, I doubt Al Franken could even regain his old comedy supporting role on Saturday Night Live. I’m sure the voters of Minnesota would afford him the same support that he received as the leader of Air-America.
Bob Rogan at 1:21PM on Apr 3rd 2007
29. AT WACO ALL THE SHOTS WERE FROM INSIDE THE BUILDING.IT SEEMS IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE TRUTH ,JUST LIE. BILL DWYER
WILLIAM A. DWYER at 1:34PM on Apr 3rd 2007