Hooray for New Media? Or something...

[pyat]

Link from snobahr!

So, it seems the information that Palin didn't know Africa was a continent, despite being widely reported and repeated by McCain campaign folks, was actually a joke from a fake blog.

So... way to go, McCain and Palin campaign? I have no idea how to process this information.

Edit: I suspect my memory of hearing campaign staff talking about the Africa thing is based on my memories of the FOX news report, which was false.

Comments

[zenten.livejournal.com]

I'm not surprised. Mind you, I wouldn't be surprised if it was true either. I have so little respect for any of the people involved.

[relee.livejournal.com]

When Palin first showed up, there were so many skeletons coming out of her closet that they formed a gay pride alliance of the undead. I never knew what to believe, but if even a quarter of it was true, Palin is a monster.

That the Africa thing could go on for so long and be so supported by those 'in the know' really makes you question the integrity of all forms of reporting simultaneously. ^.^;;

[anidada.livejournal.com]

*shrug* Is there any proof that she knows anything about the world beyond her backyard? The fact that it was so easy to believe says a lot.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

The fact that her own campaign staff were repeating the claims is pretty scary, yes.

[rowyn]

Which McCain staffers were repeating this claim?

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Hmmm.

Googling a bit, it seems that some of them had been directly saying or leaking some negative information to the media, but this was about things like her general preparation and readiness, etc..

Indeed, I don't know that anyone in the campaign repeated the bit about Africa! In fact, I suspect my memory of this is based on reports based on the FOX news report from their political correspondent guy.

*edits post to reflect*

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Watching the FOX guy's clip on Bill O'Reilly, he is directly saying that he heard it from "McCain aides" earlier that day.

Hmmm...

What's even more confusing is that a Palin aide claimed that she had been misquoted on the Africa thing, and reported the specific situation that caused the misunderstanding. Or, at least, that's what she told ABC News.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Politics/Story?id=6196407&page=1

[aslowhite.livejournal.com]

I read about this in today's Post, but I hadn't heard about the Palin aide saying the Africa gaffe was a misquote.

The fact that so many people (moi aussi) so readily believed it tells you something...

And condolences for having to watch O'Reilly. ;-)

ETA: Having read further comments here and looking back at the Post story, I realize tht it does indeed say that Eisenstadt merely claimed to be the leaker. No one seems to have confirmed or denied the original story.

[redeem147.livejournal.com]

Truthiness is the new watchword.

[rikoshi.livejournal.com]

All hail Wikiality!

Hold the presses, professor.

[archai.livejournal.com]

From further down the story:

"The pranksters behind Eisenstadt acknowledge that he was not, through them, the anonymous source of the Palin leak. He just claimed falsely that he was the leaker--and they say they have no reason to cast doubt on the original story. For its part, Fox News Channel continues to stand behind its story."

Eisenstadt didn't make the information up, merely claimed to have leaked it. The advisors anonymously quoted were the actual source of the leak, not the fictitious Dr. Eisenstadt. As much as I'd like to bag on Fox for sourcing so thinly, it would appear the Africa story still has yet to be disproven.

Re: Hold the presses, professor.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Good catch! Reading is hard for lazy mice. :(

Re: Hold the presses, professor.

[archai.livejournal.com]

I think you mean "reading is hard for busy mice." You hardly seem the lazy sort.

[brand-of-amber.livejournal.com]

You know, I think Palin was totally unqualified for the job, and was a horrible, horrible candidate.

But I can't help but detect a strong dose of smug urban liberal bullshit, along with a side of chauvinism against a female candidate, in the absolute glee with which Palin is now being portrayed as a jibbering retard from a National Lampoon movie. (One of the right to DVD ones.)

[pyat.livejournal.com]

She likes guns and wears flannel! She is evil!

Yes, I get ya. It's been ugly.

[archai.livejournal.com]

...except that the liberals could care less, now that she no longer threatens for the line to the presidency. All the long knives had their tips pointed left only because they were being held by the right.

The bigger problem, I think, is that her campaign staff was made up of ex-Romney people, and in the aftermath they saw coming, they didn't want her challenging dear Mitt for supremacy. Best to get the discrediting in early, yeah?

[brand-of-amber.livejournal.com]

Fuck Mitt Romney.

And I say that as a Mormon.

[archai.livejournal.com]

I believe, sir, that we have found a point of agreement. And I don't mean to say that I'm Mormon.

[neosis.livejournal.com]

No, I don't think it's "mug urban liberal bullshit, along with a side of chauvinism against a female candidate" at all. The current mess is conservative infighting. The blame game is being played to see who can salvage their reputations for another try in 2012.

[brand-of-amber.livejournal.com]

The whole Fox News thing, and the leak itself, is exactly what you say.

But the glee with which its been passed around liberal blogs, LJs, and forums and the savage, near fetishistic glee with which its been pounded and pounded by left leaning pundits and comedians (like my own beloved Daily Show) is what I was talking about.

One side on the right is trying to bury the other, and the left is only too happy to howl and fling poo to the spectacle.

[archai.livejournal.com]

Not to belabor the point, but I'm not sure where you're seeing all this fervor from. Simply having a mention and a giggle is one thing, but we aren't exactly pitching in. In fact, the most I've ever seen is a mention and a giggle, and I haunt the Daily Kos.

Beside that, though, y'know, we are allowed to be amused, here. Watching everyone on the right at once (including the governor herself) pick up a nerf mallet and pretend to be Very Very Serious while whacking Ms. Palin over the head is amusing. If something like that happens to someone who's not by their actions damaging the credibility of your ideals, and you cannot chuckle, something is wrong with you, but chuckling can't and shouldn't be considered picking up a mallet yourself.

Does it help with rebuilding a functioning right so we can have a healthy, meaningful national discourse again? No, it doesn't. But that's why we don't put all our time into this, merely glance over and giggle, then go back to work.