I've said it every time I've seen that picture tonight.

Why the hell is the 'B' backwards?

I am not going to question her story at this point. She lives not far from here and she's an aggie and aggies are too dumb to lie.

However, in addition to being backwards, the B doesn't look like it was done with a knife, but rather with a pen or other pointed non-bladed object.

That said, if this story is even partly true - and we've got no evidence to contradict it at this point - it confirms everything I've observed elsewhere about the fanaticism of Obama supporters.

When my daughter comes home from school and admits that she's afraid to tell anyone her mother supports McCain, that worries me.

Dave

It's easy to get a backwards B on your face... if you draw it on there yourself while looking in a mirror.

That's just one possibility. Another is the attacker had her on the ground and did it from above her over her head. Of course this means he was not in a position to hold her down while he carefully carved a B on her face, so she would have to keep still.

Why he spent time making a B when an O would have been quicker, who knows... ???

Oh I'm not questioning the story at this point. It just bugs me is all. My penmanship to draw a backwards letter wouldn't be nearly as neat as however that 'B' got there.

1. The 'B' is backwards, as if she did it in the mirror.

2. The 'B' is so dull that it looks as if it were slightly scratched, NOT with a 5 inch knife.

3. There's no swelling on the left eye.

4. She drove an extra several miles to save $1.50 on ATM fees, only to use another ATM anyway.

5. It's a well-populated, well lit suburban area and a safe one to boot, and NO ONE is confirming it.

5. It's a 38-degree night, and someone is wearing a tank top?

6. Conservative pundits like Michelle Malkin are calling foul.

7. She didn't ask to go to a hospital located 3 miles away.

8. Conveniently, the incident was just out of the view of ATM cameras.

9. 'B' was carved. 'O' is easier and more identifiable with Obama.

10. The mugger apparently knew it was her because of her bumper sticker. First off, there were several cars there. Secondly, she didn't tell police this when she first spoke to them.


I don't believe this for a second.

This is so fake. It's not carved or swollen, she scratched it herself in the mirror, forgetting to reverse the image so it's backwards. Her eye makeup is running and the eye isn't red or swollen at all. I'd love to see the ATM footage before they send this crazy girl to jail.

I want to believe this young woman is telling the truth. I'm an Obama supporter and I still want to believe she is telling the truth. If she's lying, she's either acutely mentally ill, or she's morally bankrupt.
The trouble is, I saw the photograph, and I can't believe she is telling the truth. Black eyes don't look like that, especially fresh black eyes. If the photograph was taken within hours of the attack, the more injured eye should show a great deal more swelling. Both of her eyes look a little puffy, as if she weren't getting enough sleep, but neither eye shows the kind of swelling I would expect with a black eye. An injured eye usually swells shut--both eyes are beautifully wide open in the photograph. The color isn't right, either. Early on in a black eye, the swelling should be red-to-purple, not gray. It isn't the lighting, because other areas of her skin are a normal pink. The conjunctiva (inner eyelids) and sclera (white parts) of the more injured eye should also show significant redness--they don't.
As for the "B" carved into her cheek, either her alleged assailant had a very dull knife, had a very light touch, or she did it herself, perhaps with a toothpick or the tine of a fork. There won't be any scarring, and it looked like there might not even be any scabbing. I would expect some nutcase with a knife to hold her face quite forcefully to carve a letter on her cheek, so I have to ask why there aren't any red or purpling finger marks on her chin, jaw or throat.

I can only hope the security cameras show something to prove that this young woman is NOT lying. Unfortunately, I don't think that will be the case.

Damn, I wish I hadn't seen the comments (in my editing capacity) before reading this. Now I've no idea if I'm being objective. Nevertheless...

Spend enough time being interested in politics or crime and sooner or later you realize that the little light that flashes on and off every so often in the corner of your mind has the word BULLSHIT! stenciled onto it.

The light's been flashing more and more often the closer we get to November 4th.

Quite apart from the fact that the details of the alleged assault all seem so pat (the darkened parking lot, the 6'4" black man*, the unconvincing dialog), the backwards B, as many have already observed, is the oddest detail. Way back in the early Bronze Age before digital cameras, that would have been easy to explain away - someone just accidentally flipped the negative. Nowadays, although digital photos can be flipped, it's not something that's easy to do just by accident.

That said, I'm fine with giving her the benefit of the doubt for now: if she really is dumb enough to take a lie detector test, we'll know one way or the other before long whether she's been spinning us a yarn.

Oh, one final thing: if anyone might be hoping that this is the October Surprise - it isn't.



_{* Sound familiar?}

Michelle Malkin thinks she's faking it, and given Ms Malkin's general dim view of Obama supporters, that's kind of a red flag. OTOH, ATM's have these neat devices called "Cameras". Confirming the event (for the Police) shouldn't be too difficult, so there's the possibility that some, most, or all of the girl's story is correct.

There's also the possibility that some, most, or all of the girl's story is utter and total bullshit.

We'll know for certain if it goes to trial, (and if anyone bothers to cover said trial) but that won't be for months if ever.

The awful part of this, is that it's so easy to believe until you look at the photo, and only then is there doubt raised.

BTW, if she took that picture herself, looking in a mirror and holding the camera off to the side and then cropping the camera out - which is entirely possible - then the B is in her LEFT cheek, not her right cheek and faces the proper direction if someone else had cut it in her face.

What really starts to trouble me here is how fast we got a large number of posts from people eager to dispute her claim with no evidence to back them up and no willingness to give her the benefit of the doubt. It's part of the same hate that might have motivated this crime.

Dave

The is B is backwards! Unless you are looking into a mirror and etching it on yourself! This will be exposed as a scam. I work in an ED and witness many "cuts." That superficial abrasion looks gently applied, and she would have to have remained completely still during the episode. Keep the public updated on this one! I smell a lie! Look at the eye, have you ever been punched by a 6'4" 200# man...you would look much worse my friends. I live in this area, and I just drove down this street approx 9pm. Very, very crowded!

I read police are looking at surveillance cameras from neighboring businesses. I don't know. If I was in a strange city, I don't think I'd go looking for an ATM to save a few bucks? And, twitter while I'm driving in a strange city? Not get medical treatment until next day? Maybe the other cameras will provide the information. But, I just don't know about this story.

The awful part of this, is that it's so easy to believe until you look at the photo, and only then is there doubt raised.

Why would one doubt it, Cannon? When you read an account of a mugging in the local paper, you don't doubt that it actually happened.

Dave makes a good point that the backwards B could be explained if she took the photo herself in the mirror. The only problem with this is an apparent statement by the responding officer that he saw the cut/mark on her right cheek, and the mirror theory would place it on her left.

No doubt there will swiftly be a bevy of photographic experts rendering their verdicts that it was indeed, and was not, taken into a mirror.

This wouldn't have gotten all the attention but for the political aspect. Is it a coincidence that the incident happened in Pennsylvania - the state John McCain is now betting the farm on?

As for the medical attention thing, I once got stabbed in the cheek - all the way right through. It didn't bleed and I didn't go to the hospital. I still have a half-inch scar to this day, though.

Point being that sometimes people don't actually think clearly when they get in a situation like this.

Dave

"What really starts to trouble me here is how fast we got a large number of posts from people eager to dispute her claim with no evidence to back them up"

That's a riot coming from someone who doesn't even know "if this story is even partly true."

"if she took that picture herself,"

Nice try on defending the photo. Considering her hair parts the same way as it does in her other pics on her blog, it's not likely she took it in a mirror unless she changed her hairstyle recently, so the "B" would be backwards.

And what exactly is up with her twittering?

Stubbornly searching for a bank of america to avoid ATM fees. Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:23:21

then 20 minutes later she let's everyone know

Pretty sure I'm on the wrong side of pittsburgh
Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:45:59

proceeds to get out and use an ATM anyway and as luck would have it a black man robs her, goes to leave, sees the McCain sticker, and then comes back to etch a backwards 'B'.

"It's part of the same hate that might have motivated this crime."

What a load of crap. If you don't find this story suspicious from the evidence so far, you need to get your critical reasoning skills checked.

btw, I love how people are jumping to the presumption that this was an Obama supporter because it was a black guy. From all that has been reported he could be a Baldwin supporter.

Psst, your bias is showing.

It's not just that the "B" is backwards, and too "neat." That's not a knife cut. WAY too rounded, and it looks like the skin wasn't even broken. Seriously, try to make a cut like that with a blade on a still object, never mind imagining someone resisting and moving. Ridiculous on the face of it. And I'm not an Obama supporter.

From the Pittsburgh Tribune Review:

Police planned to administer a polygraph test to Ashley Todd, 20, because her statements about the attack conflict with evidence from the Citizens Bank ATM where she claims the incident occurred, police said.

Well, not that it matters, but it looks like Ms. Malkin (that'd be "Satan's mistress" in Alex Jones Speak) was right again, and this is a fabricated event.

Too bad, it casts aspersions on REAL Events, and will have the opposite impact to what the young lady no doubt intended-I expect a 'sympathy bounce' that will solidify Obama's lead and help bury real incidents of intimidation, fraud, and abuse.

The girl needs a gibbslap.

Just another McCain campaign screw up. Couldn't they at least have had the intelligence to provide this girl some help with the B?

The whole thing is disgusting.

And the way the robo-McCains across the internet have all started screaming about how evil and violent all Obama supporters are.

Even if this incident were true... it is ONE INCIDENT. To paint all 200 Million Obama supporter with the same brush is absurd.

Why does anybody even listen to pro-Obama bloggers? Anybody reading what they write on Huffington Post knows the level of sheer hate and ignorance that they spew. An attack of this kind is not surprising. The only thing that's surprising is that it hasn't happened more often.

Click on the link provided!

Does that "B" look like something an angry, vicious 6'4" mugger carved on someone's face last night with a knife? Why is the "B" backward? How did the mugger get Todd to remain still long enough to delicately scratch a nicely formed, well-curved "B" onto her face? Why aren't Todd's "black eyes" still red and swollen?

Why did Todd drive 12 miles into an unfamiliar section of a big city to find an ATM? Why was she conveniently twittering about looking for ATMs in her car right before the "attack"?

Why did Todd refuse treatment on the night of the "attack"? Why did she instead quickly forward news of the "attack" and a photo of her "injuries" to her right wing blogger pals?

Where are the other witnesses to the "attack"? Where is the security camera footage of the "attack"?

Why did the alleged attacker follow her back to her car after she gave him her money? If he wanted something from her car, why didn't he just demand her keys? If Todd's McCain bumper sticker enraged her attacker so much that he beat her and then somehow forced her sit still long enough to delicately and lightly scratch a well-formed "B" onto her face, why didn't he damage her car, take her car, take her keys, take her wallet, take her credit cards or even take her Blackberry? Why didn't he force her to get more money out of her ATM or give him her ATM code and card if he had enough time to continue assaulting her without any witnesses around and enough power over her to carefully mark her with his knife without her struggling?

Where is the police artist sketch of the at large suspect? If this "attack" were real, wouldn't the victim's primary focus be on locking up the dangerous, violent criminal who violated her before he viciously maims more innocent victims rather than spreading the news of the bizarre McCain/Obama angle of the "attack" as far and wide as possible?

Bottom line:

Todd is a College Republican volunteer for the McCain campaign who came all the way from "safe" Texas to try to turn the tide for McCain in swing PA.

If Todd's story is real, there is a bizarre, dangerous, violent, dyslexic 6'4" black Baracko with an Obama fetish and a small dull knife roaming the streets of Pittsburgh's Little Italy robbing innocent ATM customers and chomping at the bit to delicately trace the mark of Baracko onto the faces of poor unsuspecting McCain supporters.

If Todd's story is fake, she's an amateur hour Rove with the average freeper's stilted and racially fevered imagination.

Which is more likely?

#19 I suppose it could be-an attempt to adopt their opponent's tactics is likely to be this amatuer. The Left's been doing this sort of thing for years (and very successfully), they have the organizational chops to pull it off without obvious flaws. I suspect, though, that it's more a matter of a twenty-year-old desperately seeking attention and sympathy, who probably doesn't even know which side she SHOULD be on if she wants to use tactics like these.

True or not, if the situation were reversed, and it was an Obama worker making this claim, I think it would be the lead story on all major news shows and the headline in many newspapers.

(bad taste warning in keeping with the author's choice of book links)

...we've all heard the story a hundred times - young girl from the country comes to the big city seeking a better life only to get trapped in tragedy on the wrong side of town

as for the 'B'...this 7 ft 300 pound Pittsburgh black man could be nothing other than a pimp marking his stable with the coke-spoon fingernail of his right pinkie and the meaning of the letter is obvious

(or perhaps he is a basketball player and this relationship has some sordid history)

We'll see how this story developes. One thing's for certain.

That is not a real black eye.

I've seen black eyes.

They're red/purple for starters. Then the swelling is actually more dramatic than the coloring. Also, they're not regular. They have edges and dark spots.

What she has is some dark eyeshadow.

I don't know about the rest of the story, but if she faked the black eye....

The report on the lie-detector test, it was reported, revealed "inconsistencies" in the young woman's story. So far, authorities haven't said more than that.

But. All you McCainiacs should be wary of dull knife bearing Obama backers roaming the streets just looking for you to carve an epitaph on the McCain campaign into your cheeks.


B

Anyonw remember Susan Smith?

This is absolute BS of the highest caliber and I hope this disgusting cow is prosecuted for this blatant, shameful hoax.

Has anyone here ever considered that the attacker carved the "B" on her face while she was on the ground from above her head??? Thus the reason for it being upside down, DAAH!

Man, the McCain campaign is pulling out the stops to make people afraid to vote for Obama. This is what happens when you can't win on your own merit.

#2: Dave is really losing it now:

"This confirms... the fanatacism of Obama supporters."

Like Colin Powell?

Even if it really happened, it confirms nothing about the tens of millions of good, thoughtful and honorable Americans who support Obama.

Your statement is shameful stereotyping, with more than a hint of an appeal to fear and prejudice. You libel and demonize others you don't even know with an indecent disregard for their right to think differently than you do.

And if it REALLY did happen, the victim is indeed fortuante that the attacker was not a rapist who got her pregnant, since Palin's Rapist Progeny Protection Doctrine would leave the young lady completely out of luck as far as terminating the pregnancy was concerned.

@#23 - let's see.. 58 year old Obama canvasser beaten by McCain supporter - you'll only find the news on the Wisconsin news sites. Obama's camp declined to make a comment on the incident. so much for that theory.

wow. the hate here is palpable. I bet some of u would like to carve an O on her other cheek to go with the B.

My problem with this is the same as the police.
1. She did not mention the political angle when she initially talked with police.

2. She waited 45 minutes after the alleged attack before calling to police

3. She didn't seem to stressed out to go immediately to the hospital, instead going to a friend's house

4. She supposedly went to a hospital after refusing medical attention when filing the report

5. She has now escalated her story to include sexual assault

6. No witnesses, not evidence, not even a paper from the hospital she claimed she finally sought help from.... nothing

Is this a misguided attempt to help McCain?

She is appearing to be the fanatic here.

I'm amazed that Dave would even publish this article. That the story is a hoax is becoming more apparent. Indeed, as is pointed out above, there is no apparent swelling of her eye and as even Dave points out, the "B" looks to have been applied with something less than a knife blade.

I would have thought that Dave would have let some of the dust settle on this story before jumping on it to post it here.

Regardless, obviously feelings are high on both sides of the campaign. The great majority of people would never consider doing physical violence to members of the opposition. As witness the shout outs at some of the McCain and Palin rallies, there are apparently McCainiacs who are of a violent mind. I don't doubt that the same can be said of some Obama devotees. That hardly reaches the level that Dave suggests in his comment above. His "confirmaton" is bogus.

B

Lumpy, an S would be more appropriate than an O.

Dave -

DID YOU EVEN READ THE STORY? The link you gave was posted on the 23rd. Today's the 24th. When did the attack happen? If it happened less than a week ago, then how could something carved in the skin possibly be so well-healed (as the photo makes obvious) in so short a period of time when it was supposedly CARVED into her face with a knife????

Tell you what, Dave - why don't you go searching to see how many black men have been freed from prison after their rape convictions were overturned by DNA evidence?

Woman cries, "the black man did it!" The local whites get all riled up, convinced of the black man's guilt, no trial necessary...and that's how many a black man got lynched down South, Dave.

This is pretty common throughout history. How about Googling "blood libel" to see the excuse anti-Semites used to kill thousands of Jews?

AND YOU YOURSELF are not immune to this emotional conviction-without-trial, as is made obvious by the very fact that you posted this article.

Please remove your emotions and look at the facts. Let the facts determine your belief, instead of letting your belief determine the facts.

"the hate here is palpable."

yeah, people hate a hoax and those who try to pass it off.

todd didn't "offer" to take a lie detector, the police have requested it.

a black eye doesn't turn that shade of black immediately, first it is red, swollen for several hours. where's the swelling?

this whole thing smells fishy.

BTW This is a link to a story regarding current Republican voter fraud.

B

and that's how many a black man got lynched down South, Dave.

True, but not just "down South, B-tone.

Your prejudice is showing.

According to this study, published by Yale:

However, there were lynchings in the North and West. In fact, every state in the continental United States with the exception of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont has had lynching casualties.

Is there any truth to the rumor that Michael Nifong is now en route to investigate this? He was recently seen panhandling for bus fare, according to usually unreliable sources.

Dan(Miller)

from AP:

"Police say bank surveillance footage doesn't show her at an ATM where she says she was attacked.

"Todd, who is white, now says she was knocked unconscious and doesn't remember being cut. She now says she only discovered the wound later."

This looks very fake to me.

And even more to the point, if the victim had been a person with an Obama bumpersticker, I have just the tiniest weesiest sneakingest feeling that Nalle would have cried FAKE at the top of his lungs.

Self-analysis is shocking absent from this forum.

She just confessed to the whole thing being a fake.

dave: "That said, if this story is even partly true - and we've got no evidence to contradict it at this point - it confirms everything I've observed elsewhere about the fanaticism of Obama supporters."

oh, for fuck's sake, dave. you're crossing lines time and time again these days. this is really, really insulting. i can't even begin to describe just how idiotic that statement is. you need your damn head examined. smooches.

if this turns out to be a hoax, are you going to paint all mccain supporters as dumbass hicks from the sticks? nah, you wouldn't do that.

seriously, dave... i used to respect you as at least somewhat even-handed. this election has brought out the right winger in you to almost r.j. or archie levels. it's pretty despicable. feh.

ha! it's all a hoax.

next time some asshole yells "kill him!" at a mccain rally, i strongly suggest you look at yourself, dave.

"aggies are too dumb to lie."

apparently not

Sorry, last one. The whole story.

Egg all over your hysterical,frothing at the mouth hate filled article once again Dave. Your gig is up, you have been exposed for what you are Mr. Political editor of this blog, and if you had any self respect at all, you would resign your position as the editor. Thank you once again Nalle for showing us all your true colors.

From Joe Mandak Associated Press
October 24, 2008

"A McCain campaign volunteer who reported that a tall black man robbed her and then cut a "B" onto her cheek after seeing a McCain bumper sticker on her car has been given a polygraph test because of "inconsistencies" in her story, police said.

Among other things, police said photos and bank card information from an automated teller machine where the college student claimed she was robbed do not show her using the machine at the time, police said.

Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Diane Richard wouldn't release the polygraph results, but said, "we're still looking at some inconsistencies" in the woman's story.

Police said the student, Ashley Todd, of College Station, Texas, who is white, told them she was attacked by a 6-foot-4 black man Wednesday night.

Richard said police have not ruled out that the woman was attacked as she claimed, and said inconsistencies deal primarily with how she described the attack.

"We're just trying to judge the validity of some of the information we received from her," Richard said. "We understand when you are under duress that sometimes you can't recollect things. We're just looking at all the angles."

Well, the girl already DID do the polygraph, which seems weird that the police would even question a victim to that extent, except that they said there were several inconsistencies in her story.

I feel bad for her if this did happen, however I have to say I called BS yesterday when I read it.

As for the "Crazed Obama Supporters" LOL
That's a joke right contard?

Democratic Headquarters in Murfreesboro Vandalized
Incident Makes Second This Week

Olympia Democratic Party headquarters vandalized
The Olympian • Published October 23, 2008

Democratic headquarters vandalized in Lawrence October 4, 2004

Democratic headquarters vandalized The Daily News Published September 9, 2004

Glass smashed at Dems' Denver HQ The Denver Post Friday Oct. 24, 2008

Liar, liar, McCain's campaign's on fire!

BTW - Clav, I said nothing about lynchings, southern or otherwise.

B

Pablo,

Dave will not resign from here, ever. His corpse will be incinerated by BC and the ashes dumped in the White House rose garden, along with a garish wreath from his clones and sycophants.

He did not resign when he was caught posting under the name vox populi and saying that he agreed with Nalle's opinion and had seen Nalle's sources.

He stonewalled it--a la Richard Nixon.

This poor, silly, misguided girl. I know nothing of her except that she is apparently prone to prevarication. Maybe the McCain campaign should foot the bill for her defense. I doubt that she will do any jail time, but she has certainly put herself in a predicament that will affect her future badly. She will be living with this for a long while. It's not going to look good on her resume'.

Tell us Dave, what does this turn of events "confirm" for you?

B

this is where dave goes silent.

And well he SHOULD.

His face is becoming permanently yellow from all that egg on it.

Can I get you a slice of humble pie, Dave?

I have raspberry, rotten apple, banana peel or sour grape.

The story itself was worth reporting on. However, Dave made the mistake of letting his bias seep through. Michelle Malkin thought the story was fabricated and I don't believe she's pro-Obama. Dave's comments are where he completely loses any credibility.

hey dude, where's the update? or doesn't the truth matter as much as the opportunity to score political points?

It was worth reporting on, but was reported on much more professionally on other sites--Editor & Publisher being only one.

Conflicting stories to police doesn't help. Lie detector inadmissable in court, btw. Unrealiable.

"aggies are too dumb to lie."

But, "bubbas" are apparently revered.


Just making sure you noticed that I noticed that Dave.

Apparently, the girl's story broke down via sources other than the lie detector. I don't know if she, herself finally caved, but the police firmly reported that the mishap was all a hoax.

I don't know if Ms. Todd thought she was actually doing something to help the McCain campaign, or if she was just goofing, doing this all for a laugh. Ha, ha. As I noted, all she has accomplished is to raise up a shit storm around herself that will take a long time to live down. Well, at least she's now had her 15 minutes. On to bigger and better things Ashley. Go Aggies!

B

Can we please issue an official update in the body of the post? It really looks bad at this point to not point out this was a complete hoax. And a dumb one at that.

Dave,

You start out your article labled "news" with the following paragraph.

"In an incident which seems like it epitomizes much of the anger and bitterness of this election season, a McCain campaign worker from College Station, Texas who was in Pittsburgh helping to work a phone bank was robbed and then attacked, brutalized, and disfigured in what appears to be a politically motivated hate crime."

You assert this not only as a writer, but as the political editor of Blogcritics.org, as a fact.
Then you you go on to put more egg on your face with the rest of the bs you wrote.

About 6 months ago, I submitted an article that as I recall was written under the label of "opinion" on why I think that Al Qaeda is a myth.
As I had already submitted another article on why I did not believe in the official government conspiracy theory about 9/11 which was FORBIDDEN to write about and rejected.

I also had the Al Qaeda myth article rejected by YOU bubba, for no other reason that you rejected my premise, ie my OPINION.

You sir are a disgrace to this online magazine, and your hypocrisy is sickening.

As I was censored recently for using the god forbid deragatory word "bubba" by Christopher Rose, and now this complete bs written by you under the guise of NEWS, I am now in the process of composing an articulate, well written, letter to the owner of this online magazine concerning the overt hypocrisy of both you and Mr. Rose.

You have personally attacked me on numerous occasions instead of either debating me on the issues or ignoring me. As you are the editor of this part of blogcritics I do hold you to a higher degree of professionalism than the average writer or commenter on here.

I do not do this lightly Dave, and have refrained in the past from writing Mr. Olson in the past. No more, you should either stop commenting or remove yourself as the editor, and I will do everything that I can to see that this happens.

I am not interested in your response, excuses, or any other lame attempt to present yourself as professional. You are not.

As we say here in California Davey boy.

Once a bub-- always a bub--

cheers bucko

Pablo

UPDATE:

The lie detector test showed inconsistencies in her story. There is absolutely no video of her taking money out of an ATM at the location she claims the incident occurred.

She is now back peddling on the whole story.

Apparently, it was just a ploy thought up after an actual attack took place. Her friend, and she, thought it would give them a "JOE" the Plumber star boost, while casting a racial shadow on the Obama camp...depicting African Americans as violent criminals, who seek Obama's Presidency at all costs.

Silly, stupid, college girl, prank.

The "B" is backwards, which was the first red flag. The fact that the "B" is not actually carved in her face, the surface of the skin not broken...it is more of a welt, than an abrasion, or, incise wound.

No medical treatment was sought, and the Police have only begun to investigate.

Monica Lewinsky with an Ugly Mug, instead of a Blue Dress. ;)

"It really looks bad at this point..."

It is bad. Are you suggesting prettifying the post, and/or BC?

Dave, check CNN, Wolf Blitzer has breaking news about this item!

CNN has just announced that this woman made the whole thing up. Pittsburgh Police made the announcement to Wolf Blitzer.

McCain must really be getting desparate...

I came on this site early this mourning and this was the first article I read ..I was impressed with all the detective work most of you made and now it is late afternoon and the truth has come out so I thought I would come back just to see what Dave had to say now but his silence is deafening

Dawn #66,

The body of the post should not be edited. It should stand.

The owners of BC have had plenty of time to disavow before it got to the point of the accuser breaking down and admitting it was a hoax.

Les

Can we stop attacking Dave, a respected member of the BC org on a matter that was reported in major news outlets. Obviously this was a hoax, and Dave will have to update it, but all these personal attacks against the man only serve to make YOU the commenter look bad. Can we please tone it down a bit, please?

Dawn,

Changing the post at this point would reflect more on the integrity of BC than on Dave.

Les

Dawn,

You wouldn't also be called Vox Populi now, wouldya?

Dawn, I have nothing but respect for Dave, and my posts were NOT meant as such. Despite more than a few disagreements with him, I consider Dave Nalle one of the most knowledgable writer/editors on this site.

Davey,

Letter written to Mr. Olson

A suggestion Dave? Keep the title and the URL and rewrite about the hoax, and how a lot of people were overly eager to jump on the bandwagon before they realized there was no horse pulling it.

Your friend
Jet

or just add an update to the bottom of it. that would be the best thing.

An apology added to the bottom of it: For letting partisan prejudice trump common sense.

Jet,

The post at the head of this thread should remain exactly as it was posted.

It would be good to have a different post reflecting on what transpired here.

It did happen. Do we cover it up? At most the post could put a link to the new topic.

Les

Les,

Not a bad plan. However, this site has chosen to cover up the capers of Nalle in the past, so a break with tradition would be needed.

If he had written this article under OPINION I might now have such a problem with it. Nalle chose to jump the gun, which I find particularly offensive, since he has on numerous occasions accused me publicly on here of spreading hatred, (I only hate the ruling elite who are committing genocide in Iraq and robbing the US Treasury as we speak) and of being a fear monger, which I am not. He has called me on here in the past a Nazi, I happen to abhor National Socialism and fascism in particular.

Now he comes on here under the guise of News and spreads fear and hatred with this ridiculous article.

Jet I disagree with you vehemently on your characterization of Nalle as knowledgeable. He is at the very least a party hack (I am not an Obama supporter)and more than likely in my opinion a paid shill, as his families employer the CIA indicates.

I point to another article that he wrote on Jan 11, 2008 entitled Speedboat Diplomacy, again presented as news, not opinion, and his entire article has been discredited. Considering that we have been on the verge of a war with Iran for over a year, I consider that particular article extremely unprofessional and fear mongering.

Just my two sense worth bucko.

It is my opinion and I have said so in my letter to Olson that he either be political editor OR writer, not both, as he does a piss poor job of it.

Here is a copy of the letter that I sent to Mr. Olson. Nalle, and Lisa Mckay cc.

I am a writer and prolific commenter in the Political section of your online magazine. I have written four articles and approximately 600 comments in the last year.

I write you today because I have several gripes to take up with you concerning the professionalism or lack thereof of Mr. Nalle, and also of being censored by Mr. Christopher Rose a comments editor for the political section of your online magazine.

Since I first started writing on your site, I felt that I was personally attacked numerous times by Mr. Nalle, instead of either debating me on the issues of the day or ignoring me.
I confess that some of my political beliefs are not easily accepted by many people on this site. That being said, I am not a racist, a nazi (I have been called that by Nalle in public on your site), nor a hate monger of any sort.

I just happen to not believe in the official government conspiracy theory regarding 9/11, and also happen to believe that there is an international cabal of bankers through JP Morgan and the CFR, and the Royal Institute of International relations to establish a global police state. I am not the only one to make this claim, indeed Professor Carrol Quigley, (Bill Clinton's self professed political mentor in fact wrote a whole book about it over 1200 pages long entitled Tragedy and Hope.

I was approached by Mr. Nalle to write an article on my 9/11 conspiracy theories, which I in fact did. Soon thereafter I received a letter from Lisa McKay, saying that my article was rejected as the editorial board had decided not to publish 9/11 articles that were at variance with the official conspiracy theory. Needless to say I was somewhat taken aback as Mr. Nalle hiimself the political editor had suggested that I do.

A few months later I wrote another article on why I thought that Al Qaeda was a myth, which according to Robin Cooke former British Foreign Secretary also said was a myth. A recent BBC documentary entitled "The Power of Nightmares" also made the same claim, that in fact Al Qaeda was created by the FBI to indict Bin Laden under the RICO statutes.

This article was under the label OPINION, as was the 9/11 article. Yesterday Mr. Nalle published an article under the label NEWS that asserted quite hysterically I might add that a certain woman had been attacked at at ATM machine and had Obamas initial carved into his face. He presented it as news and as fact, before the story had even settled. I find this particularly in relation to my articles being rejected as OPINION as very hypocritical and unprofessional. This story was completely debunked in all the MSM today, yet Dave chose to write it as fact before any of the dust had settled.

I have been called by Mr. Nalle a nazi, a tinfoil hat paranoid fear mongering writer on numerous occasions. I can take the heat, however I do not like hypocrisy, particularly when it is directed my way by the editor of your politics section.

A few days ago I had several instances of my commenting deleted by Mr. Rose for using the offensive word BUBBA. Now I can be called any name under the book by Nalle, yet I use the word Bubba and it is censored. Mr. Rose replied that Nalle frequently has his remarks censored. I did a google search on it and found very very few instances of this, and none of the deragatory remarks he sent my way censored.

The reason that I am writing to you as opposed to Lisa Mckay, is that I asked her several times after she told me that 9/11 articles that were contrary to the official version were verboten, if she could please tell me any other subjects that were forbidden, she declined to mention any to me.

I wrote you several months ago about my attending over 700 Grateful Dead concerst for over 30 years and approached you about writing about some of my unique experiences followig this amazing band, Your wrote back and encouraged me to do so. However I have decided months ago not to write any more articles on this site for the time being as two of them had been declined, in my opinion for no other reason that either Nalle or Mckay did not like the subject matter.

As you can see from this letter sir, I am more than capable of writing a succinct, easy to understand, and my vocabulary and spelling are fine for the most part.

I do not like being censored particularly for using the word bubba, nor do I like being told to write an article by the political editor of your magazine then being told that it is forbidden by a higher up. I find this very unprofessional and I was quite unhappy about it.

Incidentally Nalle on an almost daily basis uses personal attack with deragatory remarks towards those that disagree with him, thus I frequently refer to him as bubba or bucko.

I suggest that Mr. Nalle either be a writer/commenter OR political editor but not both as he does a lousy job at it, and his obvious conflicts of interest are overwhelming. I also think that Mr. Nalle should refrain from his personal attacks as long as he is the political editor of this site, as it is not only very unbecoming of him, but in my opinion highly unprofessional.

Sincerely

Pablo

...the Palins should take this poor girl under their family wing and assist in her rehabilitation

(btw - Les is correct of course)

Pablo, I don't see anything particularly objectionable in the way Dave presented the article. If you re-read the piece carefully, you'll see that he didn't suggest (although he did in the subsequent comments thread) that this was in any way typical behavior of Obama supporters and/or Democrats.

As I understand it, Dave came across this story last night, noticed that it hadn't yet been picked up by any of the major news networks, and was eager to get a scoop for the site.

I don't see anything in the piece other than a laying-out of the facts of the case as they appeared at the time.

The comments space is intended for challenges and responses, which is exactly what happened. In my view, Dave can quite justifiably be taken to task for some of his remarks in the comments, but not for the article itself.

Pablo,

Nalle routinely personally attacks anyone who disagrees with him.

He hasn't a whit of the sense of balance that is required in an editor.

He has cloned himself when backed into a corner to provide facts that support his frequently bizarre claims about the world we live in, and used the clones' comments as support for him.

When confronted about his behavior--as in the case of my complaints about his personal attacks against me, which began approximately 30 minutes after I first posted an opinion contrary to his in September of 2006--he has denied it, even though the attacks are right there in the archives.

Perhaps the case is simply this: That nobody with any professional editing skills is willing to work for Blogcritics for free?

Or maybe he knows where a body is buried?

Sorry Dread but I take issue with your comment.

He was in fact spreading hysteria and hatred. He jumped the gun, and as there is not to my knowledge anyone who screens his articles before he writes them, highly unprofessional. Indeed I hold him to a higher account due to that fact, as I laid out in my letter to Eric.

My main beef with him are his personal attacks, as Moon so eloquently states above. I find him hypocritical to the extreme, particularly when he has falsely accused me in the past of spreading hatred and fear, not to mention openly calling me a nazi, and not even having the decency to apologize to me for it.

It is my opinion that he does this site great disservice by remaining the political editor when he is so openly biased, and uses personal attacks as his modus operandi on a constant basis.

I will wait for an answer from Mr. Olson, in particular about being censored for using bubba, before I decide whether or not to continue commenting on this site. Bubba to me does not mean a racist, or a nazi, but it does convey what I want it to, which is that bubbas are good ole boys, that for the most part are ignorant, frequently from the south, and usually full of it.

How Nalle can openly call me a nazi and not be cenosred, yet I use the term bubba and can is absurd, and I am sure that you know that Dread. Bubba conveys exactly what I want, and it is extremely apt in my assessment of Nalle and company, which includes his sidekick Clavos.

As I have stated on here recently when censored for using that terrible word bubba, I planned on writing Olson anyways, the hate mongering article above only adds fire to my flame. It speaks for itself about Nalle and his unprofessional agenda on this site.

My concern is not so much with Dave. It is the suggestion at 15:45 EDT, AFTER the hoax was thoroughly discredited, that the original post 'looks really bad at this point', and that the 'body' of the post be edited to reflect that it was a hoax.

For better or worse, this thread, with the original topic post, did happen. It is a valuable lesson that should not be blurred because it reflects badly on BC.

Hey Moon, how about you quit while you are ahead? Seriously, because your knowledge of the inner workings of BC is beyond limited, perhaps bordering on ignorantly misinformed and dare I say, more than stupid.

Also, Pablo, it's OLSEN with an E. Eric rarely pays any attention to anyone with the temerity to spell his name incorrectly. Repeatedly.

As for Dave Nalle's editing skills and such, they are more than adequate and while I may disagree with virtually every political thought he's ever conjured, those of you attacking him are no better.

Political hatred from either side is not only counter-productive, but ugly.

The story was a hoax, but Dave had no way of knowing that. He, like anyone else who jumps on a breaking story and later finds out it's a hoax, need simply update it reflecting that. There's really no need to get all indignant and gloaty. It could have happened to ANYONE.

Sheesh, I hate being put in a position to defend a Republican, but let's have some common decency.

Sheesh, I hate being put in a position to defend a Republican...

Nonetheless, to your credit, you do a nice job of it.

Dawn,

You come across as a shrew dear. My beef with Nalle has NOTHING to do with his politics nor mine. My beef with him has to do with his conflicting interests as political editor and commenter, as well as his frequent personal attacks with those that disagree with him.

Instead of discussing the issues of my disagreement, you Dawn reduce it to a typo on Mr. Olsen's name. You come across as more hostile than anyone on this thread me included dear.

I dont hate Nalle, nor am I spreading hatred, I don't like hypocrisy particularly when it is sent my way. Both this article and the one that I referenced Speedboat Diplomacy speak for themselves, they were presented as NEWS and were written for no other reason than to spread hatred towards Iran and in this article towards Democrats, of which I am not one.

Should Mr. Olsen decide not to address my concerns because of typos of his name, so be it. I doubt that he will however.

If you know so much about the inner workings of this blogsite why don't you address some of the issues that I brought up, such as me being censored for using bubba, while Nalle can openly call me a nazi dear, huh? Or why don't you address the fact that my articles had been rejected, while Davey boy is free to publish the above trash. huh?

Dawn,

Methinks you protest WAAAAAY too much. Your defense of Nalle is way over the top.

And your PERSONAL ATTACK on me--calling me IGNORANT and STUPID--betray your belief that you are above having to follow the rules of conduct on this site.

Moreover, your claim that this "mistake" could have happened to anyone is completely bogus, as I have checked at least 20 sites that carried the story and this site is the only one where an obvious OPINION PIECE claiming that a CRAZED Obama supporter assaulted the woman and reflected who were the kind of people who support Obama was passed off as NEWS.

NO ONE ELSE said anything close to that. In fact, most folks who wrote about the incident were cautious and guarded in their OPINIONS and LANGUAGE.

I will call things exactly the way I see them, as always.

If that means you are caught with your pants down, please remember that you chose to drop them and squat; I did not pull them down for you.

I am starting to like you Moon. :) :)

Well, the girl has recanted the entire story - said she made the whole thing up. What now, Dave? Hmmm?

mmm....looks kinda fishy. thats just my first impression, i guess i could be wrong

Dave continues not to show his face on this thread, although he DID post on another thread after the hoax was outed and it was mentioned on that other thread.

Which means he can't use the excuse that he was in the can all day and didn't know that the shit had hit the fan in another venue as well.

However, I've got plenty of catching up to do in other places myself (and not in the can, either), so willnot hang around to see how this comes out.

Yes, pun intended.

Dear Dawn,

Perhaps I can put this in some perspsective?

Dave "broke" a news story that was already old news.

He then has not appeared to talk about the outcome of that "news" story since it has been debunked.

Why not?

He should have.

At the least, as a blogcritics editor, he should have written a piece about how the girl recanted. He should have updated the piece and then written an apology as both the writer of the piece AND as a bc editor.

And, in the future, he should watch his own comments....very very carefully, when commenting on such a sensitive piece that I, as a seasoned journalist, IMMEDIATELY realized was hinky, and would not have published anywhere, including a blogger site, without sitting on it, and trying to verify it. And as soon as I knew it was a hoax, as the writer/editor of the piece I would have written a fulsome apology and explanation.

I think you are great, Dawn, but I have to agree that your defense of Dave in this case makes little sense.

WHY have we not heard from him? Why have others posted the story of the girl's recanting her story?

I was gone all day or I would have done the same but the moment I came home I logged on. And you will notice that immediately upon my reading Dave's story I mention Susan Smith: THAT is how spurious the story sounded to be right off.

We really, all of us, need to be really careful what we label as NEWS and what as OPINION.

Dave's piece could easily have made reference to the girl's story and then gone off as an opinion story IF he believed it to be true. The fact that he ran with the story based on ONE source and labeled it news was troublesome for this writer... and more troublesome is the fact that he has not come back to write an explanation and apology but has allowed you to defend him.

It makes Blogcritics look very less than credible.

ALL other news networks have reported the real story.

#97 ...Or why don't you address the fact that my articles had been rejected, while Davey boy is free to publish the above trash. huh?

So...it's Envy. You're pissed because Nalle gets published and you don't.

Suggestion for yas: Why not Ask the publisher why you were rejected? I know it doesn't support your feelings of victimization and unfairness, but if you want an article published to a magazine (ANY Magazine) and you've been unsuccessful in the past getting something published in that magazine, there's probably a reason, and it's usually the Writer, not the Editor or Publisher, who's got a problem.

I've Been Paid for writing before, as a freelancer, and getting in requires work. Blogcritics has pre-acceptance standards, Pablo, you can't just haul off a rant as a new guy (or even frequent visiting fan) with no prior experience and expect them to welcome you with open arms and no references. Hate to tell you this, but even you aren't that wonderful.

You either earn your spot by knocking their socks off, or you earn it by showing quality work somewhere else. A blog of your own, or some published articles elsewhere, maybe a book...something. I note you don't include a URL when you post. Most Bloggers are horribly vain, the lack of URL indicates to myself you don't have a blog or site or anything that might be used as an example of work you've done on your own before.

If you think you're as good as Nalle, then you need to be able to back your claim. From what I've seen in the last four or five months (since I started coming to the site regularly), you haven't done that, certainly posting to the comments section isn't proof-comment threads are like Fan-forums, it isn't the same as Quality, much less superior, writing.

Nalle blew it on this article, but there are a LOT of good writers who blew it on this issue all over the internet, including some respected and respectable names outside of Blogcritics.

well, it's not like dave HAS to be the one to write up the story (about the hoax).

he SHOULD, but he doesn't have to.

Actually, he really should. As the editor and the writer, he really really should. He certainly should not just.....disappear.

Methinks Dave has a financial interest in BC. Someone was cash strapped and Dave sold some stock. It's all so simple, and common.

No web site with a smidgen of integrity would put up with the vox popoli stunt and allow Dave to remain an Editor.

He might be busy, too- doesn't Dave have a day job or something? (hell, I'd miss even MORE than I already do if we weren't on strike right now...)

This story has generated lots of heat, but very little light. It was all over the news earlier today and Dave Nalle did not vouch for its veracity. He stated that the "provenance [of the photo] is unknown." He stated it "seems like [the incident]. . . .epitomizes much of the anger and bitterness of this election season" (emphasis added). The attacker "reportedly shouted. . . ." and so on.

Anyone lacking prescience who attempts to relate breaking news is in danger of having the "news story" turn out to be a story rather than news. Should Dave have noted in a subsequent comment that the "news" turned out to be a hoax when that happened? Yes, he should have.

Dave Nalle did not manufacture this news story; he reported it. I have seen far less anger directed at others who use their positions as reporters to make rather than to report the news. And finding a retraction is very difficult; if and when if ever it comes, it tends to be rather defensive and half-hearted. This is one example. There are others.

The ad hominem comments with which this thread and others have been infested are very disheartening. Civility seems to have become a thing fondly to be remembered, but to be rejected in practice. In that connection, it is my understanding that the politics editors, Dave Nalle among them, do not have the capability of editing or deleting comments; they once did, but that apparently changed quite some time ago. That is the job of the comments editors, and they seem to do a fairly workmanlike job of it.

There are more interesting things to discuss on BC than feeling of personal insult, irritation at other people's comments, and whether it is suitable to use demeaning nicknames for them. There is probably a difficult line to draw between fair comment and personal attacks. To me, some of the recent comments seem to have crossed the line. I would urge fewer outbursts of indignant self importance and a bit more well directed humor.

Dan(Miller)

The problem is Dave the commentor does a huge disservice to the credibility of Dave the editor/writer, so this revolt certainly isn't surprising.

The article was fine last night, although the last paragraph had some questionable parts. It's the comments here and elsewhere that create the appearance of an agenda and why people gleefully want to knock him down a few pegs.

He needs to show up and take his medicine

For your information Canon, I have had 4 articles published here. The reasons my submissions were not published has to do with not aligning with either the left or the right on here, ie my aricle on the myth of alqaeda and my 9/11 piece, both of which were written under the heading of OPINION.

I again would like to point out the Speedboat Diplomacy article written by Nalle as NEWS, yet this story has been completely debunked months ago, actually within a week of it being written, yet Dave did not retract, but just ignored it. That is highly unprofessional and for that reason alone he should not be the editor here.

Again my main point of contention with Nalle is not this article per se, but his attacks on those that disagree with him, which I get censored for saying bubba, yet he is let off scott free for calling me a nazi, which he in fact did.

I personally have nothing against personal attacks as long as the playing field is level which it aint.

I have spent a good portion of my life combating facsism in all of its myriad forms, so to be called a nazi by Nalle was a bit over the top.

No one seems to be interested in the double standards here, other than me and Moon.

Dan, if you think you are helping Dave out, think again.

"Dave Nalle did not vouch for its veracity."

Dave the writer may not have but Dave the author did: "I am not going to question her story at this point. She lives not far from here and she's an aggie and aggies are too dumb to lie."

"it is my understanding that the politics editors, Dave Nalle among them, do not have the capability of editing or deleting comments; they once did, but that apparently changed quite some time ago."

Your understanding is flat-out wrong. He may have been told not to after the extremely embarrassing "Vox Populi" incident, but the editors still have the capability.

The word "allegedly" is evidently not in Dave's vocabulary.

Back on the actual topic for a moment...

There's one thing Dave got right-this election year has everyone on both sides wound up to the edge of breaking, and that kind of environment, hate to say it, is what breeds this kind of hoax, and creates (in the mind of the hoaxer) the idea, and a ready-made excuse that entices the kind of people who make these kinds of hoaxes.

I'm not going to say it's sad, because for it to be sad, I'd have to have some sympathy for the hoaxer.

I don't. If she wants to play these games, she's in the wrong party. I do not foresee or expect a horde of Republican Ops coming out of the woodwork to defend or justify her actions-that's not what being Conservative's about to me, or the Conservatives I personally know.

Miss Todd needs to sit down and decide what she really believes in, and take her lumps like a grown-up.

I don't actually expect she will, mind, but she should.

Your understanding is flat-out wrong. He may have been told not to after the extremely embarrassing "Vox Populi" incident, but the editors still have the capability.

When's the last time you went into a comment to edit it?

I can't edit comments. That's a fact; mt won't let me. I believe CR said a long time ago that that ability was restricted to him and Doc.

El Bicho,

You complain that Dave Nalle said, "I am not going to question her story at this point. She lives not far from here and she's an aggie and aggies are too dumb to lie."(emphasis added) Perhaps we read things a bit differently. That hardly seems to me to be a ringing endorsement of the young lady's story.

I have only been commenting on and submitting articles to BC since April of this year. I have no personal knowledge of what may have happened prior to that. As to whether politics editors, as distinguished from comments editors, have editorial powers over comments, I have been told that such powers were retracted quite some time ago. I assume that you must have some reason to believe that Dave Nalle has exercised comment editor privileges subsequent to the embarrassing "Vox Populi" incident or perhaps recently. If so, perhaps you will be kind enough to share your information with the rest of us.

Dan(Miller)

I did it to my own comment (#111) before I responded. Removed the last period in the comment and I have no access to Chris or the Doc's login.

Shame. So quick to assume the story was true... shows desperation. Such a lost cause, this cycle is. The underlying racism in this whole episode is shameful a Republican party that should know better.

But you can't modify PUBLISHED comments, right? That's what Dan(Miller) is referring to.

Re Comments # 110,113,116,117 and 118: Perhaps CR or Doc would like to chime in here. Someone seems to be misinformed, and an authoritative resolution would be appreciated.

Then, perhaps we can get back to the critical question of whether Dave Nalle should be hung, drawn and quartered or merely be required to sit in the public square and have rotten tomatoes thrown at him.

Dan(Miller)

Just to clarify, the login and password to edit comments is different than the one to edit articles. Chris and myself are not the only ones who have that password: the site owners/administrators will, very very occasionally, go in to edit a comment if neither Chris nor I are around.

I know lawyers like to twist their questions around as they go to get to the conclusions they want, or maybe you aren't understanding the words, but I was only responding to your comments as written, not the new meaning you have chosen for them.

Veracity somehow changed to ringing endorsement. There was no comment from anyone about a ringing endorsement, but Dave did say she was too dumb to lie. If she can't lie, that goes to the veracity of the statements she made. I will grant that you may well read Dave's words differently although it escapes me how.

"I assume that you must have some reason to believe that Dave Nalle has exercised comment editor privileges subsequent"

Don't know why you would assume that since I never claimed Dave has done it since. I was responding to your previous claim that "the politics editors, Dave Nalle among them, do not have the capability of editing or deleting comments." If someone higher up the chain wants to explain the situation, I will concede the point that politics editors have different restrictions than other editors.

I understood what Dan meant. I can modify PUBLISHED comments and did. Never have tried before today. But if the politics editors can't I'll stand corrected.

Dan @ #110:

It's rather ironic that you should link to a story on Newsbusters as an illustration of your argument, because they were one of the few news sources to give Ms Todd's story much credence when it first broke, and are now doing a very creditable Tasmanian Devil impression as they try desperately to spin it in a way that makes Todd come out still smelling of at least some sort of hothouse flower.

Here's their take on it all. Continue on past the article to the comments, some of which are by the author.

I've been out all day buying meat and shotgun shells for the local Turkey Shoot (both McCain and Obama supporters are welcome to attend), so I couldn't reply or write a followup article.

For the record this article was written within minutes of this story being picked up as a news item by the AP, Reuters, CNN, Fox and other news outlets. I got to the story before most of them did, based off of news reports on the Pittsburgh TV stations.

If anything, my report contains more qualifications and is more thorough in presenting the ambiguities of the case than most of the other news coverage was. Plus I make very clear in my first comment that I had serious questions about the report, and that was many hours before Ashley Todd recanted.

I do have a followup article which is going to be in pending in a few minutes, and I thank the omnipresent Matt Sussman for posting his satirical followup earlier today.

Dave

El Bicho,

In view of Comment #122, I see no point in belaboring further who has what privileges to edit posted comments, when it was changed or why.

Therefore, I will only suggest that to certify someone's veracity is, to me, rather a ringing endorsement. Veracity is, in a perhaps old fashioned way, important. Often, since Truth is such a valuable thing, it is economized more than it should be.

Dan(Miller)

Just for the record, I'm not adding an apology for a report written based on reports from major media outlets which they were reporting in much the same way. The fact that this was a hoax is well established now, but it was still news at the time it was reported and the article remains an object lesson on what can happen when you report a breaking story that is still in progress.

There is nothing partisan in the story. Every single statement made was drawn directly from a news source (three are cited in the article contrary to what some have claimed) and there is not one bit of opinion expressed in the article. In fact, structurally it's a model of what a blog news article ought to be.

But yes, it's still all wrong. But the reporter does not control the story, he just reports it. It's not his fault if the story he reported at midnight turns out not to be complete the next afternoon.

Dave

Doc, re Comment #123

I wasn't citing Newsbusters as a uniformly authoritative source of news. I haven't found any of those. I was citing it about the CNN interview of Governor Palin. As the article indicates, the interviewer has now (sort of, in a backhanded way) apologized for not being clear. I don't think there is any real dispute that the CNN interviewer attributed to the National Review article something quite different from that intended, and clearly stated, by the author of that article. It appears to have been a "gotcha" moment, and it (unlike others in the past) backfired.

Dan(Miller)

Hey Dave? ever been a real reporter? How about "claims" she was attacked. How about using the words allegedly, reportedly? How about station so and so reported that a young girl claimed...... and so on.

Your first paragraph was as incendiary as the purported (another good word) crime.

Sorry, Dave. I don't buy your defense. OR the fact that, once you heard the retraction (hours ago) you didn't try and get back to comment.

And I DON'T buy another politics editor NOT vetting the story (where were you, Clav), too. Other than Dave. Didn't you run it by another editor?

That would make the most sense. When an editor writes a story, it makes sense to pass it by another editor who would, it would seem, say: Hey, I think we need some fudge words, like allegedly etc. in here, Dave. Whereupon Dave would, like a real reporter, say, Sure, and work on rewriting the piece.

C'mon, guys.

I mean, Dave: Look at your head and subhead. There is NO room for doubt there. If that was all people read.....

You can't wiggle out of this one, I am afraid.

Dave you presented the first paragraph of your article as FACT. You say that you were not being partisan, who do you think believes you? Of course you were being partisan, which is why you chose to write it. You were attempting to spread fear and hysteria in this already ridiculous excuse for an election, and you know it.

Why don't you ever act like a man, and stop squirming around, and just admit your bias, and reasons for writing this stupid article?

You have lost what little credibility you might once have had on this site, and I for one am calling for you to resign your post as politics editor.

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

It doesn't need an apology. It needs an update...unless you want people to believe that's where the story ends.

This lying sack of sh#t should be gutted with a hunting knife. In order to get fifteen minutes of fame, did she ever stop to think what an accusation like hers could have caused in that city. The whole thing seemed strange in the first place, especially the backward B thing. Well, now we know what the B really stands for. For such a stunt, she should be crucified upside down during halftime at a Steelers game. I think it should be a political bi-partisan effort sponsored by the NRA, ACLU and Miller Lite. Joe Buck and John Madden could MC the event.

Hey Dave? ever been a real reporter? How about "claims" she was attacked. How about using the words allegedly, reportedly? How about station so and so reported that a young girl claimed...... and so on.

Yes Lisa, I have been a real reporter, and I've also been a real print editor as well. At the time the article was written there had been no challenge to Todd's story and there was no reason not to give her the benefit of the doubt. My story is just the straight facts as reported, as are the stories I used as sources. To start putting my doubts and suspicions into the story would have removed it from the category of news to the category of opinion.

What really troubles me is that Fox News has gone back after the fact and altered their story in several key ways to make it look like they were skeptical from the start. This is exactly why I'm not changing the article I wrote.

Sorry, Dave. I don't buy your defense. OR the fact that, once you heard the retraction (hours ago) you didn't try and get back to comment.

I was in my BigAss EcoTruck in rural Williamson County. I wasn't even aware of the retraction until about 5pm.

And I DON'T buy another politics editor NOT vetting the story (where were you, Clav), too. Other than Dave. Didn't you run it by another editor?

Yes, I did. All articles on BC are viewed by an editor other than the author. At the time it was published there was no reason for any editor to have an issue with the facts as presented. Note that I myself commented within 10 minutes of the publication of the article to outline some of my concerns. But it was not appropriate to put those concerns in a straight news article.

That would make the most sense. When an editor writes a story, it makes sense to pass it by another editor who would, it would seem, say: Hey, I think we need some fudge words, like allegedly etc. in here, Dave. Whereupon Dave would, like a real reporter, say, Sure, and work on rewriting the piece.

I'm great at equivocation and would have gladly rewritten the article that way, but as I said before, when the article was published there was little indication that it was necessary. Stop trying to judge yesterday's news by today's facts.

Dave

Agree Bich...no need to change anything that's been written - updates would be appropriate

SO the word is out, its ALL A LIE !!!!! Wow..who would have thought the Repub's would stoop to such a low. I hope this is a wake up call for everyone in America, to see what these sick sick people are doing just to TRY AND WIN because they know they are down!

I hope she rots in a prison cell for a few years, giving time for that cutesy little backwards B to heal.

Lisa #124,

Editors do not self publish. ALL editor articles are "vetted" by another editor, because they are edited and published by another editor.

I did not edit and publish that article, which is why I have not entered into this discussion, nor is it my place to alter or amend it in any way.

Many years ago, I spent several weeks cruising in a small boat on the Amazon River. I worked for Varig Brasilian Airlines at the time (which is now, sadly, defunct), and the cruise was work-related. At one point, we were upstream of Manaus, in the "Meeting of The Waters" area, where the Rio Solimões and Rio Negro flow together to form the upper reaches of the Amazon. One evening during the cruise we stopped at a small aboriginal village, where we were given a demonstration of the voraciousness and efficiency of Piranha fish. Our hosts trapped and slaughtered a capybara and dropped it whole into an eddy near the shore. What ensued was both gruesome and awesome; those fish appeared within seconds, and, in less than five minutes devoured the rodent; all but the bones.

As I said, they were voracious, they were efficient, and they were unrelenting. It was a truly impressive spectacle.

Much like tonight's gang bang of Dave on this thread, which bore a strong resemblance to the deadly frenzy of those fish that night on the Amazon.

Dave,

Again, it's not the article I found wanting, but this comment -

"it confirms everything I've observed elsewhere about the fanaticism of Obama supporters."

is what I take exception to.

B

SO the word is out, its ALL A LIE !!!!! Wow..who would have thought the Repub's would stoop to such a low. I hope this is a wake up call for everyone in America, to see what these sick sick people are doing just to TRY AND WIN because they know they are down!

This is exactly the kind of hate which generates incidents like this hoax. The 'Repubs' didn't do this. One sad little girl did it to get attention. You should be expressing your sympathy for her, not turning this into an excuse for more rage and hate.

I hope she rots in a prison cell for a few years, giving time for that cutesy little backwards B to heal.

She'll likely get 6 months probation on a misdemeanor.

Dave

I find it bizarre that so many commenters on this thread have made such a big deal out of this article, yet none of you had anything to say about the monumental fuck up by ersatz reporter Drew Griffin, who totally misrepresented Byron York's words printed in an opinion piece in National Review, and grievously injured and insulted Sarah Palin on the air.

What's up with that, you libs? Double standard at work here?

You talk about hate?? What this sick little girl did for "attention" was full of hate, racism and political wrong doing.

If you are going to tell me I am full of hate because I think she is sick in the head, and did this to try and down Obama, and it FAILED because she admitted everything, then you sir, are sick as well.

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- A McCain campaign volunteer made up a story of being robbed, pinned to the ground and having the letter "B" scratched on her face in what she had said was a politically inspired attack, police said Friday.

Ashley Todd, 20-year-old college student from College Station, Texas, admitted Friday that the story was false, said Maurita Bryant, the assistant chief of the police department's investigations division. Todd was charged with making a false report to police, and Bryant said police doubted her story from the start.

Dressed in an orange hooded sweat shirt, Todd left police headquarters in handcuffs late Friday and did not respond to questions from reporters. The mark on her face was faded and her left eye was slightly blackened when she arrived in district court.

If you are going to tell me I am full of hate because I think she is sick in the head, and did this to try and down Obama, and it FAILED because she admitted everything, then you sir, are sick as well.

No, I think you're full of hate because you think that Ashley Todd is somehow a spokesperson for all Republicans. That's puts you in the same boat with her.

Dave

"yet none of you had anything to say..."

Please provide the URL where that article appears at BC. I know the comment editors like for us to stay on topic, so doesn't make sense to discuss it here.

...a McCain campaign worker from College Station, Texas who was in Pittsburgh helping to work a phone bank was robbed and then attacked, brutalized, and disfigured in what appears to be a politically motivated hate crime.

whichever editor passed on this verb should slap his wrist

which raises the question: is it the responsibility of editors at bc to require fact checking before 'news' items are posted or do they restrict themselves to matters of style and grammar - ?

Dave is biased. So am I. I hope nobody denies us our rights to our biases.

The post is journalistically sloppy, which certainly is a serious shortcoming, that objectively led to the furtherance of the hoax.

But what I really find disturbing is Dawn's advising to edit the 'body' of the post so it wouldn't look so bad. It is to Dave's credit that he refuses to do so.

None of you submitted an article, either.

What is it with you and Clavy Davey? Does he do all your dirty work, and the laundry too? Ya know here in liberal California thanks to the liberal activist non original intent judiciary you two could get legally hitched here, and you no longer would have to keep your relationship in the closet. Just a tip for ya Davey, after all one good tip deserves another don't ya think bucko?
(I used bucko instead of bub-- cause I have been censored for that, as far as I know bucko is still in the free speech zone. smirk

Now as to your excuses in being unprofessional in your zeal to leap to attack dog status, and pounce like the partisan right winger that you are
on a hoax, then say it was ok because of the way FAUX news reported it, had me in stitches, I tell ya what hehehe.

However, for your information Davey, I happened to be watching that smarmy, arrogant, mean spirited Bill O'lielly at the time the story broke, or within perhaps 2-3 hours of it. I know you must be asking yourself, what the hell is Pablo doing watching fair and balanced newsreporting? Well Davey, I learned from my Dad, who still to this day sends in in ninety-five cents a quarter to get the latest in the republican propaganda machine mailed to him, first class too! It is always good to keep up with the opposition.

So yeah I was watchin O'lielly and he comes on and says that he thought it was proly a hoax, and that he had his doubts.

It does say somethin though, when the political editor of a well known non-partisan online magazine at every opportunity uses partisanship to push his agenda, so much so that its quite frankly over the top.

I know I get very little support on here from the rest of you fellas/women, on my comments and su