Let's Revisit Dan Rather and the Letter, Shall We?

[NashVegas]

In 2004 there was an election year Democrats thought they were sure to win.

Late in the season, a story was breaking in the news that Democrats thought would totally put them (us) over the top. TANG.

George Bush's failure to show up for National Guard duty. The only problem was, there was no proof anywhere as so many records had been scrubbed. In late August we heard word that proof had been found and the story was going to be featured on an upcoming 60 Minutes. That story aired, put together by Dan Rather and Mary Mapes, September 8th 2004.

Democrats and Bush-loathing independents rejoiced! Hallelujah, the truth was out and there was no way the American people would re-elect him.

And that very same night, websites with very close ties to the Republican campaign denounced Rathers' and Mapes' evidence and called the documents forgery. Whether or not they actually were forgeries is still up for debate in some quarters but the only thing that mattered in 2004 was that Republicans wrote the story that the media used forged evidence against George W. Bush, and the people who wrote the story seemed to have had advance information about what to do and when.

Now it's 2008 and we're at it all over again. Instead of relying on a great campaign, there's a contingent of people who are determined to use an internet rumor against John McCain's running mate. A rumor that has almost no relationship to her performance or abilities as a back-up commander in chief, but whether or not she has a white trash family.

Today is the last day of August.

You aren't really going to do this all over again, are you?

Oh, and by the way: Barack Obama's opponent is John McCain. Palin is red meat for RW fundies, a distraction for us. That's it.

[Catch22Dem]

1. That rumor came from her home state, Jack. We aren't responsible for it

And I highly doubt we have any power to stop it.

As a side note, I always wondered why the media never jumped on what that old lady TANG secretary said to Rather. "Those are forgeries, because the real ones were destroyed, but they did exist." The media and the repukes got as far as "those are forgeries" and it all unraveled from there.

[Boz]

2. It has a lot to do with her performance as VP

"A rumor that has almost no relationship to her performance or abilities as a back-up commander in chief, but whether or not she has a white trash family."

Its not about whether its "white trash", it is about that fact that if John McCain croaks this woman, who may or may not have covered up a teen pregnancy, or withstanding that has held up said baby as proof of her strong conviction against abortion, WILL CHOOSE 2 if not 3 justices of the SCOTUS, so it may be smoke but it definitely could be destructive fire and is relevant

[DarthDem]

3. Sigh

Everything is not planned and directed by Karl Rove.

Everything is not a conspiracy.

There is no hidden deathtrap here. There is no bait. Republican campaign operatives are not brilliant, shadowy, all-knowing masterminds.

The Republicans did not engineer the pick of Ms. Palin because they were hoping the Democrats and the media would fall for a scandal about her, in some massively complex, Machiavellian plot.

The McClone campaign picked Palin' because they're desperate. And because they're not very smart. And it's becoming more and more apparent just how desperate, and just how not smart, this selection was. That's it.

[WCGreen]

8. A voice of restraint....

Here Here....

[Liberal Dose]

4. Better notify Alaskan newspapers, because that's where this story originates. eom

[NashVegas]

5. Which Ones Would Those Be?

That published this story, prior to the last three days?

[pocoloco]

6. Rope another Dope!!

[Minimus]

7. Dan was a journalist airing a story on television -

We are discussing rumors on a message board.

IMO there is a difference.

[NashVegas]

9. Correct

Rumors that some are making an effort to get covered in mainstream media. People need to STFU and let the professionals deal with it.

Even if it's true, I'm not sure it will hurt her with conservatives. If it's true, then she did what was done for eons before we had the Pill and abortion. If it's true, Dems need to not make it a moral issue and instead highlight what we'd be going back to if abortion was made illegal.

[NashVegas]

10. kicking

for the rational peeps