Fox News Executive VP John Moody said yesterday the "B" attack on a McCain campaign supporter was going to be a watershed event in the campaign. (for story, click here)
"If the incident turns out to be a hoax, Senator McCain’s quest for the presidency is over, forever linked to race-baiting.
For Pittsburgh, a city that has done so much to shape American history over the centuries, another moment of truth is at hand."
Now that it has turned out to be a hoax, and police are pressing charges, what do you think aobut that? Is this a disaster for the McCain campaign? Does anybody agree with this?
What I think is wierd is the way the McCain's communications director for PA was all ready to go with the story, and even embellished it and added quotes, well before the facts were known.
Look at this from TPM:
"John McCain's Pennsylvania communications director told reporters in the state an incendiary version of the hoax story about the attack on a McCain volunteer well before the facts of the case were known or established -- and even told reporters outright that the "B" carved into the victim's cheek stood for "Barack," according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions.
John Verrilli, the news director for KDKA in Pittsburgh, told TPM Election Central that McCain's Pennsylvania campaign communications director gave one of his reporters a detailed version of the attack that included a claim that the alleged attacker said, "You're with the McCain campaign? I'm going to teach you a lesson."
Verrilli also told TPM that the McCain spokesperson had claimed that the "B" stood for Barack. According to Verrilli, the spokesperson also told KDKA that Sarah Palin had called the victim of the alleged attack, who has since admitted the story was a hoax."
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Do you think this was the work of one crack-pot, acting totally on her own? Is it like the soldiers at Abu Ghraib, just trying to imitate the tone they saw that was set at the top. If that is what happened, why would the communications director be ready to publish and improve the story?
More importantly, do you think Fox News is right?
Is this the end for McCain?
"If the incident turns out to be a hoax, Senator McCain’s quest for the presidency is over, forever linked to race-baiting.
For Pittsburgh, a city that has done so much to shape American history over the centuries, another moment of truth is at hand."
Now that it has turned out to be a hoax, and police are pressing charges, what do you think aobut that? Is this a disaster for the McCain campaign? Does anybody agree with this?
What I think is wierd is the way the McCain's communications director for PA was all ready to go with the story, and even embellished it and added quotes, well before the facts were known.
Look at this from TPM:
"John McCain's Pennsylvania communications director told reporters in the state an incendiary version of the hoax story about the attack on a McCain volunteer well before the facts of the case were known or established -- and even told reporters outright that the "B" carved into the victim's cheek stood for "Barack," according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions.
John Verrilli, the news director for KDKA in Pittsburgh, told TPM Election Central that McCain's Pennsylvania campaign communications director gave one of his reporters a detailed version of the attack that included a claim that the alleged attacker said, "You're with the McCain campaign? I'm going to teach you a lesson."
Verrilli also told TPM that the McCain spokesperson had claimed that the "B" stood for Barack. According to Verrilli, the spokesperson also told KDKA that Sarah Palin had called the victim of the alleged attack, who has since admitted the story was a hoax."
--------
Do you think this was the work of one crack-pot, acting totally on her own? Is it like the soldiers at Abu Ghraib, just trying to imitate the tone they saw that was set at the top. If that is what happened, why would the communications director be ready to publish and improve the story?
More importantly, do you think Fox News is right?
Is this the end for McCain?