Posted on 03/23/2005 5:25:25 PM PST by Stellar Dendrite
ABC News, the original source of the story on the alleged "GOP talking points" memo now appears to be backing off the story. Blogger Josh Clayborn has been talking to ABC representatives, both on and off the record, and they are now telling him that they never meant to imply that the "talking points" memo originated with the Republicans--only that it was given to some Republican Senators. See his most recent posts at In the Agora.
ABC's current position, as reported by Josh, makes little sense, as their coverage certainly did say that this was a Republican memo. (ABC's website described the memo as containing "GOP talking points.") But the fact that they are now backing off suggests that in reality, they have no idea where the memo came from.
Doubts are starting to appear in other quarters, as well. Just a little while ago, the memo's authenticity was discussed on MSNBC; the fact that bloggers have questioned the memo's provenance was discussed, and at least one guest expressed the opinion that the memo is a Democratic dirty trick.
Finally, we got this email from a staffer for a conservative Republican Senator:
Regarding this phantom “strategy memo” about Terri Schiavo, I can say with almost complete certainty that this memo did not get passed out by Republicans. For starters, nobody up here who knows anything about the Senate refers to last week’s activities as “the Budget Act” (bullet point #2). We didn’t work on the Budget Act last week; we worked on the budget resolution. It may sound like a silly, semantic point to make, but that statement in particular jumped out at me.
Next, there was absolutely no need to take action “before the Budget Act” was pending business. Action could be taken at any time to vote on the Schiavo resolution. In fact, Senators Reid and Frist tried to do exactly that, but were blocked in their request for unanimous consent by Sen. Wyden. On this same note, the budget resolution was “pending business” all week! Debate and votes on the budget resolution began Monday, March 14. Why would we pass out a memo instructing Senators to do something BEFORE the budget resolution was being debated in the middle of debate over the budget resolution? That would be like passing out a memo during the 7th inning of a baseball game instructing us to take batting practice or stretch before the game started. It makes no sense.
I was on and off the Senate floor all throughout the week, including during the Thursday night vote-a-rama. The only piece of literature that I saw being distributed was a simple list of amendments that were being voted on, and it had the Majority Whip’s name on it. No talking points, no summaries – just a simple card with a list of stacked amendments. My boss never received this alleged Schiavo memo. And trust me, given the ideological leaning of my boss, if anybody were to see this memo, it would be him.
I have not talked to any GOP staffers up here who have seen this phantom memo. Nobody I know received any e-mails containing anything even remotely close to this memo. Granted, nothing I have offered is conclusive, but this whole issue really stinks of fraud.
I don't know the graphics artist. Awsome isn't it.
YES, IT IS! ....disinformation (Democratic Party style) ...it has RATs claw/paw print all over it.
BTTT, Spread the word folks......
Would Jeb have acted by now if he were actually going to intervene? This latest action of filing with the SC seems like a total waste of time......
'I like to say things that are totally obviously sarcasm yet not signed as such just to see how many fish I can catch.'
Man, you must be tired from reeling in all of 'em.
BTTT--shine the light of truth and watch the 'rats scurry.
Au Contraire, mes amis.
The Powerline guys deserve every ounce of credit on this one. They are just fantastic.
Tomorrow the Dems will claim they were set up by Karl Rove.
I guarantee it.
Does this have any sort of momentum? I understand Powerline and FR is widely read, but if Drudge, Rush, or Hannity don't pick it up it will probably die (which would be a crime).
I hope the appropriate parties sue abcnews.
Don't let this go!
My Latin is a bit rusty. Death conquers all? Apropos, if so.
Thought I heard that Lautenberg has demanded a full investigation to see what pubbie he can nail. This will be quite interesting to watch unfold.
"Thought I heard that Lautenberg has demanded a full investigation to see what pubbie he can nail"
Correct. FYI:
"Lawmaker Calls for Congressional Investigation Into "Schiavo Talking Points" Circulated by Republican Leaders"
http://lautenberg.senate.gov/~lautenberg/press/2003/01/2005323939.html
Powerline is very, very influential, a phenomenon which accrues from their consistently outstanding insight and analysis. Their readership is also very influential.
Now the story has been picked up by Hugh Hewitt and mentioned by Rush. This one has legs. We are in the early stages of another "Blog swarm" as Hugh Hewitt calls them.
If anybody at the Wash Post or ABC News has got even a single neuron firing in their brains they will get in front of this story ASAP before they get crushed into tiny bits like CBS, Howell Raines and Eason Jordan before them.
Make yourselves comfortable and enjoy the show.
Yeah, right. And I am Napoleon Bonaparte.
The left's control over this society is built on an empire of lies, indeed decades worth of lies.
They are getting more and more arrogant, almost insanely so. We can, then, perhaps look forward to more and more of these lies that are so clumsy and overreaching they can't even hold together for a week!
If enough of them are exposed, we might just break the back of the Democratic party -- something that is essential if we are ever to reverse the horrible damage it has done to this country.
We most definitely need to break the back of today's Democrat Party. This act is just one more hideous act piled onto a stack of acts the liberals have attempted the past couple of weeks. They may succeed in killing Terri Schiavo. But, contrary to what "the polls" say, there are probably thousands and thousands of people like me who will never forget that they are the ones who have now gleefully endorsed murder of the innocent by dehydration. I have made a promise in my heart that I will not forget Terri Schiavo, and I plan to always be one small voice working to defeat those who promote the "Culture of Death". We are not in a Civil War, but we are in a war for morality, values and our Constitution. Bring on the Nuclear option, Mr. Frist and Let's Roll!
That's right. Let's roll, indeed.
I think Bill Frist doesn't have the votes for much. Don't expect much from this Congress. The Democrats are still too powerful and confident, and the Republicans are too cowardly and insufficiently united. But what we most need in this country is not congressional enactments. It is a radical restructuring of the way ordinary Americans, and public officials, think about our governmental system.
We need to destroy the Democratic party's reputation in the court of public opinion. Their most immoral and arrogant leaders must become the object of deep, constant public ridicule, contempt, and (when the occasion justifies) hatred. We also need to break down the extreme deference to the rulings of the judicial branch, no matter how crazy they may seem.
THE PEOPLE are the masters of the this republic. No one else. So, our robed masters, too, must become the objects of public ridicule and contempt. An essential step in this is that the names of judges and justices who make radically liberal rulings need to be as well-known as those of Ted Kennedy, Howard Dean, etc., and they need to be as unpopular, by name, with half the country as these cretins are.
We also need to begin a pattern, and increase the pattern, of public officials DEFYING judicial rulings as the occasion justifies.
You mean like Rather did? You are kidding I hope?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.