Howard Kaloogian - Photo by candidate not taken in Baghdad

San Diego Union Tribune ^ | March 30, 2006 | Bill Ainsworth

[Fred]

SACRAMENTO – During his congressional campaign, Howard Kaloogian has portrayed himself as an aggressive conservative willing to go the extra mile, or in this case, 7,000 miles, to show that the war in Iraq is going well.

But a funny thing happened on the way back from Baghdad – at least according to Kaloogian: His group stopped in Istanbul, their pictures got confused and now he's at the center of a national Internet photo scandal.

For weeks, Kaloogian's campaign Web site featured a photo of a peaceful city block to help make his case that things are going well in Iraq.

“We took this photo of Baghdad while we were in Iraq,” the caption accompanying the photo read. “Iraq (including Baghdad) is much more calm and stable than what many people believe it to be.”

There was one problem with the photo. It wasn't Baghdad. It was a suburb of Istanbul, Turkey.

Kaloogian's explanation that it was an innocent mix-up isn't being bought by bloggers across the nation who uncovered the bogus photo.

Some of them believe he's guilty of what he's accused the mainstream media of doing: slanting the news to fit his own beliefs.

“The simplest explanation is that he lied to prove that Baghdad is this wonderful suburban safe place,” said Tamara Baker, a St. Paul, Minn., resident who followed the story on liberal Internet blogs.

After he was snared in an Internet frenzy, Kaloogian acknowledged the problem yesterday and took the photo down from his Web site.

“They used a picture that was wrong. There's nothing sinister about it,” Kaloogian said.

Kaloogian, a former assemblyman, is the founder of a group called Move America Forward, dedicated to supporting the Iraq War.

In July, he took a 10-day trip to publicize what he said was the positive news out of Iraq, now the scene of daily sectarian violence.

During his trip, he announced his candidacy for the 50th Congressional District seat.

Kaloogian said the mistake occurred because some of the people on the trip, which included conservative radio talk-show hosts, went home through Istanbul. All the group members pooled their photos. Kaloogian said his Web master selected a photo of Istanbul.

Bloggers began questioning the photo Tuesday night.

It didn't look like Iraq.

None of the signs was in Arabic. A woman was wearing Western clothes. Billboards were advertising Western products.

The issue bounced from blog to blog, mostly among liberals.

Finally, yesterday morning, a participant at the DailyKos blog found a photograph confirming that the photo was taken in a suburb of Istanbul.

Joshua Marshall, operator of a center/left blog called Talking Points Memo, said the incident undermines Kaloogian's view that the mainstream media isn't telling the truth and needs correcting from conservatives.

“He's saying, 'Believe me, I've been there.' But it makes him seem like a joke,” Marshall said.

The incident shows the strength of bloggers, he said.

“It shows the amazing power of distributed journalism, where you get a few hundred people researching this at the same time and someone comes up with the answer right away,” Marshall said.

Kaloogian isn't just getting criticism from bloggers on the left.

Last month, Matt Rexroad, a Sacramento Republican consultant who operates a blog called Cal Races, criticized Kaloogian for inaccurately listing an endorsement from the California Pro-Life Council.

Rexroad once worked for state Sen. Bill Morrow, R-Oceanside, who is running for the same 50th District seat.

Kaloogian, in an interview, admitted that the California Pro-Life Council had not endorsed him and he removed the endorsement listing.

Rexroad, who served in the Army in Iraq, also blasted Kaloogian, saying he announced his candidacy on the road from Baghdad to Kuwait City.

“As someone that has driven that highway many times – the last thing you need to be doing along that stretch of Iraq is announcing your candidacy for Congress. Keep your eyes open and your head on a swivel. The military personnel protecting him weren't there as security for his little mobile press conference,” Rexroad wrote.

Kaloogian said he announced his candidacy from his hotel.

www.talkingpointsmemo.com Upper picture is photograph on Howard Kaloogian Web site that the candidate says he took of a peaceful scene in Baghdad. But bloggers produced the lower photo, of the same scene, which is in a suburb of Istanbul, Turkey. Kaloogian calls it a photo mix-up.

[facedown]

Round 27.

[Vigilanteman]

Kaloogian quickly admitted a mistake and removed the offending photo. Dan Rather is still claiming "fake but accurate."

Kaloogian is running for office. Rather claimed to be a neutral, impartial journalist.

[ChessExpert]

“The simplest explanation is that he lied to prove that Baghdad is this wonderful suburban safe place,” said Tamara Baker, a St. Paul, Minn., resident who followed the story on liberal Internet blogs.

Well that is simple and very quick to negative judgment. In truth, how can we know whether Kaloogian lied or his staff made a mistake. I make mistakes on almost every FreeRepublic most that I make!

I like his website which is Patriotic. Most liberals betray their disdain for America. Follow these liberal internet blogs and I’m sure you will pick up a lot of anti-Americanism.

In July, he took a 10-day trip to publicize what he said was the positive news out of Iraq, now the scene of daily sectarian violence. (emphasis in the original).

Sort of tells me where Bill Ainsworth, and possibly the San Diego Union Tribune, fit in. Bill isn’t going to acknowledge any positive news from Iraq. And if a war includes violence, should we be surprised?

Kaloogian isn't just getting criticism from bloggers on the left.

Last month, Matt Rexroad, a Sacramento Republican consultant who operates a blog called Cal Races, criticized Kaloogian ...
Rexroad once worked for state Sen. Bill Morrow, R-Oceanside, who is running for the same 50th District seat.

Primary opponents and their staffs criticize one another? My goodness gracious, that is significant. I suppose that means Kaloogian is wrong (sarcasm).

It does seem that liberals have a quasi-valid gotcha here. But this reflects their immense desire to get someone who is conservative and patriotic. Joseph Stalin murdered about 40 million people. In more than seventy years, liberals and Democrats haven’t been able to see a gotcha for the man they called “Uncle Joe.”

[NormsRevenge]

yaawwwnnnn.

[Kuksool]

The MSM seems eager to take down Kaloogian. Is he the best candidate against Francine Busby?

[lowbridge]

I make mistakes on almost every FreeRepublic most that I make!

I find that hard to believe ;-)

[ChessExpert]

LOL.

I meant to say "post" not "most."

I can only hope that some of my writos (inspired by typos) are balanced by reader reados, as they know what I was getting at.

[goldstategop]

It was just an honest mistake. They're crucifying Howard over being human. I think the erroneous photo in question has been removed from his campaign website. Now can't we all just move on?

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[goldstategop]

Howard's a true, solid conservative. As opposed to the RINO Bilbray the party establishment wants to see elected there.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[Fred]

I am sure there are other solid conservatives in this race other than some story teller like Howard.....He really does our American Soldiers a disservice by such tom foolery

[Impeach98]

Fred: Howard's a good guy and your denigrating of his character is not only unfortunate but it's also inaccurate and unfair.