Posted on 06/28/2008 10:36:43 AM PDT by kristinn
The Washington Post published an article today in the Style section about researcher Danielle Allen's efforts to track down who is behind allegations that presumed Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Hussein Obama (Illinois) is a Muslim. Allen is an Obama supporter who works for the Institute for Advanced Study.
The article was written by Matthew Mosk. A curious choice for The Post considering Mosk's involvement in the nefarious MD4Bush scandal in which Mosk claimed to have been given access to a Free Republic poster's account to expose a Maryland GOP government appointee who was alleged to have commented on rumors that a Maryland Democratic mayor was an adulterer.
Mosk displayed the same talent for exposing Freepers' identities in today's article that he did in the MD4Bush scandal. However, the only person he exposed then was the Republican. The person (or persons) behind the MD4Bush screen name was not reported by Mosk.
The article Mosk wrote today purports to be about efforts to track down where the 'Obama is a Muslim' allegations began. However, it is actually a warning shot across the bow to opponents of Obama that they will be tracked down and exposed for speaking ill of the Obamessiah.
Mosk even makes sure to let Obamaniacs know who is behind Free Republic and where he can be found:
Of the file folders that are spread in neat rows across Allen's desk, only one is bulging. It holds printouts of the reams of conversations about Obama's religion appearing on Free Republic. Since its start in 1996 by Jim Robinson of Fresno, Calif....
The effort by The Post to protect Obama from rumors is in stark contrast to how they promoted potentially candidacy-damaging rumors eight-years ago.
When George W. Bush ran for president in 1999, The Washington Post led the way in rumor-mongering about whether he used cocaine in his youth. Bush refused to deny cocaine use saying that denying rumors just leads to having to deny more and more rumors. No one ever came forward with allegatons that they had first-hand knowledge of Bush using cocaine, but that didn't stop The Post and the mainstream media as painting Bush as a cokehead. No reporter ever asked Bill Clinton about cocaine use, even though several people known to Clinton claimed to have first-hand knowledge of Clinton using the drug while in public office.
While Mosk ignores The Post's own rumor-mongering, he leaves the impression of Free Republic as the rumor mill of the right. A fair reporter would have noted that Freepers exposed the fraudulent Texas Air National Guard documents that CBS News used in its attempt to derail President Bush's reelection bid in 2004. Buckhead, the Freeper who called foul on the documents, was tracked down by the Los Angeles Times even though he did not post his name on Free Republic.
Mosk's article closes with Allen complaining that the Internet has become as influential as unions and political action committees (PACs) in elections. Unstated is that the political activities of unions and PACs are heavily regulated by the federal government.
Allen seriously misunderstands the right to anonymous political speech--equating political speech with the right of a citizen to face his accuser when charged with a crime by the government:
..."This kind of misinformation campaign short-circuits judgment. It also aggressively disregards the fundamental principle of free societies that one be able to debate one's accusers."
While Mosk and The Post are furiously protecting Obama from the Obama is a Muslim allegation, they steadfstly refuse to report on Obama's well-documented connection to the terrorist supporter and Osama bin Laden sympathizer, Jodie Evans, co-founder of the anti-American group Code Pink.
The Post article claims that the Internet's danger to politics is the ability to spread rumors anonymously. The real danger is the left's willingness to use the Internet to track down and destroy its perceived enemies. Allen and Mosk's teamwork exposing Freepers is one more example of that.
Being subject of a hit piece by the CPUSA propaganda organs should be a matter of pride.
Yo!
Bird droppings = Mosk, this guy has 0 credibility.
They can’t protect Obama from rumor or scrutiny. He is running for President.
Interesting. So there is proof that Obama is a muslim? I was unaware of that. I’ll have to check that out. Thanks, Post!
After all, it's a "ROP" and equal to all other religions, right?. Whats the problem?
I remember wondering at that time if there was any more room left under Obama's bus.
It’s an overt threat to all of us - question authority, and the authorities will question us...
If we do not question now, we will never have the right to question their “authority” again. We must fight now, or forever lose our right to free speech.
".."Free Republic has evidence that an mddems.org e-mail address is associated with the MD4Bush account. This is not just coincidence," Free Republic spokeswoman Kristinn Taylor said..."
FR is well aware of the type of slime Mosk works with.
Screw them.
Wow! The Washington Post said that Barack Hussein Obama was rumored to be a Muslim! I’d better pass this on to the VRWC email database master to make sure everyone knows about this.
If it’s in the Washington Post, it must be true.
So it must be true.
bookmark
A chill wind blows.
But then again, Tim robbins' wife helped get Dr. Laura's tv show kicked off the air for not being politically correct about homosexuality.
Let them masturbate over their “Gotcha” fantasies. These people aren’t near smart enough to bother with.
Hasn't Obama already admitted to past cocaine abuse? Why isn't it an issue this campaign cycle? Because it is more credible? Or because the tooter is a Democrat?
I have seen no rumor mongering on this site. Mostly, I find that folks have been fairly intolerant of unsupported speculation, such as the exchanges on the HI birth certificate. Proof is always demanded, and there seems a real desire for enlightenment and honest investigation.
However, I can say objectively that questions about the nature of BHO’s religious upbringing, current and past beliefs are genunine and perfectly legitimate.
Can this reporter honestly say that he has always been “Christian” and that BHO’s statements about his current and past faith have been perfectly clear? I seem to recall that many Presidents have been scrutinized on this subject, since Carter made it an issue in the 70’s. This is still a country of relatively deep religious faith.
The WP once again fails to recognize that their failure to be objective simply increases the power of these forums for national discussion and investigation. Their arrogance and cluelessness on this issue is truly astounding, esp. in the face of their falling circulation.
did we ever find out the full story of the Grassontop intimidation during Toon 2?
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