12 replies to this topic

[Iam Empathy]

What a way to see the McCain campaign end. That an entire campaign based on lies, stupidity, and fear ends with its own lie, stupidity, and fear. How poetic.

Fox "News" VP: If McCain Worker 'Mutilation' Story is a Hoax His Campaign is 'Over'
The McCain supporter wet dream becomes yet another nightmare.

http://www.philly.co...bberystory.html

Posted on Fri, Oct. 24, 2008

PITTSBURGH - A McCain campaign volunteer made up a story of being robbed, pinned to the ground and having the letter "B" scratched on her face in a politically inspired attack, police said Friday.

Ashley Todd, 20-year-old college student from College Station, Texas, admitted Friday that the story was false and was being charged with making a false report to police, said Maurita Bryant, the assistant chief of the police department's investigations division. Police doubted her story from the start, Bryant said.

Todd, who is white, told police she was attacked by a 6-foot-4 black man Wednesday night.

She now can't explain why she invented the story, Bryant said. Todd also told police she believes she cut the backward "B" onto her own cheek, but did not provide an explanation of how or why, Bryant said.

Todd initially told investigators she was attempting to use a bank branch ATM when the man approached her from behind, put a knife with a 4- to 5-inch blade to her throat and demanded money. She told police she handed the assailant $60 and walked away.

Todd told investigators that she suspected the man then noticed a John McCain sticker on her car, became angry and punched her in the back of the head, knocking her to the ground and telling her "you are going to be a Barack supporter," police said.

She said he continued to punch and kick her while threatening "to teach her a lesson for being a McCain supporter," police said. She said he then sat on her chest, pinned her hands down with his knees and scratched a backward letter "B" into her face with a dull knife.

Todd told police she didn't seek medical attention, but instead went to a friend's apartment nearby and called police about 45 minutes later.

The Associated Press could not immediately locate Todd's family.

Bryant said somebody charged with making a false report would typically be cited and sent a summons. But because police have concerns about Todd's mental health, they are consulting with the Allegheny County District Attorney. She remained in custody and was awaiting arraignment.

Todd worked in New York for the College Republican National Committee before moving two weeks ago to Pennsylvania, where her duties included recruiting college students, the committee's executive director, Ethan Eilon, has said.

Eilon declined to comment on the investigation Friday or to help The Associated Press contact Todd.

Earlier Friday, police said they had found inconsistencies in Todd's story. They gave her a lie-detector test, but wouldn't release the polygraph results. Investigators also said bank surveillance photos did not back up the woman's initial story of being attacked at an ATM.

Police interviewed Todd after she contacted police Wednesday night and again on Thursday, Bryant said. They asked her to come back Friday, ostensibly to help police put together a sketch of the man. Instead, detectives began interviewing her.

"They just started talking to her and she just opened up and said she wanted to tell the truth," Bryant said.

Bryant said it doesn't appear that anyone else put the woman up to the false report.

Police suspected all along that Todd might not be telling the truth, starting with the fact that the "B" was backward, Bryant said.

"We have robbers here in Pittsburgh, but they don't generally mutilate someone's face like that," Bryant said. "They just take the money and run."

Edited by Iam Empathy, 24 October 2008 - 07:40 PM.

[Iam Empathy]

http://blogs.usatoda...rts-mccain.html

KDKA-TV says a volunteer for John McCain's presidential campaign has admitted lying to police about an election-related mugging.

Ashley Todd, 20, attracted national attention when she reported that an unidentified man beat her up and scratched the letter "B" into her face because she had a pro-Republican sticker on her car.

"This afternoon, a Pittsburgh police commander told KDKA Investigator Marty Griffin that Todd confessed to making up the story," the station says on its website. "The commander added that Todd will face charges; but police have not commented on what those charges will be."

Police are scheduled to hold a news conference this afternoon, the Post-Gazette reports. Here are their earlier reports on the investigation:
http://www.wpxi.com/...24/17795915.pdf

Edited by Iam Empathy, 24 October 2008 - 07:22 PM.

[suspire]

http://blogs.usatoda...rts-mccain.html

KDKA-TV says a volunteer for John McCain's presidential campaign has admitted lying to police about an election-related mugging.

Ashley Todd, 20, attracted national attention when she reported that an unidentified man beat her up and scratched the letter "B" into her face because she had a pro-Republican sticker on her car.

"This afternoon, a Pittsburgh police commander told KDKA Investigator Marty Griffin that Todd confessed to making up the story," the station says on its website. "The commander added that Todd will face charges; but police have not commented on what those charges will be."

Police are scheduled to hold a news conference this afternoon, the Post-Gazette reports. Here are their earlier reports on the investigation:
http://www.wpxi.com/...24/17795915.pdf

Yeah, I was mildly suspicious of this from the start--it just seemed a little too "perfect", in that negative, feed into the GOP fear stereotypical way: ie, big bad black man robs poor white woman and attacks her out of racial/political fury, "branding" her in the process.

What I find amusing (in a cynical way) is that the authorities say they don't know why Ashley Todd did it--quoting her own statement of uncertainty as to why she falsified the attack. Err, um, uh, doh--she did it to try and raise the specter of racial fears and prejudices in the hopes of becoming a martyr/champion/rallying point of the GOP. Come on. Please. This should be obvious. It's a Willie Horton style move. Just look at the photo of her: All you need to do is add the caption "This young woman, a dear supporter of John McCain and Sarah Palin was ROBBED, BEATEN and BRANDED by a BLACK Barack HUSSEIN Obama fanatic for her John McCain bumper-sticker!" and the lie would be picture-perfect.

Without a doubt, GOP faithful have been emailing the original(and incorrect) story to their less news savvy friends and just as certainly, the revelation of her deceit will NOT be mailed out by those same GOP faithful--the lie is all that matters.

It's just one of a dozen desperate attempts to have something catch on with the electorate--from as widely circulated and misleading as Joe the Plumber's "understanding" of Obama's tax plan (only the GOP could get their sheep to vote directly against their own self-interest on a tax plan) to the completely discredited and obscure wing-nut fringe claims about Obama's birth certificate. The one thing I will credit McCain for is that despite his descent into madness on many fronts--his departure from a man I once respected and might have voted for (in the 2000 election)--he still seems to have a shred of decency and has not attached himself to a number of the most heinous garbage out there. I read an article about how some of the GOP 527s have been unable to launch a Swift Boat style attack on Obama, at least of the same capacity and success, partially because of fear that McCain will publicly disown and discredit them (in a genuine way as opposed to the W way of feeding them on the sly). I can only hope that in the final couple of weeks, he continues to retain what few principles he has left, so that he does not end up a total disgrace in the history books.

Edited by suspire, 24 October 2008 - 09:23 PM.

[RighteousReason]

...

Edited by Savage, 24 October 2008 - 11:56 PM.

[Iam Empathy]

The aftermath of Ashley Todd's story: unbelievable from the very beginning, yet certain people wanted to believe it so badly that they ignored all the warning signs and launched into full battle cry.

http://www.ajc.com/b...hley_todds.html

By Jay Bookman | Friday, October 24, 2008, 04:50 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

McCain volunteer Ashley Todd has now confessed that she made up the story about being attacked by a large black man who carved the letter “B” into her cheek.

The young lady has issues, and I hope she gets the help she needs. End of story.

But let’s talk in a little more depth about the eagerness and even glee with which some in the right-wing blogosphere jumped on that story and immediately claimed it as proof of their worst nightmares coming true. So much of that story was unbelievable from the very beginning, yet certain people wanted to believe it so badly that they ignored all the warning signs and launched into full battle cry.

Andy McCarthy at the National Review’s Corner responded with a post so embarrassing he has now taken it down so nobody can see it.

Dan Riehl at riehlworldview.com posted under the headline “Thugs for change,” claiming that “Obama’s run his campaign just like a street thug out of Chicago. Now we get to see what some of his worst supporters are like.”

Noel Sheppard at newsbusters.org chastized AP for daring to be skeptical of the initial report. Most of all, he wanted to know why the AP didn’t report that the alleged perp was black. How dare they exclude a detail that had no bearing whatsoever on the alleged crime!!

Josh Painter at redstate.com blamed the attack on Barack Obama, suggesting an “Obama thugocracy” was coming: When Obama “urged his supporters to get in their face, did it not occur to him that some of his more deranged followers might take him literally?” Painter asked.

He was echoed by fellow redstater Erick Erickson, who wrote: “Hey! The dude was just doing what The One asked him to. Full pardon on January 21st.”

At Atlas Shugs, they posted the woman’s photo and called it “the new face of the Republican Party.”

“Shame on those that doubted this poor girl,” the post read. “Always ready to jump on the side of the leftists and thugs. ugh. Americans, I implore you to get off your asses and save this country from the radical left coup on the White House, Senate and House…. Perhaps the Obots misunderstood Obama urging his followers to Get In Their Face and GET IN THEIR FACES!” They got the advanced course of Camp Obama to cut up their faces.”

But perhaps the most interesting response came from John Moody, executive vice president at Fox News:

“If Ms. Todd’s allegations are proven accurate, some voters may revisit their support for Senator Obama, not because they are racists (with due respect to Rep. John Murtha), but because they suddenly feel they do not know enough about the Democratic nominee,” Moody wrote. “If the incident turns out to be a hoax, Senator McCain’s quest for the presidency is over, forever linked to race-baiting.”

Now, that is utter nonsense on two counts. First, while the incident did indeed turn out to be a hoax, it has in no way linked McCain to racebaiting and will have no impact whatsoever on the outcome of this race.

But Moody’s claim that Obama supporters might have revisited their position if the story were true is more intriguing, and more revealing as well. Moody claims that under those circumstances, people might suddenly feel they know less about Obama and thus change their vote. But what is the logical trail between those two thoughts? Such an attack would tell people absolutely nothing about Obama.

The real explanation lies in the answer that Moody rejects: racism. A lot of white Americans voting for Obama have had to overcome various degrees of racism to get themselves to that point. That doesn’t make them bad people; to the contrary, they’re thinking things through, and that’s great.

However, for many of those people, an attack of the sort described by Ashley Todd would heighten those internal, emotional obstacles to voting for Obama. That’s precisely why some on the right — with notable exceptions such as Michelle Malkin, a person I do not ordinarily respect much — were so quick to try to make it a huge deal.

They ought to be ashamed.

[suspire]

At Atlas Shugs, they posted the woman’s photo and called it “the new face of the Republican Party.”

I love that quote. Yes, yes, Ashley Todd is most assuredly the new (and old) face of the Republican Party. Race-baiting and deceit at its finest.

But perhaps the most interesting response came from John Moody, executive vice president at Fox News:

“If Ms. Todd’s allegations are proven accurate, some voters may revisit their support for Senator Obama, not because they are racists (with due respect to Rep. John Murtha), but because they suddenly feel they do not know enough about the Democratic nominee,” Moody wrote. “If the incident turns out to be a hoax, Senator McCain’s quest for the presidency is over, forever linked to race-baiting.”

Now, that is utter nonsense on two counts. First, while the incident did indeed turn out to be a hoax, it has in no way linked McCain to racebaiting and will have no impact whatsoever on the outcome of this race.

But Moody’s claim that Obama supporters might have revisited their position if the story were true is more intriguing, and more revealing as well. Moody claims that under those circumstances, people might suddenly feel they know less about Obama and thus change their vote. But what is the logical trail between those two thoughts? Such an attack would tell people absolutely nothing about Obama.

The real explanation lies in the answer that Moody rejects: racism. A lot of white Americans voting for Obama have had to overcome various degrees of racism to get themselves to that point. That doesn’t make them bad people; to the contrary, they’re thinking things through, and that’s great.

However, for many of those people, an attack of the sort described by Ashley Todd would heighten those internal, emotional obstacles to voting for Obama. That’s precisely why some on the right — with notable exceptions such as Michelle Malkin, a person I do not ordinarily respect much — were so quick to try to make it a huge deal.

They ought to be ashamed.

I also agree that there is nothing linking McCain to the incident, besides Palin and McCain calling Todd to wish her well (before they found out it was a hoax) and the fact that, unless I am mistaken, Todd worked for the McCain campaign. Obviously the McCain campaign did not authorize or order her to do this--just some loon who wanted to become a martyr for the cause. I do think it was clear race-baiting on her part--she made sure that her attacker was not only an Obama supporter who carved a "B" into her face, but a black one, fulfilling the stereotypical deepest white fear about blacks in America. I think she'd have tried to claim she was raped, too, if she thought she could get away with it--that was the only thing missing.

And yes, if the incident had proved to be true, it would have had zero to do with Obama, or what people know or think they know about Obama--and everything to do with white fear for a black man. Pure racism.

I read an article a few days back, roughly around the time the Todd article first surfaced, that 1 out of every 3 people polled (I think it was an AP poll, but I could be wrong), knew someone who wasn't going to vote for Obama because of his race. Now this doesn't mean 1 out of every 3 people won't vote for Obama because of race--some of it can be overlap, clearly. But it is still a telling number.

[suspire]

I also noticed on the Atlas Shrugs site, the retraction on the story is hard to find, but the original one, with the big picture of the girl, remains prominent, as does all the nasty, hateful remarks on it towards Obama and the imaginary "thug monkey" (a little racism, if you please!) that supposedly attacked her. Unsurprising--to the uninformed, passing through the site and not up to date with news, they'd think the story was true. I also noticed, while there was a flood of nasty comments about Obama and said thug-monkey under the original post, no one commented on the retraction story. What? Huh? Why not?! I mean, she broke the law! She abused the system. God only knows, she might have gotten an innocent black man arrested and tried for a crime he didn't commit, etc. So where is all the outrage from the readers of that website?

Yeah. That's what I thought.

And riddle me this: Why are all these God-fearing, Jesus-loving people so hateful? I mean, the sheer and absolute vile and horrid and hateful things they say--the murderous remarks they make--I don't get it. Why? I mean, this gem was posted by one of the people on Atlas Shrugs: "This thug monkey who did this should be shot. I hope the cops catch him and are forced to shoot him on the spot in self-defense." Really? Imaginary Black Man mugged and scraped a B into a white girl's face: He should be executed? Huh. If, say, the reverse would have happened, a white woman had mugged and scraped a M into a black man's face, should she also be shot? Would she also be a "thug monkey"?

What happened to Jesus's love? From all I read, Jesus was supposed to be this incredibly decent, peaceful and kind man who preached non-violence, decency and generosity. So why, why all this hate (the Atlas Shrugs comment is just an example of so, so, so much hate I've read from the right wing--the same people who, in their next breath, claim to love Jesus and follow the New Testament. Why such a huge disconnect between preaching and practicing?

[Iam Empathy]

As it turns out...

Ashley Todd was a paid organizer for College Republican National Committee, not a volunteer:

http://www.buzzflash...es/analysis/506

[luv2increase]

As it turns out...

Ashley Todd was a paid organizer for College Republican National Committee, not a volunteer:

http://www.buzzflash...es/analysis/506

So, are you implying that she was paid to do what she did? Are you saying that McCain, himself, put her up to this? Is there some sort of conspiracy theory being formed here Empathy? What are you trying to say?

[REGIMEN]

As it turns out...

Ashley Todd was a paid organizer for College Republican National Committee, not a volunteer:

http://www.buzzflash...es/analysis/506

So, are you implying that she was paid to do what she did? Are you saying that McCain, himself, put her up to this? Is there some sort of conspiracy theory being formed here Empathy? What are you trying to say?

It's as it stands: an employee of an legitimately associated arm of the Republican party did what she was told for the benefit of the organization.

That's not a conspiracy, that's just orders. Orders devised most likely by the dim-witted leaders of that committee. I don't see McCain denouncing ties with the CRNC, though.

Feeble attempts, luv2, just feeble.

Edited by REGIMEN, 28 October 2008 - 08:04 PM.

[luv2increase]

What is worse; this girl or the group of 4 wearing "Palin is a C*nt" tee-shirts??? Those Obama people at them rallies can be sure be disgusting, rude people.

[REGIMEN]

What is worse; this girl or the group of 4 wearing "Palin is a C*nt" tee-shirts??? Those Obama people at them rallies can be sure be disgusting, rude people.

Not as rude and disgusting as the shortsighted and empty 24/7-lifestyle all those Joe Sixpacks and Joe the Plumbers that McCain is obviously and solely pandering to by dangling hottie Alaskan vagina in front of them. "So...do we get a piece if we win? Yeehaw! I think we do, Goober!"

It's all she offers, thus their application of the tag of "kunt". Not by my assessment. She makes for a nice puppet and finely woven Persian scapegoat, as well...if ever there be need for one.

Edited by REGIMEN, 30 October 2008 - 08:00 PM.

[Iam Empathy]

McCain Volunteers Taught to Accuse Obama of Terrorism

http://www.huffingto...t_b_133980.html

According to Time, McCain campaign staffers in Virginia are teaching volunteers to see Barack Obama as having terrorist 'friends,' and then providing these volunteers with arguments for persuading voters that Sen. Obama, like Osama Bin Laden, shares responsibility for bombings of the Pentagon.

The report from inside the McCain campaign brings to light an alarming fact: while McCain tells his supporters publicly to refrain from violent rhetoric, he continues to teach his volunteers rhetoric designed to elicit violent responses.

In the article, Time's Karen Tumulty recounts her visit to a campaign training session in Gainesville, VA, a strategic center for the McCain ground game in Prince William County. What Tumulty describes is a training session hosted by Virginia's state GOP Chairman Jeffrey M. Frederick in which volunteers were being trained to see Barack Obama as a terrorist. Tumulty writes:

The McCain campaign invited me to visit Frederick and the Gainesville operation on Saturday morning, to get a first-hand glimpse of its ground game in Prince William County, Virginia, a fast-growing area about 30 miles from Washington, D.C.

With so much at stake, and time running short, Frederick did not feel he had the luxury of subtlety. He climbed atop a folding chair to give 30 campaign volunteers who were about to go canvassing door to door their talking points -- for instance, the connection between Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden: "Both have friends that bombed the Pentagon," he said. "That is scary." It is also not exactly true -- though that distorted reference to Obama's controversial association with William Ayers, a former 60s radical, was enough to get the volunteers stoked. "And he won't salute the flag," one woman added, repeating another myth about Obama. She was quickly topped by a man who called out, "We don't even know where Senator Obama was really born." Actually, we do; it's Hawaii. (link)

The report from inside the McCain campaign is disturbing on several levels. While McCain has begun chiding his supporters at public rallies for using violent rhetoric, his campaign has taken the opposite tack behind closed doors. Despite the public image of a campaign not responsible for the violent outbursts of a few followers, the Time report reveals a ground operation actually training its volunteers to elicit violent responses in voters--specifically by making false claims about Barack Obama's connection to terrorist attacks on U.S. military buildings.

The report confirms that the McCain campaign has staked its chances of winning the Presidency on convincing the public that Barack Obama is on the wrong side of the 'War on Terror' and, therefore, his victory in the Presidential election would put the power of the White House in the hands of terrorists.

Tumulty's report raises serious questions about whether or not John McCain is using campaign rhetoric that not only depart from recognized moral boundaries, but risk igniting actual violence.

In particular, by teaching his volunteers to see Barack Obama as similar to Osama Bin Laden--and by training his volunteers to convince voters of the same--McCain is using his presidential campaign to tie Sen. Obama to the mass murders of September 11, 2001. In this way, McCain is effectively teaching his supporters to believe that Sen. Obama is not only connected to terrorists, but that Sen. Obama deserves the same punishment as terrorists.

In other words, by bringing to light the rhetoric being taught to his campaign volunteers, Time Magazine has provided the explanation for why attendees at McCain and Palin rallies have called for the death of Sen. Obama rather than just his defeat, which would be the norm in such events. When supporters of a Presidential candidate view the opposing candidate as merely an election threat, they call for his defeat. But when they view the opposing candidate as a national security threat--as they are being taught by the McCain campaign--they call for that threat to be eradicated.