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Is This The President’s Fake Letter to the Editor
Publius Forum ^ | 01/24/09 | Warner Todd Huston

Posted on 01/24/2010 9:53:06 AM PST by Mobile Vulgus

The Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper happened upon a curious letter to the editor in support of President Obama that seems to have suddenly popped up in nearly 40 newspapers across the country all at once. Every letter claims to be written by an "Elle Light" and all claim to be from a resident local to the newspaper's audience -- different hometowns used in each case. All are identical whether they've been printed in the Washington Times or the Los Banos Enterprise, a small newspaper in California.

The letter jumps to the support of President Obama saying in part that President Obama never promised that "our problems would wash off in the morning."...

Read the rest at Publiusforum.com...


TOPICS: Government; Local News; Politics
KEYWORDS: astroturf; ellelight; ellielight; fraud; obama
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To: PowderMonkey

we need to find out ... and nail them..


21 posted on 01/24/2010 10:36:16 AM PST by gibtx2 (keep up the good work I am out of work but post 20 a month to this out of WF Check)
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To: Mobile Vulgus
I can't follow all the links. Someone give me a hand?

Plagerism Checker

22 posted on 01/24/2010 10:47:56 AM PST by IllumiNaughtyByNature (3V3Ry71N' 084M4 D03z 83N3f17Z MU5l1mz. c01NC1d3nc3?)
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To: pillut48

“Yes, obviously a phony letter generated by the WH to gin up support for this epic failure of a president!”

This has the makings of a GREAT scandal. It’s uncomplicated so everyone can understand it, and nationwide so everyonce can relate to it. It’s already on DRUDGE. Going to be a good ride.


23 posted on 01/24/2010 10:49:53 AM PST by Starboard
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To: Mobile Vulgus
Baltimore Chronicle has it

Gainesville Times has it (with Ellie Jeanne Light)

etc.

24 posted on 01/24/2010 10:55:12 AM PST by IllumiNaughtyByNature (3V3Ry71N' 084M4 D03z 83N3f17Z MU5l1mz. c01NC1d3nc3?)
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To: IllumiNaughtyByNature

These are just the results from the first two pages. I weeded out all of the internet sites and just stuck with print media.

The Spectrum (Utah) http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20100112/OPINION/1120305/LETTERS-TO-THE-EDITOR

Midland Daily News (MI) http://www.ourmidland.com/articles/2010/01/17/opinion/letters/2350077.txt

Daily Breeze (CA) http://www.dailybreeze.com/bogert/ci_14161123

The Sun News (SC) http://www.thesunnews.com/opinion/story/1266236.html

Bennington Banner (VT) http://www.benningtonbanner.com/opinion/ci_14176242

Green Bay Press Gazette (WI) http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20100113/ADV06/1130409/2014/adv/Letter—No-magic-wand-in-hand

Washington Times http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/22/give-obama-a-break/print/

Good Times Santa Cruz (CA) http://www.goodtimessantacruz.com/santa-cruz-columns-commentary-oped.html

Chillicoth Gazette (OH, maybe) http://www.chillicothegazette.com/article/20100117/OPINION03/1170305/-1/NEWS17/President-can-t-fix-everything-overnight

Gainsville Times (FL) http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/archive/28238/


25 posted on 01/24/2010 11:07:18 AM PST by camerongood210
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To: IllumiNaughtyByNature

Morgan Hill Times (who the hell knows where that is) http://www.morganhilltimes.com/printer/article.asp?c=262562

The Northwestern (WI) http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20100121/OSH0603/100120188


26 posted on 01/24/2010 11:10:11 AM PST by camerongood210
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To: Tzfat
Odds are that they are complicit. There is no way that 60+ editors just HAPPENED to choose his/her letter.

Are you assuming that ALL of her letters were printed? Perhaps she sent out hundreds to increase her odds.
27 posted on 01/24/2010 11:25:54 AM PST by GLDNGUN
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To: pillut48
It says the letters sent all over the country were signed "Elle Light" Guess what you get when you run that through an anagram generator? "Legit, hell!" Nice little joke on the voters, eh?

I thought the letters were signed Ellie, not Elle. Which is it?
28 posted on 01/24/2010 11:26:49 AM PST by GLDNGUN
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To: Mobile Vulgus

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/ellielight/index?tab=articles


29 posted on 01/24/2010 11:30:38 AM PST by RonDog
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To: carolinablonde
I'd cancel my subscription except I like the crossword puzzle and I need something to line the cat's litter box.

Pretty poor excuses for financially supporting the enemy, IMO.

Crossword puzzles are available online and I'd bet one of your friends would give you old newspapers for your cat.

The sooner and further the liberal media is driven to oblivion, the better.

30 posted on 01/24/2010 11:41:37 AM PST by Wissa ("So this is how liberty dies... with thunderous applause."-Padme Amidala)
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To: Mobile Vulgus

Elle Light = El-ite?


31 posted on 01/24/2010 11:50:18 AM PST by sbMKE
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To: Beach555

Good one.
I think you are right.


32 posted on 01/24/2010 11:52:29 AM PST by mowowie
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To: Oceander

Yup. The FBI has used that to solve a number of their cases. If memory serves, that’s what eventually led to the downfall of that clown who faked the George W. Bush “national guard letter”, was it not?


33 posted on 01/24/2010 12:21:09 PM PST by PowderMonkey (Will work for ammo.)
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To: Mobile Vulgus; Grampa Dave

I am trying to find a link between the papers that ran the letters and their parent corp and it looks like the Los Banos enterprise is a McClatchy property. The San Jose Mercury News is owned by Media News group which owns 43 other dailies and weeklies...


34 posted on 01/24/2010 12:56:26 PM PST by tubebender (Freeploaders = The illegal aliens on Free Republic)
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To: camerongood210

Check my post at #37. Now run a search for the parent companies of these papers...


35 posted on 01/24/2010 12:59:45 PM PST by tubebender (Freeploaders = The illegal aliens on Free Republic)
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To: tubebender

Do you have some source or database you’re using to find the owners? I’ll be happy to help out


36 posted on 01/24/2010 1:18:53 PM PST by camerongood210
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To: tubebender; JimWayne
I am trying to find a link between the papers that ran the letters...
I think that one place to start is here is the automated "Letter to the Editor" generator here:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/speakout
After you pick a topic, and give them your ZIP code, they give you links to your local, regional and national newspapers.

From FReeper JimWayne:

...they even state that they will make sure that each newspaper believes that they are the only one getting the email...

...[and they] give you talking points next to the box in which you compose your letter.


37 posted on 01/24/2010 1:29:38 PM PST by RonDog
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To: camerongood210; RonDog; SouthTexas; Grampa Dave; NormsRevenge
Here is the holdings of Media News Group and I see at least 2 papers who ran the story. My concern is a dictate from the parent to the papers to run the letter without checking out the writer... Media News
38 posted on 01/24/2010 1:36:28 PM PST by tubebender (Freeploaders = The illegal aliens on Free Republic)
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To: tubebender; IllumiNaughtyByNature
My concern is a dictate from the parent to the papers to run the letter without checking out the writer
Which they may have done.

Upper management would just have to tell them what to look for in these "pre-approved, pro-Obama" GENERIC "canned spam" messages.

IMHO, what we need to is to SHAME every newspaper into adopting a NEW policy...

...of running every potential "Letter to the Editor" through the Plagiarism Checker...
...posted by FReeper IllumiNaughtyByNature here:
www.dustball.com/cs/plagiarism.checker/

39 posted on 01/24/2010 1:47:57 PM PST by RonDog
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To: carolinablonde
If these letters are being received via e-mail, the SMTP header will tell you the IP address of the server that sent it. That should be a start in tracking back to the sender.

Wonder if anyone at these newspapers is smart enough to figure that out?

From beforeitsnews.com:
UPDATE: In more Ellie Light news, Dan Riehl and LeftCoastRebel are on the trail of Ellie Light.

Also: Ed Morrissey forwarded me an e-mail he received from Ellie Light several days ago. The mail appears to have been routed through the IP address 212.24.236.50, which comes back to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia??

I assume this is some sort of masking or spoofing device and not the actual location of "Ellie Light."

Which makes you wonder: why does a grandma writing letters on behalf of Obama use an IP spoofer?

Finally, the latest count for Ellie Light’s letter. It has appeared in at least 62 publications in 29 states and the District of Columbia; national publications and a Yahoo link; and 2 foreign publications.

Not bad for a single individual. Just think of how many rejects she got.


40 posted on 01/24/2010 1:56:47 PM PST by RonDog
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