ABC Tries To Credit Democrats for Rush's $2 Million Ebay Letter!

Newsbusters.org ^ | 10/19/07 | Warner Todd Huston

[Mobile Vulgus]

If this doesn't take the cake, I don't know what does? On an ABC News Blog called the Political Radar, ABC reports on Rush Limbaugh's $2 million condemnation letter and throughout the piece continually links "Democrats" to the charity donation that Limbaugh and the ebay bidder for the letter are giving the money to. After reading this ABC blog report, one gets the sneaking suspicion that ABC thinks that Harry Reid and the Democrats are the ones that should be hailed as the good guys responsible for raising this monumental sum for charity. It is clear that ABC did their level best to play down Limbaugh's part in the story and play up the supposed positive contribution of Democrats.

The report by Z. Byron Wolf starts off trying to massage the outrage of the original faux controversy into a mere episode of political fingerpointing instead of the outright calumny it actually is. "Who says the political fingerpointing in Washington is all for naught?," the post begins lightheartedly.

And even though there is a lot of "explanation" in this report, the Political Radar report does not take any time at all to fully explain what the letter even is nor the controversy that surrounds it, a move that further softens the outrage surrounding the letter, making it all seem just an amusement.

Here is how the post begins:

Back in September, when Democrats and Republicans were sniping at each other over the Iraq war, Republicans passed a nonbinding resolution in the Senate condemning Moveon.org for calling David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, "General Betrayus" in a newspaper ad.

For their part, Democrats sent a letter calling for Rush Limbaugh to be reprimanded for calling soldiers who opposed the war "phony soldiers."

The furor seemed to have died down as the Senate moved away from voting on a string of Iraq resolutions to voting on domestic spending bills.

So, they describe the "Betray us" ad in detail even though that episode doesn't really track the Reid letter story exactly, but all they have to say of the letter situation is that "Democrats sent a letter" to Rush? Then to further soften the outrage over the whole letter incident, ABC blithely tosses it off as something that quickly faded from view because it wasn't as important as "voting on a string of Iraq resolutions to voting on domestic spending bills."

The Next paragraph again links "Democrats" to the letter...

But today comes word that a Wasghinton, D.C. area philanthropist, Betty Casey (or bettyc588, as she is known on Ebay) is going to pay over $2 million for a letter Senate Democrats wrote to Mark Mays, President of Clear Channel, asking him to condemn Rush Limbaugh for the "phony soldiers" comment.

ABC also takes great pains to show that the woman who won the letter, Betty Casey an east coast philanthropist and long time political donor, gave money to Barack Obama and other "disparate political interests" like trying to donate $50 to build a mayoral residence for the mayor of Washington D.C.

Then ABC is back to linking the letter to Democrats.

Back on October 1st, Harry Reid brought the letter to the Senate floor and asked Republicans to join him condemning Limbaugh for saying that soldiers who oppose the Iraq war are "phony soldiers.

They give Reid's side of the story and mention that Rush supposedly said "phony soldiers" several times in this piece and not one time do they fully flesh out the fact that Rush did NOT say all soldiers who oppose the war are phony. Nor do they even give Rush's side of the story using the "Limbaugh claims" rhetorical device. They simply state he said "phony soldiers" as if there was no question of the fact or any other context to inform the readers about.

And the ending of the piece is an exercise in the absurd as ABC reports with a straight face the efforts of Harry Reid to take credit for the great good the $2 million charity donation will do.

Today, Reid was more conciliatory to Limbaugh and whoever is paying for the letter. Though he said on the Senate floor that as he had watched the bidding throughout the week, he never thought it would get to $2 million.

"Now, everyone knows that Rush Limbaugh and I don't agree on everything in life and maybe that is kind of an understatement," Reid said.

"But without qualification Mark May, the owner of the network that has Rush Limbaugh, and Rush Limbaugh should know that this letter that they're auctioning is going to be something that raises money for a worthwhile cause. I don't know what we could do more important than helping to ensure that children of our fallen soldiers and police officers who have fallen in the line of duty have the opportunity for their children to have a good education," he said.

You have got to be kidding me? Harry Reid LIES on the floor of the Senate. Harry Reid FAILS to get support from his own party for the effort. The Democrats create a FAKE controversy to help deflect from their supporter’s outrageous attack on one of our most decorated soldiers. And ABC lets Harry Reid take CREDIT for this charitable donation like HE was the one responsible for it.

You can't say that the Democrats and their ABC supporters lack gall, that's for sure.

And catch this last line in the ABC report:

The bidding ends at 1:00p.m. No mater what, Democrats are going to make a ton of money for a charity off their political vitriol.

Seriously. You have to be kidding me? “Democrats are going to make a ton of money for charity?”

Democrats are responsible for this wonderful thing?

They don’t lack gall, for sure, and neither does ABC for their outrageous efforts to give the Democrats cover for their calumny.

[TAP ONLINE]

I only posted once, can not figure out what happened.
Surely Reid promised to match the bid. Why else would one take credit for the sliming of RUSH? Maybe if we all congratulate Ried on his obvious scheme to raise money for a worthwhile charity he will make a quick payment to th fund. (sarcasm off)

[ADemocratNoMore]

Phony news from phony reporters. How sad it is that the Fourth Estate has become the Fifth Column.

[padre35]

Ping to Halperin memo.

And the ABC blogger is putting a bit to much feshly groudn nutmeg in their coffee, Reid and his cohort were trying their levle best to make Rush apologize for something that he never said in the context they were trying to put on it.

Harry “this war is lost” Reid is a disgrace as the Senate Majority El Presidente’, I’ve never seen so much incompetence mixed with petty tyranny mixed in one tight little bundle..

[azhenfud]

“When you’re as sour as a lemon, offer lemonade..” - or something like that...

[Redbob]

"“Democrats are going to make a ton of money for charity?”

Half-truths lose credibility for conservatives just as for liberals:

What ABC said IN FULL was "Democrats are going to make a ton of money for charity with their vitriolic attack."

May I refer to you Websters, which does not define "Vitriolic" as a term of praise.
It should be clear from reading the WHOLE story that ABC was not actually praising the Dims.

[A'elian' nation]

“Phony News from phony reporters”

Here is a story that ABC could check on:

Liberals have the worst record of giving to charity. Remember the minimal contributions of Gore and Kerry ? One year Kerry gave squat to charity - zilch- nada! How about Hillary deducting Bill’s underwear? How about Gore not even fixing his tenant’s bathroom?
They just love taking and spending our money. Liberals have no compassion. All they want is power and keeping the poor down.

Why doesn’t some phony reporter tally the total given to charity in the past year by the 41 dem senators (especially Reid) who signed that letter. Or the amount given to charity by phoney reporters? That would make a great story.

I bet it wouldn’t even come close to the 4 million Rush raised for our soldiers and police officers.

[Hildy]

check out the latest from the New York Times...not only do they credit the Dems...they don’t mention the fact that Rush matched the contribution. They don’t mention the fact that Rush stated the whole thing...and they go on to imply that the buyer won’t be able to get a tax deduction...It’s unbelievable....it made no sense.

[Hildy]

check out the latest from the New York Times...Limbaugh Sells Critical Letter for $2.1 Million

not only do they credit the Dems...they don't mention the fact that Rush matched the contribution. They don't mention the fact that Rush stated the whole thing...and they go on to imply that the buyer won't be able to get a tax deduction...It's unbelievable....it made no sense.

[cookcounty]

I honestly believe Rush was less than brilliant on this and failed to follow through.

He needed to call Reid the "President of the Jesse MacBeth Fan Club" and force attention back to the original statement, in which Phoney soldier Jesse MacBeth's lies about our military were criticized by Rush AND REID AND 40 LEMMINGS JUMPED UP AND DEFENDED MACBETH (...and Scott Thomas Beauchamp and Lansdale, etc, etc,....)

Instead he focused on how the Senate is picking on Rush himself.

[Political Junkie Too]

The honorable Harry Reid has promised to match the bid just like RUSH. A true patriot.

How? Is he going to sell more land?

-PJ

[upchuck]

"But without qualification Mark May, the owner of the network that has Rush Limbaugh...

First, the gentleman's last name is Mays.

Second, Mr. Mays does not own the network. The stockholders of Clear Channel Communications own the network.

ABC, what a lame loser!

[Fester Chugabrew]

I’ve never seen so much incompetence mixed with petty tyranny mixed in one tight little bundle.

I have. His name is Tom Daschle. Liberal Democrats breed this kind. And like Tom Daschle, this Reid dweeb needs to be flicked out of congress like a dry booger.

[Brimack34]

I think Mitt Romney’s group bought clear channel.

[billmor]

Good point...It must go back to the mantra by the Dems that they are for the ‘poor’...That idea developed mainly during FDR’s days and still mouthed ad nauseum by today’s not so poor Democrats.

Which is all the more ironic because it underscores yhe fact that many of these Democrats are very wealthy now, and they want to keep the ‘poor’ in poverty in order to keep their votes, and they want to tax the Upper and Middle income classes into near poverty level by taxing them to death...They certainly are true to their political philosophy based on lies, lack of critical analysis of facts, and outright corruption..in a word: hypocrites.

Tagline quote is from A. Hitler

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Despicable, but not shocking.

[madison10]

Board have the hiccups?

Harry Reid will always be a jack@$$, it’s too late for him to take back all the bile he spouted against Rush or belatedly donate dollars to the cause.

[festus]

Cheer up. We’ve got em on the run. Its so bad they are having to try and make it look like they are part of Rush Limbaughs activities now.

LOL.

[TigersEye]

ABC - phony news outlet

[PGalt]

GRRRRREAT FReeper comments! Thanks to all. BTTT!