I believe you're right on the mark Paladin2.
Since that pesky Freedom of Speech thing prevents them from actually silencing the bloggers, the next best thing is to discredit them with lies and distortions.
It's a standard political tactic. One perfected by the liberal.
Freeper
Starbase has assembled a list of propaganda techniques you might find interesting. You'll find each one used with abandon by the media (and other leftists) on a daily basis.