# Let's cheer the right-wing smear machine! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 12, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768 "2005-08-12T19:25:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 19
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/361 "2005-08-17T20:32:26Z")
> [@The Tooth](#): > > Do people really think this way? “She was polite to someone’s face even though she disagrees with him! Michael Moore must be behind this!” Wow. There isn’t a lot of thinking going on. It’s a lot of cut-and-paste from right wing blogs and regurgitation of what was heard from Rush or Sean Hannity. How else would they know of all these “associations”? Hell, I’m on the left and I’ve never seen Michael Moore’s website, nor do I have any need to. I didn’t even know he had one. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/362 "2005-08-17T21:04:07Z")
Y’know, the Women’s main purpose seems to be to smear Bush for getting us into this war and letting her son die. There is no shortage of smears on either side, though if this thread is evidence the the left-wings smearers far outnumber the right wing smearers in numbers and smears. I’m tempted to do a smear count on this thread, and I’d bet that smears by the left vastly outnumber those by the right. So whine not to me of the right-wing smear machine which is at best a Ford Pinto compared to the hulking Hummer of the left-wing smear machine. You’re all a bunch of hypocrites. Fortunately, I stand above all of you, chaste and impartial, and unwilling to lower my self to your disgusting penchant for derogatory behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/363 "2005-08-17T21:06:05Z")
> [@Lamar Mundane](#): > > There isn’t a lot of thinking going on. It’s a lot of cut-and-paste from right wing blogs and regurgitation of what was heard from Rush or Sean Hannity. How else would they know of all these “associations”? Hell, I’m on the left and I’ve never seen Michael Moore’s website, nor do I have any need to. I didn’t even know he had one. Considering the Left Wing Media completely controls all your actions it’s a wonder they don’t make you check in for instructions more frequently… -Joe ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/364 "2005-08-17T21:16:44Z")
> [@Scylla](#): > > There is no shortage of smears on either side, though if this thread is evidence the the left-wings smearers far outnumber the right wing smearers in numbers and smears. > > I’m tempted to do a smear count on this thread, and I’d bet that smears by the left vastly outnumber those by the right. > > So whine not to me of the right-wing smear machine which is at best a Ford Pinto compared to the hulking Hummer of the left-wing smear machine. are you suggesting that the traditional clamor from the posters on the right here about it being such a vast left leaning board isn’t true? Surely (and I can call you that, can’t I?) , that would have to be the truth for your idea here that the ‘smearers on the left outnumbering those on the right in this thread’ being significant of anything on a national scale. and I suspect that you’d also be aware of the difference between musings on a message board and some cable tv schmuck pontificating ad infinitum on the national airways, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/365 "2005-08-17T21:20:29Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > Considering the Left Wing Media completely controls all your actions it’s a wonder they don’t make you check in for instructions more frequently… > > -Joe Now I see why you rely on Rush Limbaugh for your material. Original thought is not your strong suit, is it? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/366 "2005-08-17T21:34:36Z")
> [@Scylla](#): > > Fortunately, I stand above all of you, chaste and impartial, and unwilling to lower my self to your disgusting penchant for derogatory behavior. Of course you do **Scylla**. You always have. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/367 "2005-08-17T21:37:05Z")
> [@Lamar Mundane](#): > > Now I see why you rely on Rush Limbaugh for your material. Original thought is not your strong suit, is it? Sarcasm, dude. 😉 Typically, though, the righties try to make themselves feel better by not telling you you’re evil to your face. Instead, they point out that as a Librul you just don’t know any better. You just need some educatin’. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/368 "2005-08-17T21:55:15Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > I’ll try this one more time. I have never said I _know_ Michael Moore is behind Cindy Sheehan. I’ve said I tend to believe it for the following reasons: > > 1. There is certainly a connection between the two. Moore’s website has become All Cindy/All The Time. This suggests to me a prior arrangement of some sort. Maybe anyone can simply post to Moore’s homepage without his permission…I have no idea. Something tells me they have had contact with each other. Is this a big deal? Not at all. She’s free to do whatever she wants and he’s free to post whatever he wishes on his site. I didn’t question this at all. > [@](#): > > 1. This whole stunt smacks of Moore’s vile strategy of a) demanding a meeting with someone you know will never meet with you (_Roger & Me_ ) and b) putting grieving mothers before the cameras as if they are beyond _any_ criticism (_Bowling for Columbine_ and _Fahrenheit 911_ ) Vile? You called Moore’s strategy vile? I’m not a Moore fan because he’s dishonest. I’m not sure he has enough impact on anything to be vile. The dishonesty coming from the White House and the consequences of that dishonesty certainly qualifies as vile. > [@](#): > > 1. She has suddenly begun referring to US soldiers as “children,” a classic Moore tactic designed to put any opponent into the impossible position of justifying the murder of toddlers (Moore to Bill O’Reilly: “Would you sacrifice your child to sacrifice Fallujah?”). PLease. She’s a mother and identifies with other parents whose\*\* children\*\* are in harms way. Fahrenheit 9/11 was far to dishonest for my taste but that doesn’t mean Moore had nothing to say. The comment to O’Reilly, {a waste of an interview} was about those who support the war sending their own kids. Our president for example, avoided combat when his fellow countrymen were risking their lives for the cause of freedom he professes to love. > [@](#): > > 1. _Something_ has changed her mind since her last meeting with Bush. Is she allowed to change her mind? Of course. But the fact remains that she did meet with Bush and did not call him a ‘murderer’ when she had the chance. She said nice things about him, in fact. Squawk about the ‘context’ all you like…you cannot deny that she said what she has been quoted as saying. Sure, and she may have been influenced by Moore and/or MoveOn. SO FUCKING WHAT? I point out that loads of others, including a remorseful republican congressman, have changed their position on the war and the president. That’s what information tends to do. > [@](#): > > Now. As I said, I have no problem if Moore and Sheehan are in cahoots to bring down the Bush presidency. Hell, I don’t even care if they’re lovers (although I’m not sure which partner I’d feel most sorry for!). Sheehan has every single right to protest the war in Iraq, just as I have every single right to question her motives. Does it matter if Moore is behind Sheehan’s stunt? I’d argue that most Americans would feel very differently about what she’s doing if it turned out it was nothing more than a Michael Moore publicity stunt. It could only be that if she didn’t actually lose a son in Iraq or if it was discovered that Moore was paying her some huge sum to do all this. That would discredit her in my eyes but not change the importance of the message. In one of the articles cited by Mr. Moto Sheehan says she wants less support from liberal groups and less attention on herself and more on the message. It’s obvious that Rush, OReilly and others are trying to use _any_ association with liberal organizations to take the attention off her message. “It’s just a political stunt” is an often used tactic to divert attention from the issues. But it’s not a stunt in the very real sense that other men and woman are dieing in Iraq on a regular basis and we as citizens have a right to ask why, over and over again and demand an answer. > [@](#): > > I’d just like to know who approached whom about the website. I don’t think it’s particularly evil to ask this question. Neither do I. But I’d ask the question, what possible difference does it make? Perhaps Sheehan likes Moore and thinks he’s completely right about everything and wanted to be on his site. I wouldn’t agree with her about Moore but that still doesn’t change the importance of the issue about lives being lost daily basis. Moore and MoveOn are painted by the White House shills you seem to enjoy as dangerous left wing radicals completely out of touch with reality and the American public. If you buy into that BS then you’re only choosing which lie you prefer. Do you call that progress? ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/369 "2005-08-17T22:03:43Z")
> [@Scylla](#): > > So whine not to me of the right-wing smear machine which is at best a Ford Pinto compared to the hulking Hummer of the left-wing smear machine. > > You’re all a bunch of hypocrites. > > Fortunately, I stand above all of you, chaste and impartial, and unwilling to lower my self to your disgusting penchant for derogatory behavior. So the SDMB and Air America have more listeners than Fox and Rush? Doubt it. Stateing the facts is not a smear. Twisting the facts and presenting an illogical conclusion as the only logical one is. You’re right. Both sides do it. ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/370 "2005-08-17T22:12:14Z")
> [@Scylla](#): > > Y’know, the Women’s main purpose seems to be to smear Bush for getting us into this war and letting her son die. > > There is no shortage of smears on either side, though if this thread is evidence the the left-wings smearers far outnumber the right wing smearers in numbers and smears. > > I’m tempted to do a smear count on this thread, and I’d bet that smears by the left vastly outnumber those by the right. > > So whine not to me of the right-wing smear machine which is at best a Ford Pinto compared to the hulking Hummer of the left-wing smear machine. > > You’re all a bunch of hypocrites. > > Fortunately, I stand above all of you, chaste and impartial, and unwilling to lower my self to your disgusting penchant for derogatory behavior. _snort_ Boy am I glad I wasn’t drinking anything then. You’d owe me a new keyboard. Wait, what do you mean “that wasn’t meant to be a woosh”? ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/371 "2005-08-17T22:25:11Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > So the SDMB and Air America have more listeners than Fox and Rush? Doubt it. > . Am I missing out on the SDMB Radio Show? When’s it on? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/372 "2005-08-17T22:30:32Z")
> [@wring](#): > > are you suggesting that the traditional clamor from the posters on the right here about it being such a vast left leaning board isn’t true?, Are you suggesting that I was suggesting such a thing? I was merely observing the vast prevalence of liberal smears in this thread. > [@](#): > > that would have to be the truth for your idea here that the ‘smearers on the left outnumbering those on the right in this thread’ being significant of anything on a national scale. I don’t see the head of the Republican pulling a Howard Dean and talking about how he hates liberals and Democrats. I don’t see TV news anchors fabricating documents to falsely implicate Democrativ figures. No. I stand by thesis. The liberal smear machine is a Hummer to the Pubbie Pinto > [@](#): > > and I suspect that you’d also be aware of the difference between musings on a message board and some cable tv schmuck pontificating ad infinitum on the national airways, eh? Like say… Um… Dan Rather? ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/373 "2005-08-17T22:35:57Z")
> [@vibrotronica](#): > > Here’s **Steph96** ’s next [talking point](http://mediamatters.org/items/200508160009): > > > [@](#): > > > > Originally Posted by Rush Limbaugh > > I mean, Cindy Sheehan is just Bill Burkett. Her story is nothing more than forged documents. There’s nothing about it that’s real, including the mainstream media’s glomming onto it. It’s not real. It’s nothing more than an attempt. It’s the latest effort made by the coordinated left. > > Brought to you via the Huffington Post. This can’t be for real. It’s got to be some type of hoax or parody. I don’t even think Michael Savage would make a charge like that. Then again, I didn’t think the whole “Kerry faked getting his medals” claim would be taken seriously beyond a few delusional hardcore right-wingers. Still, if Rush did say this and does believe it, I wouldn’t be too harsh on him. It’s just the OxyContin talking (again). ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/374 "2005-08-17T22:42:04Z")
Most of your post, **Scylla** is about Dan Rather and the piece he did that got him fired. Um early retired. are you **really** attempting to stack that against Hannity & Colms, Bill O’Reilly, the entire Fox galaxy of stars, Rush Limbaugh et al? wrt the counting posts here etc. what other interpretation should I get from your post? you posted this > [@](#): > > There is no shortage of smears on either side, though if this thread is evidence the the left-wings smearers far outnumber the right wing smearers in numbers and smears. > > I’m tempted to do a smear count on this thread, and I’d bet that smears by the left vastly outnumber those by the right. which merely should follow logically if we believe the standard SDMB right wing poster claim of the board being skewed hard to the left. Naturally one would expect far more posts from the left than the right **here**. why would one even bother to be tempted to ‘do a smear count’ unless one was attempting to link that thought to the next paragraph, to wit > [@](#): > > So whine not to me of the right-wing smear machine which is at best a Ford Pinto compared to the hulking Hummer of the left-wing smear machine. ie the topic of this thread, that is the \*\*national \*\* smear campaign. IOW - if this board skews to the left, we’d expect to see more stuff from the left in a thread. the concept of the board ‘skewing to the left’ inherently **contains** the concept “as opposed to the nation at large”, does it not? So, talking about how many smear-left posts occur in this thread has no relation to the smear campaigns nationally. Review: “small message board but lots of smear left posts” compaired to “nationally syndicated smear hard right news and ‘entertainment’ sources + one failed Dan Rather attempt” I’d suggest the pinto is rather the small message board and the fleet of Hum-vees is O’Reilly et all. ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/375 "2005-08-17T23:07:16Z")
“There is no shortage of smears on either side, though if this thread is evidence the the left-wings smearers far outnumber the right wing smearers in numbers and smears.” - **Scylla** Of course, the OP itself contains several smears, including: “Bill O’Reilly and Matt Drudge and the other Bush-apologizing idiots” “the hypocrisy, fraud, and venom in these folks’ hearts” “right-wing nutjobs” “pissing over the grieving parents back home” that’s four “left-wing” smears right there. then there’s a couple of mild Bush smears. Certainly on page 1 of this thread there is a preponderance of these “Left-wing” smears. But then a right wing smearer chimes in, **Stephe96** : “the Michael Morons got ahold of her” “The Left’s shameless explotation of this woman is sickening.” “She’s an excuse for the Move-On idiots and the Michael Moore dopes to camp out and chant ‘Bush sucks’ all night long.” “Michael Moore’s army of idiots” “Kerry and Hillary felt compelled to send US troops into battle” “Funny how she’s not blaming the enemy for killing her son.” “this lunatic liberal whackjob” “money for children and Alzheimer’s patients somehow winds up in the coffers of Air America?” “I loved watching the Move-On idiots and the Michael Moore morons lose ‘the most important election of our lives.’” quickly tipping the balance back to the right side. then Scylla calls RedFury a “dipshit,” which causes an escalating “smear campaign,” which culminates in the bizarre spectacle - no, let me simply display the words. First, RedFury to Scylla: “Otherwise they wouldn’t have revised it, brainiac.” “Just not locksteppin’, leave-your-brain-at-the-door, warmongering cumstains such as yourself.” “You’re the prototype of imbecil that made Bush possible.” “For a member of the 101st Keyboarders like you” “Which reminds me, how many ragheads did you kill from your puter-chair today anway?” “I’d do it, but not much into looking at assholes.” There’s more, but finally, here is Scylla’s ultimate riposte to RedFury: “You, know for a country that I think is leading the world history count for genocides and general bad behavior, you’d think you’d be a little more discreet about venturing opinions on adventurism.” “Admit it, you really hate neocons because you associate them with Jews, correct?” “Total fucking cowardice.” “Fighting terrorists isn’t exactly the same as torturing jews, or systematically exterminating indigenous peoples. Not quite the Spanish cup of tea.” Wow. Then, apparently to get us focused back on the matter at hand, we get Stephe96 again: “I’m sure that the Cindy Sheehan protest is just the kind of ‘cause’ that gives these losers [Deadheads] an excuse to thumb a ride down to Crawford and sit in the dirt and sing protest songs to each other.” “is she being supported by the Soros/Move-On whackjobs?” “Is she taking money from Michael Moore, by any chance?” “I’ll bet if those Deadhead hippie losers had jobs…they’d also vow not to pay any taxes!” “Why doesn’t she simply admit she’s changed her mind once the Michael Morons and the Move-On idiots got ahold of her?” Well, rather than take up any more space, let me just say that I have counted the smears in this thread, and I counted 52 right-wing smears to 47 left-wing smears. Pretty balanced, actually. There are some more left-wing smears, such as: ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/376 "2005-08-17T23:12:38Z")
> [@Scylla](#): > > . I don’t see TV news anchors fabricating documents to falsely implicate Democrativ figures. I love how those on the right have come to believe that Dan Rather personally forged those documents. Keep drinking that koolaid! ---
**Author:** ![CLedet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b487fb/32.png) [@CLedet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CLedet)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/377 "2005-08-17T23:13:31Z")
She’s clearly stepped over the line from activism into politics, and that makes her fair game. She’s being less than honest in saying she wants to meet with President Bush. All she wants to do is berate him and demand that he withdraw troops from Iraq. Even if all of that were to happen, she still wouldn’t be happy and would continue berating the President. She had her time, and chose to act respectfully, so she should live with that and move on. She’s also made her political position clear and has chosen allies, now she should take it as well as she gives it. What’s wrong with that? ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/378 "2005-08-17T23:17:34Z")
Oops, I didn’t notice that bottom bit, there. I can post others, if urged, but I doubt I will be. One more thing, though. Early in this thread, **Inigo Montoya** posted this statement: “She’s gonna get creamed as a grieving woman who has lost her mind and is to be pitied” Later in the thread, we got these three posts: “Let hysterical women dictate US foreign policy now?” - **Stephe96** “I feel worse for her that she’s unable to find some kind of resolution or understanding of it that enables her her to find her own way through her grief.” - **Scylla** “I pity her, and I hope she comes to find some kind of peace.” - **Debaser** Oh, one more thing. Debaser keeps trying to let us know that CodePink is some kind of dangerous left-wing radical organization. Hee hee. That’s a good one. From the website: [http://www.codepink4peace.org/article.php?list=type&type=3](http://www.codepink4peace.org/article.php?list=type&type=3) “We call on women around the world to rise up and oppose the war in Iraq. We call on mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and daughters, on workers, students, teachers, healers, artists, writers, singers, poets and every ordinary outraged woman willing to be outrageous for peace. Women have been the guardians of life—not because we are better or purer or more innately nurturing than men, but because the men have busied themselves making war. Because of our responsibility to the next generation, because of our own love for our families and communities and this country that we are a part of, we understand the love of a mother in Iraq for her children and the driving desire of that child for life” Woah. Why, they’re practically commies! ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/379 "2005-08-17T23:28:38Z")
Seems to me we might need a recount here: > [@Rufus Xavier](#): > > ". But then a right wing smearer chimes in, **Stephe96** : > “Kerry and Hillary felt compelled to send US troops into battle” \*\*(Smear? I’d call this an irrefutable fact). \*\* > > “Funny how she’s not blaming the enemy for killing her son.” \*\*(Another fact -she’s blaming Bush for killing her son). \*\* > > “money for children and Alzheimer’s patients somehow winds up in the coffers of Air America?” \*\*(Fact). \*\* > > “I loved watching the Move-On idiots and the Michael Moore morons lose ‘the most important election of our lives.’” **(Opinion)**. > “I’m sure that the Cindy Sheehan protest is just the kind of ‘cause’ that gives these losers [Deadheads] an excuse to thumb a ride down to Crawford and sit in the dirt and sing protest songs to each other.” \*\*(Well, I guess this is a smear against Deadhead losers…but not Cindy Sheehan). \*\* > “Is she taking money from Michael Moore, by any chance?” \*\*(A simple question is now considered a ‘smear?’ Wow). \*\* > > There are some more left-wing smears, such as: ---
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768/380 "2005-08-17T23:33:05Z")
> [@Scylla](#): > > Like say… Um… Dan Rather? Oh, touche, **Scylla**. Sure, Ol’ Gunga Dan fabricated that whole story himself. Wrote it, forged the documents, took care of the lighting, ran the cameras, the whole nine yards. He got duped, bought into a scam which happened to fit nicely with his political bent[sup]\*[/sup]. He was not an objective journalist and it blew up in his face. CBS investigated, people were fired, CBS issued an apology and gave Dan the old heave-ho. In short, they said something that wasn’t true, were called on it and admitted their failures. I can’t for the life of me see how you equate this single episode with “some cable tv schmuck pontificating ad infinitum on the national airways,” but that’s just me. [sup]\*[/sup] To be fair, I have no idea what Dan Rather’s political leanings are, but for argument’s sake, we’ll go with the current meme that he’s an arch-liberal because…well, because of this one episode, as far as I can tell [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768.md?page=18) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-cheer-the-right-wing-smear-machine/316768.md?page=20)