Tue, Sep 23, 2008 10:40am ET

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Fox News' Ham falsely claimed Obama "need[ed] changing political winds" to support designating Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist group

Summary: On Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, Mary Katharine Ham falsely claimed that Sen. Barack Obama "need[ed] changing political winds" to support designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist group. In fact, Obama has consistently supported designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization, having co-sponsored a bill in 2007 to do so.
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Posted by wzwriter

Mary Katharine Ham has a very appropriate name - because just like real ham, she ain't Kosher.

Posted by Governor

Ham: [Palin]'s somebody who's bringing a great message to the UN.

Ok, I have a sincere question: does any conservative here know what that message is?

Posted by Col. Harlan Sanders in reply to Governor

I think it's something with plenty of moral clarity. Or fan mail from some flounder.

Posted by mary59 in reply to Col. Harlan Sanders

Now that's what I really call a message...

Posted by onionhead in reply to Governor

Thanks, but no thanks on the bridge to nowhere?

Posted by snoopy in reply to Governor

Her message is republicans can do no wrong and should be given power because they are just human, like Barracuda...

Republican official seen failing sobriety test in police video

Says Palin nomination helps him by showing "everybody who's running for political office is as human as those sitting back home"

A Republican councilman in Columbia, SC was arrested for drunken driving in July, the third DUI arrest for Paul Lindemann, who is currently running for reelection.

His local paper, the Rock Hill Herald, has now obtained a police video of the arrest through a Freedom of Information Act request and has made it public. According to the police report, Lindemann was "highly intoxicated" and "significantly impaired" and had nearly run into two motorcyclists several times.

In the video, Lindemann agrees to take a sobriety test but repeatedly fails to get through the alphabet, attempting instead to segue from "W" back to "H." He has even more trouble counting backwards from 32 to 18, stammering, "32-31-32-30 -- 31-32-31-32-33-33 -- 31-32-30-29 -- 19-18-17-16-18 -- 20-21-22."

He is then arrested.

A month following his arrest, Lindemann was seen driving to a City Council meeting, even though his license had been suspended. He offered the reporter who approached him a flurry of conflicting explanations for why he was allowed to drive, all of them apparently false.

"I'm going to get everything resolved with the charge, and we're going to win in November as well," Lindemann insisted after the video was released. He also suggested that vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin's current problems may help him, because "people have started to recognize that everybody who's running for political office is as human as those sitting back home."

Posted by Great American in reply to Governor

Yeah!  You're worthless!

Posted by Col. Harlan Sanders in reply to Great American

Wait. Palin is going to tell the U.N. that they (the UN) are worthless, or that Governor is worthless? Am I missing a joke, or are you just implying that Palin is as insane as she seems?

Posted by Governor in reply to Col. Harlan Sanders

Regardless, Col., the truth is that nobody knows what Palin's message for the UN is.  McCain says it's none of our business.

Posted by wzwriter in reply to Governor

Regardless, Col., the truth is that nobody knows what Palin's message for the UN is. 

Her message is probably: "Brace yourselves - if we win in November, we're bringing John Bolton back as the US Ambassador to straighten you losers out!!!"

Posted by snoopy in reply to wzwriter

CNN just pulled the plug on Palin. She told the press that most wouldn't be allowed in and only for photo ops, so CNN packed their bags and went home. Looks like the McCain plan of limited access is backfiring...

Posted by Governor in reply to snoopy

Wow, even Fox News is reporting on the Palin Media Blackout:

http://embeds.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/09/23/palin-media-blackout-continues/

Worst. Campaign. Ever.

Posted by Col. Harlan Sanders in reply to Governor

Speaking of blackouts, I just happened on this interview of Dubyah on Irish TV.Bush has been kept pretty well hidden latley, but this is priceless for the look on Chimpy's face, and his anger at facing a decent journalist. I didn't notice the date on this, but I don't think we're hearing any new insights from Grampy and Palin. The condescension of Bush trying to control the whole thing is embarrassing.It's almost 11 minutes, but worth a look. Sorry the hyperlink thing doesn't seem to be working. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vefD3WSiis

THIS interview. Sorry, I just think it's not polite to post links like that. And I'm pretty fvcking polite. 

Posted by IRONY 101 in reply to Governor

...does any conservative here know what that message is?

Uhhh...I can see Russia from Alaska?

Posted by darkmass in reply to Governor

Governor, I'm no conservative, but clearly Palin's "great message" is that Alaska is going to secede from the U.N.

She will explain that's the case because "The U.N cannot be seen from Alaska."

Posted by worrierking

She may be what passes for a straight talker, but she sure as hell is no straight thinker. Neither is Gramps McHoover.

Being a thinker would kill any Republicans chance at running for national office. A thinking person is an elitist.

Posted by Col. Harlan Sanders in reply to worrierking

Well, they all saw what happened to Springfield when the Council of The Learned was in charge. They had to make litter out of those literati!

Posted by shaggles

I still fail to see how a branch of the Iranian military can be a terrorist group. Ham is lying about Obama but Obama is wrong about this.

Posted by JLyons in reply to shaggles

Shaggles - I have to agree with you. We need more diplomacy and less labeling of nations that we do not like. Hopefully Obama will talk to Iran and engage them.

Posted by Governor in reply to shaggles

Agreed.  American military attacks on Iraq led to 100,000 civilian deaths.  Who are we to define part of a country's military as "terrorist".

Posted by anotheramerican in reply to Governor

Gov,

Lets be clear. Are you saying the American Military are terrorists?

Posted by Governor in reply to anotheramerican

No.

Posted by anotheramerican in reply to Governor

If you would be so kind, please then explain your comment about our military, 100,000 civilian deaths and why we shouldn't define the Iranian Revolutionary Guards as terrorists?

Posted by JLyons in reply to anotheramerican

AA

I can not speak for Governor, but American military action in Iraq where 100K plus civilians are dead would be considered "terrorist" activity by Bush and his administration if Russia or Iran were engaged in a war that we disagreed with.

Posted by loonz in reply to anotheramerican

I would say the people who ordered an unprovoked attack on a defenseless nation are war criminals (Are the terms terrorists and war criminal synonymous?).

Posted by Governor in reply to anotheramerican

If the US can deem a branch of the Iranian military to be a terrorist group, I would be interested in seeing the specific definition.  It seems to me that the US attack on Iraq could or would be potentially terrorist by that very definition.

Posted by Col. Harlan Sanders in reply to Governor

Gov., if you actually take the time to come back and "explain" your comment (which seemed pretty clear) to Barney Fife, could you give him a cookie and put him down for his nap when you're finished? I think enough thread space is taken up here  with providing day care services for him already.

Posted by Governor in reply to Col. Harlan Sanders

I just hope my explanation was ok with him.  I would hate to be in non-compliance with some other American.

Posted by JLyons

Off topic but Important Palin is now refusing to allow Reporters on her stupid PR Trip at the UN. This is very dangerous and I am glad CNN pulled out and AP protested. They should not take her picture and allow her to define this PR agenda. http://news.yahoo.com/story//ap/20080923/ap_on_el_pr/palin_leaders

Posted by JLyons in reply to JLyons

I can not figure out this new format but here is the web site again

http://news.yahoo.com/story//ap/20080923/ap_on_el_pr/palin_leaders

Posted by socal7425

Is it just me or have we entered a new era in the slimy business of advocacy "journalism"? It used to be that there was at least a kernel of truth in misleading commentary. Now, these people just make stuff up, apparently under the assumption that the American voter is just too stupid to check on the truth. Are they right? I guess we'll find out in early November.

Posted by Governor in reply to socal7425

I'm surprised that no pundits are able to point out that John McCain is running one of the worst presidential campaigns by a major party candidate ever.

Posted by BillJ-MN in reply to Governor

Sshhhhhh  -  It's a secret.

Posted by mr. l

'She's doing the company line...'  Well, I guess that's better than Cheney- he's fisting the country from behind!

Posted by wzwriter in reply to mr. l

'She's doing the company line...' 

You mean like this?

Posted by joseph_b26

The Assumption Continue

There is so much assumption created arround the middle east. One of those assumption is that all Americans are on board with Republican talking points. I am not and could care less about the Surge, the Gaurd, and many of the other booggie men they try to throw my way.

Posted by joseph_b26

Critical World

They have told us: "For the first debate, John McCain has a clear advantage." Are they crazy? McCain is outmatched and "presidently challenged." The man does not have very much stage presence and is easily shaken by his own mistakes. In other words, he lacks the ability to come back spontaneously. 

What I stated is a fact; it can be proven by looking at the many video takes of him be caught in a lie by reporters. On Friday, he will be caught in many lies, and his heart will be broken when he is told " so what we won the Surge." He acts like it is such a big deal that the most advanced military in the world won a so-called offensive against a third world opponent.  No McSame no one is surprised we won the Surge.

Joseph

Posted by foghornleghorn in reply to joseph_b26

caught in a lie by reporters...

Even Joy from the view called him on his lies.  The lies are there in the open for all to see - except those who prefer to be ignorant.

Small correction - we didn't "win" the surge.  There has been no political settlement which was the stated reason for the surge (I hate that word - call it what it is - an escalation)

Posted by loonz in reply to joseph_b26

I think the first debate is on Domestic policy so they won't be asked about the surge. 

I was reading a diary over at Daily Kos specifically on what Obama and Biden should say about the surge.  There were a lot of suggestions but I don't think they would work to Obama or Biden's advantage.  They took the wrong approach when the surge was announced.  They should have opposed it on the grounds that our country should not be placing more troops in a situation that is not and never was critical to our nation's security and whose people cleary did not want us there.

Posted by joseph_b26 in reply to loonz

Lets Talk Real Truths

I agree with your statement they took the wrong approach, however, I disagree with what they should of challenged. There was no need for a Surge to rid the Iraqi people of Al Qaeda in Iraq to begin with.

Night after night, I watched the MSM build up what was supposed to amount to 2% of the problem in Iraq to a well organized fighting element. This administration needed a "killing field" and used Al Qaeda to mask the elimination of one of the civil combatants tearing the country apart.

By the time they begun the Surge, they decided to pay off most of one side while they used special opps to kill the rest. The only way they could stop the violence in Iraq was to eliminate one of the civil combatants. That is what the Democratis should of chellanged concering the Surge.

Joseph

Posted by Great American

Obama doesn't want to designate the Iranian Revolutionaly Guard a terrorist group. He wants to train with them.

Posted by snoopy in reply to Great American

Don't you have a puppy to go beat or something?

Posted by Governor in reply to snoopy

thOrN pUncH keyBoarD and MakE cOmMenT fuNnY at ObaMa. ThOrn nO PunCh pUpPieS.

Posted by DorisRussell in reply to Great American

Are you trying to disrupt the board?

Posted by Marker

The only wind blowing is from the repug network "Fake News".

Posted by pjcarter

I want to eat a Mary Katharine Ham sandwich.

Posted by foghornleghorn in reply to pjcarter

I thought than any district attorney worth his salt could indict a Mary Katharine Ham sandwich.

Posted by mary59 in reply to foghornleghorn

They could put Ham in Rye,NY  She'd be in a pickle and should get her head checked at the Mayo.  (ripped off from Airplane 1) 

Posted by Cycat

Sorry, hit the send key too soon.  You see that the article focuses on the finding that the Liberal group, when presented with corrected information, do not return all the way to agreeing with the corrected statement.  Some continued to believe the misinformation statement.  What the authors pointed out on NPR, and what the article does not address, is this.  When the Conservative group was presented with the corrected information the percentage of Conservatives exposed to the initial misinformation almost DOUBLED their espoused belief in the initial misinformation.  In other words, the study found that correcting misinformation to Conservatives actually reinforced their belief that the initial misinformation was true.  The authors hypothesize that the emotions Conservatives associated with initial Conservative misinformation  was so strong that the corrected information--even though given as true--was so emotionally threatening that the "truth" of the initial misinformation was reinforced.  So, based on the interview I heard on NPR, this article itself is a study in misinformation.

Odd that I can't find this on NPR, searching either by title or author.  I also notice that the WP article does not link to the original study. Appreciate any links you wizkids can find.  Think I'll contact NPR.