The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

@Karoli: Weiner Truther? And Other Questions of Remaining Interest

Posted on | November 23, 2012 | 35 Comments

“I am here today to again apologize for the personal mistakes I have made and the embarrassment I have caused.”
— Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.), announcing his resignation from Congress, June 15, 2011

Two days ago, I called attention to an article by Karoli, a Crooks and Liars contributor, who wrote an article in defense of Neal Rauhauser and Brett Kimberlin. I made this point:

Karoli’s excuse-making amounts to a Rauhauser-influenced conspiracy theory, as she accuses Andrew Breitbart, Patrick “Patterico” Frey, Aaron Walker and others of engaging in a plot against Kimberlin and Rauhauser, which she calls a “Right-Wing Blueprint.”

This is important: Karoli is an intelligent progressive activist, a fluent writer viewed as a serious person, a valued member of the online Left. She is not a clown or a troll. Therefore, to find Karoli parroting Rauhauser’s version of events, including demonstrable falsehoods, is disturbing. Next thing you know, Karoli will be shouting into a webcam like Barrett Brown, ranting about HB Gary and Jennifer Emick.

Humor aside, it is to be remembered that Neal Rauhauser was one of the original “Weiner Truthers,” arguing that Anthony Weiner was the victim of some kind of hacker honey-trap masterminded by right-wingers. Rosie Gray of Buzzfeed, May 26, 2012:

Joseph Cannon describes the “weird subculture of bloggers”that sprung up around Weinergate.
Cannon was a more vocal proponent of the theory when the story broke, but “Their obsession with that scandal soon went way beyond Weiner, and perhaps even beyond conventional left-right politics,” he writes. “A very personal twilight war broke out.”
A major locus of modern Weiner trutherism is BreitbartUnmasked.com, a site “dedicated to unmasking the underbelly of Andrew Breitbart and his crew of rogues, criminals, wannabe journalists, various right wing extremists and the religious intolerant,” per its “About Us” section. Breitbart Unmasked features a large GIF of Breitbart’s face morphing into a mask, and lists the name of everyone in Breitbartworld, from editors of Breitbart.com to people only tangentially related.
One of its related Twitter accounts, @OccupyRebellion, regularly tweets about Weinergate and the alleged conspiracies therein.

Yeah. You criticize Neal Rauhauser, “Occupy Rebellion” is gonna get all up in your face on Twitter. So now look at this from Karoli’s article:

From the moment the Anthony Weiner scandal broke, Neal Rauhauser smelled a rat, and as it turns out, he was right. If you are Andrew Breitbart and information comes to you that there’s a certain loudmouthed New York Congressman who happens to have a propensity to flirt with young women online, you might give serious thought to providing a few “friendly” young women for him to flirt with.
No one doubts Anthony Weiner had a weakness for flirtation. Rauhauser doesn’t deny that. But that weakness was exploited by Andrew Breitbart in order to discredit and ultimately force Weiner into an early retirement. A few sock puppet girls, some provocative tweets, and away we go.
How James O’Keefe-ian. A Breitbart signature takedown with cooperation from the good Congressman himself.
I’m certain the Breitbots expected all left-wing outrage over the setup to evaporate when Rep. Weiner resigned. Remember Andrew Breitbart hijacking that press conference?
Yet. One person wouldn’t let it go, and that one person was Neal Rauhauser, who kept on with it and keeps on with it until this day.

Did you catch that? The article Karoli links as proving Neal was right? Rauhauser’s own Daily Kos diary from July 28, 2011, under his “Stranded Wind” alias, which begins this way:

I’ve been all over Patterico for the last several weeks, as he looks to be a pretty good candidate for the planner/operator behind Weinergate, but the other players have been getting attention, too.

Wow: Rauhauser’s own claim to have identified Patterico as orchestrating the (non-existent) right-wing conspiracy against Weiner is cited by Karoli as proof that Neal was right! So if Rauhauser were to assert that he once worked as a body double for Brad Pitt, Karoli would link that as “proof” of Neal’s muscular physique. This is an invalid circular argument which accepts mere assertion as “evidence.”

However, we can take Rauhauser at his word that he was “all over Patterico” in July 2011, as witness his Daily Kos diaries:

Seven posts in the span of 23 days — why? Weiner confessed and resigned in mid-June 2011 and, since then, Weiner himself has never claimed that he was the victim of anything except his own stupidity.

Why, more than two weeks after Weiner’s admission of the unfortunate truth, would Rauhauser still be pushing the conspiracy theory explanation of WeinerGate and implausibly pretending that Patterico was to blame for it? It’s hard to explain by any normal logic. And what was it that made Patterico so peculiarly a target of Rauhauser’s wrath? Remember that on June 4, 2011 — nine days into the WeinerGate scandal — Rauhuser published this absurd claim without offering any evidence:

Congressman Weiner was stalked and set up by a Christian Infowar Militia cell based largely in Oklahoma City.

So, on June 4, Neal stakes his reputation on the (non-existent) “Christian Infowar Militia cell.” A month later, however, Neal is offering a new villain: Patrick “Patterico” Frey. How and why did Rauhauser change his mind? If there was no evidence that any Oklahoma-based “cell” stalked and “set up” Weiner — and Neal never offered anything to support that wild-eyed nonsense — what credibility did Rauhauser bring to his subsequent theory that Patterico was the secret mastermind, a claim for which Neal similarly never produced a scintilla of evidence? What could possibly explain the sudden shift in Rauhauser’s interests? Why should anyone believe anything Rauhauser has to say about any of this?

None of these obvious questions seem to have crossed Karoli’s mind. She simply accepts Neal’s finger-pointing at Patterico, without ever wondering why Patterico was singled out this way. Could it have something to do with “Alicia Pain,” the mysterious character who began cyberstalking Patterico after Weiner resigned? Patterico, June 30, 2011:

The person claiming to be “Jennifer George” who called Lee was a hoaxer.
There really was a person who threatened the real Jennifer George, and that person pretended to be Lee Stranahan.
That person hates Lee, and Breitbart.
I have been very busy and probably don’t know all the reasons why this couldn’t possibly be the case. So tell me.
UPDATE: Point #1 could be wrong, and the theory still holds.
UPDATE x2: I’m feeling better about the theory with each passing second.
Hi, Neal!

“Alicia Pain” shows up in the comments, as do I: Someone linked my blog in the comments, sending traffic to my site that I noticed, so I showed up at Patterico’s to ask why Rauhauser was suspected of involvement in the whole “Jennifer George” incident — evidently an attempt to discredit Stranahan, who had been following up loose ends surrounding WeinerGate.

Three hours after Patterico brought up Rauhauser’s name in connection with “Jennifer George,” Patterico was SWATted.

Probably just a coincidence, I’m sure. Ask the Gaped Crusader.

UPDATE (Smitty): welcome, Instapundit readers!

UPDATE II: John Hoge says, “When the going gets weird, the weird turn up in the comments section.” My apologies to anyone confused by what’s going on down below. I try to avoid the “amateur detective” motif in blogging; I’m a journalist, not a cop or a spy.

UPDATE III: Linked by Patterico — thanks! — and since someone in the comments asked for a brief summary of Who’s Who in this twisted saga, I’ll direct you to Patterico’s July 12 post, “The Kimberlin Story: The Short Version.”

Now a Memeorandum thread.

 

Please shop our Amazon Black Friday Deals!

 


Category: Conspiracy Theories, Patterico, The Kimberlin Files

Whittle Channels Kipling

Posted on | November 22, 2012 | 13 Comments

by Smitty

Ah, the cultural recovery effort:

Can the natural rhythm of excellent poetry overcome the lack of a rap beat?

Update: thanks, Instapundit!

Category: Uncategorized

World’s Youngest Blogger, Fashionista

Posted on | November 22, 2012 | 21 Comments

by Smitty


Gray knit sweater, featuring spiraled cables on the sleeves, by Dad. Patterns are for wimps.

Category: World's Youngest Blogger

Turkey Breasts Are A Safe Alternative

Posted on | November 22, 2012 | 40 Comments

by Smitty

In this blog’s relentless quest for safety consciousness, we’d like to remind you on this Thanksgiving holiday that too much of a good thing can be fatal:

Man Escapes Death After Wife Tried To Suffocate Him By Motorboating His Face With Her 38DD Breasts

I note that the original story is German, where the word ‘frau‘ can mean wife or girlfriend. A quick Google didn’t turn up the source article, so the whole thing may be some sort of ruse. The ‘victim’ will hopefully avoid Schwarze Witwe dating in the future, although, as fates go, this would be far from the worst.

 

More at JWF.

Update: thanks, Instapundit!

Update II: in other news of the sexually off-beat, the guy’s sentence was reduced to 5 days.

Update III: bodacious investigative reporting to be found at Bob Belvedere’s blog.

Category: Uncategorized

Thankfulness Is A Habit

Posted on | November 22, 2012 | 29 Comments

by Smitty

Last night at church we reviewed Lincoln’s 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation. Those who wish to “bicker and argue over who killed who” in the recent election may benefit from a stroll in Lincoln’s boots, as he hoists himself from seemingly overwhelming carnage in the Civil War (north of 45k Americans killed/wounded/missing at Gettysburg alone that year) to speak of the bigger picture, from which vantage he can say:

I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a Day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.

“Humble penitence” is an attitude which we’ll do well to rediscover, and it may be that we’ve just the sort of economic program in place to bring about the occasion. Nevertheless, not the lack of finger-pointing afoot in Linconln’s words. As with Psalm 51, “perverseness and disobedience” is better discussed in the vertical direction, where one is less able to shift attention from one’s own contributions. As we seek to mend a divided nation, a thankful, forgiving approach is key to bringing the hordes of Prodigals home.

And, for all that, don’t forget to score you some flesh:


This post motivated by Hayward.

Category: Uncategorized

Secrets of Neutral Objective Journalism: Deadline Stress and Lots of Coffee

Posted on | November 21, 2012 | 10 Comments

Today, for reasons that need not be explained, I was looking through my American Spectator coverage of the Republican National Convention:

Five columns in five days, about 5,000 words in all, a good week’s work. The quantity included some genuine quality, considering that all of it was produced in a frenzied deadline rush late at night, during a week when I never got more than five hours of sleep a night. Re-reading those columns, I think the Aug. 28 entry was one of the fiercest all-out assaults on liberal media bias I’ve ever written:

TAMPA, Florida — The Republican Party has spared no expense to accommodate the hundreds of journalists who have come here to write dishonest stories aimed at preventing the GOP from winning this year’s election.
If you’ve been following major media coverage of the Republican National Convention, you know that the party’s presidential candidate is Todd Akin, who will campaign this fall on a platform of undiluted hatred and evil, with the able assistance of his running mate, Martin Bormann Jr. The Akin-Bormann ticket was personally selected by RNC Chairman Rush Limbaugh and endorsed by Karl Rove after consultation with a secretive cabal of right-wing Mormon billionaires. The Republican delegates who are assembling this week in Tampa are mere dupes hired by the Koch brothers to provide the superficial appearance of a “political convention” debating a platform and nominating candidates.
Such is the narrative subtext of most of the GOP convention coverage, which is provided by a political press corps that is overwhelmingly composed of people who would never vote for any Republican under any imaginable circumstance. . . .

Please read (or re-read) the whole thing.

 

Category: American Spectator, Neutral Objective Journalism

Five Words to Be Thankful For

Posted on | November 21, 2012 | 14 Comments

Former Congressman Jesse Jackson, Junior:

Rep. Jesse Jackson resigned from Congress Wednesday, saying in a letter that he is cooperating with a federal investigation “into my activities” but blaming his health problems for his decision to step down just two weeks after his re-election. . . .
Despite his admission of “my share of mistakes,” Jackson said his deteriorating health was the reason he was quitting. He has been on medical leave since June while receiving treatment for bipolar depression. . . .
Jackson, 47, won election this month while being treated at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. . . .
He has not appeared in the House since June 8. Nor did he stage a campaign event — or even run a TV ad. Jackson advanced to the general election after defeating a one-term member of Congress, Debbie Halvorson, in a March primary. . . .
Under Illinois law, Gov. Pat Quinn, a fellow Democrat, would call a special election to fill Jackson’s 2nd District congressional seat, which extends from Chicago’s South Side to Kankakee. . . .
Jackson has been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for alleged improprieties related to his bid to win appointment in 2008 to the Senate seat that had been held by President Barack Obama. A Jackson emissary is alleged to have offered to raise up to $6 million in campaign funds for disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich in exchange for the governor appointing Jackson to the Senate seat.
Blagojevich is serving a prison term for corruption convictions including trying to sell or trade the Senate seat.

There is no such thing as an honest Illinois Democrat, so we can trust that voters of the 2nd District will elect another corrupt buffoon to replace the crook who just resigned. Happy Thanksgiving!

Please shop our Amazon Black Friday Week Deals!

Category: Congress, Corruption, Democrats, Illinois, Scandal

CEASE FIRE IN GAZA

Posted on | November 21, 2012 | 8 Comments

Israel has agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza.

UPDATE: NBC News reports:

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a cease-fire, the Egyptian foreign minister said Wednesday, ending eight days of fighting that killed more than 140 Palestinians and five Israelis.
The cease-fire is set to start at 9 p.m. Cairo time (2 p.m. ET), Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr announced in a news conference alongside visiting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
“The United States welcomes the agreement today for the cease-fire in Gaza,” Clinton said, adding that Egypt’s new government was exerting responsibility and leadership in the region.

“This is a critical moment for the region,” she said.

UPDATE II: Elder of Ziyon posts the text of the cease-fire agreement.

UPDATE III: Netanyahu press conference:

He says “we started this operation because of rocket fire.” The strikes destroyed thousands of Hamas installations, he said, with international support.
He says Iran was responsible for arming Hamas and that Obama had agreed that more must be done to stop the arms movement.
Netanyahu singled out Obama for his support. “Special thanks to president Obama for his unwavering support for Israel, and for supporting Iron Dome.”
Netanyahu also thanks Egypt.
He said the Israeli assault was necessary:
“That is what a responsible government does, and that is what we did in this case too.
“I know there are those who expected a more intense military response, and that may be needed, but at this time the best thing for Israel” is to take this opportunity to achieve a long-term ceasefire.
Netanyahu salutes the citizens of Israel. “I am proud to be your prime minister.”

UPDATE IV: New York Times:

Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire on Wednesday, the eighth day of lethal fighting over the Gaza Strip, the United States and Egypt said after intensive negotiations in Cairo.
The cease-fire, which took effect at 9 p.m. local time (2 p.m. E.S.T.), was formally announced by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Foreign Minister Mohamed Amr of Egypt at a news conference here. The agreement was aimed at quieting an escalating aerial battle between Palestinians and Israelis that had threatened to turn into an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza.
Whether the cease-fire could hold was uncertain at best, and even in the minutes leading up to the effective start time, both sides were firing at each other. . . .
The negotiators reached an agreement after days of nearly nonstop Israeli aerial assaults on Gaza, the Mediterranean enclave run by Hamas, the militant Islamist group, and the firing of hundreds of rockets into Israel from an arsenal Hamas had been amassing in the aftermath of the three-week Israeli invasion four years ago.

UPDATE V: John Tabin at The American Spectator:

Israel’s tactical victory in Operation Pillar of Defense is fairly straightforward: Hamas’s military infrastructure is significantly degraded, several important leaders of Hamas (as well as Palestinian Islamic Jihad) have been killed, and the Iron Dome missile defense system has proven extremely effective.

UPDATE VI: Reuters reports:

U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and commended him for agreeing to the Egyptian government’s ceasefire plan in the Middle East, the White House said. . . .
“The president expressed his appreciation for the Prime Minister’s efforts to work with the new Egyptian government to achieve a sustainable ceasefire and a more durable solution to this problem,” a White House statement said.

UPDATE VII: Breaking news! Allahpundit is cynical:

Alternate headline: “Fat envelopes from Uncle Sam to Muslim Brotherhood to proceed as scheduled.”

Of course, I’m cynical, too. Been watching “The Mideast Peace Show” since 1967, and this is just like a commercial break in the program.

PREVIOUSLY:

 


Category: Israel
« go back — keep looking »

    About

    This is an area on your website where you can add text. This will serve as an informative location on your website, where you can talk about your site.

    Subscribe to our feed

    Search

    Admin