October 03, 2006
Blogometer Extra
BLOGGER VS. BLOGGER: What's A Little Photoshopping Among Bloggers
Be forewarned that some of the following links contain images that may not be safe for work.
Michelle Malkin is no stranger to personal attacks. Someone last week posted a picture of her clad in a bikini at a Flickr page (you can view the pic here).
Malkin dismisses the photo as not only a fake, but a bad one, and a deliberately hurtful attempt to smear her. Captain Ed at the Quarters says the "pretty obvious photoshop" was done in response to Malkin's recent "cultural critique about the potential effect of trashy chic on young girls" that is available here. The Cap'n in particular rips on Wonkette, who took great glee--in a post entitled "Michelle, You Ignorant Slut"--knocking Malkin's hypocrisy. Wonkette:
Michelle Malkin has a new column about the slutification of very young girls. For a Malkin column, it’s downright mainstream. Other than certain Washington Times employees and the usual cops and congressmen, nobody is particularly happy about seeing 13-year-old girls covered in cheap makeup and hair product, with their rhinestone-studded thongs riding high on their fat asses and their “Porn Star” baby-Ts making it about halfway over their french-fry-stuffed navel-pierced guts. ... OK, do you want to see Malkin allegedly gettin’ skanky, spring-break style? After the jump, obviously... Malkin doesn’t like these young sluts flashing their skin like the basic Whore of Babylon. And yet … there appears to be a picture of Malkin doing the “Girls Gone Wild” semi-boob flash, while cavorting about in a string bikini like a common hussy, from 1992!
Malkin herself pointed the finger at Eric Muller of Is That Legal?, who subsequently apologized to both Malkin and to "the woman whose images were stolen to create the bogus flickr page to which this post linked."
Yet Wonkette held on, which prompted a sarcastic lashing from Mary Katharine Ham at Townhall:
Here's the playbook.
Throw up a questionable/obviously Photoshopped picture of an allegedly bikini-clad female, conservative pundit.
Put the picture up the same week she writes a column mourning the lost modesty of a formerly admirable teen idol.
Rage about the hypocrisy of it all, thereby proving yourself more sexually repressed and prudish than the Republicans you're intent on bashing since you seem to have missed the recent cultural development that one can manage to don a bikini and smile without, in fact, being a whore.
Ignore clear evidence that the photo is a fake.
Do not correct the post or apologize. Just suggest that the pundit is lying!
You get the picture. Ham wrapped: "Ta-daaa! Can I work for a left-leaning gossip blog, now? I could do this all day long." RightWingDuck at IMAO took the levity train even further down the track, with his own collection of obviously (and intentionally ridiculous) altered Malkin photos.
Malkin does her best to take events in stride and in a subsequent post mixes seriousness with bemusement, anger with resignation, disgust with a dash of defiance. To wit:
There are many unhinged people who would like me to shut up. There are those who engage routinely in active defamation and empty ad hominem attacks. There are also those who enable, excuse, and snicker at these attacks. ... There seem to be some very dense people who don't understand that this is not just about a bikini Photoshop. It is about disseminating the fake photo to cast me in a false light and "prove" that I'm somehow a hypocrite. ... Nobody would fall for such obvious fakery, right? A law school professor did. Major gossip sites took the bait. Some people still refuse to believe it's all fake.
After a "j'accuse!" section in which she rips into the perpetrators and their "enablers," she continues:
[O]utside of Manhattan and Los Angeles, not all of us think blogging is a for-profit enterprise founded solely to tear people down with gossip, rumor-mongering, and damaging lies disguised as "satire." Funny how some of the loudest voices decrying the lack of civility in the blogosphere are the biggest promoters of the bottom-feeders and debasers... I've been attacked regularly as a whore and a c**t and a puppet and a dupe and a sellout, etc. ... It comes with the territory--particularly when you happen to be a woman, a minority, and a conservative. The extensive arguments and blog posts and columns and books I've written are reduced to bumper-sticker putdowns by critics and their fellow travelers who couldn't be bothered to actually read what I've written day in and day out for the last two years on the blog and the past 14 years in my books and columns. I poked fun at this pathology in my last book. I think what drives a lot of the haters crazy is that despite their ceaseless sniping, they can't shut me up. So, I'll be back here the next day and the next cheerfully doing what I do. And the haters will be back in their pigpens doing what they do.
"The wonderful thing about the Internet," Malkin concludes, "is that there is room for both."
Tim Blair slips in one last observation, bringing Andrew Sullivan into the fray, so to speak:
Andrew Sullivan found himself the target of left-wing unpleasantness a few years ago. Essentially, he was accused of being a slut and a hypocrite. Sullivan was understandably distraught over this. In response, he condemned his attackers for their “sexual McCarthyism”.
Michelle Malkin currently finds herself the target of left-wing unpleasantness. Essentially, she is accused of being a slut and a hypocrite. Malkin is not amused by this. You might expect Sullivan to empathise. Instead, he writes: "Michelle Malkin does not have a sense of humor."
Just laugh it off, Michelle. You know, exactly like Andy did(n’t).
[Mike Sheehan]
Posted by Conn Carroll at 03:06 PM
10/3: What Was Your Favorite Moment Of The Denny Hastert Era?
Watching righty blog reaction to Speaker Dennis Hastert's (R-IL) handling of the Foley scandal, the Blogometer can't help but be reminded of Sen. Trent Lott's (R-MS) eventual step down from his leadership post. Righty bloggers calling for Hastert's resignation can still be counted with your fingers, but full-throated defenses of Hastert's actions are hard (not impossible) to come by. The righty consensus so far is that Hastert screwed up, but should still be kept. He's going to have to improve if he doesn't want to share Lott's fate.
HASTERT: A One-Man Bermuda Triangle
The Washington Times 10/3 call for House Speaker Dennis Hastert's (R-IL) is getting wide play on the left and right. Some righty bloggers, including, La Shawn Barber's Corner, were ahead of the curve. Other rigthy heavy hitters calling for Hastert to step down: Outside the Beltway's James Joyner, Captain's Quarters, and Ankle Biting Pundit's Bull Dog Pundit.
Michelle Malkin is also highly critical of Hastert's handling of the issue, but is not ready to throw him under thus bus. RCP Blog's Tom Bevan is also critical but also "still not yet convinced" Hastert should step down.
Not all on the right are ready to pile on. Townhall's Mary Katharine Ham labels the Times editorial "a classic McCain Move" and Right Wing News echoes her thoughts under the header "The Washington Times Pulls A McCain On Hastert."
At The New RepublicThe Plank 's Michael Crowley argues Hastert leadership status is weak now that DeLay is gone: "After all, he was basically Tom DeLay's guy--elevated to the position in 1999 with DeLay's help when the Hammer realized he was too toxic to assume the job himself. Now that DeLay's gone, who still wants Hastert around? As an orator and television speaker he's a preposterous disaster. And the breakdown in the House GOP's discipline after DeLay's departure just proves what we knew: that it was the Hammer, and not Hastert, who'd been keeping the GOP caucus together all these years."
Talking Points Memo looks at how Hastert's offices should have responded to the Foley revelations 9/29 and asks: "Is it the curse of Ron Bonjean? Bonjean is Denny Hastert's spokesman. He was spokesman for Trent Lott during the Strom Thurmond debacle. Like a one man Bermuda Triangle.
Jane Hamsher at firedoglake posts a 7/01 online chat with Hastert's opponent ex-Navy intelligence analyst John Laesch.
LANDSCAPE: Definitely Not Paul Begala
Blog P.I. correspondent and Dem strategist Not Paul Begala is tired of "the simplistic rantings of unqualified morons" that he sees on blogs. NPB then offers a detailed response to MyDD's Chris Bowers latest call for the DCCC to spend more of their money in "blue districts." NPB writes: "What pisses me off to no end about this is the macro look this moron just took at winning the House - as if you can tell by the Partisan Voter Index (supplied by Cook Political Report) how easy it is to win a district. Or how he just forgets conveniently that Red districts have leanings where it's much easier to define a Democrat as a liberal, [feline], God-hating yuppie."
CT SEN: A Howard Dean Moment?
DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas finds cable exec. Ned Lamont's (D) new ad "inspiring" while MyDD's Chris Bowers worries about comparisons to when "Dean's campaign went wrong in late 2003 when it starting selling the Dean movement as part of the campaign." Bowers still likes the ad though: "Sure, people don't want movements, but they do want something--anything--to stop Bush. Showing that you have a national movement behind Lamont working to stop Bush certainly helps sell the idea that Lamont can be trusted to stop him."
MI SEN: And The Difference Between Informal and Formal Outreach Is ...
Beltway Blogroll Oakland Co. Sheriff Mike Bouchard's (R) communications director David All "will begin a formal outreach effort to friendly bloggers" 10/2. All is looking for "invited bloggers to share their ideas about the effort with Bouchard's campaign and added, "I'm looking for someone to head up the effort."
Meanwhile PoliPundit argues Bouchard's proven ability to turn out voters in Oakland Co. will be his secret weapon against Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D).
MN SEN: You're Doin A Heck'uv A Job Klobuchar
Power Line's John Hinderaker links to video of Hennepin Co. Atty. Amy Klobuchar (D) mistaking ex-FEMA head Michael Brown as Dir. of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff and writes: "As a Senate candidate, Klobuchar is not ready for prime time."
TN SEN: Dividends For Ford
Instapundit reports Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D-09) did "quite well" on "a local hard-right talk radio show" and advises other Dems to "take note" since engaging "people rather than coming across as condescending has paid big dividends."
VA SEN: Former Washington Redskins Can't Be Wrong
Right Angle Blog's Ivy J. Sellers has video of Sen. George Allen's (R) two-minute address from 10/2. The official AllenHQ writes: "Senator Allen will be giving a major statewide address on Monday night, taking an opportunity to bypass the tabloid-centric media in order to bring his positive message directly to Virginia voters. The statement from the Allen campaign." AllenHQ also has pics from "many former Washington Redskins players appeared with Senator Allen today to offer their enthusiastic support for his Senate reelection campaign.
Ex-Navy sec. James Webb's (D) Netroots Coordinator and Raising Kaine bloggersLowell Feld also has video from Allen's address and asks: "Was There a Point to This?" Also at Raising KaineLee Diamond pumps Sen. Hillary Clinton's (D) Webb appearance 10/3 and Loudon County Demposts a photo of Allen and Foley.
FOLEY: It's Always The Cover-Up
AMERICAblog confirmed 10/2 that the GOP staffer identified by Howard Kurtz 10/2 as trying "to broker a secret deal" with ABC News to suppress the most damning IMs was Rep. Tom Reynolds' (R-NY) chief of staff, Kirk Fordham. AMERICAblog writes: "Congressman Reynolds let his own chief of staff secretly work for a child predator in an effort to cover-up the worst evidence of the predator's sexual wrongdoing. Without that evidence, this case might not have broken wide open. Add Reynolds to the list, alongside Hastert and Shimkus, of members of Congress who need to resign now."
FOLEY II: Begala Blogs!
Kicking off The Washington Monthly's new blog Showdown '06Paul Begala looks at the Foley mess and declares "that as of the Third Day of the Tenth Month in the Year of Our Lord 2006, the Conservative Myth of Moral Superiority has been crushed."
MyDD's Chris Bowers looks at recent developments including Foley, ex-Pres. Clinton on Fox News, the NIE, Jack Abramoff, and other items and sees "Total Republican Collapse Imminent." Talking Points MemoJosh Marshall argues the Foley scandal has already decapitated the GOP leadership for this cycle.
TPM Cafe has a list of GOPers with campaign cash from Foley and what they've done with it so far, while Talking Points Memo readers have been calling GOP member offices for official positions on Hastert's tenure as speaker.
Over at DailyKos, The Cunctator has set up an Act Blue page called "The Foley Five" that targets: Foley, Hastert, Reynolds, Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), and Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL). AMERICAblog chips in with video of Bay Buchanan blasting the GOP and a "dazed" Hastert on CNN.
FOLEY III: The Page Set Me Up!
Crooks and Liars has audio from Matt Drudge's radio show on the Foley scandal. Jane Hamsher at firedoglake transcribes the relevant portions.
- Drudge: "Have you read the transcripts that ABC posted going into the weekend of these instant messages, back and forth? The kids are egging the Congressman on! The kids are trying to get this out of him. We haven't got the whole story on this."
- Drudge: "Because you have to remember, those of us who have seen some of the transcripts of these nasty instant messages. This was two ways, ladies and gentlemen. These kids were playing Foley for everything he was worth. Oh yeah.
RCP Blog's Jay Cost argues Foley's troubles will not "hurt the GOP's electoral prospects" unless it is "linked to specific House incumbents." Right Wing News argues Team Hastert handled the original emails correctly while Macsmind and Passionate America stick to the conspiracy angle.
FOLEY IV: What's Wrong With A Little Sex Among Consenting Adults?
Atrios still finds "Foley's behavior was highly inappropriate" but argues the Adam Walsh law, making it illegal to solicit sex from minors online, sounds "like bad law." Atrios writes: "And, obviously, if the sex isn't illegal it's a bit weird that soliciting sex is illegal."
Finally, Michael Petrelis takes the Human Rights Campaign to task for not demanding the $27K they donated to Foley since '00.
CONVENTION'08: That's Gonna Be One Crowded Hotel
DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas celebrates news that Hyatt Regency Denver workers formed a union and writes: "Good for them. And also, good for those of us who want to see the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. The lack of union facilities was proving a roadblock. Furthermore, that means that Denver can be considered for future editions of YearlyKos, which -- by the way -- should be announcing its 2007 city any day now."
FRIST: Running For President Of CAIR
Travelling in Afghanistan, Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) made enemies on the right with his comments in an APpiece suggesting "that the Afghan guerrilla war can never be won militarily and called for efforts to bring the Taliban and their supporters into the Afghan government." The Commissar looks at Frist's words and decides "to vote Democratic this fall." Ace of Spades writes: "Goodbye GOP. The hell with the lot of them."
Team Frist noted the brewing unhappiness and First took to VOLPAC to offer an explanation claiming the AP badly distorted his remarks. Frist writes: "Our counter-insurgency strategy must win hearts and minds and persuade moderate Islamists potentially sympathetic to the Taliban to accept the legitimacy of the Afghan national government and democratic political processes."
Hot Air's Allahpundit doesn't see Frist's distinction: "So basically Frist's distinguishing between the actual Taliban, whom we must defeat by any means necessary, and people who "call themselves Taliban" but aren't really - even if they themselves don't know it yet. Actually, now that I think of it, that's a nifty description for CAIR." Ace of Spades isn't buying either.
GINGRICH: The Straw King
Right Angle Blog announces 10/2 that Newt Gingrich won the September Human Events Presidential Straw Poll. Ivy J. Sellers writes: "For a number of months, Gingrich trailed Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) but now has a firmed lead with 31.79% of the vote to Tancredo's 17.46%."
BAYH: Team Player Wanted
DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas congratulates Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) for working for local IN candidates, but he wants more: "While Hillary [Clinton] has transferred less than what she should be able to pass on ($1 million, which is the same as some far less cash-rich senators), Bayh has refused to transfer a single dime to the DSCC despite having over $10 million in his Senate reelection fund. We need our 2008 nominee to be a team player. Those who don't ante up in the effort to take back the Senate should get a big demerit. "
DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas authors the lead essay at Cato Unbound kicking off a debate on his "Case for the Libertarian Democrat." Future responses are due from Bruce Reed, Harold Meyerson, and Nick Gillespie
BLOGGERS VS. BELTWAY II: We Hope You Think This Podcast Is Up To Mexican Standards
Instapundit has his latest podcast up with Wall Street Journal writer John Fund on his new book Stealing Elections: How Voter Fraud Threatens Our Democracy. The interview covers: "high-tech problems with electronic voting machines, more mundane problems with ineligible voters and phony ballots, and the general slackness and incompetence that have made our voting system one that can only aspire to the high standards of Mexico."
THOUGHTS OF THE DAY: What Do Iraq And Mark Foley Have In Common?
Lots according to DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas and RedState president Erick Erickson.
- Kos compares: "What are the common threads here? Iraq has clearly become a political tool for the GOP, used to beat up Democrats as "weak" on "national security". Nevermind the people who die on behalf of Rove's political talking points. And when a sexual predator endangers a safe Republican seat while threatening to cost the party a couple millions of dollars, what does the Republican leadership do? They cover it up."
- Erickson has a slightly different take: "But, ABC's source(s) clearly did know Foley was sexually harassing teenage boys. And instead of doing anything to stop Foley when they found out, they held on to the information for political gain -- they waited until a month before the election to spring their little trap. This, my friends, is just how the Democrats have operated and would probably operate if they took back Congress. This is just like how they've handled Iraq. Instead of offering any plan to make any person or House Page safer, they've leaked damning information to the media at politically opportune times.
LEST WE FORGET: Alcohol -- The Cause Of, And Solution To, All Of Life's Problems
TAPPED's Ben Adler does not quote Homer Simpson, but perhaps he should have when writing this post:
As Bob Packwood discovered a few years back, now that substance abuse is (correctly) viewed as an illness rather than a sign of moral degeneracy, one can blame one's actual moral degenaracy on substance abuse to soften a public fall from grace. Not any old substance will do, mind you: crack might turn off suburbanites, heroin might evoke the specter of AIDS, and coke might seem too rockstarrish. Plus, then you're admitting to breaking the law. Alcohol, on the other hand, has the middle-American acceptability (and legality) to strike the right balance (provided that plying your under-age pages with alcohol wasn't part of your attempts to seduce them).
Posted by Conn Carroll at 12:23 PM
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