Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
The Worldview Weekend folks have sent out their latest bit of idiocy to my email inbox, this one written by none other than the Rev. Donald Wildmon. In addition to the regular lies about Specter and what he didn't say, he added this new one:
Specter is the person who killed the nomination of Robert Bork to the Supreme Court and tried to kill the nomination of Clarence Thomas.
Just a complete and utter lie. Not only did Specter not try to kill the Thomas nomination, he was the chief prosecutor grilling Anita Hill during the hearings and he led the fight for Thomas on the floor of the Senate. Gosh, maybe if I go to one of those "Worldview Weekends", they'll have a session on how to make up lies about their political opponents in the name of Jesus. What cretins.
Comments
I'm sorry. While you are out studying the reality, these people are acting and changing reality. It dosn't matter what Specter actually said. It's what they said he said which counts.
Maybe you can find out what reality-altering drug they're taking and score me some.
Posted by: Ruidh | November 9, 2004 9:45 PM
Now, I've advocated in the past for the legalization of reality-altering drugs. But this IS ridiculous.
Posted by: Jason Kuznicki | November 9, 2004 11:03 PM
Hmm...
If you allow yourself to believe a fact that is probably false and then repeat that fact that you believe to be true, is it technically a lie?
Posted by: Andrew Reeves | November 10, 2004 8:54 AM
If you allow yourself to believe a fact that is probably false and then repeat that fact that you believe to be true, is it technically a lie?
Perhaps not, as a technicality, but since this is a very prominent leader making the claim, and the only person I have ever heard claim that Specter tried to kill the Thomas nomination, which is about as false as false can get, I think an accusation of dishonesty is entirely justified. If he doesn't know it's a lie, he sure as hell should know it's a lie, as his organization was one of the many groups lobbying hard for Thomas.
Posted by: Ed Brayton | November 10, 2004 9:20 AM
I remember those hearings. Specter asked Hill a question that was long and involved and asked for a yes or no answer. Geez, one would have to know which of his pauses were "commas" and which were "semicolons" even to begin to understand what he was asking.
When Thomas returned later, he was asked to respond to some of her statements. The Senators were astounded we he said he hadn't bothered to listen to her testimony. I'd call that kutzbah if I knew how to spell it.
B
Posted by: Bill Ware | November 10, 2004 11:25 AM