Slog - Comments on What Accounts for This? http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this If this report is true, then how did McCain's Pennsylvania communications director know all the "facts" of the Ashley Todd story before they were out? John McCain's Pennsylvania communications director told reporters in the state an incendiary version of the hoax story about the attack on a McCain volunteer well before the facts of the case were known or established -- and even told reporters outright that the "B" carved into the victim's cheek stood for "Barack," according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions. John Verrilli, the news director for KDKA in Pittsburgh, told TPM Election Central that McCain's... Copyright 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:30:15 -0800 Sat, 25 Oct 2008 10:00:14 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by keshmeshi Oh my God. Can these motherfuckers go to jail too?

]]> keshmeshi http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1182985 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1182985 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:34:11 -0800 Comment by Ziggity Let's see, he had zero facts and her story had zero credibility. So just add that together and you get RACIST.

]]> Ziggity http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1182986 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1182986 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:34:18 -0800 Comment by shub-negrorath PLEASE let it come out that the campaign orchestrated the whole thing. That would really make my month.

]]> shub-negrorath http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1182996 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1182996 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:39:54 -0800 Comment by AJ If you've been keeping up with the Bailography, you probably aren't surprised in the least.

]]> AJ http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1182998 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1182998 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:41:00 -0800 Comment by jrrrl It sounds like the McCain camp was 100% right. Ashley Todd cut "B" for "Barack" into her face while the alleged attacker screamed into the mirror, "You’re with the McCain campaign? I’m going to teach you a lesson!"

]]> jrrrl http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183002 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183002 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:45:53 -0800 Comment by Jen Even I can't believe that they'd do something like that. Besides, they would have at least pulled off something mildly competent.

]]> Jen http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183021 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183021 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:05:01 -0800 Comment by Fnarf It's still unclear to me exactly how this terrifying story was supposed to redound against Obama. Big mean black man with a knife? Obama? Hmm, how are they connected? No, no, no racism here, no sirree bob.

Ashley's a troubled little girl who needs some mental health treatment. The McCain campaign, and the Fox and Drudge asswipers who pushed this story, are the real scumbags here.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183022 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183022 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:05:12 -0800 Comment by mnm If the campaign organized it they did an epically incompetent job... so it wouldn't surprise me if they did.

]]> mnm http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183023 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183023 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:05:34 -0800 Comment by Darcy @6: Because the McCain campaign has really been giving off an air of competence for the last few months...

]]> Darcy http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183033 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183033 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:20:05 -0800 Comment by John Bailo
This woman is the Tawana Brawley of her generation.

]]> John Bailo http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183044 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183044 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:36:36 -0800 Comment by Fnarf Ah, Bailo, you're back! How was Pittsburgh?

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183055 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183055 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:47:27 -0800 Comment by Fnarf Oh, and here's a clue, fuckhead: Tawana Brawley was Al Sharpton's idea. Al Sharpton is not Barack Obama. They have nothing in common; Obama is among many other things the living repudiation of Sharptonism, and Obama's supporters are not interested in anything to do with Al Sharpton or his antics twenty years ago. You are, but that's because you and your ilk are completely full of shit -- shit which you seem to be losing. Remember yesterday, when this crazy bitch was your best buddy?

Oh, and one more thing: fuck you.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183057 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183057 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:50:29 -0800 Comment by ellarosa that's funny, fnarf. i was thinking about tawana brawley and sharpton just yesterday. wondering if the repugs were gonna mention her so as to vaguely push the collective consciousness back on to bad ol' n******s. and there's johnny (bailo) on the spot. i suppose it's on the right wing blogs right now, but i can't be bothered to test that theory out. i'm just too weary of these people.

]]> ellarosa http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183095 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183095 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:33:50 -0800 Comment by flamingbanjo My guess is that the Pennslvania apparatchik saw a chance for a game-changing (and career-aiding) racial incident that could be used to advance the "Obama is in league with scary dark people" narrative, and the national party saw it as a chance to produce an example of a scary, violent Obama supporter to counterbalance all the tales of violently racist McCain supporters which are frightening away moderate voters. Remember how important equivalencies are to the McCain campaign -- any time they are faced with a negative association they produce an "equivalent" example on the other side and thus derail the whole discussion into he-said-she-said. They probably thought this one was a slam-dunk, and got a little too eager.


]]> flamingbanjo http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183096 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183096 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:35:51 -0800 Comment by jw hi john bailo, just so you know, i second what fnarf said.

now about that backwards B... what a stupid fucking idea that was in the first place! what kind of an Obama supporter would come up with an idiotic, fucked up idea like that..? (a fake one, that's what!)
a real one mighta done a backwards O, i guess...

(john bailo, i bet you're not intelligent enough to know what we're talking about, so let me explain: O stands for Obama. O looks pretty damn similar forwards and backwards. i think the B was supposed to stand for Barack or maybe just Bullshit. but i don't have to tell YOU about bullshit, do i, Jon? i reckon you know ALL about that, what with yer head bein' filled with it and all..)

]]> jw http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183098 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183098 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:43:02 -0800 Comment by CM please please PLEASE don't let this get buried over the weekend, you masters of media

]]> CM http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183105 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183105 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:54:37 -0800 Comment by Fnarf B stands for Bailo, duh.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183120 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183120 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:33:10 -0800 Comment by Chris Here's video of the perp. And conclusive evidence that young republicans look exactly like I imagine.

]]> Chris http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183124 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183124 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:41:33 -0800 Comment by stinkbug I predict a number of hipsters will be dressing up as Ashley Todd for Halloween.

]]> stinkbug http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183140 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183140 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 22:32:39 -0800 Comment by yucca flower @ #19,

Only mine is going to be an "M" not a backwards "B". Ha!

]]> yucca flower http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183155 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183155 2008 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 23:57:04 -0800 Comment by keshmeshi @20,

No, a backwards J. That'll capture the spirit of the whole thing. And wear a sweatshirt from a liberal elite school.

]]> keshmeshi http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183199 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/what_accounts_for_this#c1183199 2008 Sat, 25 Oct 2008 10:00:14 -0800