Memogate: 'Document Fix' Memo FAKE? Health Care Memo Spread By Media and GOP Called 'Hoax'

[Mr. Sparkle]

Source: Huffington Post

Democrats are charging that the GOP made up a fake messaging memo that purports to be from Democrats as a way to undermine the party's message at the last minute. The memo was circulated to reporters -- including this one -- by a spokesman to House Minority Leader John Boehner. Politico reported on the memo and posted a story which the Drudge Report featured prominently.

"The memo is a fake," said Kristie Greco, a spokesperson for Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.). "It's an under-handed and unethical attempt to distract from the health care debate. If opponents of health insurance reform had a credible policy alternative they wouldn't have to resort to nefarious games."

Several anonymous Democratic aides similarly told Talking Points Memo's Christina Bellantoni that the memo was a trick:

"We have checked with every Democratic office, no one has ever seen it. It did not come out of a Democratic office," the aide said, adding that media outlets printing the memo have not checked with leadership offices if the memo is authentic. A second Democratic leadership aide confirmed the memo was not sent by the Democrats. A third Democratic aide also said the memo is fake, citing the "draft" stamp and saying no one uses such things.


"If this were a Democratic communications person who wrote this, they should be fired, because this looks like Republican talking points," the third Democratic aide told TPMDC.

Politico has since pulled the memo, leaving Drudge to link instead to a page that reads "UPDATE: Democrats challenge authenticity of 'doc fix' memo."

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/19/doc-fix-memo-fake-health_n_506338.html

[Abq_Sarah]

1. I'm to the point

Now where I don't trust anything any politician says.

They're all liars.

[kestrel91316]

4. They aren't "all liars", any more than all veterinarians are liars, as some DUers

have said to my face.

Repukes ARE predominantly liars and hypocrites, I have observed.

[creeksneakers2]

2. Rush Limbaugh made a big deal about this today.

There was probably a GOP full court press to spread the disinformation.

[FarLeftFist]

3. Since every GOP talking point has been debunked my only guess is....

That the republicans just don't want 37 million new Democrat voters.

[SpiralHawk]

5. Republicon black-ops disinformation mindf*ck

as usual

Republicons really hate the truth, that is their core Family Value as they demonstrate repeatedly

[Hissyspit]

6. Drudge pwns himself again?

Does ANYONE think he has any credibility anymore? Good grief.

[Warren Stupidity]

7. So everyone involved will be Rathered, right?

Oh wait, that only happens to ours.

[No Elephants]

13. Was anyone Rathered over the doctored O'Keefe "pimp" ACORN tape stories?

Justify margins on the truth and you lose your job.

Print stories as though a doctored tape is gospel--no problem.

[marshall]

8. Where's Dan Rather when we need him!

This would be a perfect vehicle for his return to the mainstream of television journalism.

[No Elephants]

14. I believe he was fired for telling the truth about Commander AWOL.

[marshall]

16. Which is why he would be perfect to debunk this current story

He was accused of lying, now he can return the favor. It'll all be moot after the vote, but it would give Rather something to throw back into the faces of his former colleagues.

[harvey007]

9. Watch out for GOP and insurance company lies

Republicans will do whatever it takes to stop this legislation...lies, fraud, disinformation, mis-information, scare tactics, threats, blackmail, you name it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHV4nDS501Y

[Jackpine Radical]

11. In this case it seems to be the Greedy Old Perverts operating alone

without sanction from the insurance companies.

I can imagine a scenario in which the GOP goes out & manages to kill the bill like a hound dawg with a rabbit, and drags it in to lay at the feet of the insurance industry. The Insurance Industry leaps out of its easy chair & starts beating the GOP: "You idiot! We wanted that thing ALIVE!"

[Kingofalldems]

10. Repubs have not changed since Watergate

[No Elephants]

15. Before Watergate, there was McCarthyism. Before that, Hooverism.

[Cha]

12. KickR