Giuliani made up "Firefighters for Rudy" - AP got snookered!

[The Count]

Associated Press Quoted Head Of "Firefighters For Rudy" -- Without Mentioning He's A Rudy Aide

The Associated Press got completely snookered today in its coverage of the flap between Rudy Giuliani and the firefighters — the news org actually quoted someone and identified them as the head of an independent group called “Firefighters for Rudy,” without mentioning that he is actually a Rudy aide….

he AP treated Brown and his group as if they comprise a genuinely independent organization.

Unfortunately for the AP, however, a cursory bit of checking reveals that Tim Brown is actually an aide to Rudy, and it’s unclear whether the group even has a membership larger than just Tim Brown. The phone number the campaign offered for the group is actually the same as that of the Rudy campaign’s press office.
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/horsesmouth/2007/03/associated_pres.php

[DemBones DemBones]

1. Send this to all the media whores!

Damned Republicans will do anything to win.

[tanyev]

2. I just got an idea for a multilevel marketing scheme!

Haven't decided on the product yet, but I am going to market it to reporters employed by "mainstream" news media organizations. There seems to be no limit to their gullibility.

:think:

[Jackpine Radical]

5. You don't need a product.

Just tell them you're selling access to a magical radio-frequency broadcast that will make their cocks or boobs bigger & collect your money.

[Jackpine Radical]

3. What makes you think AP got snookered?

Rudy & AP got caught, more like it.

[The Count]

6. Agree, It was the TPM take - but chances are they just did Rudy's bid

It's good to remember the Hydra has more heads than Faux.
Sock puppeting - not just for internet anymore

[Laurier]

20. See #15 - the group appears to actually exist.

However, it looks like it is a South Carolina group of firefighters. I am quite sure that the FDNY does not support Guiliani.

[cyberpj]

25. I agree. nt

[HCE SuiGeneris]

4. Bwaaaahahhahahahh

And this is to be their leader... bhahhahahhahhhhhahh :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Dudley_DUright]

7. The "group" should be named "Firefighter for Rudy"

:rofl:

[The Count]

9. Or, rather "Rudy's Aide for Rudy" - he's no firefighter that one!

[Dudley_DUright]

12. True, but apparently he claims he is a "former" firefighter

(but I would not even bet on that assertion until I saw proof)

Tim Brown, a former firefighter and the executive director of Firefighters for Rudy, added: "We are honored by the support of so many first responders from across the country and are appreciative of their continued enthusiasm for Mayor Giuliani's candidacy."

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/horsesmouth/2007/03/associated_pres.php

[Jackpine Radical]

14. He peed on a campfire once.

[Buzz Clik]

8. It seems we're making a bit of a leap, here:

and it’s unclear whether the group even has a membership larger than just Tim Brown.

So, is it perfectly clear that this group simply doesn't exist at all? At this point, it seems likely, but are we not jumping to conclusions? Just like AP?

[Morgana LaFey]

16. Buzz, you always seem to want to give the (unwarranted) benefit

of the doubt to the wrong damn people.

Why is that?

[Buzz Clik]

18. The AP are the wrong people?

Giuliani would be a total idiot to say that he had the support of an organization that doesn't exist. My tendency would be to believe him until it was shown to be bogus; I would not suspect every word out of his mouth to be a flat lie.

Now, being a politician, the likelihood that Giuliani is an idiot is quite high, and the possibility of him being a liar is 100%. However, until we have just a little more information, I'll withhold judgment on this issue.


Late edit: on the basis of post #15 in this thread, Giuliani may have provided himself room to escape.

[youngdem]

10. Hilariously pathetic...

Of all the men in America who should NOT have to fake support from firefighters, it would be Ghouliani.

Yet, here we are.

[w4rma]

11. Cool. That's a major story in itself. His opponents should jump all over that. (nt)

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

13. I bet whoever stole Rudy's playbook

is behind this outing

[Laurier]

15. Looks like its South Carolina firefighters, not NYC firefighters...

There's a list of them here:

http://joinrudy2008.com/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=19942

I am quite sure that the FDNY does not support Guiliani.

[Morgana LaFey]

17. A LOT of GOPers have learned a LOT of lessons from Bush --

this one falls into the Media Manipulation and PR-is-as-good-as-Reality (or better) categories.

[EFerrari]

19. They are Authorized Propaganda after all.

[Bombero1956]

21. I've looked at the list

and most of them are Chief officers, staff of the SCFFA or volunteers. They aren't even members of the international union. Rudy is putting on a game of mirrors.

[glitch]

22. Wow, here he is running on his glories as mayor, beloved of firefighters

and he can't even get his own town's firefighters to support him. Oh dear.

[Bombero1956]

23. it's all a sham

after checking most of the names on the list I've found that most belong to non unionized fire departments or are volunteers. The argument that Guliani has is with unionized firefighters who he had arrested when they protested his handling of the remains at Ground Zero. So this endorsement means nothing.

[glitch]

24. It's actually much better than nothing. It highlights what he doesn't have.

It's sweet. If he were smart he'd drop his whole friend of firefighters routine like the hot potato it is. Here's to hoping he doesn't, because I sure don't think he's all that smart.

[cyberpj]

26. Do we get a retraction and explanation now? Will anyone even cover this?

Because the problem is....
no matter what...
this crap still seems to work for them!