Say Anything Blog

Just watched this, and it’s nothing short of remarkable.

Not the document itself, mind you. I expect cheap hit-pieces out of the DNC mothership. No, I am referring to Chris Matthews, who summoned up the journalistic integrity to call this what it is: a disgrace.

I find Matthews to be generally intolerable, but every once in a while he does something that catches me completely by surprise.

In this particular case, good for him.

For the sake of fairness, I’m sure you would agree that it’s only appropriate that I include the following from Daily Kos relating to the “ Unconscionable Smear Memo On Alito,” that you mention on your blog.

Well look what we have here. Tim Chapman at Townhall has the entire Democratic document that Chris Matthews called “disgusting”, and which Republican liars from Drudge on down are using as the basis of their claim that Democrats attacked Alito for being Italian American. Yeah, the attack I talked about here.

Oh, and Drudge? I’m not nearly done with you on this one. Did Matthews come up with the attack on his own, or did he suck it directly out of your sorry teat? And who gave you the story to push?

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[...] DNC Releases Unconscionable Smear Memo On Alito By Rob on November 1, 2005 at 12:00 am [...]

What’s more, the document was apparently created back in July of 2005, meaning that the DNC probably had hit-memos like this lined up for ever possible SCOTUS nominee.

This is a standard tactic employed by both parties.

[...] Matthews “Disgusting” Memo...from the GOP?  I ran into an post over at an excellent NoDak political blog called “Say Anything” entitled DNC Releases Unconscionable Smear Memo On Alito, and thought I would do a little more research on the supposed “unconscionable smear” that I heard Matthews describe this evening. Matthews even got DNC Chair Howard Dean to apologize the the memo, even though he claimed he had never heard of it, on “Hardball” this evening.Luckily, the refutation didn’t take too long. When updating my blogroll this evening I wanted to make sure all of the new links worked, so when clicking on Daily Kos found the following gem, from writer “Hunter”:Well look what we have here. Tim Chapman at Townhall has the entire Democratic document that Chris Matthews called “disgusting”, and which Republican liars from Drudge on down are using as the basis of their claim that Democrats attacked Alito for being Italian American. Yeah, the attack I talked about here.Only one problem. Read the so-called “disgusting” memo. It doesn’t say anything like that. Do a search. The word “Italian” isn’t even in it. The whole so-called “outrage” has been a complete fabrication by Chris Matthews, by Matt Drudge, and by the perennially race-baiting right.Oh, by all means, the memo talks about ‘Scalito’, a long-held nickname given to Alito by legal friend and foe alike to describe his far right, Scalia-like views.And—horror of horrors—one point out of fifteen talks about a case where as a U.S. Attorney, Alito failed to win convictions of twenty mobsters after the longest criminal trial in U.S. history.Doesn’t say anything even remotely implying Alito had any connection to the mobsters except prosecuting them and apparently botching the case. Doesn’t say anything at all about Alito being an Italian American. Doesn’t imply jack-shit about it.So Chris “Fair Game” Matthews, in addition to being the smarmy sack of pundit crap that we always knew he was, flatly made up the part about the Italian American slam in the memo. He lied. He put two-and-two together in his own head, and came up with Mobsters = Italian = Alito as his own slam, then sold it as a “disgusting” Democratic attack.Let the bastard hear about it tomorrow. He fabricated the entire race-baiting slam in his own warped head. Ask him why he did it, because as an Italian American I’m interested in hearing that.Thanks to Red State for pointing me at the actual memo, even though they lacked even the basic, primitive integrity to at any point actually tell us what it really said. Ditto to the mental geniuses of Town Hall, who went out of their way to publish a document proving flatly that they lied about their own smear.Oh, and Drudge? I’m not nearly done with you on this one. Did Matthews come up with the attack on his own, or did he suck it directly out of your sorry teat? And who gave you the story to push?Armando does one better by then showing beyond any shadow of a doubt that an obvious GENUINE SMEAR that shows up on The Drudge Report this evening is an outright lie:Drudge is playing a game, using a Republican Italian-American to front the lying smears agains the Dems on ScAlito:National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) Statement: The NIAF is distressed by the attempts of some senators and the media (CNN, CBS) to marginalize Judge Samuel Alito’s outstanding record, by frequent reference to his Italian heritage and by the use of the nickname, “Scalito.”. . . Sincerely,A. Kenneth CiongoliChairman of the National Italian American FoundationWho is Ken Ciongoli? Why a doctor from Burlington, Vermont who has given thousands of dollars to the Republican Party. Here’s a sample:Ciongoli, Alfred K Mr.Burlington, VT 05401Self-Employed/Physician REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE (R) $1,000primary 05/17/04CIONGOLI, A. K DR.BURLINGTON, VT 05401SELF-EMPLOYED/DOCTOR BUSH, GEORGE W (R)PresidentBUSH-CHENEY ‘04 (PRIMARY) INC $1,000primary 01/20/04Ciongoli, BarbaraBurlington, VT 05401 VERMONT REPUBLICAN FEDERAL ELECTIONS COMMITTEE (R) $800primary 10/14/02Ciongoli, Kenneth A.Burlington, VT 05401 VERMONT REPUBLICAN FEDERAL ELECTIONS COMMITTEE (R) $800primary 10/14/02Now you know where this is coming from. One last interesting final sidebar to the above excellent reporting. Ciongoli’s name appears in a DOJ memo from former AG Ashcroft appointing Ciongoli to a post at DOJ:Ciongoli, 32, as Counselor to the Attorney General, will serve as the principal legal advisor in the Office of the Attorney General. Prior to his current position, Ciongoli served as Chief Counsel to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on the Constitution, which he joined in April 1999. From 1996 to 1999, Ciongoli practiced appellate law in the Washington, D.C. law firm of Kirkland and Ellis, where he focused on class action, product liability and telecommunications issues. He also served as a law clerk to United States Circuit Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit from 1995 to 1996.Ciongoli graduated from Georgetown University Law Center, magna cum laude, and holds a B.A. in history from the University of Pennsylvania."Adam’s expertise and work in the field of law have proven him to be a trusted advisor to me while I served in the U.S. Senate. I welcome the opportunity to have him at the Justice Department where I believe his knowledge and skills will continue to benefit this great institution and all the people it serves,” said Ashcroft.As I stated before, I’m still on the fence when it comes to Mr. Alito, but it appears the obvious smear campaign starts NOT with the DNC but rather the slime machine in the GOP, and then parroted by Matthews, Drudge, and others in an obvious attempt to paint the DNC into ethnic-baiting with this nominee.It’s not going to work this time! Finally, after five fucking l-o-n-g years, the DNC seems to have learned how to use the methods you guys perfected against the DNC for 5+ years and turn the tables against RNC operatives, which are obviously behind such efforts. It’s definately going to get interesting!Mike [...]

Rob,
Reports out of Iraq indicate that 7 more US soldiers were killed yesterday and there was a huge bombing in Basra today where at least 20 were killed.  In addition, reports from administration insiders describe an indictment of Rove as “imminent.” The GOP congress has decided to give Exxon Mobil (who already has $27 billion in cash) another $2.5 Billion of our tax dollars as part of the energy bill while paying for Katrina reconstruction by cutting school lunches for 40,000 children and cutting your grandmother’s health insurance. Better pick up the pace of you postings on Alito to keep your compliant readers focused on that rather than the series of disasters facing themselves, the administration and our country.  Keep it up, Rob, and good luck!!!

It’s not a “smear” if it’s all true and backed up with evidence.

If you want to see a smear, look at the completely-debunked Swift Boat Liars last year, or Dubya’s primary campaign against McCain in 2000.

The terrorists in Iraq are having to pay bombers 60 times as much money as they were paying after the U.S. invasion.  This isn’t a popular insurgency (actually, it’s not an insurgency at all, as most of the terrorists are foreign fighters).

Which is better… socialist medicine and food programs, or building construction?  If they’re going to be spending my money, at least let it be toward something with lasting value.

Rove indictment pending?  News to me, but okay.  If he lied, he’s no better than Libby or Clinton or Stewart… so bring on the indictment.

How much is that in barrels of oil?

The terrorists in Iraq are having to pay bombers 60 times as much money as they were paying after the U.S. invasion.

Could be your money they are being paid with.

Which is better… socialist medicine and food programs, or building construction?

The sick and hungry prefer medicine and food to mausoleums.

Just to reiterate the point that Rob will regurgitate any smear he can poach off the echo chamber…

Only one problem. Read the so-called “disgusting” memo. It doesn’t say anything like that. Do a search. The word “Italian” isn’t even in it. The whole so-called “outrage” has been a complete fabrication by Chris Matthews, by Matt Drudge, and by the perennially race-baiting right.

Oh, by all means, the memo talks about ‘Scalito’, a long-held nickname given to Alito by legal friend and foe alike to describe his far right, Scalia-like views.

And—horror of horrors—one point out of fifteen talks about a case where as a U.S. Attorney, Alito failed to win convictions of twenty mobsters after the longest criminal trial in U.S. history.

So Chris “Fair Game” Matthews, in addition to being the smarmy sack of pundit crap that we always knew he was, flatly made up the part about the Italian American slam in the memo. He lied. He put two-and-two together in his own head, and came up with Mobsters = Italian = Alito as his own slam, then sold it as a “disgusting” Democratic attack.

You guys turn to some reactionary Daily Kos rantings...and I’m the one “regurgitating” smears from the echo chamber?

What did you guys expect, the people at Kos to go, “Oh sure.  It was a smear.  Dang, we’d better watch our side’s ethics.”

Give me a break.

The war against illegal plunder has been fought since the beginning of the world. But how is… legal plunder to be identified? Quite simply. See if the law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without committing a crime. Then abolish this law without delay … If such a law is not abolished immediately it will spread, multiply and develop into a system.

Frédéric Bastiat, The Law

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