... as Brit Hume almost lets the truth slip out.

Reporting on a McCain advisor's comments crediting John McCain for the development of the Blackberry, FOX's Brit Hume made the obligatory comparison to Al Gore. For a moment there, it seemed Hume was actually going to describe Gore's comments about the Internet truthfully. But Hume is a veteran newscaster - a real pro - and was able to catch himself and adjust mid-sentence to deliver the standard media lie about Al Gore:

HUME: Another McCain advisor, economic advisor trying to make a point ended up implying at least that the Arizona senator had helped create the Blackberry -- that's the communications device, not the fruit. Douglas Holtz-Eakin was referring to McCain's work on telecommunications deregulation back in the 1990s. He waved his Blackberry and said, quote, “You're looking at the miracle that John McCain helped create.” The analogy immediately conjured up memories of the claim that Al Gore, made by him, invented the Internet. The McCain campaign quickly issued a statement saying Holtz-Eakin's statement was merely a less-than-effective attempt at humor.

Ah, no. Al Gore didn't say he “invented the Internet.” Hume and his colleagues have been lying about that for years. Last night, Hume almost let the truth slip out - that people have claimed (falsely) that Al Gore said he invented the Internet.

By the way: Rather than cracking wise about Al Gore, Brit Hume might have offered viewers an assessment of whether John McCain's actions in the Senate really did help lead to the creation of the Blackberry. Think Progress and Steve Benen suggest they did not. But Brit Hume is too busy taking cheap (and false) shots at Al Gore to assess the validity of Holtz-Eakin's claim.