Another day, another doctored claim from Gateway Pundit
November 19, 2009 9:41 am ET by Eric Boehlert
At least the right-wing, Obama-hating site is consistent; it spreads lies on an almost daily basis. But I have to say, today's edition is particularly stunning in its brash disregard for the truth. It also provides a nice window into the world of conservative bloggers, where it seems people are actually encouraged to make stuff up.
Today's Obama-hating headline [emphasis added]:
Barack Obama: “I’ve Restored America’s Standing in the World” (Video)
Gateway Pundit includes a video of Obama sitting down with CNN's Ed Henry, so readers can watch Obama proclaim, "I've restored America's standing in the world." And then readers are supposed to howl in disgust and mock the president's runaway ego. ("The Arrogant One," writes Gateway Pundit.)
The only problem is that at the 1:10 mark in the interview, here's what Obama actually says:
We've restored America’s standing in the world.
To make this a thing, Gateway Pundit simply falsified the Obama quote. "We've" was replaced with "I've." Gateway Pundit doctored what Obama said in order to make it seem controversial. Like I said, another day, another Gateway Pundit falsehood. But here's the kicker, as of right now, nobody in the Gateway Pundit comment section has even bothered to watch the video and then point out that the item is built on a doctored quote. Readers there apparently like being fed a daily diet of manufactured misinformation.
Behold the right-wing blogosphere.
UPDATED: Incredibly, even though this Gateway Pundit falsehood has now been exposed, there's a very good chance it will not be fixed and that no correction or apology will be posted. (Gateway Pundit doesn't do the real world.) We'll keep you posted.
UPDATED: Even more bizarre is the fact that the Gateway Pundit item actually includes the written, and accurate, transcript of Obama's comments about how "we've" restored America's standing in the world. But for some reason Gateway Pundit decided to change Obama's quote for the eye-catching "I've" headline as well as the lede of the item.
Is this what happens when Obama Derangement Syndrome sets in?
UPDATED: Like the sun rising in the east, Gateway Pundit always delivers. It's been seven hours since we highlighted the manufactured Obama quote that Gateway Pundit is pushing today. And it's been many, many hours since CF readers pointed out the distortion in GP's comment section. Yet still no correction or update.
Gateway Pundit stands by its manufactured quote! Good to know.
You are expecting way to much of the audience, of the right wing media.
When TV personae spout nonsense and lies we know they are being paid millions to do it, I'd be surprised if Gateway Pundit was doing more than getting by, if even that.
I remember once, I thought I made a mistake, I was wrong, but that just goes to show you that even I am imperfect (for thinking I had made a mistake).
I'm not as up on my rightwing internet as I used to be, but I've never been paid to do it. How big is Breitbart, anyway? Full of himself, sure, but how widely read?
I know it is stupid but; so is constantly putting up the wrong video feed as background to a story.