Wed, Jun 2, 2004 4:56pm ET

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UPDATE: Unsubstantiated Drudge rumor echoed on RNC website

The Republican National Committee (RNC) is using Matt Drudge's unsubstantiated rumor regarding Senator John Kerry's hair to attack the senator. The RNC claims, in its new online game "Kerryopoly," that Kerry paid $1,000 for a haircut. Interestingly, the RNC did not cite the original source of the rumor -- a Drudge Report "Exclusive" -- but, rather, cited an April 28 Washington Times "Inside Politics" column by Greg Pierce. But Pierce made it clear that his report was based on Drudge's "Exclusive"; moreover, Pierce cited Drudge five times in nine sentences, and everything in Pierce's report came directly from Drudge's "Exclusive." Drudge's unsubstantiated claim was thus laundered -- through The Washington Times -- into an RNC attack on Kerry.

Further, as Media Matters for America reported on June 2, the unsubstantiated rumor was reported as fact by Scarborough Country guest host Pat Buchanan on May 31.

—J.F.

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