If you care, the AP snapped a photo of Sarah Palin having her hair attended to during her recent trip to earthquake ravage Haiti.

Here's how Free Republic responded to the apparent media sin [emphasis added]:

Media Creates New Palin Scandal! Sarah Accused of Bringing Hairdresser on Hati Trip

The Free Republic, cheered on by the right-wing blogosphere, then went into great detail about how Palin did not bring a hairdresser with her to Haiti and that the woman photographed fussing over her hair was Palin's daughter Bristol:

That's right, what the Palin-hating AP and others fail to report is that the “hair stylist” is Bristol Palin.

Here's the problem: The AP never reported Palin brought a “hair stylist” or a “hairdresser.” Those phrases came from Free Republic. It's true: Free Republic rushed into to defend Palin from the AP allegation that Palin had brought a “hair stylist” or “hairdresser” with her to Haiti.

But oops! The AP never made that claim.

Here's the accurate AP caption to the photo:

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, center, has her hair done during a visit to a cholera treatment center set up by the NGO Samaritan's Purse in Cabaret, Haiti, Saturday Dec. 11, 2010. Palin arrived Saturday in Haiti as part of a brief humanitarian mission in an impoverished nation struggling to overcome post-election violence and a cholera epidemic. At right, Palin's husband, Todd Palin.

Good luck finding the AP's “hair stylist” or “hairdresser” reference, or the suggestion Palin brought one to Haiti.