McCain Supporters Duped by 419 Scam?
In the last, floundering days of the presidential campaign McCain supporters, smelling the encroaching ass-whomping, latched on to rumors of the existence of a tape that contained Michelle Obama admitting that Barack was not a U.S. citizen. What makes this unique is that instead of being the unfounded mumblings of "strategists," the tale of the tape originated from a freely hosted Wordpress blog under the name African Press International (API). Despite glaring evidence of the falsehood of the claim (such as the fact that API was based in Norway and not registered as an NGO as they asserted), it began to ricochet around the right-wing blogosphere.
As defeat at the polls became more likely McCain supporters and conspiracy theorists began to hound API to release the tape. Of course, API hemmed and hawed, claiming to have handed it over to FOX, then demanding money, then implying a vast left-wing conspiracy was preventing the release of the tape.
Somewhere along the line, the tale morphed. Suddenly, the tape in question was of Obama Jew-bashing at a party with William Ayers, and Rashid Khalidi (whom by the way John McCain funneled $500,000 in grants to as chairman of the International Republican Institute). And now it was in the hands of the L.A. Times. Right-wing bloggers started collecting donations to buy the tape (from the L.A. Times and the API). When the bid finally hit $150,000 suddenly API demanded $2 million for the release of the tape.
Though it's not known if any money was ever actually paid to the scammers, the evolution of the scam could easily fill an entire chapter in a sociology or psychology text book. When truly desperate, people will believe almost anything you tell them as long as it agrees with their world view, even when confronted with irrefutable evidence of its falseness. [From: Hard News, Via: Boing Boing]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
JSAMS4131 said 7:08PM on 11-29-2008
laff I remember seeing this site and what a hoax it was, anyone silly enough to pay for this "info" really must have not wanted barack obama president at any costs. which makes me sad that people are so gullible and ignorant sometimes...
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Surflizard said 8:12PM on 11-29-2008
You are all kinds of confused, dude -- apparently conflating two completely separate stories. The video of Obama praising Rashid Khalidi is very real and admittedly in the possession of the LA Times (who refused to release it). That's simply a fact - I don't know of anyone other than you who is questioning the video's existence. That's so embarrassing for you, or a huge coup (produce some evidence, please).
As for political partisans believing the absurdest crap when it's about "the other guy", where have you been for the last 8 years? Ever visited Demcoratic Underground or Daily Kos? I'm guessing you're on those sites a lot - and nothing they're saying strikes you as at all unlikely. Especially that fascinating Trig Palin stuff.
And as for McCain "funneling" money to Khalidi's organization, he was less controversial then, and the twin towers were still standing.
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Tania said 8:15PM on 11-29-2008
WOW!
Poetic justice
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Tania said 10:55PM on 11-29-2008
How about the Obama is not a citizen crap? Can I get some money creating some fake evidence?
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Moongrim said 8:53PM on 11-29-2008
Yo surflizard. You really are pathetic.
But then, most Republicans are. So very desperate to find anything, anything at all, that they'll believe in fairy tales. If the LA has the tape, then PROVE IT!
All I need to know about Republicans comes from one site:
http://dkosopedia.com/wiki/Republican_Sex_Scandals
Cause you get to see them for what they really are: Hypocrites- one and all.
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Car'do said 9:49PM on 11-29-2008
GOOD ONE.... Just goes to show you how others too saw how 'DESPERATE' McCain was and would go to any extreme and/or amount of money just to get the title (NOT THE JOB or RESPONSIBILTY OF IT)...
Poor baby, thank God America saw thru him and his ignorant desperate 'childish' ways, and now we have a new 'DECENT" caring responsible leader coming into office instead...
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condomimi said 9:54PM on 11-29-2008
Yes, many people heard about this site and the boggus tape. The sad part is that now the Obama camp is using this boggus site to try to lessen the impact of all the legitimate sites questioning Obama's eligibility to serve as President. Google search engine is even censoring the sites that are unfavorable to Obama and deleting information that used to be readily available. Now, when you search "Obama's birth certificate, you don't get the most active sites on Page 1, instead, you get the sites that are trying to lessen the importance of this issue, like "stop the smears", etc.
Is there anyone out there questioning why the mainstream media never mentions all the requests by American citizens demanding the release of Obama's original 1961, birth certificate? Even now, when there are three petitions awaiting a hearing at the Supreme Court, how can the news industry NOT mention this in any media source? I know there are reporters assigned to cover activity at the Supreme Court, but no one has reported on the upcoming hearing scheduled for December 5th, to hear one of the requests regarding Obama's citizenship status. Doesn't it bother you that our news information is being restricted and we are being told only what the MSM wants us to hear? Even the conservative news programs on FOX News refuses to even mention this issue! Why? And, who has the power to censor the information that goes out to inform the public? This should concern every American regardless of who you voted for and regardless of your opinions on the current issues. I know it worries me. All I can think of is the "state" controlled media in Communist countries. And, this brings to mind Obama's statements regarding the need in America for a "civilian" police force comparable to the military! Can anyone say GESTAPO?
Please think about this - your freedoms will disappear at the same time as mine, if we do not pay attention and step up to voice our objections before it is too late.
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Maxi said 12:54AM on 12-06-2008
What are you smoking? and what planed are you from? wake-up, you sound very desperate
janey said 10:14PM on 11-29-2008
When is this childish, immature rubbish going to end? We, the people are fed up with this party bashing childish garbage... will you start focusing on something positive and uplifting instead of this utter garbage that you are printing.
You will lose all your readers if you don't stop it... Do you get the message? We, the people of America are fed up with you hate mongers trying to spread hatred and bigotry between the races, We want to live and let live. Stop stirring the pot and trying to make trouble between us. We are all Gods people and want to live peaceable together. So work on that issue will you? If you cant find something decent and positive to say don't say anything at all. We don't want to hear it.
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Tired of the bible belt said 10:53PM on 11-29-2008
Speak for yourself. I'm most definitely not one of "god's people."
DarkLight said 11:29PM on 11-29-2008
No, you're another of those idiots who don't understand the difference between God and religion... Totally different things.
It's so sad that people assoiates one with the other, because religion is stupid (yet more idiots, apparently).. but if you think God doesn't exist, your logic is seriously flawed. And yes, there are arguments to support it.
John Marshall said 10:26PM on 11-29-2008
It is unfair to blame or credit John McCain for the desperation and/or abject ignorance of some of the lunatics who supported him only as their default, defacto candidate - the kind that despite no basis in reality still think - or at least proclaim Obama's a Muslim. He may have attended an extremist, racist church for 20 years - but it wasn't Islamic/Muslim and claimed he never heard anything that was said ~ but if you're willing to give him a bye on that, it's hardly fair to attribute the actions or lunacy of the most lunatic of McCain's (most reluctant) supporters to McCain himself - who was booed by the loons at his own rally for saying "Sen. Obama is NOT a Muslim". I mean, it's not like he hung out with these morons for 20 years (unkind generalizations about the Republican Party aside).
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faye said 7:47AM on 11-30-2008
What about the medias saturation of false statements made by Sarah Palin? About her clothes, about her daughter? Statements that were made in fact by a SNL actor? What about the media's hiding and shoving under the carpet statements made by Obama, regarding how many states are in the USA and about his religion. The media made out like he was just tired, when in fact if President Bush or Senator McCain had made these statements I'm sure there would have been a firestorm of publicity. What about Biden's statements regarding Obama before he became his running mate???? If you are going to cover one side of wrongdoing wouldn't it be journalistically correct to also bring up the other...if not you are just another gossip hack.
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Watz said 7:56AM on 11-30-2008
The LA Times article that is based on the tape can be found here:
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-obamamideast10apr10,0,5826085.story
The presence of a videotape is confirmed by the people who control the videotape, the LA Times:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-video29-2008oct29,0,5458024.story
I do not claim to say what this tape says or shows, or whether it has any political relevance. However, the LA times says that they have this tape, and their story from April '08 is based off of it. I remind you also that the LA Times endorsed Obama for president, their first presidential endorsement in 36 years. The LA Times is not a conservative news organization.
Surflizard made factually correct and reasonable points. The resulting ad hominem attacks are the product of lazy thinkers and those exhibiting the same blindness to facts that O'Brein rails against in this blog entry.
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PMH said 8:01AM on 11-30-2008
I am not going to sit by silently as Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi
and Harry Reid re-make our nation in their liberal image.
That's why I just joined a grassroots conservative effort to
RESIST Obama's liberal agenda. Please go here to join with me:
http://www.grassfire.org/111/petition.asp?PID=19016239&NID=1
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ShamedAmerica said 11:34AM on 11-30-2008
You will want to pray to God instead of thanking God. You wanted Change and Change is coming. The weak minded are the ones to get hypnotised and Brained Washed. Compare obama's oritory to Hitler's and you will hear the same chants. No substance. Not one. Just a sound. The Media knew what they were doing when they bought and paid for him. The United States has elected the worst inidividual they could have to sit in such an honorable position but you fell for it. You think the grass is greener on the other side. That's a cow pasture and that ain't oatmeal cookies they feddin' ya'. For the First Time In My Adult Life, I am A Shamed To Be An American.
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jane said 8:44AM on 12-03-2008
It was almost like you were reading my mind with this comment
A Shamed America said 11:42AM on 11-30-2008
You will want to pray to God instead of thanking God. You wanted Change and Change is coming. The weak minded are the ones to get hypnotized and Brained Washed. Compare obama's oratory to Hitler's and you will hear the same chants. No substance. Not one. Just a sound. The Media knew what they were doing when they bought and paid for him. The United States has elected the worst individual they could have to sit in such an honorable position but you fell for it. You think the grass is greener on the other side. That's a cow pasture and that ain't oatmeal cookies they feedin' ya'. For the First Time In My Adult Life, I am A Shamed To Be An American.
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jim said 9:27AM on 12-03-2008
If you're so ashamed, move elswhere. Nothing could be worse than what we've had for the last 7 years and 10 months.
lolabull said 1:23PM on 11-30-2008
You know, Terrence O'Brien may very well be correct on his point that some people may believe anything they're told, if it concurs with their overall world view. Just ask Dr. Lyle Rossiter, author of the well renowned pshycologist and author of the new, insightful book, "The Liberal Mind: The Pshycological Causes of Madness". Dr. Rossiter explains...in great detail, "the neurosis of liberalism, a symptom of the brain" and how one could equate to most of what Mr. O'Brien states in his "journalistic" viewpoint above. It is very interesting how a supposed "journalist", one who you would think would want to give a non-biased artical to his readers, seems to be so one-sided and very possibly partisan. Oh, but back to "The Liberal Mind"....well, you get the picture.
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