Lots Of The News That's Fit To Print

Too funny - Scott Shane of the Times, who handled the whitewash when the Times "covered" the Obama-Ayers relationship,  forgot the greatest city in the world when reporting on an ACORN denial that has gone slightly inoperative. 

From ACORN, in a statement that has since disappeared, citing cities where the "I need a loan to open a brothel" sting reported at Big Government failed:

This recent scam, which was attempted in San Diego, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia to name a few places, had failed for months before the results we’ve all recently seen.

Following that list, Big Government released tapes of yet another helpful ACORN employee in New York City.  Oops!  But Scott Shane was on the case with this report:

In a statement over the weekend, Bertha Lewis, the chief organizer for Acorn, said the bogus prostitute and pimp had spent months visiting numerous Acorn offices, including those in San Diego, Los Angeles, Miami and Philadelphia, before getting the responses they were looking for.

So how did Shane finesse that?  I blame the departure of the Dodgers to Los Angeles, since his report also included this:

The undercover videos showed a scantily dressed young woman, Hannah Giles, posing as a prostitute, while a young man, James O’Keefe, played her pimp. They visited Acorn offices in Baltimore, Washington, Brooklyn and San Bernardino, Calif., candidly describing their illicit business and asking the advice of Acorn workers.

See, the undercover couple went to Brooklyn, not New York.  Clear?  Just don't tell Mayor Bloomberg or the organizers of the New York City (And Brooklyn!) Marathon.

What, one wonders, does Shane think happened in Brooklyn?  The Brooklyn bust was posted on "Sep 14th 2009 at 12:35 am", per Big Government; Shane's article has a Sept 15 date and hit the Dead Tree edition on Sept 16; and Shane seemed to know not to include "New York" in the denial. 

So what's the gag?  Surely the fact that ACORN put out a denial parts of which the Times apparently knew to be false deserved a mention, yes?  Isn't ACORN's credibility, or lack thereof, a central part of the story?

Why ask why.

Comments

[fdcol63]

Lying M-F'ers.

[Rob Crawford]

Isn't ACORN's credibility, or lack thereof, a central part of the story?

All the NYT cares about is passing along the minimal amount of information necessary to maintain the illusion they're a news organization.

[clarice]

Here's John Stewart! going after the media on this one

http://www.hulu.com/watch/95851/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-the-audacity-of-hos#s-p1-st-i1>Legs, we have legs!

[clarice]

How's the paper going to explain what is reported in today's NY Post? The city has cut off all funds to ACORN and that racist KKK pig Mario Cuomo has launched a state wide investigation of its operations.

[clarice]

Typhus is eating my comments.
Here;s John Stewart on the media and ACORN
http://www.hulu.com/watch/95851/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-the-audacity-of-hos#s-p1-st-i1>Gotcha

And NYC has cut off funds to ACORN and Cuomo's investigating it statewide.

[Thomas Collins]

Now, TM, watch out! Nick may question why you are posting about a minor organization, ACORN, some of whose minor employees seem to be encouraging minor activities, pimping and prostitution, when there are so many other important topics on which to post!!! :-))

[clarice]

Feldman's Law
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/09/feldmans_law.html>Law

[Porchlight]

Just curious - why does the Times use "Acorn" rather than the acronym "ACORN"? Is this typical style usage for them? I can't think of any other corrupt lefty groups with similar acronymic names to compare it to, but I'm sure there's something.

[rse]

You would think if bin Laden had just cited one of your books as inspirational, you'd keep a lower profile and watch what you say.
Jimmy somehow thinks if he keeps talking, writing, and certifying questionable elections, we will all decide we should have gone for that 2nd term.

Thanks for the Stewart. Humor always makes a story harder to ignore.

[rse]

I thought Michelle Malkin's comparison of the story NYT wouldn't do on the coordination between ACORN, Project Vote, and the Obama campaign was excellent today.

LUN

It's always good to have the research of other Times reporters to contradict bald assertions.

Anybody think Cass Sunstein is working overtime to get his Internet Fairness Doctrine out in time to stop the flow of damaging information?

[centralcal]

Feldman's Law! I love it, Clarice!

Carter is a pathetic disgrace.

[centralcal]

I have to praise John Stewart for his piece - he more than found the humor, he absolutely got to the heart of everything that was wrong with the ACORN advisors, and also wrong with the media.

[clarice]

Ras shows O approval -6 and oppo to Obamacare at 55% today.

rse, I am hopeful from reports of the oral argument that the McCain-Feingold law will finally be declared unconstitutional and that language in there will make the revival of the Fairness doctrine in whatever format impossible.

If I'm wrong we ought to mount a nationwide boycott of any media outlet which doesn't oppose this,

[clarice]

rse,thanks for the Malkin cite--it's probably the best thing she's ever written.
TM read it.

Thanks,CC

[sbw]

Clarice, which pig is ostensibly racist KKK? Father, son or both?

[clarice]

O take it it's the son doing the investigation,sbw.But then the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree.

[Jack is Back!]

Clarice

Its Mario's son Andrew as AG for NY that is opening the investigation, isn't it?

New York, New York. If you can't make it here you can't make it anywhere - except Baltimore, Washington and San Diego.

[MilitantBanana]

I believe Carter is already covered by the Peter Principle, just about the time he was promoted above the rank of Peanut Farmer.

[sbw]

Clarice, I told Mario as he left office that he was welcome to dinner at my home any time. The invitation still stands.

I'm glad he is no longer governor, having deteriorated in the position. His commentary in the press after his retirement has been suspect. But, at the dinner table, where he could do no political damage, he is thought provoking and willing to have his thoughts provoked as well.

Andrew has yet to demonstrate he is any more than a misguided and venal politician, hungry for more.

In essence, I wanted to clear up the confusion of your mistyping Mario when you meant Andrew... and I'll not disagree with your assessment.

[rse]

Clarice=

Same hope for the Supreme Court but my concerns about Cass Sunstein go back to his books like Democracy and the Problem of Free Speech and Republic.com .

He thinks it is bad that the Internet lets people just spend time with people whose views are largely the same.

He sees this as a danger to the republic and has advocated government intervention like:

1. subsidies for web sites that "encourage deliberation by diverse citizens" and
2. requirements that "Web sites provide links to other sites that promote opposing views".

We shouldn't give him much credit for only backing off from these views in 2007 when it looked like his colleague (from U of C law school) could win the Presidency.

His new job doesn't have much control over animals or guns but it has a lot over the Internet. Those are the radical views that need to be discussed more.

[Appalled]

Clarice:

Good law. I thought you were going to propose a "Anyone who invokes racism, loses the argument)" (Call it reducem ad kukluxium.)

[centralcal]

From TVNewser (via NY Observer):

NBC Universal executives have approached a large number of employees across its news divisions and bureaus, announcing that the company is looking for unspecified number of staffers to take voluntary buyouts. In a series of meetings with human resource managers, staffers at NBC News and MSNBC were told that if targets weren't met voluntarily, employment challenges lurked ahead.

Another reason for me to be wearing a big smile today.

[clarice]

Thanks appalled and to sbw for clearing up my error..

[MilitantBanana]

1. subsidies for web sites that "encourage deliberation by diverse citizens" and
2. requirements that "Web sites provide links to other sites that promote opposing views".

Fairness Doctrine, 2009 Style - Yea, that will work well. Imagine Planned Parenthood having to link to all those nasty, bigoted Christian Websites that promote choosing life at any cost to the mother. All the while, the government "fairness-checkers" will be testing links constantly to see that the proper links exist and are working properly.

Welcome to 1984.

[Original MikeS]

Sure I'm concerned about the prostitution, the conspiracies to defraud the IRS, the sex slavery rings, but has anyone else noticed that ACORN suffers from a lack of diversity? Where the heck are the Republican or Libertarian, or even Independent community organizers?

Oh yeah MiliBana, the Jimmah Principle is "the ole change the subject by having the worst ex-president in history accuse your opponent of something heinous" trick.

[clarice]

Let's hope that's just the usual academic bullshit and that Cass never even tries that stunt. If he does, I'm handing out pistolas with every pike I sell.

[MilitantBanana]

Definition of Insanity: When you find yourself in a hole and you just keep digging.

With Obama's "Jackass Moment" with Kanye West, is this what he meant about "shovel-ready" projects?

[MilitantBanana]

Clarice - if your pistolas have lost their "shine" and no longer group within 1" at 25 yards, then there is a new Cash For Klunkers program just for you.

LUN

[SWarren]

rse,
Anybody think Cass Sunstein is working overtime to get his Internet Fairness Doctrine out in time to stop the flow of damaging information?

Obama Whitehouse Collects Web Users Data

From the article
...~snip~
The collection will include the comments, tags, graphics, audio and video posted by users who don't work for the White House.

So does this include identification of those who make dissenting comments?
LUN

[Jack is Back!]

OT:

I just saw Bob Beckel on FNC and he was introduced as a "Professor of Advanced Political Studies at GWU". Based on that revelation, I have applied to Cal Tech for a position of Professor of Advanced Quantum Mechanics since I helped my 6 year old son with his addition last night.

I wonder if they study the Mondale run against Reagan in his class?

/smug in braces

[Dave (in MA)]

I blame Boooosh

[RJ]

Just came across this blog today, and really enjoyed it! Keep up the good work.

I posted a hilarious YouTube video about Obama and the current debate over the size of government I found today on my site. Check it out:

http://rjmoeller.com/2009/09/obama-and-the-white-stripes-a-youtube/

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Via Power and Control, a Russian blog on American media:

Red Tape

It is said that Washington DC Police estimate about 1.2 Million people collected to protest Obama and socialistic policies on Sept. 12. Estimates are as high as 2 million people. It depends on what time of day the estimate was from. That's a lot of people! Apart from this protest there were protests in many cities in every state in the union. One DC police officer said, “I’ve been here 20 years and this is the largest crowd I’ve ever seen.”

This is HUGE news! Funny how most media ignores and belittles this backlash. The media in the USA has become like Putin's state media. I see very little difference in the way US news anchors and major media news treat negative stories on the Obama White House and the way the protests against Putin were handled by Russian press and the way Putin dismissed his critics as loons influenced by the West and the US. What makes the massive turnout around the country so significant is that it is the first truly conservative mass movement in American history. And Obama fled to Minnesota for the day!

Though even news sources reported numbers from 70,000 to as high as 1.5 million there is now an argument over the number, and protesters are being labeled as white bigots, old, hicks and even Republicans, when in reality they are non-partisan.

[Pagar]

Maxine Waters wants the MSM (better known as the Democrat Propaganda Machine) to get busy investigating those teabaggers who were in Washington Saturday.
Gateway Pundit has the story---------LUN

You can tell she is serious because she is pointing her finger.

Maybe now we'll get a true count, if they arrest everyone who was there.

[SWarren]

Whaaat?
Glen Beck just said he has an interview scheduled with Obama next Monday. He wants to ask questions we want answered and will give details on his TV show today.
I'm thinking this is joke, Bammers would never give Beck an interview.

[Jane]

Come and get me Maxine!

[Jane]

Funny she expects NBC to make the arrests. I guess they have been deputized.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Via Rasmussen:

Eighty-eight percent (88%) of Republicans reject the notion that most of the opponents are racist. So do 78% of voters not affiliated with either major party. However, just 39% of Democrats share that view. Twenty-two percent (22%) of those in the president’s party say that most of the opposition to his plan comes from racists, and another 39% are not sure.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

I heard yesterday that all you marchers were very well behaved. Not a single arrest made, NOT ONE.

[Dave (in MA)]

OT
(WAY OT):

Newlywed Game news. Kind of gives the old "It'd be in the butt, Bob" story a new twist, no?

[Pagar]

Jane, I guess she only wants these people investigated:

""What I'm looking for is the very people who carry the signs who are referring to the policies in very, very strange ways"

If you were carrying your sign proudly, high and straight, you'll apparently be OK.

[centralcal]

Rush is having all kinds of fun today - every time he plays a sound bite from any Democrat (i.e., Barney Frank) he ends it with the recorded voice of Obama saying "jackass."

[Ruby]

Here is the best view yet of the 9-12 rally:
http://iowntheworld.com/blog/?p=6500 (Click to enlarge). Fantastic!!!

[clarice]

Mexine and I are in agreement on one thing--she wants journalists all over these rallies.

How much you want to bet that "Bury Obamacare with Teddy Kennedy", about the only pre-printed signs at the rally (and even then I don't recall seeing one) were handed out by ACORN and others looking to embarrass the demonstrators?

[Frau Rotkäpchen]

Maxine Waters: ... we're going to say to the president, 'We want you to use every weapon in your basket...'
A basket???? This must be the first president in history to carry his weapons in a basket! What's in there? Poisoned apples, a slingshot and dried peas, rotten eggs?

[Jane]

If you were carrying your sign proudly, high and straight, you'll apparently be OK.

I was carrying a microphone. Think of all the Maxine Waters soundbites I got!

[Frau Rotkäpchen]

Jane had plenty to do leading and feeding the sign carrying JOMers. She was the Tea Party Scarlet Pimpernel - here, there and everywhere interviewing and recording the sounds of the mob.
Maxine wouldn't stand a chance...

[Neo]

“So the flaws conservatives are pointing out about ACORN are not so much problems associated with that organization per se but more about the problems of being poor and minority in urban America.”

In the same vein of thought … the Abu Ghraib abuses were problems associated with being a prison guard.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Via the Washington Times:

ACORN, calling the actions of some of its employees "indefensible," has suspended advising new clients as part of its service programs and is setting up an independent review to see what happened.

ACORN chief executive Bertha Lewis said in a written statement that she was "ordering a halt to any new intakes into ACORN's service programs until completion of an independent review."

The actions were taken, she said, "as a result of indefensible action of a handful of our employees."

[DebinNC]

Congressional Black Caucus members provide very useful object lessons about Dem thinking, and after 2010 their already sizable clout/prominence will be even bigger.

[Dave (in MA)]

basket

[hit and run]

OK, listen, when Bertha came out listing the cities where the dynamic duo of O'Keefe and Miles had "failed", biggovernment released the NYC video.

The fact that they have not released Philly, San Diego, L.A., Miami is not evidence that Bertha wasn't lying about those cities, too.

At this point, I would put my money on Dark Lord Breitbart having the goods.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

The fact that they have not released Philly, San Diego, L.A., Miami is not evidence that Bertha wasn't lying about those cities, too.

H&R: Last night on Red Eye, Breitbart hinted that today's clip will be from down south of L.A. Sounds like San Diego to me.

[Frau Rotkäpchen]

Dave, those training wheels look a bit wobbly.

[Fresh Air]

We need to get Alonzo Rachel to do some serious indepth-ery on the SEIU or Project Vote. Every last tentacle of the Marxist NGOs and unions has to be hacked off or this country will be bled to death.

[Ranger]

James Taranto

Obama worked for Acorn and Acorn worked for Obama. That doesn't mean the president is implicated in any wrongdoing, but it suggests at least that the worse things get for Acorn, the more embarrassing it is for him. If the Justice Department fails to prosecute, it invariably would raise suspicions of political favoritism. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204518504574416833436798004.html>This column does not care for special prosecutors, but the case for appointing one would seem to be stronger here than usual.

via instapundit

[clarice]

Yes--and I think Taranto is so smart.

[caro]

Comments on this post are hilarious. Frau, I am outside sitting in a stolen chair on the downwind side of the shop building in this deserted funky boatyard and laughing outloud. Thanks. You, too, Jane. And, Clarice, Feldman's Law is now the law of the land. Love it.

[PD]

I just saw Bob Beckel on FNC

He was on Hannity last night yelling about how Vitter went to see a whore.

Um.

[willem]

What a mess. Need to investigate the ACORN-AMERICORPS axis. Obama has already fired one Inspector General who got too close.

Also need to investigate the ACORN-FannieMae/Mac nexus. Then, they need to investigate the ACORN-CPC (Congressional Progressive Caucus) nexus.

Then look at the Ricky Martin arrangements of the long playing DNC-CBC love song.

RICO.

SUAVE.

[Fresh Air]

Willem--

Steve Malanga at City Journal did a great piece about six years ago (IIRC) on the nexus between banks and groups like ACORN. Basically the way it works is ACORN opens a mortgage office in a crappy neighborhood. Applicants with limited ability to repay loans and virtually no money saved for a downpayment fill out papers for mortgages. ACORN presents the applications to a local bank, which then puts them in their CRA file.

The loans are made and usually the downpayment is on the order of $1,000 or $2,000. The LTV is typically like 99 percent. The mortgages are quickly bundled and sold to Freddie and Fannie. The bank pays ACORN an origination fee. I believe this ranges from about $500 to $1,000 for each loan. The banks never hold this paper, as they know it is total junk. But this is what they have to do to satisfy their CRA requirement and keep Jesse and Al from standing in front of their branches will bullhorns and signs.

The nexus is very real. Also keep in mind there is massive overlay between illegal immigrant centers and bad subprime loans. Who do you think puts the illegals in touch with their mortgage lenders? It ain't H&R Block.

It's not a stretch to believe ACORN was a significant player in the subprime mortgage meltdown.

[Wallace]

Even if he removed New York from the list of "failed attempts," he did show that ACORN lied. His list included San Diego and HotAir got a post on the San Diego sting. Hey, the dude even tried to employ Hannah's services. ;)