Coal, Lies and Audiotape

Ok, we know the liberal elite media is against you. But does that give you licence to start quoting fringe radial media outlets as a means to attack your opponent? Apparently it does if your name is Sarah Palin.

At a rally on Sunday in Ohio, Palin took aim at Obama, claiming that he told the San Fransisco Chronicle that he would bankrupt the coal industry as President.

”Barack Obama explained his plan to the San Francisco Chronicle this year,” she told a rally in Ohio Sunday. ”He said that sure, if the industry wants to build coal-fired power plants, then they can go ahead and try, he says, but they can do it only in a way that will bankrupt the coal industry.”

She added, ”And you’ve got to listen to the tape.”

”Why is the audiotape just now surfacing?” Palin asked the crowd, according to a report from CBS News. Someone in the crowd shouted, ”Liberal media!’

Palin is good at getting crowds angry. She isn’t good at telling them the truth. There is no tape of Obama talking about destroying the coal industry. And its not because the media is covering it up - it’s because the statement on bankrupting the coal industry never happen. If you don’t believe Blogflict, then listen to the tape, because in its entirely its been made public for several months.

The Chronicle responded to Palin’s allegation with a statement on its website: “Let’s be very clear: the Chronicle did not, and has never, hidden any interview, audio or video, of Obama from its readers. The truth: the paper’s January editorial board session with Obama included comments about coal. The entire interview has been in the public domaine, available on line to the public — and to the McCain campaign — since early January. ”How can anyone suggest that we hid an interview that we did, immediately put up on the web — and advertised to our readers,” said editorial page editor John Diaz Sunday, regarding his hosting of Obama at the session. ‘We promoted it like like hell…and I’m sure the Clinton campaign and the McCain campaign scrubbed it. You can still find the whole 48 minutes and 33 seconds on line.’”

So where did Palin get this kernel of knowledge from about Obama’s supposed coal conversation? Ever hear of the website - newsbusters.org? Chances are if you are not a member of the flat-earth caucus, you have never heard of this ridiculous site. Normally we encourage Blogflict users to visit links when we provide them, but in this case we’d rather you didn’t get them the web traffic. They don’t deserve it.

By Tuesday night, this allegation and others will be on the trash heap of history, where they belong.