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Monica Crowley apparently didn't get the news brief that ACORN doesn't exist any more, since the hack took to attacking them on this Saturday's edition of Fox News Watch, which is Fox's sorry excuse for a media "watchdog" show.

I rank it right up there with Howard Kurtz's Reliable Sources for anything we could consider a show that actually monitors and reports fairly on the lies repeated daily on either CNN or Fox, or any of the rest of their cohorts in what is sadly labeled the "mainstream media."

Both shows look like they're more content to give The Onion more material for their writers than actually doing the job of fact checking which as members of our sorry excuse for a corporate media, they're both a part of. Here's host Jon Scott from Fox News Watch with his question that led to Crowley's apparent memory lapse that ACORN isn't around any more.

SCOTT: Let's take a look at this. The scene Tuesday night in Oakland, CA, when Occupy protesters clashed with police. An Iraq war veteran was hit and seriously hit by some kind of projectile which fractured his skull. His name is Scott Olsen and according to the Associated Press, he has become the symbol of of the anti-Wall Street movement.

It's not entirely clear though Jim under what circumstances he was hit or who threw the rocks or whatever.

Okay, first off, sorry Jon Scott and Jim Pinkerton, but I think it was pretty clear that the police threw the “projectile” that fractured his skull as anyone can see from this video among others that are out there. And it wasn't a “rock or whatever.”

After being asked to follow up on this Monica Crowley decided to play the unions and now defunct ACORN are organizing the movement card, ignoring the fact that the movement doesn't have any real leadership regardless of whether the unions in America have decided to support the protesters or not and they did not organize these protests starting up. Support does not equal having started the movement to begin with. And she ignores the fact that ACORN doesn't even exist any more thanks to the likes of conservatives in the Congress and a bunch of lame ass Democrats who didn't have the spine to stand up for one of the organizations out there actually trying to make sure that the poor and minorities in the United States have the opportunity to vote.

Someone needs to remind Crowley that just because someone previously associated with ACORN now supports the Occupy Wall Street movement, it doesn't mean they organized it. It's a sad day when Fox and the likes of Crowley has to resort to pretending an organization that doesn't even exist any more is behind thousands of people showing up in the streets, but apparently that's one of their new attack lines and no matter how much the facts fly in the face of their propaganda, they're sticking to their story.

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Keith Olbermann on the latest drummed up fake controversy from Fox News:

OLBERMANN: First, the protesters were drugged up hippies. Then, they were anti-Semitic. Then, yesterday they were part of the Muslim Brotherhood. In our number one story now, the right wing has grasped at its next straw; the Occupy movement is actually being organized by the most vile of community organizations... ACORN.

Here's more from Steve Benen -- When in doubt, blame ACORN:

ACORN, of course, permanently closed its doors in March 2010, six months before the poll was taken. Groups can’t steal elections if they don’t exist.

Here we are now, more than a year and a half later, and ACORN is but a memory. But Fox News would have its audience believe the non-existent group is still up to no good. Today’s Fox News headline reads: “EXCLUSIVE: ACORN Playing Behind Scenes Role in ‘Occupy’ Movement.” [...]

How can a group that folded 19 months ago secretly conspire to bolster Occupy protests? Apparently, “sources tell” Fox News that people who used to work for ACORN have now taken on roles helping organize Occupy protests. In fact, Fox News reports that the former director of New York ACORN and his aides are now working for New York Communities for Change (NYCC), which is turn supporting demonstrations.

And as Keith pointed out, it's not exactly some secret or a "Fox exclusive" that the group was going to support Occupy Wall Street. They announced it here at the Huffington Post, last month -- Why We're Joining Occupy Wall Street .

The Majority Report's Sam Seder joined Keith to discuss the latest bit of desperation from Fox to discredit the OWS movement.

From this Thursday's Thom Hartmann show, Hartmann debates Matthew Vandum who apparently thinks the only people who should be allowed to vote to promote their own interests are the rich. Here's more on Vandum from TPM:

Columnist: Registering Poor To Vote 'Like Handing Out Burglary Tools To Criminals':

Conservative columnist Matthew Vadum is just going to come right out and say it: registering the poor to vote is un-American and "like handing out burglary tools to criminals."

"It is profoundly antisocial and un-American to empower the nonproductive segments of the population to destroy the country -- which is precisely why Barack Obama zealously supports registering welfare recipients to vote," Vadum, the author of a book published by World Net Daily that attacks the now-defunct community organizing group ACORN, writes in a column for the American Thinker.

"Encouraging those who burden society to participate in elections isn't about helping the poor," Vadum writes. "It's about helping the poor to help themselves to others' money. It's about raw so-called social justice. It's about moving America ever farther away from the small-government ideals of the Founding Fathers."

Most conservative criticism of voter registration drives aimed at poor and minority communities has been under the guise of worries about voter fraud. Vadum's column is notable because he isn't just pretending to be worried about the nearly non-existent threat of in-person voter fraud -- he just doesn't think poor people should be voting.

And for a little blast from the past, here's more from The Daily Show when John Oliver interviewed this same guy back in 2008 below the fold.

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Fox News reaired a segment they originally ran on their business channel earlier this week where John Stossel attempted to rehabilitate the reputation of the ambush "journalist" James O'Keefe. All I can say is I hope these two just gave anyone who is suing this hatchet man some extra material to work with.

Media Matters caught this earlier in the week and has more -- Stossel Rehabs O'Keefe In Absurd Segment On Undercover Sting Videos:

On the April 21 broadcast of Fox Business' Stossel, John Stossel hosted disgraced right-wing filmmaker James O'Keefe to debate privacy rights of those targeted by undercover sting videos. During the segment, which was rebroadcast April 23 on the Fox News Channel, Stossel praised the so-called success of O'Keefe's sting videos against ACORN and NPR, but at no point did he mention that O'Keefe's videos were found to be deceptively edited. Moreover, Stossel falsely claimed that O'Keefe is "careful not to go to" states with two party filming consent laws, when, in fact, O'Keefe has conducted his undercover video operations in several states with law prohibiting such activities.

As Media Matters has repeatedly noted, O'Keefe has been widely criticized for deceptively editing his videos. For instance, O'Keefe's ACORN videos were found to be edited to falsely suggest criminal violations by ACORN employees. Then-California Attorney General Jerry Brown's office conducted an investigation into the ACORN videos that concluded there was no evidence of illegal activity by ACORN, and that O'Keefe's videos were deceptively edited to suggest otherwise. According to Brown: "[T]hings are not always as partisan zealots portray them through highly selective editing of reality. Sometimes a fuller truth is found on the cutting room floor." Glenn Beck's website, The Blaze, compared the raw video footage of O'Keefe's video hit against NPR executives and found that the video was edited to "intentionally lie or mislead." NPR contributor David Folkenflik also asked independent consultants to review both the edited video and the raw footage, and wrote of their findings: [...]

Given the wealth of real investigative journalists who conduct their important work in an ethical manner, it is simply unfathomable why Stossel would stoop to hosting O'Keefe as a pillar of investigative journalism. After all, this is the same guy who recently was caught trying to frame CNN correspondent Abby Boudreau by attempting to seduce her on a boat filled with sex toys. Stossel has certainly hit some low points during the course of his career, but this one just may take the cake.

More there so go read the rest. I've got to agree with Media Matters' Julie Millican. This very well may be a new low even for the likes of Stossel.

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Bill Maher took a shot at Republicans in his New Rules segment for showing us that they have absolutely no interest in governing and instead just trying to whip their base up into a frenzy fear mongering over the latest faux outrage of the day.

MAHER: New Rule – Fantasies are for sex, not public policy. When you go down the list of useless distractions that make up the Republican Party agenda; public unions and Sharia law, anchor babies and a mosque at ground zero, ACORN and National Public Radio, the war on Christmas, the New Black Panthers, Planned Parenthood, Michelle Obama’s war on desserts…

…you realize that one reason nothing gets done in America is that one of the political parties puts so much more into fantasy problems. Governing this country with Republicans is like rooming with a meth addict.

You want to address real life problems like when the rent is due and they’re saying “How can you even think of that stuff when there’s police scanner voices coming out of the air conditioning unit?”

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Looks like Chris Wallace was in the mood to give Breitbart's buddy James O'Keefe, another plug this week as his "Power Player of the Week." Wallace's omissions about O'Keefe's record were nearly as bad as O'Keefe's deceptive video editing. Shameful.

Media Matters has more -- Wallace's "Power Player" Designation For O'Keefe Ignores His History Of Deception:

For the second time, Chris Wallace named James O'Keefe Fox News Sunday's "Power Player of the Week." But Wallace ignored O'Keefe's history of discredited claims and allegations that O'Keefe deceptively edits his videos, including the NPR video that earned him the latest "Power Player" designation. [...]

Wallace Touted ACORN Sting, Promoted Upcoming Video Release. Wallace began his "Power Player of the Week" segment by touting O'Keefe's ability to go after "big targets" and get "stunning results," regardless of "[w]hether you admire or condemn his tactics." Wallace went on to tout how O'Keefe's ACORN videos "pushed Congress to cut off federal funding," and concluded by noting that a video from "an undercover sting of a public television executive" would be released by O'Keefe in the coming week. From the March 13 edition of Fox News Sunday: [...]

Wallace Ignored Deceptive Editing Of O'Keefe's Videos

Beck's Right-Wing Website Found "Questionable Editing" In O'Keefe's NPR Video. Citing an examination of the NPR video conducted by Glenn Beck's website TheBlaze.com, Politico's Ben Smith and Slate's David Weigel reported that the video of Schiller released by O'Keefe's Project Veritas was deceptively edited to portray certain statements by Schiller out of context. Smith described the editing as "some really serious, dishonest lily-gilding." [Ben Smith, Politico, 3/11/11; David Weigel, Slate, 3/11/11; The Blaze, 3/10/11]

In Touting ACORN Video, Wallace Ignored That O'Keefe Deceptively Edited Those As Well. Wallace noted that O'Keefe's ACORN videos "pushed Congress to cut off federal funding," but he didn't mention that the videos were edited to falsely suggest criminal violations by ACORN employees. Then-California Attorney General Jerry Brown's office conducted an investigation into the ACORN videos that concluded there was no evidence of illegal activity by ACORN, and that the videos were deceptively edited. According to Brown: "[T]hings are not always as partisan zealots portray them through highly selective editing of reality. Sometimes a fuller truth is found on the cutting room floor." [California Attorney General's Office, 4/1/10]

Wallace Plucked Schiller's Statement On NPR's Federal Funding Out Of Context

Read on...

Transcript below the fold.

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I think Tweety was drinking some Fox Kool Aid this afternoon while waiting for John Boehner to be sworn in as Speaker of the House.

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Rachel Maddow explains the difference between ad hominem and ad populum attacks, both of which have now been done by Bill O'Reilly who is not only saying he's correct because he has more viewers than she does but calling her names as well in his recent column Only far-left loons scared of Fox News:

But let’s get back to Letterman. Speaking with far-left MSNBC News commentator Rachel Maddow on his program, Dave listened as she put forth the preposterous theory that Fox News wants to frighten white Americans by reporting negatively about black Americans.

“Scaring white people is good politics on the conservative side of the spectrum, and it always has been. The idea is that you sort of rile up the white base to be afraid of an other, to be afraid of scary immigrants or scary black people.”

In the past, paranoid, dishonest rants like that would have been dismissed as fringe speak. But not anymore. Without a shred of evidence, a guest on Letterman’s “Late Show” (which by the way gets trounced in the ratings by Fox News Channel every night) defines an entire news organization as a racist enterprise. And Letterman goes along with the program, adding: “These people are continuing to fan this flame, and ... that is cancer.”

Please. The only people Fox News is scaring are far-left loons who see their shining city on the hill on fire. For 18 months, the United States has been governed from the left, and things are not going well. I’m sorry if this analysis frightens some folks, but when you spend a half-trillion dollars trying to stimulate the economy and create just 600,000 jobs, well, people are going to notice

Rachel had a bit of video evidence to rebut Mr. O'Reilly with. As she said even though he continually dismisses her she must be getting under his skin since he feels the need to respond. I say good as well. He treats Media Matters that same way but there's no doubt that they drive him insane just by documenting what he does day after day. Al Franken drove him nuts just by recording his radio show and playing back parts where he'd say one thing one day and try to deny it the next and they'd mock him for it. I say the more of us that get under his skin the better. I know we wear it like a badge of honor at Crooks and Liars if someone gets a mention. If he's mad we're going our jobs since he can't seem to stop lying on the air and apparently in print either after reading his column.

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Rachel got treated to a Keith Olbermann style attack by Bill-O where he went after her for this segment that she ran on Fox and their hackery after the Shirley Sherrod debacle that their network was more than happy to promote with their usual race baiting and with happily promoting Breitbart's crap whether it be ACORN or Van Jones. As she called them out for they had the gall to flip-flop on a day later on the Sherrod attacks and start attacking the White House for reacting to their fear mongering instead. Here’s how Bill O’Reilly responded.

Maddow: It's not new. It's not even actually interesting about this scandal. Fox does what Fox does...

O’Reilly: Which is kick your network’s butt every single night madam. And you have to be kidding with this fake ACORN scandal stuff. Unbelievable... do you live in this country?

Rachel responded about as politely as you would expect from her and pointed out to Mr. My-Ratings-Are-Bigger-Than-Yours-Are O’Reilly that even if her mother, her girlfriend and anyone who forgot to change the channel are the only ones out there watching her, that doesn’t mean that he’s right. She also pointed out that our entertainment media has a whole lot more viewers than any of the shows that call themselves "news".

As Rachel noted though, that's not what really matters about what O'Reilly said.

Maddow: Because when you got all "I'll kick your network's butt" and madam on me, you weren't really trying to tout your network's ratings. You were trying to take the attention off me saying that your network continually crusades on flagrantly bogus stories designed to make white Americans fear black Americans, which Fox News most certainly does for a political purpose, even if it upends the lives of individuals like Shirley Sherrod, even if if frays the fabric of a nation and even if it makes the American dream more of a dream and less of a promise.

You can insult us all you want about television ratings Mr. O'Reilly and you'll be right that yours are bigger for now and maybe forever. You are the undisputed champion.

But even if no one watches us all except for my mom and my girlfriend and the people who forgot to turn off the T.V. after Keith, you are still wrong on what really matters and that would be the facts, your highness.

Somehow I doubt that O'Reilly and his enormous ego will be responding to this segment from Rachel but you never know. If he does I'm sure he'll take as much of it out of context as possible.

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Rachel Maddow does an excellent job here pointing out the hypocrisy of Fox News and condemning the Obama administration for acting without knowing the whole story just one day after they were attacking Shirley Sherrod as being a racist and playing the highly edited recording of her on their network.

As Rachel noted when she wrapped this up, "the wonder is not that they do this. The wonder of all of this is anybody falls for it... over and over and over and over and over again..."

No doubt. How anyone can watch Fox and think they are a credible news source is beyond me. They wrap up the segment with Kent Jones doing his best impersonation of how Fox would have covered the Aesop fable The Tortoise and the Hare.