COMP 2903 A30 – The New Right-Wing Smear Machine Danny Silver JSOCS, Acadia University

Christopher Hayes The Nation, November 12, 2007 Christopher L. Hayes is a journalist and the Washington, D.C. editor of The Nation. B.A from Brown University Adjunct Professor of English at St. Augustine College, Chicago Also a Senior Editor at In These Times, a liberal monthly magazine based in Chicago Written extensively on issues central to the liberal community, including what ails the Democratic Party in the post-9/11 era, and how the labor movement is changing

the Ideal Gossip Medium February 27, 2001, Hillary Clinton’s office puts off an appointment with the American Gold Stars Mothers until a later date May, 2001, the right-wing website NewsMax headlines “Hillary Snubs Gold Stars Mothers”NewsMax s stated ricocheting across the Internet Gold Star Mothers and Clinton’s offices inundated by inquiries Web-based notices discounting the snub have had little effect

The Invisible Smear Forward “Such is the power of the right-wing smear forward, a vehicle for the dissemination of character assassination that has escaped the scrutiny directed at the Limbaughs and Coulters and O’Reillys but one that is as potent as it is invisible” A viral method of communicating misinformation Examples: – John Kerry’s Vietnam record questioned – Barack Obama spun as a secret radical Muslim

Smear Forward Roots The Urban Legends – Bill Gates will pay money for your resending this chain letter – Barack is a radical Muslim – see proof here Patriotic/Religious Uplifts – The next time you see a person talking during the national anthem – kick their ass! – Internet equivalent of right-wing talk radio Whisper campaigns are as old as politics itself

Character of the Smear Machine Many grow naturally out of the electronic woodwork Many are purposely driven by the right-wing Tend to attack a person and not the issues – 2000, SC Primary - John McCain rumored to have had a black daughter out of wedlock – Obama lied about his US heritage (Andy Martin)Andy Martin Often will recycle old accusations – Complaints about Al Gore reused for John Kerry