Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Steve Roeder: Serial Plagiarist For Talon News
UPDATE - As the whole blogosphere knows by now, Jeff Gannon (aka JD Guckert) quit Talon News and halted his blog late last night "because of the attention paid to" him over the last few days by nearly every left-leaning blog on the net. Talon News & GOPUSA have also removed many of the stories from their archives, including the purloined stories copy-and-pasted by Steve Roeder which I've been blogging about. No problem, it was easy enough to replace the links with caches. So there. The other big change at Talon News concerns the bylines. Of the four "articles" that appear on the Website today, two carry Bobby's name as the author while the other two are nameless. I wonder if Steve Roeder's voice went silent as well. We'll see.
Steve Roeder, a "correspondent" for the bogus Talon News, "wrote" an article entitled "Heinz Kerry Says Laura Bush Never Had 'Real Job'" on October 21, 2004 (cache link). Fortunately for Mr. Roeder, Fox News posted a story on this the day before (link), that ran without a byline, but with the following note: "The Associated Press contributed to this report." Yet for some reason, Mr. Roeder's story doesn't mention the contributions from the Fox News Website nor from this Reuters story: link to cache.
Roeder: "Laura Bush taught in public schools in Texas from 1968 to 1973, then earned a master's degree in library sciences and worked for the following four years as a school librarian. In 1977, she married George W. Bush."Fox News: "Laura Bush taught in public schools in Texas from 1968 to 1973, then got her library sciences master's degree and worked as a school librarian until 1977, the year she married George W. Bush."
Roeder: "Heinz Kerry, a philanthropist and heiress to the Heinz ketchup fortune valued in excess of $500 million..."Reuters: "Heinz Kerry, a philanthropist and heiress to a Heinz ketchup fortune of more than $500 million..."
Roeder: "In the newspaper interview, Heinz Kerry, 66, said she sees her age as a benefit."Fox News: "In the newspaper interview, Heinz Kerry said she sees her age as a benefit — she is 66."
Roeder: "Heinz Kerry drew the ire of the Republicans when USA Today asked her how she would be different from Mrs. Bush if John Kerry won the November 2 election..."Reuters: "Asked how she would be different from Mrs. Bush if John Kerry won the November 2 election, Heinz Kerry told USA Today..."
Roeder: "Earlier Wednesday, prior to Heinz Kerry's apology, Hughes criticized Heinz Kerry's remarks as "indicative of an unfortunate mind-set that seeks to divide women based on who works at home and who works outside the home."Fox News: "Prior to Heinz Kerry's apology, Karen Hughes, an adviser to President Bush, criticized Heinz Kerry's remarks as "indicative of an unfortunate mindset that seeks to divide women based on who works at home and who works outside the home."
On December 17, 2004, Mr. Roeder "wrote" a story (link) about Bush's diabolical plans for Social Security which is nearly verbatim to comments made at Press Secretary Scott McClennan's briefing the day before (link):Roeder: "As the current Social Security system stands, without significant changes, younger workers will face massive tax increases or massive benefit cuts."
McClennan: "If we do nothing, John, our younger workers will face massive tax increases or massive benefit cuts. That's under the current system."Roeder: "The Social Security trustees state that the system goes insolvent in 2042. In 2018, the annual spending on Social Security will exceed the system's tax revenue."
McClennan: "The Social Security trustees state that it goes insolvent in 2042...the annual spending on Social Security will exceed the system's tax revenue in 2018."Roeder: "Democratic congressional leaders recently issued a statement saying that they're asking President Bush to come forward with a Social Security proposal that does not reduce Social Security funding, harm the middle class, or cut guaranteed benefits."
Question for McClennan: "Scott, the Democratic congressional leaders issued a statement today, saying that they're asking the President to come forward with a Social Security proposal that does not reduce Social Security funding, harm the middle class or cut guaranteed benefits."Roeder: "However, the guarantee or expectation of a certain amount in retirement benefits is an empty promise, as younger workers will not have the benefits that they are owed under the current, unsustainable Social Security system."
McClennan: "There are no guaranteed benefits right now. That's an empty promise. Younger workers will not have the benefits that they are owed under the current Social Security system. The current Social Security system is unsustainable."Roeder: "Many experts say addressing and fixing the sustainability of Social Security will involve either a tax increase, raising the retirement age, cutting benefits, or means testing."
Question for McClennan: "...which a lot of experts are saying would have to involve either a tax increase, raising the retirement age, cutting benefits or means testing."Roeder: "Addressing the long-term sustainability of Social Security and other long-term debts would be viewed favorably by the financial markets."
McClennan: "And as I pointed out last week, I believe, markets will look favorably on a plan that addresses the long-term sustainability of Social Security."Roeder: "All three approaches vary in the amount that would be contributed from payroll taxes. Because of the higher rate of return that a younger worker might have, their benefits either would be reduced, or they might have to retire at a higher age. There would be a reduction of benefits as an offset to the higher rate of return."
Question for McClennan: "Well, my question then is, I believe all three approaches -- even though they vary in the amount that would be contributed from payroll taxes do say that because of the higher rate of return that a younger worker might have, the price they would have to pay for that higher return is that their benefits either would be reduced, or they might have to retire at a higher age, but that there would be a reduction of benefits as an offset to the higher rate of return."On January 31, 2005 Mr. Roeder's "Iraqi Voters Turn Out in Droves" (link) is a combination of nearly identical quotes from Bush's radio address which was broadcast two days earlier (link), and an article that ran on UN.org the day before (link):
Roeder: "On Sunday, the world witnessed crucial milestones in the advancement of freedom and the war on terror. Despite intimidating threats, Iraqis made their way to polling centers in droves throughout their nation to choose from more than 100 different slates with 19,000 candidates competing for seats in the Transitional National Assembly, the country's 18 provincial councils, and the Kurdistan National Assembly."
Bush: "Tomorrow the world will witness a turning point in the history of Iraq, a milestone in the advance of freedom, and a crucial advance in the war on terror. The Iraqi people will make their way to polling centers across their nation. On the national ballot alone, voters will choose from nearly 19,000 candidates competing for seats in the Transitional National Assembly, in the country's 18 provincial councils, and in the Kurdistan National Assembly."
Roeder: "Overseen by the Independent Election Commission of Iraq, the first genuine, nationwide election in generations was deemed a major success."
Bush: "This historic event will be overseen by the Independent Election Commission of Iraq, and will mark the first genuine, nationwide elections in generations."Roeder: "United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan lauded the bravery of the large numbers of Iraqis who exercised their right to vote, as well as those who supported the process."
UN.org: "Mr. Annan lauded the bravery of the large numbers of Iraqis who exercised their right to vote despite significant attempts at violent disruption, as well as those who supported the process."Roeder: "Annan also congratulated the U.N. Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) staff who, with other international electoral experts, worked to support the election."
UN.org: "He also congratulated the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) staff who, with other international electoral experts, worked to support the election."Roeder: "Sunday's balloting is the latest step in Iraq's journey to permanent democracy and freedom. Those elected to the transitional 275-member National Assembly will help appoint a new government to represent the diversity of the Iraqi people. This assembly will also be charged with drafting a permanent constitution that will be put to a referendum of the Iraqi people this fall. If approved, a new nationwide election will follow in December that will choose a new government under this constitution."
Bush: "Tomorrow's vote will be the latest step in Iraq's journey to permanent democracy and freedom. Those elected to the transitional National Assembly will help appoint a new government that will fully and fairly represent the diversity of the Iraqi people. This assembly will also be charged with drafting a permanent constitution that will be put to a vote of the Iraqi people this fall. If approved, a new nationwide election will follow in December that will choose a new government under this constitution."Roeder: "With past actions of assassination, brutal violence, and calculated intimidation..."
Bush: "In the face of assassination, brutal violence and calculated intimidation..."Just like Jeff Gannon, Mr. Roeder's journalism roots seem to be shrouded in mystery. But - unlike Mr. Gannon - there doesn't seem to be any trace of his biographical background or a picture to show what he looks like. Perhaps - like Mr. Gannon - Steve Roeder writes using an alias. Of course, there's always the possibility that Steve Roeder doesn't exist at all, since there is no trace of any original writing by the "man" either.
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