Why Are We Back In Iraq?

"Groups Mobilize For Battle Over Judges" is the top "story" today at "Washington correspondent" Jeff Gannon's blog. But Jeff didn't need to go to Washington to get this "exclusive." All he had to do was cut-and-paste some copy from a press release issued by the Judicial Confirmation Network (link) and switch around a few words in the last Talon News article written by Bobby Eberle which had already been reassembled from articles written by real journalists that write for the Associated Press and Reuters (hmmm...can Bobby sue his former employee for plagiarizing a story that he already plagiarized):

Gannon: "...the President threw down the gauntlet to incoming Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) by resubmitting the names of 12 judges..."

Eberle: "President George W. Bush figuratively threw down the gauntlet to Senate Democrats on Monday by resubmitting the names of 20 judicial nominees to the Senate Judiciary Committee."

Gannon: "...the Judicial Confirmation Network is partnering with more than seventy citizen and grassroots organizations across the country and circulating a national petition calling on Senators to act."

Press Release: "the Judicial Confirmation Network is circulating a national petition and is partnering with more than seventy citizen and grassroots organizations across the country calling on Senators to bring..."

I would like to credit Jeff for coming up with this Freudian line himself:

Gannon: "Republicans campaigned hard..."

Gannon: "Some political observers suggested that Democrats might rethink the strategy of obstruction that contributed to the defeat of their leader, Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD)..."

Eberle: "Then Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle led the Democratic minority in blocking some high-profile nominations in the last congressional session, a role that some say led to his defeat last fall..."

I love the change that Jeff made to this paragraph:

Gannon: "Gary Marx, JCN’s executive director said, “Our message is simple, the people want the Senate to do its work and our petition will remind Senators that they have an obligation to bring these nominations to the floor for a fair vote.”

Press Release: "“Our message is simple, the people want the Senate to do its work and our petition will remind Senators that they have an obligation to bring these nominations to the floor for a fair vote,” said Gary Marx, executive director of Judicial Confirmation Network."

I especially love that he did it again in the next one, too.

Gannon: "He added, “The rhetoric we are already hearing from the left is divisive and unproductive to the confirmation process. The public sees through the liberal extremist groups' campaign to deny confirmation to highly qualified nominees and will hold obstructionist Senators responsible. Middle America realizes that the fear and smear tactics leveled by some groups isn’t helpful to a fair confirmation process.”"

Press Release: "“The rhetoric we are already hearing from the left is divisive and unproductive to the confirmation process. The public sees through the liberal extremist groups' campaign to deny confirmation to highly qualified nominees -- and will hold obstructionist Senators responsible. Middle America realizes that the fear and smear tactics leveled by some groups isn’t helpful to a fair confirmation process,” Marx added."

Gannon: "The group has been distributing petitions via e-mail alerts to citizens and to dozens of other citizen activist organizations including Focus on the Family, Americans for Tax Reform, the Committee for Justice, Americans for Limited Government and the American Center for Law and Justice. The national petition is accessible by visiting JCN’s website at: www.judicialnetwork.com"

Press Release: "The group began distributing petitions this week via e-mail alerts to citizens and to dozens of other citizen activist organizations including Focus on the Family, Americans for Tax Reform, the Committee for Justice, Americans for Limited Government and the American Center for Law and Justice. JCN expects thousands of respondents in coming weeks. In addition, the national petition calling for an end to obstructionism is accessible by visiting JCN’s website at: www.judicialnetwork.com"

# posted by Ron Brynaert : 3/12/2005 01:42:00 AM