Doubts Raised On Schiavo "Memo"

Howard Kurtz offers up a weak half hearted defense of the "Teri" Schaivo "memo".

Bloggers are swarming around a new target: the Terri Schiavo "talking points."

Fake but Accurate Again?" says the Weekly Standard headline on an article by John Hinderaker, an attorney and conservative blogger who had challenged the CBS documents.

While there is no hard evidence that the memo is fake, there are several strange things about it, including the basic fact that no one seems to know who wrote it and that the noncontroversial part of it is lifted from a Republican senator's press release.

Here we go again. Ever since Rathergate we have all become keenly aware that the press feels they can report anything without evidence of it's legitimacy and yet when questions are raised, they demand clear and convincing evidence of fakery. How bass ackwards is that? Are they teaching this in journalism school?

ABC and The Post say their reports on the Schiavo memo were accurate and carefully worded.

Another canard. They avoid actually stating something in cold hard black and white, but strive throughout the entire piece to lead the reader down a very intentional path to their desired conclusion. That way they achieve their goal, but can accurately state "We never explicitly stated what the reader inferred."

Neither report said Republicans had written the memo, although they may have left that impression, and they included no comment on the memo from party leaders. ABC's Web site went further than Douglass's on-air report with the headline: "GOP Talking Points on Terri Schiavo."

Yea, "left an impression" like with a sledgehammer.

ABC News had very reliable, multiple sources who indicated the memo was distributed to Republicans on the floor of the Senate, and that is what we reported," network spokesman Jeffrey Schneider said yesterday.

Undoubtedly anonymous, low level, and from the other side of the aisle. Any high ranking Republicans or even Democrats for that matter that would go on record? No? That's what we thought.

Despite its unknown author, the memo has been used against Republicans. On ABC's March 19 "Good Morning America," Kate Snow cited the document in asking House Majority Leader Tom Delay, "Is this just pure politics, Mr. DeLay?"

The rest of the left and MSM sure didn't have any doubt what they were NOT explicitly stating. Appears they got the message loud and clear.

The truth is these memos could have come from anywhere. Most clear thinking people have serious questions concerning both their origin and authenticity. Somebody's secretary could have typed them for all we know with the evidence that has thus far been provided. A Democrat dirty trick is certainly every bit as, if not more plausible than ABCs or WAPOs version. Oh, wait a minute, can't be, there's no evidence of that.

Malkins take here