The Fallows Principle

If you've been following this story (I have only heard about it), Breitbart's Ben Shapiro posted a story claiming that -- or posing the question if -- Chuck Hagel was avoiding disclosing any donations from a group called "Friends of Hamas."

He's being kicked around a lot for it. Turns out, there is no "Friends of Hamas."

But this Taranto piece informs me of something I didn't know: the tip came originally from a New York Daily News reporter who asked that question; he clarifies now, he meant it as hyperbole.

Taranto notes that lefties fall for hoax stories all the time-- but they never seem to dwell on those. They just quickly change the subject. James Fallows, for example, falls for the most obvious of photoshop images -- and yet no one on the left ever says boo about his extreme gullibility when presented with liberal-bait.

Corrected: JDP says I read the story wrong, and he's right. I've corrected. The reporter didn't plant a hoax, he just asked a question he says was a joke. I'm guessing here, but what I think then happened was this: Because this reporter was asking about the "Friends of Hamas," someone then contacted Shapiro saying "A reporter's asking about the Friends of Hamas." And thus, a story.

posted by Ace at 06:50 PM

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