Rick Sanchez Calls Out Media That Fell For "Mutilation" Hoax

The big political story of the day revolves around what turned out to be a non-story. Several media outlets (the vast majority conservative) were left with egg on their faces after they trumpeted up the tale of a McCain volunteer who claimed to have been assaulted by a large black man because of a McCain bumper sticker on her car. On her face was carved a backwards 'B' (meant to represent Obama's name). The Drudge Report called it "mutilation."

It was a hoax. And now, some in the fourth estate are left to explain why they pushed this apparent political ploy. Those in the business who showed some prudence are calling out their competitors for taking the bait.

On CNN today, anchor Rick Sanchez did just that, naming the outlets that not only reported but actively pushed the story of Ashley Todd. In addition to explaining why his station didn't report the story, Sanchez dug the knife in a bit deeper when it came to Hugh Hewitt, the conservative radio talk show host who appeared on CNN Thursday and blamed "that side" (i.e. the Democrats) for engaging in "extraordinarily" disturbing acts.

"Part of the story is the fact that it was reported by the media," said Sanchez. "We would not be telling the story now had it not been carried by so many outlets. As I mentioned before, it was mentioned on, as a matter of fact I have a list and not to mention names, but the initials of the news organizations are Fox News, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Newsday. And also radio talk show hosts went on their radio stations and talked ad infinitum about the story yesterday, one of them even seemingly being a braggadocio about it when he was on the air with our own Wolf Blitzer yesterday."

Separately, the College Republicans -- a group of which Todd is a member -- sought to distance themselves from the whole affair, telling the Huffington Post: "When Ms. Todd initially contacted us claiming to have been attacked, our first reaction was obviously to be concerned for her safety ... We are as upset as anyone to learn of her deceit. Ashley must take full responsibility for her actions."

Comments

[MaybeMilo]

Please get this woman's face out of the headline spot - I'm sick of looking at it when I check your blog for updates.

[Americatortures]

With no due respect to this boor,Rick Sanchez... he was a newsanchor on one of those independent news stations whose motto was: "If it bleeds...IT leads"!!! I lived in Miami when this dolt was on the air. This story is right up his alley...dirt and filth and sensationalism!!! His street cred is minus 20!!!

[lindaj3884]

I think it is sinking the McCain campaign. I live in New Mexico. Sen McCain spoke at the fairgrounds in Albuquerque today to a crowd of less than 1000 per Dana Bash. I just dropped off my husband and daughter to see Obama at the UNM Johnson Stadium in Albuquerque and the police told my husband that there were 25,000 in line and expected up to 45,000. I have never seen anything like it. Go Obama

[gretcheno]

I was in Las Vegas today and he had a huge crowd thier too!!



Go OBAMA/BIDEN 08'

[Susej]

Soooooo... She sat still while the big bad black man carved a B on her cheek? A mirror image of the letter B? And she did not bleed?
McCain, you $uck!

[CalifroniaMark]

I am sure Assley Toad really looks like the picture now after being locked in a cell with a few Obama supporters over night. And from the looks of her body when she was marched to jail in handcuffs I would guess that the only thing that got attacked that night was an all you can eat buffet.

[dennybop]

There's no need for the nature of your attack. I don't know any Obama supporters in jail, I don't know any that want to be in jail, and I don't know any that would want to see this woman beaten up. Whether she's overweight or not isn't pertinent. I know a few Obama supporters I can comfortably call "fat". I'm pretty doughy myself, but then again I'm in my 50's

[mikeant50]

Now it is time to put our money where our mouth is. In 9 days, we must go to the polls and finish the job. It has been a long two years. we are close to our goal and we must see this through. If you haven't already voted, I urge you t o do everything possible, even if it means taking a day off. This is no longer about the Democratic Party, it is about the United States of America. We can not let this country down by staying home. No matter how long I have to stand in line on Nov 4, my vote will count and we will make this a better nation where our opinions will matter again.

[Beachrunner]

I bet Al Sharpton is behind this. Reminds me of the good old days . .. . .

[Americatortures]

Gee...I thought it was Colin Powell or Hank Aaron !! Moronic trol l!!

[billblow3]

GOP tactic, its nothing new with that racist party. They'll do anything to win, smear,lie, cover-up, and anything you can think of to win. I'm really sick and tire of the GOP always saying the Dems are doing the same thing, PPPLEASE, when have you heard anyone on the Dem side saying Mccain/Palin isn't like one of us, Mccain palling around with terrorist, Palin/Mccain do see america like we see it, calling them communist, socialist, anti-american, they don't love america like we love america. These are all code words for race-bating theres know other way to say it, so please with your lies GOP and stop spinning the truth to hide your racism.

[swbks]

Come on, I know you guys out here are on the Obama bandwagon which obviously is your right....however don't try to make this a broad sweeping Republican issue. There is plenty of nonsense on the television with a great deal of it coming from your side of the political fence. I agree that the behavior of this young lady is awful and any media outlet that reported it, ought to make certain they report the truth in great detail... but, It's quite a stretch to pin this on the GOP.

[Aywaller]

I don't blame it on the GOP. I blame it on the cancer on our nation that the McCain/Palin ticket has become.

[Bruupo]

It's quite a stretch to blame this on a campaign whose ONLY issue is accusations of guilt by association and race-baiting? No, you know that it is cause and effect. Demonstrably.

[Oonagh]

The Republicans have been on this road with their campaign... guess it is coming back to get them..... they have been inciting their base .... this is cause and effect...

[williamg]

I blame the McCain campaign for pushing the story. They should be held responsible.

[roshni]

McCain and Palin have been race-baiting to their marginal supporters. They are absolutely responsible for the effects of inciting violence.

[gretcheno]

They sure have and it is getting them NO WHERE!!

[mshannon]

Dude or Dudette:

Hugh Hewitt lives off red meat. He is the poster radio host like Limbaugh for Bush and Co. He has been carrying water for the Reps for the longest time. His outrage, like Drudge's is so sweet. Yet you will never receive an ounce of contrition from these fools. they have screwed up so many times. No wonder their ratings are slipping.

[Manx]

The problem is with the cable networks in general, including CNN. They're not looking for real news but the latest ratings booster.

[ChescoMom]

When I saw the backwards "B", I could not stop laughing-- what a maroon! Come on, moderates and independents! This is what the Republicans have stoked up! T wits scratching their faces up! If they're all elected again, it means this nonsense works and they'll keep doing it. If McCain loses they'll have to rethink the whole thing.

[RobinL]

Funny, my first impression of this story was that it was bull. It just didn't feel true.

[jeffp26]

Yep. Just like everything McCain and Plain say. It just doesn't feel true.

[happypup]

I felt exactly the same way and would venture that most of us with any common sense shared this thought. The saddest part is that although I have no proo, f I am quite sure that the right wing nuts who jumped on the bandwagon knew it smelled funy but just kept the lies going anyway,

[grata2ude]

I did too I said well gee.....the attacker was obviously dyslexic. And the fact that it looked like it was scratched in her face with a pin not a knife.

I do hope this young girl gets the mental help she needs.

[ScarletKnight1307]

It's actually worse because some of McCain's paid people try to make something out of it and it blew up in their face and my opinion show the mentality of the people in the McCain campaign and the type of people they are attracting. What would push this little girl over the edge to fake this and if you are a western Pennsylvanian why would she say she was attacked by a big black guy?

what are they trying to tell you about how she thought she would react.

[topkatnc]

I'm sure like alot of people like me knew from the beginning that is was fake. I just don't why so many of the media outlets thought it was true.

[muchtosay]

Oh you're so right we knew this was a bunch of bull-- funny when your losing how people can come up with the dumbest thing to do

[mairs]

I wonder how much they paid her.

[neocon666]

The republicans, of course, are still in denial (where else would they be?). This comment is off of the Fox "News" web site:

"Comment by Robert Annal
October 25th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
I think Ashley Todd’s original story about being robbed and assaulted by a black man has the ring of truth.No 20 year old woman is going to let her face be carved up and take a couple of black eyes just to further McCain’s candidacy.Rather she fell into the hands of a crooked police department–heavily black oriented and they grilled her for hours causing her to change her story or allowing them to say she had changed her story.Now they have her safely stashed away,probably at least ’til after the election.She made her mistake when she went to the police station without a competent attorney."

-I've seen enough black eyes in my time to know that that's halloween makup or mascara on her face, not to mention no swelling.

Obama/Biden '08
Give them a real beating -at the polls

[mairs]

Her face wasn't "carved" up. It's lightly scratched, It's a reddened scratch. She could have done that with a twig. That "robber" sure had to be careful that he didn't really hurt her.

Wow. So now FOX is going with the O.J. Simpson defense. A crooked police department.

[BagdadBob]

I'm surprised they are not blaming Clinton for this.

[roshni]

Are you kidding me????
Now it's police intimidation from black cops?????

[dennybop]

CAUTION!!!!! This statement has nothing to do with the McCain campaign or with FOX news. It is a comment from a poster to the FOX website. Let's not fall prey to the same kind of low-life tactics the McCain camp and their most fanatic supporters use. We're going to win this because we have the better candidate and the moral high-ground! Lets get hate and division out of our political lexicon. Change.