Drudge Puts Dangerous Spin on Mugging, Implies Violence Targeting McCain Volunteers

Yesterday, a horrible incident took place in Pittsburgh: a young woman was robbed; and then, after the assailant noticed that her car had a McCain sticker, he returned to brutalize her, including scratching a backwards 'B' in her cheek with a knife. Although horrible by itself, what makes this story even more shocking is the way right-wing media has tried to twist the coverage with rhetoric suggesting that this ATM mugging was actually a pre-meditated act of political violence aimed at the McCain campaign.

At 4:03pm, today, a WTAE-TV Pittsburgh reported that a 20-year old woman was robbed at an ATM machine, and then subsequently had the letter 'B' scratched into her cheek with a knife--supposedly in response to her assailant seeing a 'McCain' campaign sticker on her car.   This is how WTAE reported the story:

Woman Attacked At ATM, Assailant Carves Letter Into Her Face

Woman Robbed, Attacked With Knife At Bloomfield ATM
POSTED: 4:03 pm EDT October 23, 2008
UPDATED: 4:30 pm EDT October 23, 2008

PITTSBURGH -- A 20-year-old woman who was robbed at an ATM in Bloomfield was also maimed by her attacker, police said.

Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Diane Richard tells Channel 4 Action News that the victim was robbed at knifepoint on Wednesday night outside of a Citizens Bank near Liberty Avenue and Pearl Street just before 9 p.m.

Richard said the robber took $60 from the woman, then became angry when he saw a McCain bumper sticker on the victim's car. The attacker then punched and kicked the victim, before using the knife to scratch the letter "B" into her face, Richard said.

Richard said the woman refused medical treatment after the assault, which happened outside the view of the bank's surveillance cameras.

The robber is described as a dark-skinned black man, 6 feet 4 inches tall, 200 pounds with a medium build, short black hair and brown eyes. The man was wearing dark colored jeans, a black undershirt and black shoes. (link)

The crime was horrendous. Anyone who mugs another person, whether it is for $0.60 or $60, is a criminal who deserves punishment.  And to beat someone up--and then scratch a 'B' in their face--supposedly in response to seeing a McCain campaign sticker on a person's car--that is an act that demands immediate criminal prosecution.  The young woman attacked deserves a speedy recovery and quick restitution of her property and dignity by the courts.

The problem with this crime, however, is not just that it happened, but the way that Matt Drudge has obviously tried to spin it into a political watershed for the 2008 Presidential campaign by rewriting the headline and carefully omitting several crucial elements.  The end result is that a mugging punctuated by an odd act of violence has been transformed at the hands of a right-wing media figure to appear like a targeted act of violence against the McCain campaign.

Not long after the original WTAE story, Drudge added the following incendiary headline on The Drudge Report:

SHOCK: MCCAIN VOLUNTEER ATTACKED AND MUTILATED IN PITTSBURGH...

'B' CARVED INTO 20-YEAR OLD WOMAN'S FACE... DEVELOPING...

Note two things that Drudge has strategically left out of this headline: (1) the actual details of the crime (e.g., an ATM robbery, followed by an assault) and (2) the fact that the robber brutalized the young woman after the initial crime had been completed, when the criminal noticed the bumber sticker on her car. The omissions are crucia because they repackage a story of theft and assault into a story of political violence. 

What Drudge has done, in other words, is reframe a report about a mugging to make it seem like the beginning of targeted political violence against the McCain campaign.  Hence, it seems from his headline that there are criminals in the U.S. currently out looking for McCain volunteers with the goal of brutally assaulting them--that someone was looking for McCain volunteers to attack, found one, and beat her.

Now, Matt Drudge's blog is one of the most visited websites on the internet and is well-known for its Republican Party leanings, it's deep connection to right-wing media outlets, and the phenomenal speed with which it can disseminate a story--whether that story is true or false.  It is important, therefore, to consider the grave danger carried Drudge's spinning of this story.

Given Drudge's choice of words, one could imagine the Drudge headline as the basis for right-wing media and the Republican base to conclude that political violence has begun against the McCain campaign--despite this being a false and misleading representation of the events.

Even worse, the immense site traffic at The Drudge Report enjoys, combined with Drudge's implication that this horrible mugging incident in Pittsburgh was in fact targeted political violence against Republicans, could result in widespread panic amongst by McCain supporters mislead by Drudge's manipulative reporting into thinking that they were the target of some kind of organized assault.

If either of those things were to happen, the Drudge headline of the WTAE story could quickly tip the the Presidential election into a dangerous place by heightening the 'us vs. them' tensions already set in motion by the McCain-Palin campaign rhetoric.

Finally, since Pennsylvania is a 'swing' stage--a state that is still too-close-to-call in the Presidential election polls--it is not beyond the realm of possibility that Drudge's deceptive re-framing of this mugging story could result in heightened tensions on the ground, and possibly contribute to outbursts of violence by people who believe they are under 'attack,' as a result of Drudge's rhetoric.

However Drudge's headline is interpreted, it has the potential to provide an excuse for actual political violence under the guise of self-defense.

Just to give an idea of how incendiary this story could become, since I began writing this post, the Obama-Biden campaign has already issued the following statement:

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the young woman for her to make a speedy recovery, and we hope that the person who perpetrated this crime is swiftly apprehended and brought to justice."

Their response shows the necessary and swift intolerance that any crime of this nature deserves.  Whether or not The Drudge Report will succeed with its dangerous ploy to recast this crime as the beginning of political violence against Republicans remains to be seen.   But at the very least, we can expect Drudge's spin to be the lead on every right-wing media outlet at least to the weekend. 

How mainstream media handles it is another story.  Will news producers at CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, and CBS refute Drudge's irresponsible flirtation with rhetoric that has the potential to spark widespread panic?   Let's hope so.

***UPDATE (Fri Oct 24, 1:48pm EST): Pittsburgh's CBS affiliate KDKA is just now reporting that the 20 year-old woman in question has recanted her story:

A Pittsburgh police commander says a volunteer for the McCain campaign who reported being robbed and attacked near a bank ATM in Bloomfield has confessed to making up the story. Police say charges will be filed. More details to follow.

I am relieved, in the end, that this young woman was not the victim of a robbery or assault. However, the false accusation of political violence--tinged with racial profiling--raises serious ethical and criminal consequences for this young person. Needless to say, the way right-wing media attempted to transform this story remains an object lesson for this election season and beyond. -- JF

©  2008 Jeffrey Feldman, Frameshop

Follow Jeffrey Feldman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JeffreyFeldman

Comments

[quindy]

How can somebody be badly beaten and hurt and not seek medical attention? And it all happened outside of the camera reach? Really? And after we know how truthful Drudge is in his so called 'reporting' we are suppose to believe this? From their leaders on the top all the way down to the Joe the fake plumbers the republicans lie every time they open their mouths.

[singingpeach]

All I can say is...Remember Susan Smith? She blamed a "dark skinned black man" for murdering (drowning) her two sons and look where it landed her? This is some foolishness!

[BlackDemfromNH]

Good point, singingpeach! Susan Smith also blamed a "large, dark-skinned black man" for the crime. I'm very, very concerned about what's going on here. This fanning of the flames of racism and bigotry. How come whenever people like this fake stuff (as I know she is), they have to blame it on a "black man"? This is very destructive indeed, and it's very disturbing that anyone would be stirring up this kind of animosity, especially now in such a contentious election season. Sad, so sad.

[Michale32086]

@ohioan73

}}}}
Also, what kind of mugger is THAT politically astute that he would risk being caught just so he could support his candidate?
{{{{

And yet, the hysterical Left was ALL OVER the story about a guy in London who was shot three times, ostensibly because he was wearing an OBAMA T-Shirt...

Hypocrisy is ugly, no matter WHICH side of the political spectrum it comes from..

Michale.....

[mesut]

a thief with politics on his mind? The story sounded a little odd when I heard it yesterday.

[rwt1138]

Just for curiosity's sake, do you believe this story?

I was really surprised by the headline, but only got a paragraph or two in before the whole thing failed the Judge Judy test (if something doesn't make sense, it's probably not true).

At this point I consider this to be a hoax, barring some evidence.

"Politically fanatic, liberal, dyslexic, face-carving ATM muggers" are going to require a little more than just this woman's completely unsubstantiated word for me to buy in. And wouldn't an O be easier, and more accurate? Especially for a dyslexic.

[delta queen]

That doesn't look like a knife wound to me, but I'm no expert.

[HalR]

Drudge is as desperate as McSame/Palin to try an bring Obama down. Same B.S. as the drug
addled hate from Rush Limbaugh. A woman obviously looking for her, Joe the Plumber, 15 minutes
of fame.

[bluerednot]

If this is a fraud - it would be truly criminal if one or more of her described -- 6'4" 200lb black men - are brought in for questioning because they were "in the area" - and
it would get even worse if she elected to pick one out of a line-up ...
It smells like she has fallen down a rabbit hole of mis-truth and it may be uncomfortable for her to find her way back .... it is really unfortunate when somebody fails to comprehend that their "play -acting" can be terribly damaging to innocent others.

[EzraFreeman]

SO the way I see it, is there are two possibilities out there, and they both point to the same thing-- that there are some seriously screwed up and deranged people out there. Either she is an innocent victim of a particularly nasty crime. If that is the case, then I have sympathy for her-- I'd hate to have something like that happen to me. Or, 2-she's making it up, in which case she herself is a pretty sick person who needs help. I kind of hope she is making it up, since I don't like the idea of a Obamaphilic Jack the ripper type stalking the mean streets of Pittsburg, and I kind of hope she isn't, since because the idea of someone doing that to themselves is really creepy.

Either way, this is the sort of thing that unfortunately happens all the time in big cities (and even in the "pro-America" part of the country). If it weren't 10 days before the election, it would be instantly forgotten. Let's not make a big deal of it-- If she is genuine, then the best thing we can do is let her recover in private. If she is making it up, the best thing we can do is ignore it. It doesn't change the basic fact that McPalin is going to get a MASSIVE SPANKING in Pennsylvania (and Virginia too)!

[Horus45]

You always have to be wary of the Republicans whenever they make accusations like this.
9 times out of 10 they use fake stories like this to deflect attention away from what their own party is doing.
Just like the false voter fraud stories being pushed by the Republicans to deflect attention away from their REAL voter fraud attempts.

I don't buy this girls story, it smacks too much like the Tawana Brawley and Morton Downy false hate crimes stories, especially the B being backwards and not deep enough to leave a permanent scar.
Also it seems that she was too stupid to realize how much video surveillance there is around ATM machines.

[kellygrrrl]

WTH is lurking under that felt fedora?

[Bluebear2]

It seems it is in fact a hoax.

Check this out - from Michelle Malkin of all people:

"Police planned to administer a polygraph test to Ashley Todd, 20, because her statements about the attack conflict with evidence from the Citizens Bank ATM where she claims the incident occurred, police said”…and more below on following her MySpace, Twitter, and Facebook trails…10/24…more fishiness"

http://michellemalkin.com/2008/10/23/why-that-mccain-volunteers-mutilation-story-smells-awfully-weird/

Fishy indeed!

[Michale32086]

}}}}
It seems it is in fact a hoax.
{{{{

I wonder if you can appreciate the utter irony in your completely contradictory statement...

Michale.....

[Michale32086]

You don't find it odd that you would castigate Malkin at the drop of a dime..

Yet, when she supports your own position, you post her rants as if they were gospel..

And you don't find such a position to be hypocritical???

Michale.....

[alenaspoppa]

If anyone knows rants, it's you. The next time you post something thoughtful and well-reasoned will also be the first.

In this case, Michelle Malkin is applying common sense, backed up by the fact that police also believe that something fishy may be going on. The biggest problem with the story is the backwards "B", which is exactly what would occur if you made the mark yourself by looking in the mirror.

[cheeriogirl]

Pittsburgh police are asking the victimof this crime to take a lie detector test. Apparently there several inconsistencies in her story that they are concerned about.

[aussiegal77]

Sorry but this seems fake. Too many inconsistencies as many people have pointed out.

Also - where is the outrage over the Obama volunteer canvassing in WI who really was punched in the face by a McCain supporter? Who, by the way, received a phone call from Obama by the end of the day to say how sorry he was she had to go thru that.

I wonder if McCain will use this lady as another political tool.....

Come on Drudge, gimme a break.

[cinemaven]

http://lifeinthefield.com/users/ashley-todd

Her website, including a photo of her dressed as Clinton with and Obama baby on her back carrying a sign saying "with my inexperience I guarantee a crisis" and photo's of her meeting Megan McCain. She's a VERY enthusiastic volunteer for the campaign.

http://sarahsarmy.blogspot.com/
Sarah's Army site which gives details on the "attacker"

"Richard (police spokesperson) said the woman refused medical treatment after the assault, which happened outside the view of the bank's surveillance cameras.

The robber is described as a dark-skinned black man, 6 feet 4 inches tall, 200 pounds with a medium build, short black hair and brown eyes. The man was wearing dark colored jeans, a black undershirt and black shoes."

This is a frightening blog with articles like "Obama, Evil Personified"

I think this is a case of a very creative girl who thought she was doing something to help her candidate. I know the police are investigating her now instead of looking for her phantom "dark-skinned black man" thanks heavens.

[Michale32086]

While this story may or may not be true, what it exposes about the Left is quite interesting.

Contrast the actions of this story being picked apart at the atomic level and disbelieved outright to the virtual instantaneous acceptance of the shooting in London where a man wearing an Obama T-shirt was shot by a skinhead, ostensibly for the T-Shirt...

Can anyone say HYPOCRISY??

Michale.....

[AsianAfricanAMERICAN]

Typical...blame the left.

The left didn't pick the story apart, the police did and deemed, so far, there is not enough evidence.

I can say hypocrisy. It spelled...M...i...c...h...a...l...e

I see you will be living a pitiful, miserable existence after Nov. 5th. LOL

[Michale32086]

I am not "blaming" anyone..

I am simply pointing out the fact that if the situation was reversed, ya'all would be defending this person to the death..

And, for the record, I am a demonstrable OBAMA supporter so your bigoted attacks will not work on me..

Michale.....

[ohioan73]

nice try. :D

[Shashi0224]

The reason we are skeptical is that the hate in this campaign is being pushed by the right, by the republican party. Obama supporters are up-beat and hopeful. We are sick of the fear mongering and violence is not in keeping with Barack Obama's message. Obama supporters are simply more tolerant, the Democratic party platform is more tolerant. The story above and the feeling on the ground just don't jive.
Now, if the story is true, I hope they find the man and punish him to the full extent of the law. This is a country where all views need to be treated with respect, especially those of the minority!

[SOLERSO68]

Lame attempt right wing. she chick will be the republican Tawahna Brawley LOL. All of you are sick people. the FBI is more worried about disgruntled mcain supporters than any other "domestic terror "issues.

[ohioan73]

Im really confused. So, did the mugger purposely cut the backwards B on her face so she could see it the right way in the mirror? Like how they write "ambulance" backwards on the grill so you can see it in your rear view mirror correctly?

Something's weird about this. It seems like she did it to herself in the mirror. That's why the B is backwards.

Also, what kind of mugger is THAT politically astute that he would risk being caught just so he could support his candidate? It seems to me like this woman is a bigot who is just trying to apply an extra layer of "blackaphobia" to the story because maybe she's frustrated that McCain seems to be losing.

I dont condone crime, regardless. He needs to be locked up for robbery but mutilation? That sounds far fetched and suspicious. Sorry if you dont agree.