Faux News Retracts 2nd Story-Communists for Kerry

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,134268,00.html

<snip>

And then there were the pranksters in the audience . . . the Communists for Kerry (who, in fact, are rooting for Bush) and the Billionaires for Bush (who, of course, are Kerry supporters).

"We're trying to get Comrade Kerry elected and get that capitalist enabler George Bush out of office," said 17-year-old Komoselutes Rob of Communists for Kerry.

"Even though he, too, is a capitalist, he supports my socialist values more than President Bush," said Rob.

Asked several times if his group was a parody, Rob insisted with a straight face that the Communists for Kerry were not, in fact, supporting Bush.

<snip>

Editor’s Note:

In a version of this article that was published earlier, the Communists for Kerry group was portrayed as an organization that was supporting John Kerry for president. FOXNews.com’s reporter asked the group’s representative several times whether the group was legitimate and supporting the Democratic candidate, and the spokesman insisted that it was. The Communists for Kerry group is, in fact, a parody organization.

This was Faux's first version yesterday. And note you could click on link in story to see exactly who Communists for Kerry were.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,134268,00.html

<snip>

Of course, there were some Kerry supporters in attendance who had no doubts whatever about their candidate.

"We're trying to get Comrade Kerry elected and get that capitalist enabler George Bush out of office," said 17-year-old Komoselutes Rob of Communists for Kerry.

"Even though he, too, is a capitalist, he supports my socialist values more than President Bush," Rob said, before assuring FOXNews.com that his organization was not a parody group. When asked his thoughts on Washington's policy toward Communist holdout North Korea, Rob said: "The North Koreans are my comrades to a point, and I'm sure they support Comrade Kerry, too."

It is unclear whether the Kerry campaign has welcomed the Communists' endorsement.

http://www.hellgate.org/disclaimer /

"Communists for Kerry" is a campaign of the Hellgate Republican Club, a tax exempt non-partisan public advocacy "527" organization that exists for the purpose of;

"Informing voters with satire and irony, how political candidates make decisions based on the failed social economic principles of socialism that punish the individual by preventing them from becoming their dream through proven ideas of entrepreneurship and freedom."

Our members help elect candidates who support economic growth through Entrepreneurship, limited government and lower taxes. Communists For Kerry is separate and distinct from the Communist party of America and any of its organization. None of it's members are members of any communist organizations.

-----

Hellgate Republican Club and it's registered campaign "Communists for Kerry" was established by Charles Finney on 07/01/2004 under Internal Revenue Code section 527 with the EIN Number 20-1317757. The Club's principle officers are:

[Craig Roberts]

1. Ok

It took me two seconds to do a Google search and determine that "Communists for Kerry" was a parody group (and a nonosecond of logical thinking to see they were obviously a parody group mirroring the "Billioniares for Bush" group). So much for fact checking.

But Dan Rather must resign!!!

[MatrixEscape]

2. Competition?

Ah, so Dan Rather gets crucified, but Faux has impunity while they continue to chip away at their own pretend integrity?

This is getting funnier than it should be.

[Onlooker]

3. Fox is soooo sleazy

Communists for Kerry is a Republican group that is parodying Kerry. I think Fox should have mentioned that.

[krkaufman]

4. How pitiful.

Just try Googling "Communists for Kerry"

The first hit is the official site, from which the "About Us" link takes you directly to the page explaining that they're a pro-Bush satirical group.

Is Freeperville calling for the suspension of the author?

[CarolynEC]

5. Well, as a journalist, it's your job to take at face value...

... anything anyone says to you, right?

It's not like there's this world-wide database you could access through, say, a sort of TV with a keyboard, and do some fact-checking, right?

No, no. In this case, the reporter asked and that was enough. Why would anyone, particularly Fox, demand a higher standard than that?

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go ask "Kenneth" if he's discovered the frequency yet. Or the font.

:tinfoilhat:

[RamboLiberal]

8. On the original story Faux had the link to the Hellgate site

so I assume whomever posted the story to the Faux web took the trouble to find the link. So they knew and still deliberately posted as if the group was for Kerry! And this after having just been busted for the Cameron false quotes story.

[OneTwentyoNine]

6. Everyone at FOX must resign,FOX must go off the air....

Two bullshit stories they've had to retract in about what 3-4 days?? And these ASSES had the nerve to criticize Rather??


David

[highplainsdem]

7. Faux News: We Retract, You Deride

[Craig Roberts]

9. It's obviously intentional

Fox News knew this group was a parody group. But they run the story as if they aren't, and then run a retraction a little later. They are hoping to stir up controversy around the group to draw attention to their obviously elaborately constructed website (there's money behind that website, I can tell you as a web designer).

This is what they were doing with the other "mistake" when the reporter's "joking" quotes from Kerry were ran as if they were real. They run the piece and then apologize for it hoping we on the left will jump on it and draw attention to the talking point that Kerry was getting a manicure while Bush was visiting hurricane victims.

Fortunately, the Kerry campaign saw it for what it was. Thier only response when asked about Fox's apology was, "If only the president were so willing to admit his mistakes and apologize." In other words, they didn't take the bait, didn't draw attention to the article, and only used it as an opportunity to take a swipe at Bush. Smart move, I think.

Everybody already knows Fox News is biased, so these "incidents" do them no harm. In fact, their core audience probably thinks it's all hilarious. I'll bet we're going to be seeing more of this kind of thing from Fox. The best thing we can do is ignore them.

[Wickerman]

11. Excellent analysis, Mr Roberts

:thumbsup:

[n2mark]

10. Should be reported

FOX should be reported to the FCC. What Rather reported is kindergarten school compared to these thugs.

[proud patriot]

12. Cool this is going to help me in a debate I'm having with a fencesitter

Thank You for posting this :hi: