In the News – 9/13

Saturday was a slow news day for politics.

On a personal note, I’ll be scarce today.  It’s a Holy day in the First Church of the Ellipsoid Orb, and I shall raptly attend three services: the morning NFL game, the afternoon NFL game and the evening NFL game.

The only thing I have to say about yesterday’s tea party protest is that they lied about their attendance.

Conservative activists, who organized a march on the U.S. Capitol today in protest of the Obama administration’s health care agenda and government spending, erroneously attributed reports on the size of the crowds to ABC News.

At no time did ABC News, or its affiliates, report a number anywhere near as large. ABCNews.com reported an approximate figure of 60,000 to 70,000 protesters, attributed to the Washington, D.C., fire department. In its reports, ABC News Radio described the crowd as "tens of thousands."… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <ABC>

They had claimed 1.5 to 2 million.

Elsewhere, Bonner and Associates, the lobbyists infamous for sending bogus letters to members of Congress thinks TPM treated them unfairly.

In the annals of damage control strategies, this one from Bonner & Associates may go down as one of the least effective ever: We may have forged 13 letters to lawmakers about climate change, on behalf of our coal industry client. But definitely not 14!

Yesterday we reported that congressional investigators had found a fourteenth forged letter to a lawmaker criticizing the recent climate change bill, purporting to come from a Virginia American Legion post, but actually sent by Bonner, the Washington-based astroturf lobbying firm, on behalf of a coal-industry client.

But soon after we posted that story, a Bonner spokesman contacted us. Bonner, he said via email, "is being unjustly blamed" for the latest letter, which went to Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA). To support that claim, the spokesman attached a FedEx receipt, which indeed appears to show that on June 11th a package was sent from Bonner’s office to Charles Santrock, an official with the American Legion post. The package was signed for by "Anne Lester" at the Legion post, then returned to Bonner a few days later. Bonner also sent us a copy of the letter, which had been signed with the name "Charles Santrock."… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <TPM Muckraker>

How horrid that TPM would do such a thing!! 😉

Also, Tina Fey won an Emmy!

Is Tina Fey an Emmy winner? You betcha. Fey received an Emmy Award on Saturday for her impersonation of Republican vice presidential contender Sarah Palin on "Saturday Night Live."

Accepting her trophy for best guest actress in a comedy, Fey thanked "SNL" producer Lorne Michaels and her parents, "who are lifelong Republicans, for their patience."

She was honored at the Creative Arts Primetime Emmys, which recognize technical and other achievements for the 2008-09 season and preceded next weekend’s main ceremony…

Inserted from <Huffington Post>

I thoroughly enjoyed her imitations of Snake Oil Sarah!  Here’s a clip you may remember.