The facts are the facts (or are they?)

Good morning America, how are you?

Isn't it strange how facts can be invented through constant repitition in the press? One example of this is the continuous harping in the press about how Abramoff gave money to members of both parties, sometimes but rarely qualified by saying he directed his clients to give money to members of both parties. The truth is that as far as anyone knows from the public record, he did not give a dime to any Democrat and that he did not direct any of his clients to do so. What is true is that some of his clients (largely native American tribes) did give to Democrats of their own volition. There is nothing wrong with that whatsoever. But, there is no evidence in the public domain that Abramoff ever directed anyone to give money to any Democrat.

Next time you go to a cocktail party, try saying that to someone. They won't believe you because they have been told the "facts" by the news media.

The Washington Post is a perfect example. Just go read this interview of the Post's editor by conservative blogger Hugh Hewitt, as annotated by Armando at DailyKos.

Last week I recall seeing something about a group of linguists who selected the new "word of the year" as "truthiness" which means sounding truthful while lying through your teeth.