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McCain 'Insider' Who Leaked Palin Dirt a Fake

Tale of would-be VP not knowing Africa's a continent fooled media

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Nov 13, 2008 9:43 AM CST
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(Newser) – MSNBC thought it had a scoop: On Monday, it identified "Martin Eisenstadt, a McCain policy adviser" as the man who claimed Sarah Palin didn't know Africa was a continent. Only trouble? Martin Eisenstadt doesn't exist—he's a character in an elaborate, months-long hoax that has taken in news organizations from the New Republic to the LA Times, the New York Times reports.

"With the 24-hour news cycle they rush into anything they can find," said one of two obscure filmmakers who built up the Eisenstadt character, complete with a bogus think tank and a frequently updated blog. Despite warnings that Eisenstadt is a fake, bloggers and the mainstream media keep quoting him. As for the name, the filmmakers explain, "All the neocons in the Bush administration had Jewish last names and Christian first names."

Gov. Sarah Palin, R-Alaska, answers questions after returning to Anchorage, Alaska on Wednesday Nov. 5, 2008.
Gov. Sarah Palin, R-Alaska, answers questions after returning to Anchorage, Alaska on Wednesday Nov. 5, 2008.   (AP Photo/Al Grillo)
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin meets with her commissioners and staff during a morning meeting in the Governor's office in Anchorage, Ala., Monday, Nov. 10, 2008.
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin meets with her commissioners and staff during a morning meeting in the Governor's office in Anchorage, Ala., Monday, Nov. 10, 2008.   (AP Photo/Al Grillo)
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An MSNBC report on Monday quoted 'Martin Eisenstadt,' who does not exist, as the source of a leak concerning Sarah Palin.   (pineapple3030)

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 9 comments
Guest
Nov 16, 2008 8:57 PM CST
Brownster, you got that right. The election is over, so the right wing nuts need to get over it before they run their blood pressure up.
Guest
Nov 14, 2008 6:06 AM CST
FART!!!! I just blew a smelly on this whole freakin' topic.
Guest
Nov 13, 2008 7:28 PM CST
corona, how can you afford to buy 100 palin bumper stickers when YOU DON'T HAVE A JOB!!! You live in a trailer park, you catc up with the news when you are in the mall, you access the internet from the library where you go to because it's warm a,d like it was said before, you most likely don't live in the US. The only one whose blood pressure is up is yours because OBAMA is in the white house and you can't deal with the fact that an African American Man, beat out John. And by the way stupid, I am under the impression that all of America are the real people, the only ones who think different are ignorant people with the very small mentality as you.

The blog of 'Martin Eisenstadt'
Eisenstadt Group

From CBS to the Huffington Post, they've all been duped
Mediabistro

 
MSNBC • hoax • Internet hoax • Sarah Palin • Martin Eisenstadt • cable news

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