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The Spectacle Blog
Did you know James Holmes gave money to Barack Obama?
It’s true. And I knew this yesterday morning.
Why didn’t I write this up for The American Spectator to publish as a blog post — on the spot?
For one very simple, very elemental reason.
In the first flush of the carnage in Colorado yesterday morning, when the shooter’s name had made it to the airwaves but not much else about him, everybody with a computer and a phone was scouring all manner of Internet sites to find out about James Holmes.
In my case I found that James Holmes was on the Federal Election Commission rolls as an Obama contributor. The problem? I had absolutely no idea whether this was the same James Holmes who was the Colorado movie murderer — and with good reason. “James Holmes” or “Jim Holmes” are not exactly odd names in America. Indeed, the FEC had dozens of “James Holmes” on its contributor lists — as did all manner of other sites have the same two names. In fact, there were several James Holmes or Jim Holmes on social sites listed as living in or around Aurora, Colorado or what we had learned was his family home — San Diego, California. In the latter case, there was a Jim Holmes who professed himself to be a “lefty.” With enough persistence one could learn their ages and place of residence. That Jim Holmes in the San Diego area was long over 24.
The James Holmes who was an Obama contributor was from an East Coast state — and there was not a shred of proof that I could find that he was the James Holmes who was by then the subject of intense scrutiny.
So?
So I never wrote him up. James Holmes and his connection to President Obama never made it to The American Spectator. Good thing — because if I had done that I would have looked like an idiot, and deservedly so.
Obviously standards are a little looser over at ABC News. Where yesterday ABC News anchor and longtime Democratic Party operative George Stephanopoulos called on correspondent Brian Ross to tell America breathlessly that he had found a page for “Jim Holmes” with the Colorado Tea Party.
In other words, Brian Ross did exactly what I did not do. He went with a completely false story — and clearly it was because over at the liberal precincts of ABC News they wanted to smear the Tea Party. They weren’t interested in the truth — they were interested in the liberal politics.
So today they have egg on their face.
Here’s Brent Bozell of the Media Research Center on the episode at ABC:
Bozell: ABC’s Disgraceful Rush to Judgment on the Tea Party
This morning, in the aftermath of the unspeakable Colorado massacre that claimed at least 12 innocent American lives and injured dozens more, ABC “news” investigative reporter Brian Ross appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America and made the outrageous, irresponsible, and completely unfounded claim that the alleged gunman, 24-year-old Jim Holmes, is a member of the Tea Party. Apparently Ross has learned absolutely nothing from the media’s disgraceful rush to judgment and dissemination of misinformation following the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in January 2011.
That’s twice now that the “news” media have falsely implicated the Tea Party in murder.
In his brazen attempt to smear the Tea Party, Ross speculated on national television to millions of viewers that Holmes was a member of the Tea Party based on a social media webpage. When it became apparent that this accusation was false, ABC offered an apology, but they chose to release it online where only a fraction of Good Morning America’s misinformed viewers would see it. In addition, Ross had the gall to appear on ABC News to correct himself without offering an on-air apology.
Ross slandered every American even loosely associated with the Tea Party, and he owes them an apology. He must also apologize to Good Morning America’s audience, the James Holmes he falsely implicated of mass murder, and, most of all, to each and every person in Colorado directly or indirectly affected by this horrific tragedy.
In a moment that demanded clarity of thought and purpose, Ross rushed to slander those with whom he does not agree politically, exposing the depths and darkness of his political prejudices. Shame on Brian Ross, and shame on ABC News for not yet demanding he look directly into the camera and beg forgiveness for politicizing this terrible event. Ross’ meek Twitter apology is a cynically insincere slap in the face to us all.
So.
It’s fair to ask.
What was going on in the heads of this liberal media outlet when they ran on-air with a story linking the Tea Party to the Colorado shooter — a story they had not found to be fact.
Safe to say, it was not the same thing that went through my head when I found out that James Holmes was a contributor to Barack Obama.
I was after the truth. ABC was after the Tea Party.
View all comments (16) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Jeffrey Lord
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/07/21/bozell-nails-ross-and-abc-jame
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RJ| 7.21.12 @ 11:52AM
Yesterday's smear is further evidence that the left is all about partisan politics all the time. Just ask yourself when have they ever made this type of mistake by saying the perpetrator was a member of the ACLU, Sierra Club, or other liberal favorite organizations.
I wish Romney had edited his statement down. Why say "I join the President?" There is no reason to mention Obama at all. Also, why say as a father, husband, et. al. We all know Romney's background. Filler like that just seems to make the message more about the speaker than the victims. Cut it out of public statements.
Oldefarte| 7.21.12 @ 2:08PM
This is precisely why many, many of us read Jeffrey Lord and TAS, while few, if any bother listening/viewing to Brian Ross, ABC and the entire MSM!!!!!!!!!!!
Bob Grant| 7.21.12 @ 2:10PM
The media's been dead for a long time. It officially died after the election of '08.
The media's been a joke for a long time. It officially became a joke after yesterday.
AllAmericanAmerican| 7.21.12 @ 2:19PM
Can someone please explain to me how this unemployed PhD student was able to afford, by my estimate, approximately $5000 worth of guns and ammo in the last two months? Throw the tactical gear, booby-trap stuff in his apartment, and magazines for the weapons and it probably rings in at around $8000+.
So just how did this kid afford all that in the last 2 months?
This kid was bankrolled. He’s a pawn. He was used. We will probably never find out how or more importantly WHO paid for all this stuff.
Is this the “son of fast & furious?” Is it a teaser for a big ol’ October Surprise? Who knows. All I know is this was no “lone wolf.”
TNcracker | 7.22.12 @ 11:41AM
I agree with you, and that does not make us conspiracy nuts.
Controse| 7.23.12 @ 11:09AM
My wife has a very plausible answer : credit cards.
Nick| 7.21.12 @ 4:12PM
Don't worry, Mr. Lord.
According to DRed, Brian Ross and ABC News are off the hook for journalistic malpractice because Representative Louis Gohmert (R-TX) gave his opinion on a radio show, and, DRed thought it was "stupid."
In LiberalLand, both sides are guilty, based on such "evidence."
Such is the logic of the unhinged liberal mind.
Bob S| 7.21.12 @ 6:16PM
The double-standard is just sickening. Jeffrey Lord would've looked like an idiot if he tried to link the CO theater shooter with OWS, he would've looked like an idiot and he would've been trotted out on all liberal media outlets and portrayed as a typical hateful conservative, but since this was Brian Ross at ABC News, his stupid mistake is not even mentioned at all. The double-standard makes me sick.
Infantryman| 7.22.12 @ 9:39AM
Did any able bodied male try to take the SOB down? After all, he had flanks and a rear. I know we live in a feminized society, but there's just got to be some brave young men outside of the armed forces or police who are willing to risk their lives to protect those who can't protect themselves.
Oldefarte| 7.22.12 @ 11:41AM
My sentiments exactly. I've obtained an opinion from the news reports so far that this killer, after shooting from the movie theatre's stage, then proceeded down the theatre's isle shooting and re-loading. If true, and considering how narrow most of these isles are, wasn't there any males on the end of the rows that was capable of grabbing the killer and putting him down on the ground? It's not like there was a scenerio where someone whould have to first run 25 years to get to the killer beforehand, and apparently he was standing/walking within arms reach. Don't understand it to date!!!!!!!
ncatty| 7.23.12 @ 10:51AM
Drudge reports three men died shielding their girlfriends in the theater.
TNcracker | 7.22.12 @ 11:45AM
To find what he was looking for, Brian Ross had to Google {James Holmes -Tea Party-Aurora CO}, as Stu on Glenn Beck radio pointed out. Beyond despicable.
Oldefarte| 7.22.12 @ 7:24PM
'.....“Ultimately,” Huckabee concluded, “We don't have a crime problem or a gun problem – or even a violence problem. What wehave is a sin problem. And since we ordered God out of our schools and communities, the military and public conversations, you know, we really shouldn't act so surprised when all hell breaks loose.”.......'
Occam's Tool| 7.22.12 @ 11:13PM
Ross needs a multi-million dollar libel suit. He needs to be destroyed in court, and destroyed professionally.
spike59| 7.23.12 @ 6:45AM
by using the same 'investigative techniques' used by ABC, i was able to find, within a minute of searching:
-a 2009 prostitution arrest for Andrea Mitchell
-a 2012 prostitution arrest for Andrea Mitchell
-a 2009 child molestation arrest for Michael Moore
now, were they the same Andrea Mitchell and Michael Moore? dunno...the story is developing, and if not, well.....i regret the error
Controse| 7.23.12 @ 11:02AM
Let's tighten up our monickers a little. Lame Stream Media, thank you Gov. Palin, needs to be replaced with Putrid Propaganda Organ (print & broadcast).