Breaking: Bayh to Be Obama’s VP? Probably a Hoax
Update: The longer this story sits without confirmation or updates from CNN, the more it appears that the answer to “Could it be a hoax?” is a solid YES.
Could it be a hoax? Could CNN have dropped the story from their website because it was bad reporting and it could not be confirmed? Was Barack Obama’s aide simply sending a test e-mail to a few people and sent it to the wrong mailing list? Either way, here’s what a CNN story that has since been pulled said about Barack’s VP pick:
The entire screenshot has been uploaded online, and this whole thing was caught by Matt from The ACT Blog who showed me the screenshot before CNN either caught their mistake or did a favor for the Obama campaign (as if their coverage wasn’t favorable enough). I’m also hearing rumors the screenshot was doctored (Matt got it from someone else). If I was a betting man right now though, I’d say Bayh, but maybe it was a mistake. We’ll see.
Categories: Politics
[...] Via Shots On the House. [...]
this has got to be bs.
even cnn knows not to use an apostrophe for a possessive “its”. only for the contraction of “it is”.
“In a move to increase ITS mailing list…”
Not IT’S.
Sorry, pet peeve of mine.
Yeah, like I said, I can’t personally confirm the credibility of the story, but as http://www.amerpundit.com points out, if its a hoax, its a darn good one - everything follows standard CNN format.
bayh.vp? give me a break. hoax!
Bayh would be great. Dull, unoriginal, bland, TYPICAL WHITE GUY. And we’d finally get rid of him! I propose that we give them a twofer–Dan Burton AND Evan. Dan could just be the designated absentee from every meeting, out playing golf.
Hmmmmm
On the top of the screenshot, it says Evan Byah and Joe Biden also considered top contenders. Seems odd that a story highlight would suggest they did not get it while the article says Byah did.
[...] Did CNN spill the beans on Bayh being the pick, or did someone doctor a screenshot in Photoshop? You make the call! The Freepers had this too, for what it’s worth, although the source may be the same [...]
[...] TO PICK BAYH? If this report is true, it bodes poorly for an Obama Administration’s ability to keep secrets. But maybe it’s [...]
[...] Blague Internet ou erreur de CNN ? Could it be a hoax? Could CNN have dropped the story from their website because it was bad reporting and it could not be confirmed? Was Barack Obama’s aide simply sending a test e-mail to a few people and sent it to the wrong mailing list? Either way, here’s what a CNN story that has since been pulled said about Barack’s VP pick: [...]
[...] Evan Bayh, Obama VP? Of course this could be a mistake. At this point the story is coming from ShotsOnTheHouse.com. Would liberals accept a man who voted to ban partial birth abortion? Remember, President [...]
THIS IS A HOAX. Do not be fooled. The supposed web address ends in .vp. That’s bogus. The supposed story has several misspellings. The word Ind. is used in stead of (S, IN) like most use… there is a lot wrong with this image. It is a hoax.
Ooops…. I meant (D, IN) not (S, IN). sorry for the typo.
I find typos in news articles all the time and email the author to correct. You think these folks are perfect? “it’s” is an easy to make typo. When your fingers get flying with exciting news, this one can certainly happen to the most veteran news person.
Even if it is not authentic, you have to admit that it certainly is plausible. The idea the CNN would pull back a news article like this because Obama asked them to not report it, certainly sounds like something CNN would comply with.
Great catch!
Warner Todd Houston, the “vp” is not a file extension, but rather the initials for Vice President. It’s just a better way to name the article with a meaningful name. I wouldn’t say that this at all points to a hoax. It still could certainly be a hoax though. I’m just leaning toward conspiracy instead
I just like conspiracies 
[...] Oops? Obama VP Leaked? Evan Bayh [...]
[...] Then there’s the story (H/T the Corner) of a reported CNN slip-up, where they already used Bayh in the past [...]
Actually, it’s a very BAD hoax. Here are some of the obvious problems with it: http://www.jedreport.com/2008/08/how-paranoid-is.html?disqus_reply=1628040#comment-1628040
Actually, no it’s not. Look here:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/31/mccain.vp/
If it’s a hoax, and I’m not saying it’s legit — whoever put this together some research.
Conclusion: Hoax. If you look at the tab title in the screenshot, the title is different than the supposed title of the article. If you go to the article with the title listed in the tab, the “Story Highlights” are the same as the screenshot.
You will notice that the subject line of the browser does not match the article title. Curiously, the text is riddled with typos, AND it is not anti-aliased like the rest of the page. Additionally, the supposed “leak” does not have usual citation CNN attributes to its images (most commonly, “getty images”). Furthermore, the taskbar subject (it has an apostrophe) does not agree with the top of the Internet Explorer window (it doesn’t have an apostrophe). Another hole in this obvious fake is that it directly utilizes the SAME EXACT story highlights from a story CNN actually published (”Analysis: Countdown is on to Obama’s VP Announcement”). Please give yourself a little credit and actually bother to examine the blatantly false content you are posting.
Here’s how you know that the story is a plant:
There’s no byline.
That’s the dead giveaway. Look at every other story on the CNN website. Either a reporter’s name is attached to it, or the story is credited to the Associated Press.
Every. Single. One.
Not this one.
Now, why would that be?
Because that’s what CNN does with Obama press releases that it doesn’t want its reporters fingerprints on.
The author of this article is a idiot. This is a photoshop, and a poor one at that.
The lack of true type fonts, the fact that the title bar in IE has a different name than the tab (which is impossible) and it’s riddled with stupid typos.
If you’re going to play journalist blogger then at least attempt to use that tiny brain bobbing around in your cerebrospinal fluid.
Wow, that college education is really going to waste.
Anyone with even a half a brain would realize that if this happened, millions of people would have gotten an email or text message and it would have been all over the news.
If this is what represents the youth of the Republican party, they are even more screwed that I thought.
[...] Or Bayh? [...]
In response to Ed and the others,
Please note that the first line of my story is “Could it be a hoax?” Second, Ed, at least read the now-known fake story which said it was sent to several hundred people that opted in first. To all of you Democrats being all negative and angry because your candidate still hasn’t picked his dull and equally under-qualified VP, I apologize.
[...] Meanwhile, in the Obama camp Biden is getting a lot of buzz. However, Biden says he isn’t the guy! For what its worth, Nader is predicting Obama will pick Hillary! Wouldn’t that be sweet? Others are saying it will be a different female named Kathleen Sebelius? Lots of talk about Bayh too. [...]
“If this is what represents the youth of the Republican party, they are even more screwed that I thought.”
Are you kidding? The youth of the Republican party may not have the glamour or outspoken nature of the Obamessiah-worshiping change-mongers, but there are many of us out there. Just like in the Nixon days, the silent majority is still alive and well.
It’s going to be annoying to all the super libs out there when Barry H. wins the popular vote yet loses the electoral vote. I see this electoral map, of course being the only thing that matters, looking eerily similar to the 2004 electoral outcome.
[...] not Evan Bayh, the boring plain-talking Indiana Senator that could put the state in play. Instead, word has come [...]