Gateway Pundit Screams at Media for Not Reporting Fake Story

Gateway Pundit, exemplar of the Fox News/Andrew Breitbart style of journalism that the tea party hopes will take over the media, had a hissy fit today claiming that the mainstream media was failing to report that a GOP official and her boyfriend were beaten in New Orleans for "wearing Palin pins."

Hoft goes on to link to a couple stories suggesting that "vulgar anarchists" with a (gasp!) known history of using the F-word might have something to do with the attack. Dana Loesch, of course, mindlessly followed his lead:


But thank goodness that the mainstream media, unlike Hoft and Loesch, actually waited for quality sourcing on this story. Mediaite passed on from the Baton Rouge Advocate this quote from Bobby Jindal's spokesperson;

While there were protestors around at that time, we are not aware of any evidence that the individuals involved in the altercation were protestors.

Even more embarrassing for Hoft, right-wing blogger Michelle Malkin reported this update from Jindal's press secreatory:

I just heard from Mr. Plotkin that Bautsch and her boyfriend were NOT wearing Palin pins.

Malkin's update was part of a longer piece having to explain to the rest of the right-wing blogosphere the difference between facts and allegations. (I wish someone could have taught them about that around 15 years ago.)

One would think that Jim Hoft would apologize for this ridiculous ideologically charged travesty of "journalism" and maybe undergo some self-reflection after having embarrassed himself this badly, but he'll probably just ignore the whole correction and move on to other screaming headlines. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he used the story in his speech at the tax day tea party.

Update: probably worth noting the frightening statements today by Lt. Governor Peter Kinder who claims that the Post-Dispatch is "thoroughly corrupt," and says we should all get our news from people like Gateway Pundit instead. Yikes!