Do you remember how ape-shit Republicans got after someone leaked the email list of left-leaning, centrist and even conservative journos and wonks called Journolist? Tucker Carlson and many other thumbsuckers cried out in the night like babies in their cribs. Dana Perino said this on FOX News about Journolist.
Perino: I don't know any conservatives who actually participate in something like that.
Really? I knew many people on the Journolist and believe me it was just a list that was used to chat about politics. I've been on a few lists myself over the years and most of the time it's just a forum for people to discuss breaking news stories and proposed legislation and nothing more. It wasn't used to start a "30 Front War."
Isn't it funny now that we learn Conservatives have indeed had their own email list all along, but they also took it much farther by holding secret meetings in a DC office to come up with ideas and strategies to shape the political narrative. They even have a Supreme Court Justice's wife on their team. What interesting pillow talk Ginni and Clarence must have! That's something that the left has never done. When I heard the news, I immediately wondered how FOX news would report on the story. Well, as of right now I can't report how they handled it, because they completely buried the story.
After devoting more than 51 minutes to reports about a listserv where progressive journalists supposedly "coordinated" attacks on Republicans during the week the story broke, Fox News has yet to mention the report that conservative members of the media -- including Fox News contributors -- participate in a listserv whose members meet weekly "to concoct talking points" and "coordinate messaging."
On July 25, Mother Jones' David Corn reported on Groundswell, a coalition of prominent right-wing activists and journalists who use a listserv and regular meetings to coordinate a "two front war" against both progressives and Fox News political analyst and former Bush aide Karl Rove, who the group believes is insufficiently conservative.
In addition to influential conservatives from major right-wing organizations, the group has included Fox News contributors Sandy Rios, John Bolton, and Allen West, Breitbart News Network Executive Chairman Stephen Bannon and reporters Matthew Boyle and Mike Flynn, Washington Examiner Executive Editor Mark Tapscott, and National Review contributor Michael James Barton.
Tapscott told Mother Jones that he left the coalition after one or two meetings, explaining: "The implication of attending is that you're participating in their planning, and, as a journalist, I don't think that's appropriate. Other journalists may think differently."
In 2010, right-wing media outlets, led by the Daily Caller and Breitbart News, devoted substantial attention to Journolist, a listserv of liberal, centrist, and conservative journalists, opinion writers, and academics engaged in running debates about current events. Conservatives claimed, with little evidence, that this was a left-wing cabal devoted to coordinating messages to destroy conservatives.
In his report, Corn noted that the right-wing's allegations about Journolist had actually been brought to pass on the right through Groundswell.
Memeorandum only had a small listing for Groundswell, but if it had been something the left had done it would have covered their entire website.
I'm wondering when Dana Perino will wash the egg from her face and formerly apologize to the world? You can tweet her @DanaPerino. Let me know when you hear or read any conservative discuss Groundswell.
